Just Don't Give a Fuck

"Just Don't Give a Fuck" (known as "I Just Don't Give A or Just Don't Give a F***" in the clean version) is the debut single by American rapper Eminem. The original version was produced by Denaun Porter and appears as the only single on his only EP, the Slim Shady EP. A remix by the Bass Brothers appears on his major-label debut album, The Slim Shady LP. According to the book Angry Blonde, this was Eminem's first song as his alter ego "Slim Shady".

"Just Don't Give a Fuck"
Single by Eminem
from the EP Slim Shady EP and the album The Slim Shady LP
B-side"Brain Damage"
ReleasedOctober 13, 1998
Recorded1997
StudioBassmint Productions
Genre
Length4:07
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Eminem singles chronology
"Just Don't Give a Fuck"
(1998)
"My Name Is"
(1999)
Music video
"Just Don't Give a F***" on YouTube

Eminem recorded a sequel to the song entitled "Still Don't Give a Fuck", which also appears on The Slim Shady LP.

Disses

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In the second verse, Eminem disses various rappers such as Everlast, Miilkbone and Vanilla Ice, each of whom later released diss tracks against Eminem. Miilkbone released "Dear Slim" and "Presenting Miilkbone" and Vanilla Ice released "Exhale" and "Hip Hop Rules" in 2001 on his album Bi-Polar. Everlast had a long-lasting feud with Eminem. Although Eminem dissed Vanilla Ice in other tracks (such as "Marshall Mathers" and "Role Model"), he did not reply to either him or Miilkbone after their respective disses.[1]

Critical reception

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Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic marked it as a stand out on LP.[2] RapReviews described the beat of the song as "head nodding" but he also noted that the remix is subpar: the "new one (remix) is lifeless and oddly out of place among an album full of mostly dope cuts" in comparison to the original.[3]

Music video

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The black-and-white video, interspersed with some color, is set in a trailer park in the summer. A variety of scenes, unrelated to each other, are shown, starting with a boy being stopped by a woman from taking food off a table. The boy returns as Eminem and strangles her. In one version, the video shows him beating her and throwing her on a bed. The video also includes scenes of people drinking and swimming in a pool. Additional scenes include aliens, a clown, and people eating watermelons.

The clean version of the accompanying music video for this single is known as "I Just Don't Give A".

Track listing

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US 12" Vinyl Single (Slim Shady EP)
Side A
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Just Don't Give a F*ck"4:00
2."Just Don't Give a #?@!" (radio edit)Denaun Porter4:03
3."Just Don't Give a F*ck" (instrumental)
  • Mathers
  • J. Bass
  • M. Bass
  • Bass Brothers
  • Eminem[a]
4:00
Total length:12:03
Side B
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Low Down, Dirty"Da Brigade (Denaun Porter and Kuniva)4:44
2."Just the Two of Us"
DJ Head4:58
3."Just Don't Give a F*ck" (acapella)4:00
Total length:13:42
US CD Promo
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Just Don't Give a F***" (clean version)3:47
US CD Single / US Cassette Single
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Just Don't Give a F***" (album version)4:02
2."Brain Damage" (album version)
  • Mathers
  • J. Bass
  • Bass Brothers
  • Eminem[a]
3:43
Total length:7:45
US CD Maxi Single / US Cassette Maxi Single / US 12" Vinyl Promo
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Just Don't Give a F***" (album version)4:05
2."Just Don't Give a F***" (clean version)
  • Mathers
  • J. Bass
  • M. Bass
  • Bass Brothers
  • Eminem[a]
3:47
3."Just Don't Give a F***" (instrumental)
  • Mathers
  • J. Bass
  • M. Bass
  • Bass Brothers
  • Eminem[a]
3:33
4."Just Don't Give a F***" (acapella)
  • Mathers
  • J. Bass
  • M. Bass
  • Bass Brothers
  • Eminem[a]
3:33
5."Brain Damage" (album version)
  • Mathers
  • J. Bass
  • Bass Brothers
  • Eminem[a]
3:46
Total length:23:12
US 12" Vinyl Single
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Just Don't Give a F***" (album version)4:05
2."Just Don't Give a F***" (clean version)
  • Mathers
  • J. Bass
  • M. Bass
  • Bass Brothers
  • Eminem[a]
3:47
3."Just Don't Give a F***" (instrumental)
  • Mathers
  • J. Bass
  • M. Bass
  • Bass Brothers
  • Eminem[a]
3:33
4."Just Don't Give a F***" (acapella)
  • Mathers
  • J. Bass
  • M. Bass
  • Bass Brothers
  • Eminem[a]
3:33
Total length:14:58
Notes
  • ^[a] signifies a co-producer.

Charts

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Weekly charts

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Chart (1998–1999) Peak
position
US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (Billboard)[4] 14
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[5] 62
US Hot Rap Songs (Billboard)[6] 5

Certifications

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Certifications for "Just Don't Give a Fuck"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[7] Gold 35,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^ "Miilkbone :: U Got Miilk? :: Xcaliber Entertainment/Lightyear". Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  2. ^ Stephen Thomas Erlewine. "The Slim Shady LP - Eminem - Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards - AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  3. ^ "Eminem :: The Slim Shady LP :: Aftermath". Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  4. ^ "Eminem Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
  5. ^ "Eminem Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
  6. ^ "Eminem Chart History (Hot Rap Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
  7. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2024 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved June 29, 2024.