It is 1995. You are at a house party, a wedding reception, or maybe just sitting in your car with the windows down. That unmistakable slick bassline kicks in, followed by a vocal runs that sounds like pure silk. Then comes the line everyone knows by heart. Honestly, if you grew up in the 90s, the This Is How We Do It lyrics aren't just words; they are a cultural blueprint for the West Coast G-funk era meeting New Jack Swing.
But here is the thing. Most people singing along to Montell Jordan’s massive hit actually miss half the story tucked inside those verses. It isn't just a song about partying. It is a very specific localized diary of South Central Los Angeles.
Why the This Is How We Do It Lyrics Defined a Decade
Montell Jordan wasn't your typical R&B singer. He was tall—six-foot-eight—and he had a degree from Pepperdine. He wasn't just some guy they found on a street corner; he was sharp. When he wrote the This Is How We Do It lyrics, he was intentionally bridging a gap. At the time, R&B was often seen as "soft" compared to the exploding West Coast rap scene led by Death Row Records. Montell wanted something that could play in the club right after a Snoop Dogg track without cleared the floor.
The song samples "Children's Story" by Slick Rick. That was a genius move. By using that specific loop, Jordan tapped into hip-hop royalty while layering his smooth, church-trained vocals over the top. It felt familiar yet brand new.
You’ve got to look at the opening lines. "This is how we do it / It's Friday night and I feel alright." It sounds simple, right? It’s almost nursery-rhyme simple. But that simplicity is exactly why it stuck. He’s setting a scene. The "party on the west side" isn't a vague concept. He’s talking about a very specific vibe where the "LBC" (Long Beach) and "Compton" crews were supposedly co-existing in the space of this song.
The Lowrider Culture in the Verse
When he mentions "all the gangbangers forgot about the drive-by," he’s not just being poetic. He’s referencing the incredibly volatile atmosphere of Los Angeles in the early 90s, just a few years after the 1992 riots. The lyrics were a plea for a temporary truce, even if just for the length of a four-minute radio edit.
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He talks about the "designated driver" taking the keys to his "Vee-it." Most people assume he’s talking about a Corvette, and they’re right. But it’s the way he emphasizes the "lower-rider" lifestyle that really anchors the song in California soil.
The Slick Rick Connection and Legal Hurdles
You can't talk about these lyrics without talking about the sample. The beat is almost entirely lifted from Slick Rick's 1988 classic. Interestingly, Def Jam—the label Montell was signed to—actually owned the rights to both songs. This made the "clearing" process much easier than it would have been for an independent artist.
Kinda crazy to think about, but if that sample hadn't been cleared, the song might have never happened. Montell has mentioned in interviews that the melody for the verses actually came to him while he was just humming over that specific Slick Rick loop. He wasn't trying to rewrite the wheel. He was just trying to fit his world into that existing groove.
Breaking Down the Bridge
"I'm kind of buzzed and it's all because / This is how we do it."
The bridge of the song is where the R&B influence really shines. While the verses are rhythmic and almost "rapped," the bridge allows Montell to show off his range. He mentions "South Central does it like nobody does." This was a bold move in 1995. South Central was often portrayed in the news through a lens of violence and poverty. Montell flipped the script. He showed the joy, the dancing, and the community.
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He also gives a shoutout to his "homies" and the "40 ounce" culture. It’s gritty, but the delivery is so polished that it became a pop crossover hit. It hit Number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed there for seven weeks. Seven weeks! That’s an eternity in the mid-90s music industry.
Misheard Lyrics and Common Mistakes
People mess up the This Is How We Do It lyrics all the time.
- "The 40 or the 80." No. He’s talking about a 40-ounce bottle of malt liquor.
- "I'm reached for my 45." Some people thought he was talking about a gun. In reality, in the context of the song, he’s talking about the party vibe, though the "gangbanger" references earlier in the song do play with that tension.
- "The Vee-it." As mentioned, it’s a Corvette.
The Business of a "One-Hit Wonder" (That Wasn't)
People often label Montell Jordan a one-hit wonder because this song was so massive it eclipsed everything else. But that’s technically wrong. He had other hits like "Get It On Tonite." However, "This Is How We Do It" became a financial annuity.
Because the lyrics are so synonymous with "having a good time," the song is licensed constantly. Movies, commercials, sporting events—the royalty checks from these lyrics alone probably keep the lights on. It’s a masterclass in writing a "utility song." A utility song is something that serves a specific purpose in society. In this case, the purpose is "starting the party."
The Cultural Shift
By the late 90s, the sound of R&B shifted away from this heavy G-funk influence toward a more synthesized, futuristic sound (think Timbaland or The Neptunes). But Montell’s hit remains a time capsule. It represents the exact moment when hip-hop's "toughness" and R&B's "sweetness" stopped fighting and started dancing together.
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The song's longevity is also due to its lack of profanity. It’s a "clean" party song that still feels cool. That’s a hard tightrope to walk. You can play it at a 5-year-old’s birthday or a 90-year-old’s funeral (though maybe skip the funeral) and people will nod their heads.
How to Truly Appreciate the Track Today
If you want to understand the impact of the This Is How We Do It lyrics, you have to listen to the instrumental first. Hear that heavy, thumping bass. Then, read the lyrics as a poem. It’s a story of a guy who made it out of a tough neighborhood but still goes back to show love. It’s about the "OGs" and the "youngsters."
It’s basically a community newsletter set to a beat.
Actionable Insights for Music Lovers:
- Listen for the "Children's Story" sample: Compare the two tracks side-by-side to see how Montell changed the "swing" of the beat.
- Check out the "Studio 54 Remix": If you think the original is good, the remixes from the late 90s show how versatile the vocal melody actually is.
- Analyze the song structure: Notice how the song doesn't have a traditional "long" intro. It gets straight to the hook. That is why it works so well for radio and DJs.
- Watch the music video: Look at the fashion. The oversized jerseys and the baggy jeans aren't just costumes; they were the uniform of the era described in the lyrics.
The next time this track comes on, don't just mumble the "Friday night" part. Pay attention to the way he shouts out specific streets and neighborhoods. It’s a geography lesson in 90s Los Angeles culture. Montell Jordan didn't just write a song; he documented a lifestyle that, for a few minutes every Friday night, felt untouchable.
To get the most out of this classic, try playing it on a sound system with a dedicated subwoofer. The low-end frequencies in the production were specifically designed for the "trunk-thumping" car culture of California. Without that bass, you’re only getting half the experience. Also, take a look at Montell Jordan's later work in gospel music; you can actually hear the seeds of his spiritual journey in the way he sings about community and peace even in his early secular hits.