Calm Down (Busta Rhymes song)

In September 2013, Busta Rhymes confirmed the collaboration in an interview with XXL, saying: "I’ve got a six-minute record with Eminem that sounds like we are respectfully trying to battle each other in a way that you probably never heard us battle in our entire careers on a record. So it’s lot of real incredibly golden moments for us on this project."^[2] In January 2014, the song's producer Scoop DeVille spoke about the song in an interview with Vlad TV, saying that "That's the next record that's going to, I'd say destroy the streets of New York and Hip Hop in a lot of ways" and "bring back Busta in a major way." He revealed that the song, 6 minutes in length, had been worked on for a long time and was planned to have an accompanying music video as well.^[3]

In July 2014, during an interview with Power 106, Busta explained that as he and Eminem kept going "back and forth" in a competitive, battling manner, the song went from three minutes and eight seconds to 6 minutes. Busta continued: "We [were] like, 'Yo, listen, it's one thing to say F the rules, but it's another thing to say we're O.D.ing," and called the song a "special," "beautiful piece of art."^[4]

In a July 2014, interview with Complex, Busta explained how the song came together. Scoop provided Busta with the instrumental, which Busta "loved". He immediately recorded two 16-bar verses and titled the song "Calm Down". After "marinating" on the song for some time, Busta felt that it "would be an incredible record for Eminem to get on" and called his own manager Chris Lighty, and requested him to arrange a meeting with Eminem's manager, Paul Rosenberg, to whom they gave the song, but were not informed whether Eminem would record for the song. After six weeks, Busta's associate Shaheem Reid reached out to then-Shady Records A&R Riggs Morales, who came by the studio to hear the song, and two weeks later, Rosenberg finally confirmed that "[Em] had got the beat and that he’s fucking with it."^[5]

After a few months, Busta met up with Rosenberg in the studio, where Busta heard Eminem's verse and "was blown away," but was also intrigued that Eminem had a longer, 42-bar verse, which triggered "a competitive process."^[5] Busta then wrote a 50 bar verse and flew out to Eminem's studio in Detroit for a mix session, where Eminem heard Busta's new verse, which prompted him to expand his own verse to 60 bars. Busta then expanded his verse to 62 bars, and finally Eminem his own to 64 bars. Busta also spoke about how long it took to finish the song, saying: "It took us about seven months to go back and forth because we still had other commitments and tours to go on. So sometimes I would have to wait a couple of months to get Em’s new adjustment back and vice versa."^[5]

Busta noted that "It started off from just doing a dope, high energy hip-hop record into us respectfully competing and damn near battling each other" and stated that he and Eminem "bring the best out of" each other and praised Eminem as someone who "genuinely still cares about the music."^[5]

Composition and production

"Calm Down" is a hip hop song. It features two lengthy verses by each rapper, both preceded by a chorus. The instrumental is produced by Scoop DeVille and is based around a sample of the introductory horns from the 1992 House of Pain song "Jump Around" (which themselves are taken from Bob & Earl's 1963 track "Harlem Shuffle").^[6]^[7] The song also includes vocal samples: "Yo, chill man! Chill!" from The Notorious B.I.G.'s 1993 track "Party and Bullshit" (which appears in the background of the second chorus and at the very end of the song), "Steady on the right, steady on the left" from Grand Wizzard Theodore and Kevie Kev Rockwell's 1983 "Military Cut - Scratch Mix" (used for the chorus).^[7]

In interview with Power 106 on Big Boy's Neighborhood, Busta revealed that the song's mixing and mastering, as well as some additional production, was done by Eminem.^[8]

Commercial performance

In its debut week of release, the song sold 40,133 digital copies in the United States and debuted at number 94 on the Billboard Hot 100.^[9]

Track listing

Digital download
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Calm Down" (featuring Eminem)	Trevor Smith Marshall Mathers Elijah Molina Earl Nelson Bobby Relf	Scoop DeVille Eminem^[a]	5:55

*Calm Down: The Clash EP*^[10]
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Calm Down" (featuring Eminem) (explicit)	Trevor Smith Marshall Mathers Elijah Molina Earl Nelson Bobby Relf	Scoop DeVille Eminem^[a]	5:55
2.	"Calm Down 2.0" (explicit)	Smith Molina Nelson Relf	Scoop DeVille Eminem^[a]	2:39
3.	"Calm Down 3.0" (featuring Everlast) (explicit)	Smith Erik Schrody Molina Nelson Relf	Scoop DeVille Eminem^[a]	2:40
4.	"Calm Down" (featuring Eminem) (clean)	Smith Mathers Molina Nelson Relf	Scoop DeVille Eminem^[a]	5:57
5.	"Calm Down 2.0" (clean)	Smith Molina Nelson Relf	Scoop DeVille Eminem^[a]	2:39
6.	"Calm Down 3.0" (featuring Everlast) (clean)	Smith Schrody Molina Nelson Relf	Scoop DeVille Eminem^[a]	2:40
7.	"Calm Down" (instrumental)	Smith Molina Nelson Relf	Scoop DeVille Eminem^[a]	5:55
Total length:				28:25

Notes

^{^[a]} signifies an additional producer.

