If I Had No Loot – Tony Toni Toné | Top 40 Chart Performance, Story and Song Meaning

Chart Performance: Pop (#7), R&B (#8), and Dance (#45); 1993

Story Behind The Song By Ed Osborne

Tony! Toni! Toné! was a family affair; comprised of Dwayne and Raphael Wiggins and cousin Timothy Christian from Oakland, CA. Younger brother Raphael was singing in a group with Timothy when Dwayne joined them.

At Dwayne’s urging, the three focused on getting a recording contract. As luck would have it, Thomas McElroy knew Raphael from school and pitched the trio to his producing partner, Denzil Foster, and Wing Records execs.

Soon Foster, McElroy, and the trio sat at #1 R&B with Little Walter. After three more hits, the Tonys took over the production reins on their second album, and racked up four straight R&B #1’s.

From their third album, the group – minus the exclamation points – led with If I Had No Loot, which sampled The ‘P’ Is Free by KRS-1, The Wrong Nigga To F*** Wit by Ice Cube, and Knock On Wood by Eddie Floyd. Loot racked up just that, and became the three T’s biggest Top 40 single.

This content and all Song Meaning articles were created and written by Top 40 Contributing Editor Ed Osborne. © 2024 Ed Osborne. All Rights Reserved. In addition to these song meaning articles, Ed has written our “Year in Music 1960s-1990s” articles.

Produced by:

  • Tony! Toni! Toné!

Lyrics Written by:

  • Juan Bautista
  • Will Harris
  • Raphael Wiggins
  • Steve Cropper
  • Eddie Floyd
  • Ice Cube
  • Anthony Wheaton

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Ed Osborne

Hi. I got my first record at age two and never looked back, spending a decades-long career in radio and the music business. Even after years of reading about and listening to all types of music, I am still fascinated by it. Apart from that, I’m endlessly intrigued by art, nature, and the inner lives of people (and dogs).