Don't Tell 'Em

For the song by Jolie Holland, see Springtime Can Kill You.

"Don't Tell 'Em" is a song by American singer Jeremih from his third studio album, Late Nights. It features American rapper YG, and was released as the first single from the album. The song peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot 100. Outside of the United States, "Don't Tell 'Em" peaked within the top ten of the charts in the United Kingdom, as well as the top twenty of the charts in Australia and Belgium.

"Don't Tell 'Em"
Single by Jeremih featuring YG
from the album Late Nights
Released	June 6, 2014 (2014-06-06)
Recorded	January 2014[1]
Genre	Electro-R&B
Length	4:29
Label	Def Jam
Songwriter(s)	Jeremih Felton Mick Schultz Dijon McFarlane Keenon Jackson Michael Münzing Luca Anzilotti Thea Austin
Producer(s)	Schultz DJ Mustard
Jeremih singles chronology
"Party Girls" (2014) "Don't Tell 'Em" (2014) "Hold You Down" (2014)
YG singles chronology
"nEXt" (2014) "Don't Tell 'Em" (2014) "Do It to Ya" (2014)

Background and composition

Jeremih wrote "Don't Tell 'Em" in January 2014, right after knowing that one song he co-wrote, Kid Ink's "Show Me" (2013), went number 1 on the Billboard Rap Airplay chart.^[2]

The song's performers co-wrote the song with its producers, DJ Mustard and Mick Schultz.^[3] "Don't Tell 'Em" is an electro-R&B song^[4] with a hip hop production.^[5] It contains an interpolation of Snap!'s 1992 single "Rhythm Is a Dancer".^[6]

With a tempo of 90 per minute, "Don't Tell 'Em" is composed in the key of D Minor.^[7]

Remix

The official remix of the song features American singer Ty Dolla Sign and rapper French Montana. A music video for the official remix directed by Eif Rivera was released on January 13, 2015.^[8] Other remix versions include Pitbull, Rick Ross, Migos, G-Unit, Ace Hood and T.I.

Commercial performance

"Don't Tell 'Em" peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot 100 in late October, becoming Jeremih's third top ten hit and YG's first. The song was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).^[9] As of April 2014, the song has sold over 1,170,000 copies in the United States.^[10]

In the United Kingdom, "Don't Tell 'Em" entered and peaked at number five on the UK Singles Chart on October 12, 2014 – for the week ending date October 18, 2014 – becoming both Jeremih and YG's first top ten song in Britain, and Jeremih's first top 20 song on the UK Singles Chart since "Birthday Sex" peaked at number 15 on the chart in August 2009.

In spite of the song's commercial success, the song does not have a music video, making it the only song of 2014 to reach the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100 without a video. In an interview with the respective publication, Jeremih said that a video was scheduled, but he "did not show up for it".^[11]

Cover versions

New Zealand singer Lorde performed a slowed-down cover of the song for Live Lounge on BBC Radio 1, in the United Kingdom.^[12][13]

Track listing

Remixes digital download^[14]

1. "Don't Tell 'Em" (DaaHype Remix) [featuring YG] [Explicit] – 4:05
2. "Don't Tell 'Em" (DaaHype Remix) [featuring YG] [Clean] – 4:02
3. "Don't Tell 'Em" (DaaHype Instrumental) [featuring YG] – 4:07
4. "Don't Tell 'Em" (Zoo Station Club) [featuring YG] [Explicit] – 6:10
5. "Don't Tell 'Em" (Zoo Station Radio) [featuring YG] [Explicit] – 4:07
6. "Don't Tell 'Em" (Zoo Station Club) [featuring YG] [Clean] – 6:09
7. "Don't Tell 'Em" (Zoo Station Radio) [featuring YG] [Clean] – 4:06
8. "Don't Tell 'Em" (Zoo Station Instrumental) [featuring YG] – 6:10

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2014–2015) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[15] 14 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[16] 65 Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders)[17] 13 Belgium Urban (Ultratop Flanders)[18] 11 Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Wallonia)[19] 46 Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[20] 30 Denmark (Tracklisten)[21] 21 France (SNEP)[22] 43 Germany (Deutsche Black Charts)[23] 1 Germany (GfK)[24] 57 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[25] 81 Scotland (OCC)[26] 8 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[27] 70 UK Singles (OCC)[28] 5 UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC)[29] 1 US Billboard Hot 100[30] 6 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[31] 2 US Dance/Mix Show Airplay (Billboard)[32] 2 US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[33] 10 US Latin Pop Airplay (Billboard)[34] 40 US Pop Airplay (Billboard)[35] 5 US Rhythmic (Billboard)[36] 1

Year-end charts Chart (2014) Position France (SNEP)[37] 154 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[38] 74 US Billboard Hot 100[39] 42 US Dance/Mix Show Airplay (Billboard)[40] 29 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[41] 11 US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[42] 33 US Rhythmic (Billboard)[43] 1

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[44]	Platinum	70,000^
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[45]	Gold	30,000‡
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[46]	Platinum	90,000‡
Germany (BVMI)[47]	Gold	200,000‡
Poland (ZPAV)[48]	Gold	25,000‡
Sweden (GLF)[49]	Gold	20,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[50]	Platinum	600,000‡
United States (RIAA)[51]	5× Platinum	5,000,000‡
Streaming
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[52]	Gold	1,300,000†
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. † Streaming-only figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region	Date	Format	Record label
United States[53]	June 6, 2014	Digital download	Def Jam
Australia[54]	June 16, 2014
Austria[55]
Belgium[56]
Denmark[57]
Estonia[58]
Hungary[59]
Italy[60]
Kenya[61]
New Zealand[62]
Romania[63]
Russia[64]
Saudi Arabia[65]
Sweden[66]
Switzerland[67]
Turkey[68]
United States[69]	June 24, 2014	Rhythmic contemporary
Japan[70]	August 19, 2014	Remixes digital download
United Kingdom[71]	October 5, 2014	Digital download

See also

• List of number-one R&B/hip-hop songs of 2014 (U.S.)

References

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2. "'I Only Blame Myself': Is Reclusive R&B Singer Jeremih Holding Back His Own Career?". Billboard. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
3. Jeremih featuring YG (2014). Don't Tell 'Em (Digital download notes). Def Jam Recordings.
4. Arnold, Chuck (April 11, 2016). "From Kendrick to Mariah, Our Weekly ESSENCE Fest Playlist Brings the Beats". Essence. Retrieved 7 May 2016.
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7. Don't Tell 'Em
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