"No Scrubs" is a song recorded by American girl group TLC for their third
studio album FanMail. Released on January 23, 1999 as the album's first
single, "No Scrubs" became TLC's third number-one single and eighth top 10
single on the Billboard Hot 100. It also earned them their second Grammy
nomination for Record of the Year. The radio mix containing Left Eye's rap as
heard in the video was not included on the album FanMail, but could be
purchased on the international CD single, and later on Now and Forever:
The Hits and 20. "No Scrubs" is one of TLC's signature
songs and was the second biggest Hot 100 single of 1999, according to
Billboard‍ '​s Year-End Charts. The single was certified Platinum in the UK
and New Zealand. Lead vocals were performed by TLC member Rozonda "Chilli"
Thomas, with background vocals credited to Chilli, Debra Killings, and T-Boz.
Former Xscape members Kandi Burruss and Tameka Cottle co-wrote the song.
Critical reception In 1999, the song was listed on The
Village Voice's annual poll Pazz & Jop at number one.
Chart performance "No Scrubs" climbed into the U.S. top
ten as an airplay only song and jumped to number one upon the single release.
The single stayed at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for four weeks from
April 10, 1999, to May 7, 1999. The single stayed in the top-10 of the
Billboard Hot 100 for 24 consecutive weeks.
"No Scrubs" airplay was at the time astonishing; it was the very first song
to peak with over 140 million audience impressions and was crowned the Top
Airplay Song of 1999. It holds the record for most weeks at number 1 on the
Rhythmic Top 40 with 15 weeks. In Australia, "No Scrubs" was a huge
success, spending seven consecutive weeks at the summit of the Australian
Singles Chart from May 2, 1999 - June 20, 1999.
In the United Kingdom, "No Scrubs" peaked at number three on the UK Singles
Chart, becoming TLC's highest-charting single in Britain. The song was
certified platinum by the British Phonographic Industry.
Music video The futuristic music video, directed by
Hype Williams, was shot on March 18, 1999, and also received massive airplay
on MTV, and won the group the 1999 MTV Video Music Award for Best Group Video,
beating out favorites NSYNC and the Backstreet Boys. Each member had a set
in the video. The video also has a dance sequence where the women dance in front
of the "TLC" logo. The Main Mix is used in the video instead of the album
version. The video features the women in three
different outfits: white, black, silver and Left Eye in blue. When there are
shots of the women together they have two different outfits: black and silver.
T-Boz's hair is fuchsia in the video. It also features a scene of Chilli on a
swing singing. It also features T-Boz dancing as well as Left Eye. As Left
Eye's rap begins, she is in a garage-like place with white clothes on
while rapping. It also shows her practicing fighting moves in a
futuristic blue outfit. One of the final scenes shows TLC fighting each other,
while also dancing and having fun. The video is stylistically similar to
Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson's music video "Scream".
Legacy and pop culture fame After TLC released "No Scrubs" in 1999,
Sporty Thievz made an answer song called "No Pigeons" that same year.
In 2013, DJ and producer Le Youth sampled the song in his single Dance
with Me, reaching number 11 in the UK Singles Chart
No Scrubs was played on The Prom episode of Moesha.
Track listing US CD single
"No Scrubs" – 3:39 "No Scrubs" – 3:37
EU CD single "No Scrubs" – 3:37
"No Scrubs" – 4:00 "No Scrubs" – 3:37
"Silly Ho" – 4:16 UK CD 1
"No Scrubs" – 3:37 "No Scrubs" – 4:00
"Silly Ho" – 4:16 UK CD 2
"No Scrubs" – 3:39 "Waterfalls" – 4:19
"Creep" – 4:26 Charts and certifications
= Chart successions= Covers