Down 4 U

"Down 4 U"
Single by Irv Gotti presents Ja Rule, Ashanti, Charli Baltimore, and Vita
from the album Irv Gotti Presents: The Inc.
Released	June 10, 2002 (2002-06-10)
Studio	The Crackhouse (New York City)
Genre	Hip hop
Length	5:18
Label	Def Jam Murder Inc.
Songwriter(s)	Jeffrey Atkins 7 Aurelius Irving Lorenzo Ashanti Douglas Tiffany Lane LaVita Raynor Larry Troutman Roger Troutman
Producer(s)	Irv Gotti 7 Aurelius
The Inc. singles chronology
"Ain't It Funny (Murder Remix)" (2002) "Down 4 U" (2002) "The Pledge" (2002)
Ashanti singles chronology
"Foolish" (2002) "Down 4 U" (2002) "Happy" (2002)

"Down 4 U" is the lead single from Murder Inc. Records' compilation album Irv Gotti Presents: The Inc. , released through Def Jam Recordings and Irv Gotti's Murder Inc. Records. The song features rapped verses from Ja Rule, Charli Baltimore, and Vita while Ashanti provides the chorus and sung vocals. The song is a remix as well as its music video being the sequel of Ja Rule's 2002 single, "Down Ass Bitch".

Background

"Down 4 U" became a hit on the US Billboard charts during mid-2002, reaching number six on the Hot 100 chart on the week of August 17, 2002, and number three on both the R&B and rap charts. The Irv Gotti-produced song interpolates Roger Troutman's 1987 hit "I Want to Be Your Man", for which he and his brother Larry Troutman were given writing credits. ^[1] The associated music video showed the artists performing the song on a beach with cameos by Irv Gotti, Eric Roberts, Clarence Williams III, Bobby Brown, Whitney Houston and other members of the Inc. ^[2]

In addition to appearing on Irv Gotti Presents: The Inc., the song also appeared on The Source magazine's compilation The Source Presents: Hip Hop Hits, Vol. 6 and as a bonus track on Ja Rule's 2002 album, The Last Temptation . The song was performed live by Ja Rule and Ashanti at VH1's 6th Annual Hip Hop Honors that honored Def Jam Recordings.

Music video

Shot in Miami, the video begins with Eric Roberts and Clarence Williams III as detectives congratulating each other over their success in apprehending a couple as assumed suspects only to realize a case of mistaken identity. Then Ja Rule, Charli Baltimore, Vita and Ashanti perform on a beach, a yacht then a night beach cabana party, with cameos of Bobby Brown, Whitney Houston and Irv Gotti.

Track listings

UK CD single ^[1]

1. "Down 4 U" (radio edit) – 5:16
2. "Down 4 U" (D'n'D vocal mix) – 5:30
3. "Down 4 U" (D'n'D Conemelt mix) – 5:47
4. "Down 4 U" (video)

UK 12-inch single ^[3]

A1. "Down 4 U" (radio edit) – 5:16

A2. "Down 4 U" (D'n'D vocal mix) – 5:30

B1. "Down 4 U" (D'n'D Conemelt mix) – 5:47

UK cassette single ^[4]

1. "Down 4 U" (radio edit)
2. "Down 4 U" (D'n'D vocal mix)

Credits and personnel

Credits are adapted from the UK CD single liner notes. ^[1]

Studios

• Recorded at the Crackhouse (New York City)
• Mixed at Right Track Studios (New York City)
• Mastered at Sony Music Studios (London, England)

Personnel

• Jeffrey Atkins – writing
• Ashanti Douglas – writing
• Tiffany Lane – writing
• LaVita Raynor – writing
• Larry Troutman – writing ("I Want to Be Your Man")
• Roger Troutman – writing ("I Want to Be Your Man")
• Irv Gotti – writing (as Irving Lorenzo), production
• 7 Aurelius – writing, production
• Milwaukee Buck – recording, mixing
• Terry "Murda Mac" Herbert – recording assistance
• Naweed "Dirty" Ahmed – mastering engineer

