"I Run This" is primarily known as a song by American rapper Birdman (Bryan Williams), featuring fellow rapper Lil Wayne (Dwayne Carter), released as the third single from Birdman's third studio album 5 * Stunna on May 14, 2008, through Cash Money Records and Universal Motown Records. The track was produced by T-Mix (Triston Jones) and written by Birdman, Lil Wayne, and T-Mix.
Song details
The song is a Southern hip hop track with trap influences, running 3:31 (album version) at approximately 81 beats per minute in the key of D major. Its lyrics center on themes of dominance, wealth, and street credibility, with the repeated hook "I run this" serving as a declaration of authority and control within the rap industry. The music video, directed by Dale Resteghini, features cameo appearances by Lil Jon, Brisco, DJ Drama, and Glasses Malone, and premiered on BET's 106 & Park on May 14, 2008. A remix was produced for the music video, featuring a new verse by Lil Wayne.
Chart performance
The single peaked at number 10 on the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart (equivalent to number 110 on the Hot 100) and at number 69 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. It did not receive any RIAA certification. As of 2024, the official music video has amassed over 24 million views on YouTube, and the song has accumulated more than 13.8 million streams on Spotify.
Cultural usage
Now-retired Major League Baseball outfielder Ryan Sweeney used "I Run This" as his walk-up song while batting for the Oakland Athletics from 2008 to 2011.
As a colloquial phrase
Beyond the song title, "I run this" is a colloquial English expression used as a declaration of authority, control, or dominance. It is commonly employed in informal speech to assert that the speaker is in charge, the boss, or the one who controls a given situation, environment, or domain. The phrase appears frequently in hip-hop lyrics, popular culture, and everyday slang, often with an intensified form such as "I run this shit."
