Can't Knock the Hustle

Album: Weezer (The Black Album) (2019)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This fusion of funk, rock and Latin music shares a title with an early Jay-Z song. Hova's 1996 cut was about him capitalizing on his hustling on the streets in order to become a fledging rapper; Weezer's song has a similar meaning about working hard.
  • The funky Latin track features a post chorus sung in Spanish:

    Hasta luego, hasta luego
    Hasta luego, adios.


    It translates as:

    See you later, see you later
    See you later, goodbye
  • This was released as the lead single from Weezer's The Black Album (which also shares a title with a Jay-Z longplayer). All the songs for the record were written on piano by frontman Rivers Cuomo for the first time in the band's history. Cuomo then sent his demos to his bandmates and Black Album producer TV on the Radio's Dave Sitek so they could add their own spin.
  • The song's music video features Fall Out Boy's Pete Wentz as a rideshare driver enduring a nightmare shift.

    The clip was originally filmed for a song called "Happy Hour," from Weezer's Pacific Daydream album, but they gave up on the single before it even came out. Then the band decided to re-cut the visual to accompany a single called "Cardigan Disaster" but when Weezer's cover of "Africa" started going crazy on the radio, they canned that release. Finally, when Weezer decided to release "Can't Knock the Hustle" as their first single from the Black Album, they re-cut the video again to accompany it.

    Cuomo told Billboard: "Each time we re-cut it, it seemed to fit the song even better."
  • The Black Album is actually called Weezer. It's the sixth self-titled album released by the group - each are known by their colors, which are, in order: blue, green, red, white, teal and black.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Oliver Leiber

Oliver LeiberSongwriter Interviews

Oliver Leiber talks about writing and producing hits for Paula Abdul, and explains his complicated relationship with his father, the songwriter Jerry Leiber.

Loreena McKennitt

Loreena McKennittSongwriter Interviews

The Celtic music maker Loreena McKennitt on finding musical inspiration, the "New Age" label, and working on the movie Tinker Bell.

Sugarland

SugarlandSongwriter Interviews

Meet the "sassy basket" with the biggest voice in country music.

Jay, Peaches, Spinderella and other Darrining Victims

Jay, Peaches, Spinderella and other Darrining VictimsSong Writing

Just like Darrin was replaced on Bewitched, groups have swapped out original members, hoping we wouldn't notice.

Chris Frantz - "Genius of Love"

Chris Frantz - "Genius of Love"They're Playing My Song

Chris and his wife Tina were the rhythm section for Talking Heads when they formed The Tom Tom Club. "Genius of Love" was their blockbuster, but David Byrne only mentioned it once.

Superman in Song

Superman in SongSong Writing

Not everyone can be a superhero, but that hasn't stopped generations of musicians from trying to be Superman.