"Let It Burn" | ||||
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Single by Jazmine Sullivan | ||||
from the album Reality Show | ||||
Released | March 17, 2015 | |||
Length | 3:43 | |||
Label | RCA | |||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) | Key Wane | |||
Jazmine Sullivan singles chronology | ||||
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"Let It Burn" is a song by American singer Jazmine Sullivan. It was written by Sullivan and Key Wane for her third studio album Reality Show (2015), while production was helmed by the latter. The song is built around a sample of "Ready or Not" (1989) by American R&B group After 7. Due to the inclusion of the sample, its writer Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds is also credited as songwriter.
The song was released as the album's third single and became Reality Show' highest-charting offering, reaching number four on the Billboard Adult R&B Songs chart. [1] At the 58th Annual Grammy Awards, the song — along with its parent album — received two nominations in the categories for Best R&B Song and Best Traditional R&B Performance. [2] After 7 and Sullivan performed a mashup of "Let It Burn" and "Ready or Not" at the 2015 Soul Train Music Awards, celebrating fellow honoree Babyface.
"Let It Burn" was written by Sullivan and producer Key Wane for her third studio album Reality Show (2015) and samples from "Ready or Not" (1989) by American R&B group After 7 as written by Kenneth "Babyace" Edmonds. [3] A throw-back to 1980s music, [4] the song is a dreamy, simmering late-night ballad, [4] that is built upon a synth-heavy instrumentation. [5] Lyrically, "Let It Burn" was inspired by a previous relationship during which Sullivan felt that she was not acting like an ideal girlfriend. [6] In 2019, she revealed that she almost failed to finish the song. [6]
Sullivan recorded her vocals on the song in one take. [4] Pre-produced by frequent collaborator Wane, she initially recognized the melody of "Let It Burn" as something she had heard before, but was not aware of the sample until months after she recorded it. [7] When asked about the sample, she commented: "I don’t mind samples if the feel is there. With “Let it Burn” the track felt so good that I couldn't imagine it without the sample, but I think it helped that I didn't know the original song." [7] Sullivan further described "Let It Burn" as a "classic song, a timeless R&B song." [8]
Credits adapted from the album's liner notes. [3]
Chart (2015) | Peak position |
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US Adult R&B Songs ( Billboard ) [1] | 4 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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United States (RIAA) [9] | Gold | 500,000 |
Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
After 7 is an American R&B group founded in 1987 by brothers Melvin and Kevon Edmonds, and their friend Keith Mitchell. The Edmonds brothers are the older siblings of pop/R&B singer-songwriter and record producer Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, who named the group and helped them get a record deal with Virgin Records in 1988. After 7 released their platinum-selling self-titled debut album in 1989, which spawned three singles "Heat of the Moment", "Ready or Not" and "Can't Stop". "Ready or Not" and "Can't Stop" were No. 1 R&B hits and top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100. Their second album Takin' My Time, released in 1992, also went platinum and contained the R&B hit medley "Baby, I'm for Real/Natural High". After 7's Gold-selling 1995 album Reflections was their last album before the group disbanded in 1997. The album included the R&B hit "'Til You Do Me Right. Years later the group resumed touring with Jason Edmonds, son of Melvin Edmonds, replacing his father. Melvin rejoined the group for their successful 2016 comeback album Timeless, which featured 3 adult R&B top 10 hits "Runnin' Out", "I Want You" and "Let Me Know".
Kenneth Brian Edmonds, better known by his stage name Babyface, is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He has written and produced over 26 number-one R&B hits throughout his career and has won 12 Grammy Awards. He was ranked number 20 on NME's 50 of The Greatest Producers Ever list.
Tevin Jermod Campbell is an American singer and songwriter. He performed gospel in his local church from an early age. Following an audition for jazz musician Bobbi Humphrey in 1988, Campbell was signed to Warner Bros. Records. In 1989, Campbell collaborated with Quincy Jones performing lead vocals for "Tomorrow" on Jones' album Back on the Block and released his Platinum-selling debut album, T.E.V.I.N. The album included his highest-charting single to date, "Tell Me What You Want Me to Do", peaking at number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100. The debut album also included the singles "Alone With You", and "Goodbye".
Bonafide is the debut album by Jon B. It was released on May 23, 1995 on the Epic Records subsidiary 550 Music. The album was the first recording released on Tracey Edmonds' record label Yab Yum Records, which 550 Music distributed.
Jazmine Marie Sullivan is an American singer-songwriter. Born and raised in Philadelphia, her debut album, Fearless was released in 2008 to commercial and critical success. The record topped Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It spawned four singles, including "Need U Bad" and "Bust Your Windows", both of which were in the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 chart; the former became Sullivan's first and only number one on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
Fearless is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Jazmine Sullivan. It was released on September 23, 2008, through J Records. Production for the album took place during 2007 to 2008 and was handled by several record producers, including Missy Elliott, Stargate, Carvin & Ivan, Wyclef Jean, Jack Splash and Salaam Remi.
