I'll Be Missing You
history"I'll Be Missing You" is a Grammy Award-winning song and hit single recorded by Puff Daddy, Faith Evans and 112, in memory of fellow Bad Boy Records artist Christopher "Notorious B.I.G" Wallace who was murdered on March 9, 1997. Released as the second single from Sean Combs and the Family's No Way Out album, "I'll Be Missing You" contains an interpolation of the song "Every Breath You Take" by The Police from 1983.
Background
The song, a rap ballad, had already been completed before permission was granted to use the sample from the 1983 song. As well as these artists, Sting (vocalist from The Police) joined in at the 1997 MTV Video Music Awards. Sting owns 100% of the publishing royalties. As well as using the melody and arrangement of "Every Breath You Take" the single also borrows the melody from the well-known American spiritual "I'll Fly Away".
There are several different versions of this song. One being an extended version (choir at beginning), another without the choir and an instrumental version. In the extended version of the song the choir is heard singing in the beginning of "Adagio for Strings" by Samuel Barber.
A slightly altered version of the song was performed by Diddy at the Concert for Diana in Wembley, United Kingdom.
The music video was shot in April 1997 in Sydney, Australia and was directed by Hype Williams.
Chart performances
"I'll Be Missing You" topped many charts across the world. It reached number one in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, and New Zealand. This song is one of the few to debut at #1 in the U.S. on the Billboard Hot 100, and the only rap song to do so until Eminem's "Not Afraid" debuted at the top spot 13 years later in 2010. The song spent a record breaking 11 weeks at #1 on the Hot 100, making it the longest running #1 hip-hop song in history until Eminem's "Lose Yourself" spent 12 weeks at #1 in 2002.
The song re-entered the UK Singles Chart at #32 on July 8, 2007, ten years after it had its full physical release and 10 years after it was #1.
Blender magazine ranked the song at #25 on its list of the "50 Worst Songs Ever", calling it "a nauseating brew of gloopy sentimentality and strategic-marketing mawkishness."
- The song was featured in the 2001 film, Rush Hour 2 when Lee (Jackie Chan) thought Carter (Chris Tucker) was killed in a bombing at the Hong Kong Police station where Lee worked.
- The song was also used in the UK television comedy Catherine Tate Christmas Show broadcast on Christmas Day 2007. The song was played while friends of character Lauren Cooper stood by her grave after Lauren was killed in a kayaking accident.
- The song was also used in the 2009 remake of Ice Castles (1978) starring Taylor Firth, performed by Britt Nicole.
- The song was played at WWE's Tribute to the Troops 2010 by Diddy – Dirty Money.
- Puff Daddy performed an altered version of the song at Concert for Diana on the 1st of July 2007.
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- ;Maxi-single
- Puff Daddy featuring Faith Evans and 112 - "I'll Be Missing You"
- The Lox - "We'll Always Love Big Poppa"
- 112 - "Cry On"
- Puff Daddy & Faith Evans featuring 112 - "I'll Be Missing You" (Instrumental)
- The Lox - "We'll Always Love Big Poppa" (Instrumental)
|-
|Canada (CRIA)Canadian certifications »cria.ca (Retrieved April 20, 2008)
| Platinum
| 100,000^
|-
Peak positions
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Chart (1997)
!Peak
position
|-
|Australian ARIA Singles Chart"I'll Be Missing You", in various singles charts [http">Single
;Maxi-single
Peak positions
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Chart (1997)
!Peak
position
|-
|Australian ARIA Singles Chart"I'll Be Missing You", in various singles charts [http
position
|-
|UK R&B Chart
|align="center"|22
|-
|}
Year-end charts
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Chart (1997)
!Position
|-
|Australian Singles Chart1997 Australian Singles Chart »aria.com (Retrieved April 20, 2008)
|align="center"|4
|-
|Austrian Singles Chart1997 Austrian Singles Chart »Austriancharts.at (Retrieved April 20, 2008)
|align="center"|2
|-
|Belgian (Flanders) Singles Chart1997 Belgian (Flanders) Singles Chart »Ultratop.be (Retrieved April 20, 2008)
|align="center"|4
|-
|Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart1997 Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart »Ultratop.be (Retrieved April 20, 2008)
|align="center"|13
|-
|Canadian Singles Chart1997 Year-End Canadian Singles Chart »RPM Canada
|align="center"|36
|-
|Dutch Top 40
|align="center"|1
|-
|French Singles Chart1997 French Singles Chart »Disqueenfrance.com (Retrieved April 20, 2008)
|align="center"|8
|-
|Swiss Singles Chart1997 Swiss Singles Chart »Hitparade.ch (Retrieved April 20, 2008)
|align="center"|2
|-
|U.S. Billboard Hot 100
|align="center"|3
|-
|}
End of decade charts
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Chart (1990–1999)
!Position
|-
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100
| style="text-align:center;"|10
|}