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2002) Peak position Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders) [5] 11 Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Wallonia) [6] 16 Europe (European Hot 100 Singles) [7] 16 Germany (GfK) [8] 54 Ireland (IRMA) [9] 22 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) [10] 39 Netherlands (Single Top 100) [11] 22 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) [12] 23 Scotland (OCC) [13] 14 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) [14] 43 UK Singles (OCC) [15] 4 UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC) [16] 1 US Billboard Hot 100 [17] 6 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs ( Billboard ) [18] 3 US Hot Rap Songs ( Billboard ) [19] 3 US Pop Airplay ( Billboard ) [20] 22 US Rhythmic ( Billboard ) [21] 3

Year-end charts Chart (2002) Position UK Singles (OCC) [22] 139 US Billboard Hot 100 [23] 44 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks (Billboard) [24] 38 US Hot Rap Tracks (Billboard) [25] 14 US Rhythmic Top 40 (Billboard) [26] 18

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
United States	June 10, 2002	Rhythmic contemporary urban radio	Murder Inc. Def Jam	[27]
	July 29, 2002	Contemporary hit radio		[28]
United Kingdom	September 30, 2002	12-inch vinyl CD cassette		[29]

References

1. Down 4 U (UK CD single liner notes). Irv Gotti. Murder Inc. Records, Def Jam Recordings. 2002. 063 900-2.
2. ""Down 4 U" chart history at Billboard.com". Billboard . December 8, 2010. Archived from the original on December 27, 1996.
3. Down 4 U (UK 12-inch single sleeve). Irv Gotti. Murder Inc. Records, Def Jam Recordings. 2002. 063 900-1.
4. Down 4 U (UK cassette single sleeve). Irv Gotti. Murder Inc. Records, Def Jam Recordings. 2002. 063 900-4.
5. "Irv Gotti Presents Ja Rule, Ashanti, Vita & Charli Baltimore – Down 4 U" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
6. "Irv Gotti Presents Ja Rule, Ashanti, Vita & Charli Baltimore – Down 4 U" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
7. "Eurochart Hot 100 singles" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 20, no. 43. October 19, 2002. p. 9. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
8. "Irv Gotti Presents Ja Rule, Ashanti, Vita & Charli Baltimore – Down 4 U" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
9. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Down 4 U". Irish Singles Chart.
10. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 45, 2002" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
11. "Irv Gotti Presents Ja Rule, Ashanti, Vita & Charli Baltimore – Down 4 U" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
12. "Irv Gotti Presents Ja Rule, Ashanti, Vita & Charli Baltimore – Down 4 U". Top 40 Singles.
13. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
14. "Irv Gotti Presents Ja Rule, Ashanti, Vita & Charli Baltimore – Down 4 U". Swiss Singles Chart.
15. "Irv Gotti pts: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
16. "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
17. "Irv Gotti Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
18. "Irv Gotti Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.
19. "Irv Gotti Chart History (Hot Rap Songs)". Billboard.
20. "Irv Gotti Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
21. "Irv Gotti Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
22. "The Official UK Singles Chart 2002" (PDF). UKChartsPlus . Retrieved March 1, 2021.
23. "Billboard Top 100 – 2002". Archived from the original on April 12, 2009. Retrieved December 8, 2010.
24. "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs: 2002" . Billboard. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
25. "The Year in Music 2002: Hot Rap Tracks". Billboard. Vol. 114, no. 52. December 28, 2002. p. YE-52.
26. "Most-Played Rhythmic Top 40 Songs of 2002". Airplay Monitor . Vol. 10, no. 51. December 20, 2002. p. 22.
27. "Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records . No. 1456. June 7, 2002. p. 35. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
28. "Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1463. July 26, 2002. p. 29. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
29. "New Releases – For Week Starting 30 September 2002: Singles" (PDF). Music Week . September 28, 2002. p. 31. Retrieved August 28, 2021.