"Need U Bad" is a song performed by American recording artist Jazmine Sullivan from her debut album, Fearless (2008). The song features rapper Missy Elliott, as well as Pepa speaking a Jamaican chant. "Need U Bad" is Sullivan's debut single and the lead single from Fearless. It was first released on May 13, 2008 in the United States by J and Arista Records. The song was co-written by Sullivan in collaboration with Elliott, Cainon Lamb, and Taurian Osbourne. It was produced by Elliott and Lamb. The song uses a sample from Nicholas Taylor Stanton's "Higher Meditation Riddim Version", and Tapper Zukie's "Papa Big Shirt".
Still Standing is the sixth studio album by American R&B singer Monica. It was released on March 19, 2010, by J Records. Recording for the album began in 2007, in which the singer intended to take a more traditional approach to the genre and take away any "gimmicks". As executive producer of the album, Monica enlisted a variety of producers including involvement by Missy Elliott, Bryan-Michael Cox, Stargate, and Jermaine Dupri. Production on Still Standing was chronicled by Monica's BET reality series of the same name which aired between October 2009 and January 2010.
"Bust Your Windows" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Jazmine Sullivan from her debut album Fearless. The song was available as a digital download on Amazon in the U.S. on September 16, 2008. The song was then later released as a promo CD on November 15, 2008, after it was sent to radio stations for airplay around the U.S..
"Ready or Not" is a song performed by After 7, issued as the third single from the group's eponymous debut album. In 1989, the song became the first #1 R&B single for the group. It was also the group's first top ten pop single, peaking at #7 on the Billboard Hot 100. "Ready or Not" was certified Gold by the RIAA on August 14, 1990.
"For the Cool in You" is a song co-written, co-produced and performed by American contemporary R&B singer Babyface. It is the opening track on his third studio album of the same name and was issued as the album's first single. The song peaked at #81 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1993.
"Holding You Down " is a song by American singer Jazmine Sullivan. It was written by Sullivan, Cainon Lamb, and Missy Elliott for her second album, Love Me Back (2010), while production was helmed by Elliott, with Lamb credited as co-producer. The song was released as the album's leads single in July 2010. It reached number 60 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance at the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards.
American singer and songwriter Jazmine Sullivan has released four studio albums, one compilation album and 15 singles. Sullivan signed a record deal with J Records in 2008, and released her debut album Fearless in 2008. The album was immediately certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America while debuting at number one. Fearless has spent 12 weeks atop the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums since its US release. The album's first single, "Need U Bad", also reached number thirty-seven on the Billboard Hot 100 and became her first number one on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. The second single, "Bust Your Windows", was released in September 2008 and reached the charts in the US and the UK. It also became her second top forty in the US. "Lions, Tigers & Bears" was released as the third single off the album in late 2008 and became her third top ten in the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart in the US. In 2009, it was confirmed Jazmine would open for American singer Ne-Yo's tour. In February that same year, she released the fourth and final single, "Dream Big".
Dwane Marshall Weir II is an American hip hop/R&B producer and songwriter, professionally known as Key Wane. Wane has produced for artists such as Big Sean, Jazmine Sullivan, Beyoncé, Drake, Jhene Aiko, Wale, Lil Wayne, Young Jeezy, Juicy J, Ariana Grande, Logic, Ty Dolla Sign and Meek Mill among others. He is best known for producing Drake's "All Me", Beyoncé's "Partition", Jazmine Sullivan's "Let It Burn" & "Insecure", Meek Mill's "Amen", Big Sean's "Guap", "Beware", "IDFWU" and an extensive amount of his albums including Hall of Fame, Dark Sky Paradise, and Twenty 88.
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Reality Show is the third studio album by American R&B singer Jazmine Sullivan. It was released by RCA Records on January 13, 2015, in the United States. Sullivan recorded the album, her first in five years, during a hiatus from the music industry, writing and working with producers such as Anthony Bell, Salaam Remi, and Key Wane. Reality Show received widespread acclaim from critics and sold 30,000 copies in its first week.
"Forever Don't Last" is a song by American singer Jazmine Sullivan. It was written by Sullivan and Chuck Harmony for her third studio album Reality Show (2015), while production was helmed by Harmony. The soulful acoustic jam depicts Sullivan reflecting her emotions on the painful demise of her relationship. Released as the album's second single, the ballad reached the top twenty on the Billboard Adult R&B Songs, peaking at number 17.
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Heaux Tales is the debut extended play (EP) by American R&B singer Jazmine Sullivan. It was released by RCA Records on January 8, 2021. Its release date was confirmed on December 2, 2020. It is her first release since 2015's critically-acclaimed Reality Show. It includes features from Ari Lennox, Anderson .Paak, and H.E.R. The EP was primarily recorded in Sullivan's Philadelphia home.