Friday (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is the soundtrack to F. Gary Gray's 1995 stoner film Friday. It was released on April 11, 1995, through Priority Records and consists of hip hop and R&B music. Recording sessions took place at Street Knowledge Recording Studio, Dre's Crib, Digital Shack, Larrabee Sound Studios, Image Recording Studios and Yo Mama's House in Los Angeles, at Digital Services in Houston, at Firehouse Studios in New York, at the Archive in Oakland, at the Plant Studios in California, at Luke Recording Studio in Liberty City, and at Ocean 11 Suite 7. Production was handled by film writers Ice Cube and DJ Pooh, as well as DJ Muggs, the 2 Live Crew, Angela Winbush, Bootsy Collins, Dr. Dre, E-A-Ski & CMT, E-Swift, N.O. Joe, Ralph tha Funky Mexican, Rashad Coes, Roger Troutman and Ronald Isley, with Sam Sneed co-producing the album's lead single "Keep Their Heads Ringin'", and Patricia Charbonnet and Toby Emmerich serving as executive producers. It features appearances from film star Ice Cube, Bernie Worrell, Bootsy Collins, CJ Mac, Cypress Hill, Dr. Dre, E-A-Ski, Funkdoobiest, Mack 10, Nancy Fletcher, Rick James, Roger Troutman, Rose Royce, Scarface, Tha Alkaholiks, The Isley Brothers, Threat, and the 2 Live Crew. The soundtrack reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200, where it held the position for 2 weeks, and the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart for 6 weeks. It also spawned the successful Dr. Dre single "Keep Their Heads Ringin'", which made it to No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 1 on the Hot Rap Tracks chart. The album was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America on June 4, 1996. Music videos were shot for "Friday" and "Keep Their Heads Ringin'". The title track sparked a feud with the hip hop group Cypress Hill, who claimed that Ice Cube had asked for permission to use their track "Throw Your Set in the Air" and had made a very similar track after being denied permission.

Critical reception

AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote: "the soundtrack to a lightweight comedy co-written by Ice Cube, the record conveys all the strengths of hit urban radio. Keeping all the good elements of the format -- including the G-funk of Dr. Dre, old-school soul, contemporary R&B, and gangsta rap -- the record sounds like a "Best of the '90s" collection". James Bernard of Entertainment Weekly wrote: "No surprises here. Dr. Dre rumbles over his smooth, insistent groove ("Keep Their Heads Ringin'"), Ice Cube sounds angry ("Friday"), Cypress Hill is still obsessed with pot, and E-A-Ski, a Bay Area hip-hop artist, contributes the gun-happy "Blast If I Have To". Throw in Rick James and Isley Brothers classics and you've got a listening experience that's familiar and fun". Rolling Stone reviewer wrote: "accompanying the new comedy penned by Ice Cube and partner D.J. Pooh, FRIDAY....[is a] righteous set".

Accolades

Track listing

10th anniversary edition bonus disc

In 2005, on the tenth anniversary of Friday, Priority Records released an eleven-track bonus disc entitled Old School Friday (More Music from the Original Motion Picture) alongside the original soundtrack. It was composed of nine songs, which appeared in the film, plus two songs — "The Chase" and "Hangin' in the Hood" — by Hidden Faces, which were not in the movie.

Other songs

Two songs did appear in the film but were not released on any soundtrack: "Hittin' Corners" written by Darrel Johnson and Shaquil Taja-Allah and performed by K-Dee, and "Control" written by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis and performed by Janet Jackson.

Personnel

Performers Production Technical

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications