Songoftheday 3/14/23 - I really be throwin' my words standing 'em up and jammin' on the one, that ain't nobody but Neptunes bammin' on the drum...

 

 

"Bouncin' Back (Bumpin' Me Against The Wall)" - Mystikal

from the album Tarantula (2001)

Billboard Hot 100 peak: #37 (one week)

Weeks in the Top-40: 4

 

Today's song comes from rapper Mitchell Tyler, who records under the moniker Mystikal. After three albums, Mystikal landed two crossover top-40 hits on Billboard magazine's Hot 100 in 2000 with "Shake Ya Ass" and "Danger (Been So Long)".  A year later he was featured on Joe's #1 pop hit single "Stutter", even broadening his exposure to a mainstream audience. 

At the close of 2001, Mystikal came back with his fifth studio album Tarantula. For the lead single, he went back to the same production team for his previous hits, the Neptunes (Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo). "Bouncin' Back (Bumpin' Me Against The Wall)", written by Mystikal with Pharrell, Against a swing-like production he raps about overcoming adversity, but by the end devolves into a weird boast about how people are shutting themselves in from watching CNN (this was post 9/11, Lord knows he didn't predict the pandemic). He sure couldn't predict his own freedom in the next few years...

"Bouncin' Back" became Mystikal's third top-40 hit on the Hot 100 as a lead artist in February of 2002, while climbing to #8 on Billboard's R&B Songs chart and #7 on the Rap Singles list. On the radio, the song peaked at #9 on the R&B Airplay chart, and #19 on the dance-oriented Rhythmic format. Internationally, the single barely missed the top 40 in the United Kingdom at #45. The Tarantula album, released in December of 2001, came in at #25 on the Billboard 200 sales tally, and #4 on the R&B Albums chart, going on to sell over a half million copies. At the Grammy Awards in 2003, "Bouncin' Back" was nominated for Best Male Solo Rap Performance, losing to Nelly for "Hot In Herre". Tarantula was also up for Best Rap Album, which Eminem took home for The Eminem Show. 

Mystikal's follow-up single was title track "Tarantula" featuring singer Butch Cassidy (Danny Means), which was produced by Scott Storch. However the song stalled down at #76 on the R&B Songs chart, not even attempting to come close to the Hot 100. He did bounce back a little by appearing on Ludacris' top ten pop hit "Move Bitch" later that year, though.

This resurgence would not last, as the Tyler went to prison at the start of 2004 for sexual assault and extortion. Jive summarily put out a best of at that time, with a new track "Oochie Pop" barely skimming the R&B chart at #83. The Prince Of The South...The Hits album went to #140 on the Billboard 200 and #27 on the R&B Albums list. 

The rapper was released in 2010, but by then was damaged goods. Still under contract with Jive, he hasn't put out an album since. Lil Wayne and his Young Money organization put out a single from Mystikal , "Original" featuring Wayne and rapper Birdman, but that stalled down at #80 on the R&B chart. He's released singles periodically, but has been more known for his string of arrests for domestic violence. His most recent single, the ill-titled "Watch That B!tch", came out in February of this year.

(4/10)

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Here's the rapper appearing on Carson Daly's late night show...

Up tomorrow: This pop star is downright laughable.