Meaning of “Informer” by Snow Ft. MC Shan

First off, the word informer, when used as a colloquial term, is synonymous with the word ‘snitch’. It therefore has a negative connotation, especially in relation to Jamaican patois, the dialect in which this track is chanted. As such, Snow penned “Informer” basically as an insult against those who he claimed “snitched on” him, which led to him doing an eight-month bid in the maximum-security Toronto East Detention Center. Owing to this, the hook of the track is based on Snow physically threatening the “informer” who got him locked down. He also references the criminal charges (two counts of attempted murder) which led to his incarceration.

First Verse

In the first verse, Snow recounts the police raid that led to his arrest. This included them “blow(ing) down (his) door” as well as an additional officer who ‘crawled through his window’. From there, they took him to the aforementioned East Detention, where he went through the usual invasive inspections a new inmate must endure.

Second Verse

The second verse is for the most part dedicated to Snow recalling that he used the one phone call the prison allowed him to holla at his shorty, who he missed. He later bigs himself up and also gives a shoutout to MC Shan.

Third Verse

In the third verse, Snow sets out to validate his authenticity as a reggae artist by stating that even though he is not from Jamaica (the birthplace of the genre) “pure Black people” are ‘all that he knows’.  And in that regard, he also references the fact that he grew up in poverty, in Toronto. 

Fourth Verse

Finally his fourth verse is about a “nice young lady” who impressed him. He also bigs up himself once again, stating that he is not privy to being bested by his enemies as well as mentioning his standard of “reaching for the top”.

MC Shan’s Verse

Meanwhile MC Shan’s singular verse is very-descriptive and sticks to the overall theme of the track. He weaves a tale of chilling at home with his shorty, when the police come a-knocking and wind up “lick(ing) up (his) pal”, meaning that they shot up his homey. Shan eventually ends up at the police station, where he is abused by law enforcement. Apparently what they desire is for him to snitch.  However, despite their best attempts, “Shan won’t turn informer”.

Conclusion

As can be seen, Snow covers various topics throughout this song. However, the central theme of it is a chastisement of ‘informers’ and snitching in general.

Facts about “Informer”

• “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.    
• 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”. Conversely, Pitchfork placed the track on its list of the Seven Worst U.S. No. 1 Singles of the 90s.
• 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.
• “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.
• 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” 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.
• “Informer” went on to sell eight-million copies all across the globe.
• In 1994 “Informer” received the distinction of being named the Best Reggae Recording at the Juno Awards (“Canada’s Music Awards”).
• Snow gained his fluency in patois due to growing up amongst West Indians at Allenbury Gardens housing project in Toronto.  

Sampling and Covers  

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’s fourth verse of “Informer” is actually used, verbatim, in Daddy Yankee’s “Con Calma”.

How did “Informer” perform on the charts?

In addition to the United States, it peaked at number-one on music charts in several countries. Some of these countries include: Australia, Finland, Germany, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

And in addition to the UK, it also reached number two in Austria, Belgium and the Netherlands. Other countries “Informer” charted in are Canada, France, Greece, Iceland, Italy and Portugal.

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.

When was “Informer” released?

It was formally released on September 30, 1992 through EastWest Records.