Purple Pills

"Purple Pills", also known as "Purple Hills" in the radio edit, is a hip hop single by American rap group D12, taken as the second cut from their debut studio album, Devil's Night. It achieved notable success, peaking at number 19 on the Billboard Hot 100, number 2 in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Norway, number 3 in Australia, number 5 in Sweden and number 10 in the Netherlands and Finland.

This article is about the song. For the medication advertised by AstraZeneca as "the purple pill", see Esomeprazole.
"Purple Pills"
Single by D12
from the album Devil's Night
B-side
ReleasedJune 5, 2001
FormatCD single, Cassette
Recorded2000; 54 Sound and The Lodge
GenreComedy hip hop
Length4:19 ("Purple Hills")
5:04 ("Purple Pills")
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
D12 singles chronology
"Shit on You"
(2001)		 "Purple Pills"
(2001)		 "Ain't Nuttin' But Music"
(2001)
Music video
"Purple Hills" on YouTube
Audio
"Purple Pills" on YouTube

Background

The track features verses rapped by Eminem, Bizarre, Proof, Swifty and a joint verse between Kuniva and Kon Artis. The album version of the song contains many references to drug use, with "purple pills", "golden seals", and "Mushroom Mountain" being examples of recreational drug use. When it was announced that the group intended to release the track as a single, due to the drug and sex references, it was deemed inappropriate for play on many radio stations, and as such, a censored version of the song, "Purple Hills", was made. This version removes most of the drug and sex references and replaces them with comical lyrics. Such changes include the line "I've been to mushroom mountain" altered to say "I've climbed the highest mountain"; and the line "I take a couple uppers, I down a couple downers" changed to "I've been so many places, I've seen so many faces." Most of Bizarre's verse is entirely changed, due to the strong amount of sexual and drug content in it. Music videos were made for both "Purple Pills" and "Purple Hills" respectively. The accompanying music videos were directed by Joseph Kahn.[1]

Release

In the United States and United Kingdom, radio play was limited to "Purple Hills", as "Purple Pills" was deemed not suitable for radio. However, a number of underground radio stations in the United States played "Purple Pills". Music channels were also restricted to playing the video for "Purple Hills". When physically released, two versions of the single were made available in the United Kingdom — one for "Purple Pills", with the "Purple Pills" audio track and music video, and one for "Purple Hills", with the "Purple Hills" audio track and music video. In Europe and Australia, one version of the single was available—this contained "Purple Pills" as an audio track but the music video for "Purple Hills". In America, one version of the single was available — this contained "Purple Hills" as an audio track with no enhanced section.

Track listing

UK CD single #1[2]

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Purple Pills"
5:05
2."Shit on You" (album version)
5:30
3."That's How..."
  • Mathers
  • Porter
  • Carlisle
  • Moore
  • Johnson
  • Holton
  • Bass
4:48
4."Purple Pills" (music video)
  • Mathers
  • Porter
  • Carlisle
  • Moore
  • Johnson
  • Holton
  • Bass
4:29

UK CD single #2[3]

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Purple Hills"
5:05
2."Shit on You" (album version)
5:30
3."That's How..."
  • Mathers
  • Porter
  • Carlisle
  • Moore
  • Johnson
  • Holton
  • Bass
4:48
4."Purple Hills" (music video)
  • Mathers
  • Porter
  • Carlisle
  • Moore
  • Johnson
  • Holton
  • Bass
4:29

UK 12" vinyl[4]

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Purple Pills"
5:05
2."Shit on You" (album version)
5:30
3."That's How..."
  • Mathers
  • Porter
  • Carlisle
  • Moore
  • Johnson
  • Holton
  • Bass
4:48

UK Cassette

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Purple Pills"
5:05
2."Shit on You" (album version)
5:30

European CD single[5]

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Purple Pills"
5:05
2."That's How..."
  • Mathers
  • Porter
  • Carlisle
  • Moore
  • Johnson
  • Holton
  • Bass
4:48

Europe and Australia Maxi single[6][7]

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Purple Pills"
5:05
2."Shit on You" (album version)
5:30
3."That's How..."
  • Mathers
  • Porter
  • Carlisle
  • Moore
  • Johnson
  • Holton
  • Bass
4:48
4."Purple Hills" (music video)
  • Mathers
  • Porter
  • Carlisle
  • Ondre Moore
  • Johnson
  • Holton
  • Bass
4:29

European 12" vinyl[8]

