"Blended Family (What You Do for Love)" | ||||
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Single by Alicia Keys featuring ASAP Rocky | ||||
from the album Here | ||||
Released | October 7, 2016 | |||
Genre | R&B | |||
Length | 3:32 | |||
Label | RCA | |||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) |
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Alicia Keys singles chronology | ||||
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ASAP Rocky singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Blended Family" on YouTube |
"Blended Family (What You Do for Love)" is a song by American recording artist Alicia Keys,featuring vocals from rapper ASAP Rocky. It was written by Keys,Rocky,John Bush,Brandon Aly,Tish Hyman,Dave Kuncio,John Houser,Kenneth Withrow and Edie Brickell for her sixth studio album Here (2016),while production was helmed by Keys and Mark Batson. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] The song refers to the former marriage of Keys' husband Swizz Beatz and musician Mashonda Tifrere. It was released on October 7,2016 by RCA Records.
The song is inspired by family and in particular the themes are those of adoption and extended families. [3] [1] Keys was inspired by her family composed of her husband Swizz Beatz,their two sons Egypt Daoud Dean and Genesis Ali Dean,and Beatz's son Kasseem Dean Jr from his previous marriage with Mashonda Tifrere. [6] Keys,following the controversy that arose due to the alleged dating of the singer-songwriter with Beatz, [7] dedicated the song to Tifrere,writing: [8]
«The understanding,compassion and support we’ve found is a powerful testament to the healing that comes when we choose love. Especially for the kids …the most important part of our lives. Celebrating Mashonda for our commitment to each other with support and true growth»
Nina Corcoran from Consequence of Sound wrote that "It’s an uplifting song" and "an ode to inclusion at large as well as her own multiracial marriage" while being "the only radio-styled hit on the album". [9] According to Nolan Feeney from Entertainment Weekly,the song is a "love letter to her step-children that touches on her time in the tabloids" and named the song one of the key tracks on the album [10] Allison Gauss from Medium wrote that the song is driven by an "authentic story",adding that "the intimate details in the verses make you believe the song in a way generalizations never could". [11] Reviewing Here for Salon ,David Masciotra wrote that the song is a "beautiful and infectious blend of hip hop and soulful pop" and opined that the song,discusses "how “love can bring us closer than blood”when divorce,single motherhood,death,and remarriage created families out of the present parts". [12]
The music video,filmed in black-and-white,was released on November 11,2016,and features both Keys and ASAP Rocky. [13] In September 2017 it was revealed on IMDb that the video was directed by Hype Williams. [14]
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Blended Family (What You Do For Love)" (featuring ASAP Rocky) | 3:32 |
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
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Region | Date | Format | Label | Ref. | |
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Various | October 7, 2016 | Digital download | RCA | [15] | |
Italy | October 14, 2016 | Contemporary hit radio | Sony | [26] | |
United States | November 15, 2016 | Rhythmic contemporary | RCA | [27] | |
Contemporary hit radio | [28] |
Alicia Augello Cook, known professionally as Alicia Keys, is an American singer and songwriter. A classically trained pianist, Keys began composing songs at the age of 12 and was signed by Columbia Records at 15. After disputes with the label, she signed with J Records to release her debut studio album, Songs in A Minor (2001). Met with critical acclaim and commercial success, the album sold over 12 million copies worldwide and won five awards at the 44th Annual Grammy Awards. It contained the Billboard Hot 100-number one single "Fallin'." Her second album, The Diary of Alicia Keys (2003), was met with continued success, selling eight million units worldwide and spawning the singles "You Don't Know My Name", "If I Ain't Got You", and "Diary". Its release earned an additional four Grammy Awards.
Kasseem Daoud Dean, known professionally as Swizz Beatz, is an American record producer, rapper, and DJ. Born and raised in the Bronx borough of New York City, Dean initially embarked on his musical career as a DJ. At the age of 18, he gained recognition in the music industry through his family's record label Ruff Ryders Entertainment and his affiliation with its flagship artist, Yonkers-based rapper DMX. Working with DMX as his producer, DJ, and hype man helped Dean gain prominence as a high-profile figure in hip hop in the following years.
