How Do U Want It
single
CoverHow Do U Want It.jpeg
Artist2Pac featuring K-Ci & JoJo
AlbumAll Eyez on Me
A-sideCalifornia Love
B-side
ReleasedMay 28, 1996
StudioCan-Am (Tarzana, Los Angeles)
Genre
Length
  • 4:47 (album version)
  • 3:59 (radio edit)
Label
WriterTupac Shakur · Johnny Jackson
ProducerJohnny "J"
Chronology2Pac
Prev year1995
Next year1996

"How Do U Want It" is a song by American rapper 2Pac from his fourth studio album, All Eyez on Me (1996). It was released on May 28, 1996, by Death Row and Interscope Records, and was his final single to be released during his lifetime. "How Do U Want It" features R&B duo K-Ci & JoJo, who at the time were best known as the lead singers of the R&B quartet Jodeci. The song received a Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group Grammy nomination in 1997.[1] It would also top the Billboard Year-End Hot Rap Singles of 1996, becoming 2Pac's only single to accomplish that feat.

Produced by Johnny "J", "How Do U Want It" samples Quincy Jones' 1974 song "Body Heat", and includes a diss towards civil rights activist and fierce rap critic C. Delores Tucker. Tucker later sued 2Pac's estate, claiming that comments in this song, and on the track "Wonda Why They Call U Bitch" from the same album, inflicted emotional distress, were slanderous, and invaded her privacy.[2] The case was later dismissed.[3] A music video was created for "How Do U Want It" and its B-sides "2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted" and "Hit 'Em Up".

Commercial performance

In the United States, the song was issued as a double A-sided single with "California Love", also from All Eyez on Me. The single reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming Death Row Records' first and only chart-topping single, while "How Do U Want It" by itself reached number two on the New Zealand Singles Chart. On the US Hot 100, sales were the biggest driver of the single's chart run, spending four weeks on top of the component chart for sales while barely entering the top-75 airplay component chart at number 68.[4][5]

Music videos

There were three videos filmed for this song:

A dirty version[6] and a clean version[7] were both directed by Ron Hightower and produced by Tracy D. Robinson. These two versions are distinguished by music ratings (one is certified adult material). The videos portray a wild sex party with Jacuzzi, mechanical bull riding, cage dancing and pole stripping. The dirty version also features numerous porn stars, including Nina Hartley, Heather Hunter, Nadia Cassini and Angel Kelly.

The third version, known as the concert version, is mostly live on stage (not from the House of Blues live performance).[8] There are cameo appearances by K-Ci & JoJo, and fellow group member of Digital Underground Shock G both in the concert and studio segments.

Track listing

A1. "How Do U Want It" (LP version)
A2. "California Love" (long radio edit)
B1. "2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted" (LP version)
B2. "Hit 'Em Up"

Charts

Weekly charts

Weekly chart performance for "How Do U Want It"
Chart (1996)Peak
position
Canada (Nielsen SoundScan)[9]11
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[10]60
Europe (European Dance Radio)[11]17

Year-end charts

Year-end chart performance for "How Do U Want It"
Chart (1996)Position
New Zealand (RIANZ)[12]13
US Billboard Hot 100[13]17
US Hot R&B Singles (Billboard)[14]6
US Hot Rap Singles (Billboard)[15]1
US Maxi-Singles Sales (Billboard)[16]1

Release history

Release dates and formats for "How Do U Want It"
RegionDateFormat(s)Label(s)Ref.
United StatesMay 28, 1996Rhythmic contemporary radioDeath Row · Interscope[17]
United KingdomJuly 15, 199612-inch vinyl · CD · cassette[18]

See also

References

  1. ^ 39th Grammy Awards - 1997. Rock on the Net. Retrieved September 6, 2014.
  2. ^ "Rap critic sues Shakur's estate for defamation". Los Angeles Times. August 1997.
  3. ^ "C. Delores Tucker; William Tucker, Her Husbandv.richard Fischbein; Belinda Luscombe; Newsweek Magazine; Johnnie L. Roberts; Time Inc.c. Delores Tucker; William Tucker, Appellants, 237 F.3d 275 (3d Cir. 2001)"
  4. ^ "Hot 100 Singles Sales". Billboard. Vol. 108, no. 31. August 3, 1996. p. 105. Retrieved February 7, 2026. – via World Radio History.
  5. ^ "2Pac Chart History (Radio Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved February 7, 2026.
  6. ^ "2Pac - How Do U Want It Official Explicit Video", November 16, 2011, retrieved February 1, 2024
  7. ^ "2Pac - How Do U Want It (Official Music Video) ft. K-Ci & JoJo", November 20, 2023, retrieved February 1, 2024
  8. ^ "2Pac feat. K-Ci & JoJo - How Do You Want It [Uncut Concert Version] (Official Video) [Explicit]", May 22, 2009, retrieved February 1, 2024
  9. ^ "Hits of the World: Canada". Billboard. Vol. 108, no. 46. November 16, 1996. p. 56. Retrieved January 12, 2026.
  10. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles". Music & Media. Vol. 13, no. 32. August 10, 1996. p. 9. Retrieved February 28, 2026.
  11. ^ "European Dance Radio Top 25". Music & Media. Vol. 13, no. 35. August 31, 1996. p. 16. Retrieved February 26, 2026.
  12. ^ "End of Year Charts 1996". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved February 12, 2026.
  13. ^ "Billboard Top 100 - 1996". Archived from the original on March 1, 2009. Retrieved August 27, 2010.
  14. ^ "The Year in Music: Hot R&B Singles". Billboard. Vol. 108, no. 52. December 28, 1996. p. YE-40. Retrieved January 12, 2026.
  15. ^ "The Year in Music: Hot Rap Singles". Billboard. Vol. 108, no. 52. December 28, 1996. p. YE-42. Retrieved January 12, 2026.
  16. ^ "The Year in Music: Hot Dance Music/Maxi Singles Sales". Billboard. Vol. 108, no. 52. December 28, 1996. p. YE-45. Retrieved January 12, 2026.
  17. ^ "Selected New Releases". Radio & Records. No. 1147. May 24, 1996. p. 36.
  18. ^ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. July 13, 1996. p. 27.