"Back in the Day" is a 1994 West Coast hip hop

West Coast hip hop

West Coast hip hop is a hip hop music subgenre that encompasses any artists or music that originates in the westernmost region of the United States, as opposed to East Coast hip hop, based originally in New York alone...

 single by Ahmad

Ahmad (rapper)

Ahmad Ali Lewis, who was born October 12, 1975 , in Los Angeles, California, is an American emcee. Credited simply as Ahmad, he is best known for the 1994 single "Back in the Day," a nostalgic song that became a signifier for nostalgia in hip-hop culture.Ahmad is also a member of the Christian hip...

. Released when Ahmad was only 18, the song is a nostalgic remembrance of childhood

Childhood

Childhood is the age span ranging from birth to adolescence. In developmental psychology, childhood is divided up into the developmental stages of toddlerhood , early childhood , middle childhood , and adolescence .- Age ranges of childhood :The term childhood is non-specific and can imply a...

 and young teenage years, from a somewhat jaded adult

Adult

An adult is a human being or living organism that is of relatively mature age, typically associated with sexual maturity and the attainment of reproductive age....

 perspective. "Back in the Day" was Ahmad's only major hit single, making it to #26 on The Billboard Hot 100, #19 on the US R&B chart on the strength of its hook - a sample of the Teddy Pendergrass

Teddy Pendergrass

Theodore DeReese "Teddy" Pendergrass was an American R&B/soul singer and songwriter. Pendergrass first rose to fame as lead singer of Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes in the 1970s before a successful solo career at the end of the decade...

 song "Love TKO"—and Ahmad's quirky vocal style, reminiscent of Fatlip

Fatlip

Fatlip is a Los Angeles-born hip hop musician. He started his career in the hip hop group The Pharcyde.-The Pharcyde:...

 of the Pharcyde

The Pharcyde

The Pharcyde are an alternative hip hop group based in South Central Los Angeles. The original four members of the group are Imani , Slimkid3 , Bootie Brown and Fatlip . DJ Mark Luv was the group's first DJ, followed by producer J-Swift and then J Dilla...

 fame, and #3 on the US rap chart. It was the first single of his 1994 self-titled album and was RIAA-certified gold.

A remix of "Back in the Day" is featured on the soundtrack of The Wood

The Wood

The Wood is a 1999 romantic comedy, written by Rick Famuyiwa and Todd Boyd. Famuyiwa also directed the film, which stars Omar Epps, Richard T. Jones, and Taye Diggs.-Plot:...

, a 1999 motion picture.

Peak positions

Chart (1994)	Peak Position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...	26
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales	15
U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...	19
U.S. Billboard Hot Rap Singles	3
U.S. Billboard Rhythmic Top 40	13

End of year charts

End of year chart (1994)	Position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	93

Legacy

Mariah Carey

Mariah Carey

Mariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her recording debut with the release of her eponymous studio album in 1990, under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, whom she later married in 1993...

's 12th studio album, Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel

Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel

Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel is the twelfth studio album by American R&B singer Mariah Carey. It was released on September 29, 2009 through Island Records in the U.S. and November 23, 2009 with Mercury Records in the UK...

, featured an interpolation of "Back in the Day" on the track "Candy Bling."
Travie McCoy

Travie McCoy

Travie Lazarus McCoy is an American singer and rapper. He is the lead vocalist of the alternative hip-hop band Gym Class Heroes. He released his debut solo album Lazarus on June 8, 2010....

's debut studio album Lazarus

Lazarus (Travie McCoy album)

Lazarus is the debut album by Gym Class Heroes lead singer Travie McCoy, released on June 8, 2010. McCoy announced his plans to pursue a solo career in early 2010, although he insisted that Gym Class Heroes had not broken up...

features a song titled "Akidagain" which interpolates "Back in the Day".
On J. Cole's mixtape The Come Up

The Come Up

The Come Up Mixtape Vol. 1 is the first official mixtape from North Carolina rapper J. Cole, hosted by DJ OnPoint. The rapper self-produced 14 out of the 21 tracks on the mixtape, including his debut single, "Simba", which Cole shot his first music video for.-Track listing:Sample credits:* "I'm...

, his song "School Daze" also interpolates "Back in the Day".