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Purple Pills"
5:05
2."Purple Pills" (acapella)
  • Mathers
  • Porter
  • Carlisle
  • Moore
  • Johnson
  • Holton
  • Bass
5:09
3."That's How..."
  • Mathers
  • Porter
  • Carlisle
  • Moore
  • Johnson
  • Holton
  • Bass
4:48

US CD single[9]

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Purple Hills"
5:05
2."Purple Hills" (instrumental)
  • Mathers
  • Porter
  • Carlisle
  • Moore
  • Johnson
  • Holton
  • Bass
5:05

US and UK Promotional 12" vinyl[10]

Side A
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Purple Hills"
5:05
2."Purple Pills"
  • Mathers
  • Porter
  • Carlisle
  • Moore
  • Johnson
  • Holton
  • Bass
5:05
3."Purple Pills" (instrumental)
  • Mathers
  • Porter
  • Carlisle
  • Moore
  • Johnson
  • Holton
  • Bass
5:05
4."Purple Pills" (acapella)
  • Mathers
  • Porter
  • Carlisle
  • Moore
  • Johnson
  • Holton
  • Bass
5:08
Side B
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."That's How" (clean version)
4:44
2."That's How..." (explicit version)
  • Mathers
  • Porter
  • Carlisle
  • Moore
  • Johnson
  • Holton
  • Bass
  • Porter
  • Eminem[b]
4:44
3."That's How..." (instrumental)
  • Mathers
  • Porter
  • Carlisle
  • Moore
  • Johnson
  • Holton
  • Bass
  • Porter
  • Eminem[b]
4:44
4."That's How..." (acapella)
  • Mathers
  • Porter
  • Carlisle
  • Moore
  • Johnson
  • Holton
  • Bass
  • Porter
  • Eminem[b]
4:48
Notes
  • ^[a] signifies an additional producer.
  • ^[b] signifies a co-producer.

Charts

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[39] Gold 35,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[40] Gold 400,000

^shipments figures based on certification alone
sales+streaming figures based on certification alone

References
  1. "D12 - "Purple Hills"". Universal Music Group. MTV Networks. Retrieved July 9, 2009.
  2. "D12 - Purple Pills (CD) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2013-10-29.
  3. "D12 - Purple Hills (CD) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2013-10-29.
  4. "Images for D12 - Purple Pills". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2013-10-29.
  5. "D12 - Purple Pills (CD) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2013-10-29.
  6. "D12 - Purple Pills (CD) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2013-10-29.
  7. "D12 - Purple Pills (CD) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2013-10-29.
  8. "D12 - Purple Pills / That's How... (Vinyl) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2013-10-29.
  9. "D12 - Purple Hills (CD) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2013-10-29.
  10. "D12 - Purple Pills / That's How... (Vinyl) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2013-10-29.
  11. "Australian-charts.com – D12 – Purple Pills". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  12. "Austriancharts.at – D12 – Purple Pills" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  13. "Ultratop.be – D12 – Purple Pills" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  14. "Ultratop.be – D12 – Purple Pills" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  15. "D12: Purple Pills" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  16. "Offiziellecharts.de – D12 – Purple Pills". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  17. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Purple Pills". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved January 25, 2020.
  18. "Italiancharts.com – D12 – Purple Pills". Top Digital Download.
  19. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 30, 2001" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  20. "Dutchcharts.nl – D12 – Purple Pills" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved May 4, 2018.
  21. "Charts.nz – D12 – Purple Pills". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  22. "Norwegiancharts.com – D12 – Purple Pills". VG-lista. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  23. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 4, 2018.
  24. "Swedishcharts.com – D12 – Purple Pills". Singles Top 100. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  25. "Swisscharts.com – D12 – Purple Pills". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  26. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  27. "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 21, 2018.
  28. "Official R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 21, 2018.
  29. "D12 Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  30. "D12 Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  31. "D12 Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  32. "D12 > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  33. "ARIA Charts - End Of Year Charts - Top 100 Singles 2001". ARIA. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
  34. "Jaaroverzichten 2001" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
  35. "Ireland - Top Singles For 2001". Allcharts.org. Archived from the original on May 5, 2012. Retrieved December 16, 2018.
  36. "Jaaroverzichten - Single 2001" (in Dutch). Retrieved 21 May 2018.
  37. "Årslista Singlar - År 2001" (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 19 July 2011. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
  38. "The Official UK Singles Chart 2001" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
  39. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2001 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
  40. "British single certifications – D12 – Purple Pills". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 21 May 2018. Select singles in the Format field. Select Gold in the Certification field. Type Purple Pills in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
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