"Hey Mr. D.J." is a song by American R&B group Zhané recorded for their debut album, Pronounced Jah-Nay. The song was released as the group's debut single in August 1993 and featured a rap from Rottin Razkals member Fam. It samples the song "Looking Up to You" by singer Michael Wycoff. The single peaked at number 6 on the BillboardHot 100 chart. The single was certified gold by the RIAA for selling 500,000 copies domestically. In Australia, it peaked at number 9 and in New Zealand, the song peaked at number 20. Originally, the song was recorded and released on the 1993 compilation album, Roll Wit tha Flava. "Hey Mr. D.J." was certified gold in the US by October 1993, and was also certified gold in Australia in 1994.
Critical reception
Daryl McIntosh from Albumism stated that Kay Gee’s beat "provided a sound reminiscent of late ‘70s disco band Chic, that, together with the perfectly complementary vocals, created a euphoria of modern funk." In his review of Pronounced Jah-Nay, Allmusic editor Jose F. Promis described the song as a "sleek slice of earthy, sophisticated soul that stands as one of the best R&B/pop hits of the '90s." Larry Flick from Billboard wrote that the female act "earns points for not succumbing to the temptation of being just another bunch of new fill swingers. Instead, they choose to conjure memories of the Emotions by laying pretty vocal into the context of shimmying R&B bassline and subtle disco strings. The song itself is a bit thin, but engaging nonetheless—thanks mostly to a charismatic new act with the potential to lure more than a few DJs to the fold." Brendan Frederick from Complex called it "a simple ode to dancing the night away to your favorite song", adding it as a "summertime party anthem". James Bernard from Entertainment Weekly said "Hey Mr. D.J." "caught fire with its prancing bass line and anthemic chorus." Music & Media noted that the Original Mix is a "jazzy soul laden jam, flexing rhythm and blues muscle. Its warmth harks back to the '70s." John Kilgo from The Network Forty commented that "sultry and smooth, Zhane' brings a fresh tasting low groove that's nicely reminiscent of a relaxing, flavorful '70s summer tune. Jean Norris and Renee Neufville comprise the duo of Zhane', while their voices blend together like a shake from an ice cream parlor. Produced by superstar Kay Gee of Naughty By Nature fame, Zhane' proudly sing their tribute record-spinners the world over. They do so without missing a beat on this exciting debut." People Magazine stated that "with a funky, old-school groove and light-as-air harmonizing", the song "jumps to the joys of getting down and having fun."
Impact and legacy
In 2006, the song was voted number 9 on website Slant Magazines list of the 100 Greatest Dance Songs. And in 2011 it was voted number 86 in their list of The 100 Best Singles of the 1990s, adding: "Straight-up, no-bullshit dance music. The duo pronounced “Jah-Nay” let the slack groove thang take you away to a place where the DJ will keep playing that song all night." BuzzFeed listed the song number 45 in their The 101 Greatest Dance Songs Of the '90s list in 2017. They wrote: "Great harmonies, chill vibe, rap bridge; all the things you needed to make a perfect early-‘90s R&B dance song." In 2020, Slant Magazine ranked the song at number 22 in their list of The 100 Best Dance Songs of All Time'.
Accolades
indicates the list is unordered.
Music video
The music video for "Hey Mr. D.J." was directed by Peter Allen. It features Zhané performing the song at a club party with a D.J. playing the music for a dancing crowd. In between the group is also seen performing the song in a park.