Chart performance

Chart (2014)	Peak position
Belgium Urban (Ultratop Flanders)^[11]	37
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)^[12]	65
France (SNEP)^[13]	183
Germany (Deutsche Black Charts)^[14]	2
UK Singles (OCC)^[15]	63
US Billboard Hot 100^[16]	94
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)^[17]	29

References

^ "iTunes - Music - Calm Down (feat. Eminem) - Single by Busta Rhymes". iTunes Store. Apple Inc. July 1, 2014. Retrieved July 28, 2014.
^ Steiner, B. J. (September 25, 2013). "Busta Rhymes Will Feature Eminem, Kanye, Lil Wayne On New Album". XXL. Harris Publications. Retrieved July 28, 2014.
^ Meara, Paul; Lyubovny, Vladimir (January 11, 2014). "Scoop DeVille Details Song Featuring Eminem & Busta Rhymes". HipHopDX. Retrieved July 28, 2014.
^ Tardio, Andres (July 2, 2014). "Eminem Was Competitive On "Calm Down," Busta Rhymes Says". HipHopDX. Retrieved July 28, 2014.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Dharmic X (July 10, 2014). "Interview: Busta Rhymes Talks About Nearly Battling Eminem On "Calm Down" & Responds to the Slander About His BET Awards Outfit". Complex. Complex Media. Retrieved July 28, 2014.
^ Gordon, Jeremy (June 30, 2014). "Busta Rhymes and Eminem Share "Calm Down"". Pitchfork. Retrieved August 13, 2014.
^ ^a ^b "Calm Down". WhoSampled. Retrieved August 13, 2014.
^ Power 106 (July 16, 2014). "Busta Rhymes Explains the Full Music Making Process of Calm Down w/ Eminem". Big Boy's Neighborhood. Retrieved August 13, 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^ Baker, Soren (July 12, 2014). "Iggy Azalea, Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne Among Those Topping Hip Hop Singles Sales This Week". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on April 8, 2015. Retrieved July 28, 2014.
^ "iTunes - Music - Calm Down: The Clash EP by Busta Rhymes". iTunes Store. Apple Inc. August 26, 2014. Retrieved September 13, 2014.
^ "Busta Rhymes feat. Eminem – Calm Down" (in Dutch). Ultratop Urban. Retrieved July 11, 2014.
^ "Busta Rhymes Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
^ "Busta Rhymes feat. Eminem – Calm Down" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved July 11, 2014.
^ "Deutsche Black Charts". Trendcharts. Media Control. Archived from the original on June 6, 2014. Retrieved July 18, 2014.
^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
^ "Busta Rhymes Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
^ "Busta Rhymes Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved July 10, 2014.

v t e Busta Rhymes
Discography Production discography
Albums	The Coming When Disaster Strikes... Extinction Level Event: The Final World Front Anarchy Genesis It Ain't Safe No More... The Big Bang Back on My B.S. Year of the Dragon Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath of God Blockbusta
Compilations	Total Devastation: The Best of Busta Rhymes Turn It Up! The Very Best of Busta Rhymes The Artist Collection: Busta Rhymes Rich Gang (with YMCMB)
Singles	"The Points" "Woo-Hah!! Got You All in Check" "It's a Party" "Hit 'Em High (The Monstars' Anthem)" "Do My Thing" "Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See" "Dangerous" "One" "Turn It Up (Remix) / Fire It Up" "Tear da Roof Off" "Gimme Some More" "Party Is Goin' on Over Here" "What's It Gonna Be?!" "Get Out!!" "Fire" "What It Is "Break Ya Neck" "As I Come Back" "Pass the Courvoisier, Part II" "Make It Clap" "I Know What You Want" "Where's Your Money?" "Touch It" "I Love My Bitch" "New York Shit" "In the Ghetto" "Don't Touch Me (Throw da Water on 'Em)" "We Made It" "Arab Money" "Hustler's Anthem '09" "Respect My Conglomerate" "World Go Round" "Why Stop Now" "Twerk It" "Thank You" "Calm Down"
Featured singles	"Nitty Gritty (Dog Spelled Backwards Mix)" "Oh My God" "Flava in Ya Ear (Remix)" "Wild for da Night" "Rumble in the Jungle" "Victory" "Fire" "Don't Cha" "Hurt" "Run the Show" "Rotate" "C'mon (Catch 'Em by Surprise)" "Look at Me Now" "Welcome to My Hood (remix)" "Worldwide Choppers" "The Woman You Love" "Pride N Joy" "Take You There" "Can't Put It in the Hands of Fate" "Billie Eilish Legends Mix."
Other songs	"We Are the World 25 for Haiti" "My Shot" (Rise Up Remix)
Related articles	Leaders of the New School Native Tongues Conglomerate Records The Imperial