They prefer to spend their time on windowsills and park statues rather than ottomans, all of which leads us to believe that the expression “stool pigeon” wasn’t originally meant to be taken literally. Owing to its commercial success, “Informer” has been certified double-platinum in Australia, platinum in Germany, New Zealand and the United States, gold in Austria and silver in the United Kingdom.Pigeons aren’t particularly talkative birds. Other countries “Informer” charted in areĬanada, France, Greece, Iceland, Italy and Portugal. Germany, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.Īnd in addition to the UK, it also reached number two inĪustria, Belgium and the Netherlands. Some of these countries include: Australia, Finland, In addition to the United States, it peaked at number-one on How did “Informer” perform on the charts? Snow’s fourth verse of “Informer” is actually used, verbatim, in Daddy Yankee’s “Con Calma”. This track has been sampled or covered by artists globally, including Nicolae Guță (Romania), Imiskoumbria (Greece) and in 2019 Daddy Yankee, who not only sampled “Informer” but featured Snow on his own international-hit track, “ Con Calma”. Snow gained his fluency in patois due to growing up amongst West Indians at Allenbury Gardens housing project in Toronto.In 1994 “Informer” received the distinction of being named the Best Reggae Recording at the Juno Awards (“Canada’s Music Awards”).“Informer” went on to sell eight-million copies all across the globe.“Informer” has been inducted into the Guinness Book of World Records, twice, as the most successful reggae single in America’s history and the highest charting reggae single in the entire history of recorded music.Despite “Informer” being one of the greatest reggae hits of all-time, Snow was not accepted by some of the genre’s purists due primarily to his race. For instance, he was parodied on an episode of the popular 1990’s sketch-comedy program “In Living Color” (with the skit being named “Imposter”) by none other than Jim Carrey himself.

“Informer” is based on a real-life incident in which Snow was charged with two counts of attempted murder. However, those charges were later reduced to aggravated assault, and finally he was acquitted altogether.

Snow, who hails from Toronto, Canada, met legendary Queensbridge rapper MC Shan, who produced and is featured on “Informer”, while vacationing in Queens, New York in 1992.

Conversely, Pitchfork placed the track on its list of the Seven Worst U.S.

VH1, a television station which formerly focused on music videos, gave “Informer” the distinction of being placed number-84 on its list of “Top 100 Songs of the 90s”.

“Informer” actually spent an impressive seven-consecutive weeks on top of the Billboard Hot 100 and also peaked at number-two on the UK Singles chart.

However, the central theme of it is a chastisement of ‘informers’ and snitching in general. ConclusionĪs can be seen, Snow covers various topics throughout this song. However, despite their bestĪttempts, “Shan won’t turn informer”. (his) pal”, meaning that they shot up his homey. Shan eventually ends upĪt the police station, where he is abused by law enforcement. Apparently

Home with his shorty, when the police come a-knocking and wind up “lick(ing) up Sticks to the overall theme of the track. He weaves a tale of chilling at Meanwhile MC Shan’s singular verse is very-descriptive and He also bigs up himself once again, stating that he is not privy to beingīested by his enemies as well as mentioning his standard of “reaching for the And in that regard, he also references the fact that he grew upįinally his fourth verse is about a “nice young lady” who impressed Jamaica (the birthplace of the genre) “pure Black people” are ‘all that he In the third verse, Snow sets out to validate hisĪuthenticity as a reggae artist by stating that even though he is not from His shorty, who he missed. He later bigs himself up and also gives a Recalling that he used the one phone call the prison allowed him to holla at The second verse is for the most part dedicated to Snow

Where he went through the usual invasive inspections a new inmate must endure.

Him to the aforementioned East Detention, To his arrest. This included them “blow(ing) down (his) door” as well asĪn additional officer who ‘crawled through his window’. In the first verse, Snow recounts the police raid that led

Informant meaning