BLACKSTREET - NO DIGGITY

Released : July 29, 1996

Charts:  UK: #9  US: #1 (4 weeks)

Featuring Dr. Dre and Queen Pen, “No Diggity” was the lead single from Blackstreet’s second album “Another Level” and quickly became a global smash. In the US, it knocked Los Del Rio’s “Macarena” off its 14-week perch atop the Billboard Hot 100, hitting #1 in October 1996. It also topped charts in New Zealand and Iceland, and went Top 10 in the UK.

The phrase “no diggity” was street slang for “absolutely” or “for sure.” In the song’s context, it’s a smooth, confident prelude to seduction—R&B bravado delivered with velvet harmonies and Teddy Riley’s unmistakable production.

The track’s backbone is a sample of Bill Withers’ 1971 classic “Grandma’s Hands”, which producer Teddy Riley heard being looped by William “Skylz” Stewart at Riley’s Virginia Beach studio. Initially, Riley tried offering the song to his group Guy, and then to singer Aaron Hall, but neither took it. He eventually gave it to Blackstreet—even though, as Riley later admitted, none of the members wanted to record it. “None of the guys liked ‘No Diggity,’” Riley revealed in 2010. “That’s why I’m singing the first verse. They pushed me out there like the guinea pig—and it became a hit.”

With verses traded between Riley, Dr. Dre, and newcomer Queen Pen, the record balanced street edge with commercial appeal. It was the perfect storm: a sophisticated groove for R&B radio, a rap presence for hip-hop audiences, and an irresistible hook for pop crossover. At the 1997 Grammy Awards, it won Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.

The Hype Williams–directed music video amplified its cool factor, blending performance shots with surreal imagery. Blackstreet appear in sleek, moody setups: outside a beach house, in front of limousines, and surrounded by dancers on wet pavement. Most memorably, marionettes of the group members strum guitars and play keyboards, a quirky visual that became iconic in its own right.