Recording sessions took place at The Cutting Room in New York with recording engineer DJ Nastee assisted by David Crafa. It was mixed at The Hit Factory by Ken "Duro" Ifill assisted by Tony G. The song is built around a sample of Steely Dan's "Black Cow". In exchange for clearing use of the sample, Steely Dan requested an advance payment of $115,000 as well as 100% of publishing royalties, and as a result of this agreement, Steely Dan members Walter Becker and Donald Fagen are the sole credited songwriters on "Deja Vu (Uptown Baby)".[1] The song opens with a sample from Jerry Rivera's "Amores Como El Nuestro", a song that would later gain worldwide exposure after being sampled by Shakira for her song "Hips Don't Lie".
Tatyana Ali's song "Daydreamin'", released later in 1998, used the same "Black Cow" sample and featured both Tariq and Gunz. Gunz even mentions hearing "Black Cow" and being inspired to rap to the beat. The "J'Ty" remix of Beyoncé's "Me, Myself and I", which released in 2003, uses the same sample on "Deja Vu".[2]
Track listing
A-side
"Deja Vu (Uptown Baby)" (Album Version) – 4:44
"Deja Vu (Uptown Baby)" (Instrumental) – 4:43
"Deja Vu (Uptown Baby)" (Acapella) – 4:29
B-side
"Deja Vu (Uptown Baby)" (Frankenstein Remix) – 4:40
"Deja Vu (Uptown Baby)" (Frankenstein Remix Instrumental) – 4:42
"Deja Vu (Uptown Baby)" (Pro Black Remix) – 4:32
"Deja Vu (Uptown Baby)" (Pro Black Remix Instrumental) – 4:29