Otherside of the Game
| "Otherside of the Game" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Erykah Badu | ||||
| from the album Baduizm | ||||
| A-side | "Otherside of the Game (Acapella)" | |||
| Released | July 28, 1997 | |||
| Format | 7", CD single | |||
| Recorded | 1996 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 6:33 | |||
| Label | Kedar Records | |||
| Songwriter(s) |
Erykah Badu, Questlove James Poyser, Richard Nichols | |||
| Producer(s) | The Roots, Richard Nichols | |||
| Erykah Badu singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Otherside of the Game" is a song by American R&B singer Erykah Badu. It is the third single from her 1997 album Baduizm. The song effectively showcases Badu's debt to jazz as well as soul. It is a ballad with lyrics that tells the story of a conflicted woman in a troubled relationship. She is expecting a baby with her husband, so she feels she must stand by him despite his apparently illegal activities.[1]
Release and reception
"Otherside of the Game" was released as a single following "Next Lifetime". Although it failed to chart on Billboard's Hot R&B Songs chart, it peaked to #14 on the R&B Airplay chart in August 1997.
Music video
The music video starts with the title 'a story by Erykah Badu'. It then shows Badu waking up her husband, played by her then boyfriend André 3000, as the two playful being affectionate and loving toward each other. As the couple lounge around the house, moments later he answers the door, he receives a package containing money, possibly from illegal activities. As the couple lounge around, he gets a message from his pager, and leaves the home. She sits on the bed, showing concern for his safe return.
Charts
| Chart (1997) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay[2] | 14 |