Mashonda Karima Dean is an American R&B singer from Boston, Massachusetts. In 2004, she married record producer Swizz Beatz and signed with his record label Full Surface Records, an imprint of J Records to release her debut studio album, January Joy (2005). In 2011, Dean joined the first season of VH1's reality show Love & Hip Hop: New York.
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The following list is a discography of production by Swizz Beatz, an American hip hop recording artist and record producer from The Bronx, New York. It includes a list of songs produced, co-produced and remixed by year, artist, album and title. With a career spanning three decades, Swizz Beatz has contributed production on over 160 albums, including studio projects, compilations, soundtracks and mixtapes. Beatz has also produced 81 singles, a number of them have received gold certification or higher by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
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Rakim Athelaston Mayers, known professionally as ASAP Rocky, is an American rapper. Born and raised in Harlem, he embarked on his musical career as a member of the hip hop collective ASAP Mob, from which he adopted his moniker. In August 2011, Mayers' single "Peso" was leaked online, and within weeks, began receiving radio airplay. He signed with Polo Grounds Music, an imprint of RCA Records in October of that year, and shortly after, released his debut mixtape, Live. Love. A$AP (2011) to widespread critical acclaim.
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"New Day" is a song by American rapper 50 Cent. The song was released on July 27, 2012, originally as a single from his scrapped album Street King Immortal, but it was eventually removed from the project. The song was produced by Dr. Dre and mixed by Eminem, while co-written by the two along with 50 Cent, Alicia Keys, Royce da 5'9", Swizz Beatz, Andrew Brissett, Amber Streeter from RichGirl and Trevor Lawrence Jr. from Aftermath Records. The song features a verse from Dr. Dre, while the hook is sung by Alicia Keys. Keys also recorded and released her own version of "New Day" which is featured on her fifth album Girl on Fire (2012).
"Speechless" is a song by American singer-songwriter Alicia Keys, featuring additional vocals from American rapper Eve. It was written by Keys, Eve and Swizz Beatz, and produced by the latter. It samples Kanye West’s 2010 song “Devil in a New Dress”. A dedication to her son Egypt, whom she gave birth to in October 2010, the freestyle collaboration was released as a holiday gift for Keys's fans on Beatz's Monster Mondays program on December 27, 2010. Swizz Beatz later included the song on his mixtape Monster Mondays Vol. 1 (2011). The song charted on number 71 the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart in early 2011.
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"International Party" is a song by American record producer and rapper Swizz Beatz, released as a single through Everest Entertainment on August 1, 2011. The song was written by Beatz, Avery Chambliss and Tyrone Reginald Johnson, and produced by Beatz. It features vocals from American singer Alicia Keys. The music video for the single was directed by Chris Robinson. The song was released as part of the Reethym of Lite footwear campaign by Reebok Classic, for which Beatz at the time served as creative director.
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"Summer Bummer" is a song by American singer and songwriter Lana Del Rey featuring American rappers ASAP Rocky and Playboi Carti featured on her fifth studio album Lust for Life. The song was released for digital download on July 12, 2017, alongside "Groupie Love" featuring ASAP Rocky, as a promotional single with the pre-order of the album. The song was written by the artists, alongside producers BigWhiteBeatz., Boi-1da, Jahaan Sweet, and T-Minus, with additional production credits going to Rick Nowels.
"Groupie Love" is a song by American singer and songwriter Lana Del Rey featuring American rapper ASAP Rocky featured on her fifth studio album Lust for Life. The song was released for digital download on July 12, 2017, alongside "Summer Bummer", another collaboration between the two alongside Playboi Carti, as a promotional single with the pre-order of the album. The song was later sent to Italian radio on July 28, 2017 as the album's fourth single. The song was written by the artists and Rick Nowels, who produced it with Del Rey, Emile Haynie, Kieron Menzies, Hector Delgado, and Dean Reid.