Back in the Day may refer to:
Back in the Day is a 2005 Crime drama starring Ja Rule and Ving Rhames and directed by James Hunter. The film was introduced on May 15, 2004 at the Cannes Film Festival and was released a year later in the U.S. on May 24, 2005.
Reggie Cooper (Ja Rule) is a young man who lives with his father (Giancarlo Esposito) in order to avoid the violent gang activity that almost claimed his life when he was a teenager. However, when his recently paroled mentor, J-Bone (Ving Rhames) reconnects with Reggie, and when his father is murdered, Reggie slips back into a life of crime. Reggie murders a local preacher (Joe Morton), whose daughter (Tatyana Ali) later develops a relationship with him.
"Back in the Day" is a 2003 hip-hop song by Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott, featuring guest vocals from Jay-Z and Elliott protégé Tweet. The song appears on her 2002 album Under Construction and was at one time planned for release as a single. It peaked at #86 on Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart in 2003 before being scrapped as a single.
Produced by Elliott's main producer and longtime collaborator Timbaland, "Back in the Day" is an ode to the classic era of old school hip-hop, when the hip-hop culture was, Elliott sings, fun and peaceful, compared to the more violent scope of modern-day hip-hop. "Back in the day/hip-hop has changed", she sings. During the bridge of the song she even makes a point of referencing "Self-Destruction", a 1989 collaborative benefit single for peace featuring a number of that era's hip-hop stars. Incidentally, MC Lyte's verse from "Self-Destruction" is sampled on another of Under Construction's album tracks, "Funky Fresh Dressed".
It was there all the time
just couldn't make the shape
The room for expansion
Play through the gate
You were so nearly right
You were too damn close
You could have walked on the water
You never settled for less like most
We took the stage further in the extreme
For the featured awakening
A stand in between
Behind it all there's so much more
Behind it all there's so much more
Born out of chaos, grew through the dust
The force of emotion, really screwed us up
Left at loose ends, return to the screen
Pushed back the limits, caught sight of the dream
Behind it all there's so much more
Behind it all there's so much more
Behind it all we see so much more