You know the piano loop. It’s haunting, slightly dusty, and immediately recognizable. Then that beat kicks in—thick, heavy, and unmistakably Teddy Riley. But if you ask a room full of people who sings the song No Diggity, you’ll get a handful of different answers. Some will say Blackstreet. Others will insist it’s Dr. Dre. A few might even credit Queen Pen.
Technically, everyone is right.
Released in 1996, "No Diggity" wasn't just a song; it was a cultural shift. It yanked R&B out of its polite, balladeering phase and shoved it headfirst into the gritty, swagger-heavy world of West Coast hip-hop. It’s the crown jewel of the New Jack Swing era's evolution. But the story of how these specific voices ended up on the track is actually kind of a fluke. It almost didn't happen. In fact, if Guy (Teddy Riley’s other legendary group) had stayed together, Blackstreet might never have touched it.
The Architect: Teddy Riley and the Birth of a Beat
Teddy Riley is the undisputed king of New Jack Swing. By the mid-90s, he was looking for something darker. He found it in a sample of Bill Withers’ "Grandma’s Hands."
Honestly, the simplicity of that sample is what makes the song work. It’s just those humming vocals and a steady tremolo piano. Riley layered it with a drum pattern that felt more like Death Row Records than a boy band. When he first shopped the beat around, people weren't biting. He originally offered it to Aaron Hall—his bandmate from Guy—for a solo project. Aaron didn't like it. He reportedly thought it was too "street" or just didn't "get" the vibe.
Imagine being the guy who passed on one of the most successful songs in the history of the Billboard charts.
Eventually, Riley took it to his new group, Blackstreet. Even then, the members weren't all on board. Chauncey Hannibal (also known as "Coko's" ex and a powerhouse vocalist) reportedly wasn't a fan at first. But Riley leaned in. He knew the track needed a bridge between the smooth vocals of R&B and the hard-hitting reality of rap.
So, Who Actually Sings on the Track?
To answer who sings the song No Diggity accurately, you have to break it down by verse and contribution. It isn't just a solo performance or a standard group harmony. It’s a collaborative masterpiece.
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First, you have the intro. That’s Teddy Riley himself. He’s the one doing the "Shorty get down, good Lord" ad-libs that set the tone. Riley isn't just the producer; he’s the conductor of the entire vibe. His voice has that distinct, slightly metallic New Jack Swing texture that defines the first half of the 90s.
Then there’s the first verse. That’s Chauncey "Black" Hannibal. If you’re looking for the "soul" of the song, it’s him. His runs are precise but effortless. He brings the classic R&B polish that keeps the song from feeling like a pure rap record.
The Dr. Dre Connection
The elephant in the room—and the reason the song blew up on Top 40 radio—is Dr. Dre.
In 1996, Dre was fresh off leaving Death Row Records. He was in the middle of a massive transition, trying to prove he could succeed with his own label, Aftermath Entertainment. His verse on "No Diggity" was a massive statement. It was arguably one of the first times a major West Coast rap titan "blessed" an R&B track in a way that felt organic rather than forced.
Dre’s verse isn't complex. He’s not trying to out-rap anyone. He’s just cool. "No diggity, no doubt" became a permanent part of the English lexicon because of the way he delivered that line. He gave Blackstreet the "street cred" they needed to dominate clubs, not just wedding receptions.
The Queen Pen Factor
We can't talk about who sings the song No Diggity without mentioning Queen Pen. Her verse at the end is the literal "boutique" icing on the cake. Lynette "Queen Pen" Pinnix was a protégé of Riley’s, and her inclusion was a masterstroke.
At a time when female rappers were often relegated to "vixen" roles or ultra-aggressive personas, Queen Pen came through with a playful, rhythmic flow. She matched the guys' energy perfectly. Her presence turned the song into a conversation between the sexes, making it a staple for every dance floor in America.
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Why the Song Almost Flopped (According to the Label)
It’s hard to believe now, but Interscope Records wasn't exactly doing backflips when they heard the final cut.
Interscope was worried. They thought the Bill Withers sample was too prominent and might be a licensing nightmare, or worse, that it wouldn't resonate with younger listeners who didn't know 1970s folk-soul. There was also a concern that Blackstreet—a group known for ballads like "Before I Let You Go"—was pivoting too hard into hip-hop.
The label’s hesitation is a classic example of "playing it safe" nearly killing a masterpiece. Riley pushed for it. He knew the "Grandma's Hands" loop was infectious. He was right. The song spent four weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. It eventually won a Grammy for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.
The Technical Brilliance of the Production
If you’re a music nerd, you have to appreciate what’s happening under the hood of "No Diggity."
Riley used an Akai MPC to chop the samples, but it’s the way he mixed the low-end that really matters. In the mid-90s, R&B often had very "thin" bass to leave room for the vocal harmonies. Riley flipped that. He mixed the bass like a hip-hop record.
- The Sample: Bill Withers - "Grandma's Hands" (1971).
- The Drum Machine: Likely an MPC3000, which gave it that "swing" that isn't perfectly on the beat.
- The Vocal Layers: Blackstreet (Teddy Riley, Chauncey Hannibal, Eric Williams, and Mark Middleton).
When you listen closely, the harmonies are actually quite complex. Eric Williams and Mark Middleton provide the "bed" of vocals that allow Chauncey to fly over the top. It’s a four-part harmony structure that most modern R&B tracks simply don't bother with anymore.
The Legacy: Why We Are Still Talking About It in 2026
It’s been decades. Yet, "No Diggity" is still a "floor-filler."
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You hear it at every wedding. It’s in every "90s Throwback" playlist. Why? Because it’s one of the few songs that successfully bridged the gap between different demographics. It’s "clean" enough for radio but "hard" enough for the club. It’s soulful but rhythmic.
The song also marked the end of an era. Shortly after its success, the New Jack Swing sound began to fade, replaced by the "Shiny Suit" era of Bad Boy Records and the futuristic, minimalist sounds of Timbaland and The Neptunes. In many ways, "No Diggity" was the final, perfect evolution of the sound Teddy Riley started in the late 80s.
How to Truly Appreciate No Diggity Today
If you want to dive deeper into the world of who sings the song No Diggity, don't just stop at the radio edit.
- Listen to the "Grandma's Hands" original. You’ll hear how Riley didn't just take the notes; he took the "soul" of Bill Withers' humming. It’s a masterclass in sampling.
- Watch the Music Video. Directed by Hype Williams, it features the iconic "marionette" scene and the dancers in the rain. It defined the visual aesthetic of mid-90s R&B.
- Check out the Remixes. There are several Bill "Will" Griffin remixes and versions featuring different verse orders that give a glimpse into how the song was built in the studio.
- Listen to the "Another Level" Album. "No Diggity" is the standout, but the whole album is a textbook on how to produce R&B that survives the test of time.
Ultimately, the answer to who sings the song No Diggity is a group effort led by Teddy Riley's vision. It took a legendary producer, a top-tier R&B group, a West Coast rap icon, and a rising female emcee to create four minutes of perfection.
Next time it comes on the radio, pay attention to the hand-offs between the voices. Notice how Dre sets the stage, how Chauncey brings the melody, and how Riley keeps the whole thing glued together with those ad-libs. It’s a collaborative alchemy that rarely happens in the music industry today.
To get the most out of your 90s R&B journey, your next step should be exploring the rest of the Blackstreet discography, specifically the "Another Level" album, to see how they balanced these hard-hitting tracks with the smooth ballads that originally made them famous. If you really want to understand the production, look up Teddy Riley’s interviews about his "New Jack Swing" philosophy—it’ll change how you hear every pop song on the radio today.