Can't Truss It

{{Infobox song

| name = Can't Truss It

| cover =

| cover_upright =

| alt =

| border =

| caption =

| type = single

| artist = Public Enemy

| album = Apocalypse 91... The Enemy Strikes Black

| released = {{Start date|1991|9|18}}

| recorded =

| studio = The Music Palace (New York, NY)

| genre = Hip hop

| length = {{Duration|m=5|s=21}}

| label = {{hlist|Def Jam|Columbia}}

| writer = {{hlist|Carlton Ridenhour|Stuart Robertz|Gary Rinaldo|Cerwin Depper}}

| producer = The Imperial Grand Ministers Of Funk

| chronology = Public Enemy

| prev_title = Can't Do Nuttin' for Ya Man

| prev_year = 1990

| next_title = Shut 'Em Down

| next_year = 1991

| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|am9BqZ6eA5c|"Can't Truss It"}}}}

}}

{{Music ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{Cite web |title=Can't Truss It/Move [Clean] - Public Enemy |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/cant-truss-it-move-clean--mw0000271318 |access-date=April 29, 2024 |website=AllMusic |language=en}}

}}

"Can't Truss It" is a song by American hip hop group Public Enemy. It was released on September 18, 1991 through Def Jam Recordings as the lead single from the group's fourth studio album Apocalypse 91... The Enemy Strikes Black. Recording sessions took place at The Music Palace in Long Island. Production was handled by the Imperial Grand Ministers of Funk, with The Bomb Squad serving as executive producers. An accompanying music video was directed by Eric Meza.

In the United States, the song reached number 50 on the Billboard Hot 100, number 9 on both the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Dance Singles Sales, and number-one on the Hot Rap Songs. It was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America on December 3, 1991 for selling 500,000 copies in the US. It also made it to number 22 on the UK singles chart and number 24 in New Zealand.

In 2007, the song was used in the Ridley Scott-directed biographical crime film American Gangster and was included in its original motion picture soundtrack.

Track listing

{{Track listing

| all_writing =

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| title1 = Can't Truss It

| note1 = Almighty Raw 125th Street Bootleg Mix

| writer1 =

| extra1 =

| length1 =

| title2 = Can't Truss It

| note2 = Goree Island Conga Radio Mix

| writer2 =

| extra2 =

| length2 =

| title3 = Can't Truss It

| note3 = Instrumental

| writer3 =

| extra3 =

| length3 =

| title4 = Move!

| note4 = Censored Radio Version

| writer4 =

| extra4 =

| length4 =

| total_length =

}}

Personnel

  • Carlton "Chuck D" Ridenhour — songwriter
  • Stuart Robertz — songwriter, producer
  • Gary "G-Wiz" Rinaldo — songwriter, producer, mixing (track 1)
  • Cerwin "C-Dawg" Depper — songwriter, producer
  • "The JBL" — producer
  • Bob Fudjinski — recording, mixing (tracks: 1, 3, 4)
  • Mike Bona — mixing (track 2)
  • Vlado Meller — mastering
  • The Bomb Squad — executive producers

Charts

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
scope="col"| Chart (1991)

! scope="col"| Peak
position

{{single chart|New Zealand|24|artist=Public Enemy|song=Can't Truss It|rowheader=true|access-date=April 29, 2024}}
{{single chart|UK|22|date=19911006|rowheader=true|access-date=April 29, 2024}}
{{single chart|Billboardhot100|50|song=Can't Truss It|artist=Public Enemy|rowheader=true|access-date=April 29, 2024}}
{{single chart|Billboardrandbhiphop|9|song=Can't Truss It|artist=Public Enemy|rowheader=true|access-date=April 29, 2024}}
{{single chart|Billboardrapsongs|1|song=Can't Truss It|artist=Public Enemy|rowheader=true|access-date=April 29, 2024}}

Certifications

{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|award=Gold|artist=Public Enemy|title=Truss It|certyear=1991|type=single|relyear=1991|access-date=April 29, 2024|refname="RIAA"}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true}}

References

{{Reflist}}