"Area Codes" is a song by the American hip hop recording artist Ludacris, released as the first single from his third album, Word of Mouf (2001). It features Nate Dogg. The song was originally released on the soundtrack to Rush Hour 2. The song's lyrics focus on U.S. telephone area codes that denote the location of women with whom the rapper has had sexual relations in cities across the United States.[1]
"Area Codes" | ||||
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Single by Ludacris featuring Nate Dogg | ||||
from the album Rush Hour 2 Soundtrack and Word of Mouf | ||||
Released | July 3, 2001 | |||
Recorded | 2000 | |||
Genre | Hip hop | |||
Length | 5:03 | |||
Label | Disturbing tha Peace, Def Jam | |||
Songwriter(s) | Jones, R. Walters, C. Bridges, Fred Tatlow | |||
Producer(s) | Jazze Pha | |||
Ludacris singles chronology | ||||
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Nate Dogg singles chronology | ||||
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The song was written by D. Davis, K. Hilson, J. Jones, R. Walters and C. Bridges[2] and was produced by Jazze Pha.[3]
Overview
editIt entered the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 84 on July 14, 2001, and peaked at No. 24 on September 8, 2001.
The song was also included briefly in a scene from The Fast and the Furious.
Cultural legacy
editBecause telephone area codes have increasingly become less constrained to particular geographic areas, a cultural critic has noted that the core conceit of the "Area Codes" song may become confusing to future generations of listeners not raised with the concept that a particular area code must be tied to residence in a particular region and not knowledgeable about the assigned area code numbering for major urban areas.[1] De La Soul's "Area", a comparable song released 8 years prior, faces a similar conundrum.
American rapper Kali interpolates the song in her song of the same name, released in 2023.
Area codes mentioned
editThese are the area codes listed in the song, in order:
Position | Area code | City or general area | State (where Luda has hoes) |
---|---|---|---|
1 | 770 | Atlanta | Georgia |
2 | 404 | Atlanta | Georgia |
3 | 718 | New York City (exc. Manhattan) | New York |
4 | 202 | Washington | D.C. |
5 | 901 | Memphis | Tennessee |
6 | 305 | Miami | Florida |
7 | 312 | Chicago | Illinois |
8 | 313 | Detroit | Michigan |
9 | 215 | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania |
10 | 803 | Columbia | South Carolina |
11 | 757 | Hampton Roads | Virginia |
12 | 410 | Baltimore | Maryland |
13 | 504 | New Orleans | Louisiana |
14 | 972 | Dallas | Texas |
15 | 713 | Houston | Texas |
16 | 314 | St. Louis | Missouri |
17 | 201 | North Jersey | New Jersey |
18 | 212 | Manhattan | New York |
19 | 213 | Los Angeles | California |
20 | 916 | Sacramento | California |
21 | 415 | San Francisco | California |
22 | 704 | Charlotte | North Carolina |
23 | 206 | Seattle | Washington |
24 | 808 | Honolulu | Hawaii |
25 | 216 | Cleveland | Ohio |
26 | 702 | Las Vegas | Nevada |
27 | 414 | Milwaukee | Wisconsin |
28 | 317 | Indianapolis | Indiana |
29 | 214 | Dallas | Texas |
30 | 281 | Houston | Texas |
31 | 334 | Montgomery | Alabama |
32 | 205 | Birmingham | Alabama |
33 | 318 | Shreveport | Louisiana |
34 | 601 | Jackson | Mississippi |
35 | 203 | New Haven | Connecticut |
36 | 804 | Richmond | Virginia |
37 | 402 | Omaha | Nebraska |
38 | 301 | Washington, D.C. suburbs | Maryland |
39 | 904 | Jacksonville | Florida |
40 | 407 | Orlando | Florida |
41 | 850 | Tallahassee | Florida |
42 | 708 | Cook County | Illinois |
43 | 502 | Louisville | Kentucky |
Charts
edit
Weekly chartsedit
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Year-end chartsedit
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Certifications
editRegion | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United States (RIAA)[14] | Gold | 500,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
References
edit- ^ a b Urbina, Ian (October 1, 2004). "Area Codes, Now Divorced From Their Areas". The New York Times. Retrieved November 23, 2010.
And as area codes lose their foothold, certain cultural references may also drop their meaning. "How long before Ludacris's 'Area Code' ceases to make sense?" asked Mr. Rojas, referring to a song in which the rapper uses only area codes to refer to locations where he has had sexual encounters. "That song only works if people know where each area code is located."
- ^ "Word of Mouf:Composers". Archived from the original on March 9, 2007. Retrieved December 6, 2006.
- ^ "Word of Mouf: Song Listings". Archived from the original on December 10, 2006. Retrieved December 6, 2006.
- ^ "Australian Web Archive" (PDF). webarchive.nla.gov.au. August 23, 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 20, 2002. Retrieved January 14, 2012.
- ^ "Ludacris Feat. Nate Dogg – Area Codes" (in French). Les classement single.
- ^ "Ludacris Feat. Nate Dogg – Area Codes". Top 40 Singles.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
- ^ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company.
- ^ "Ludacris Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
- ^ "Ludacris Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.
- ^ "Ludacris Chart History (Hot Rap Songs)". Billboard.
- ^ "Ludacris Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard.
- ^ "2001 The Year in Music". Billboard. Vol. 113, no. 52. December 29, 2001. p. YE-44. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
- ^ "American single certifications – Ludacris – Area Codes". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
External links
edit