Lost and Found (Will Smith album)

Last updated
Lost and Found
Lostandfound.jpg
Studio album by
Will Smith
ReleasedMarch 29, 2005 (2005-03-29)
Recorded2004–2005
Studio
Genre Pop-rap [1]
Length55:05
Label
Producer
Will Smith chronology
Greatest Hits
(2002)		Lost and Found
(2005)
Singles from Lost and Found
  1. "Switch"
    Released: February 15, 2005
  2. "Party Starter"
    Released: August 2, 2005

Lost and Found is the fourth studio album by American actor and rapper Will Smith, and his latest one to date. It was released on March 29, 2005, by Interscope Records. The album reached number 6 on the US Billboard 200 and was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America, making this Smith's third overall top ten album following Willennium in 1999 and his second gold-selling album following Born to Reign in 2002. The album also reached the top 20 on the UK Albums Chart. "Switch" and "Party Starter" were released as singles.

Contents

Recording and production

The majority of recording for Lost and Found took place at The Boom Boom Room in Burbank, California, with additional sessions at The Studio in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, The Cutting Room in New York City, New York, 1020 Sound Studios in Philadelphia, and Crescent Moon Studios in Miami, Florida. [2] Almost all songs on the album were produced or co-produced by The Freshmen, or individual member Troy "Treezah" Johnson, with executive producer Omarr "O. Banga" Rambert producing much of Smith's vocals; DJ Jazzy Jeff, Kwamé, and more also contributed to production. [2]

Composition

In his review of the album for the website AllMusic, Andy Kellman claimed that the lyrics on Lost and Found contribute to "the least party-oriented album Smith has made", blaming the poor sales performance of previous album Born to Reign and criticism by other rappers and radio personalities for making Smith "a little bitter". [3] PopMatters writer Mike Schiller identifies a similar tone on the album, noting that Smith is "surprisingly confrontational" on much of the record targeting subjects such as rap radio and other hip hop artists. [4] Rolling Stone writer Christian Hoard noted that the lyrics on the album feature "lots of self-deprecating humor". [5]

Promotion and release

The release of Lost and Found was preceded by the single "Switch" in February 2005, which gave Smith his first US Billboard Hot 100 top 10 since "Wild Wild West" in 1999. [6] "Switch" was also successful internationally, reaching the top 10 on a number of regional charts including the UK Singles Chart. [7] "Party Starter" was the second and final single released from the album, reaching the top 20 in the UK. [7]

Critical reception

Commercial

Lost and found debuted at number six on the US Billboard 200, selling 98,000 copies in its first week. [8] The album reached number four on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. [9] Outside of the US, it reached number 15 on the UK Albums Chart, and also reached the top 20 in Germany. [10]

Critical

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic [3] Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg
Blender [11] Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg
Entertainment Weekly [12] B+
The Guardian [13] Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg
PopMatters [4] 7/10
Rolling Stone [5] Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg
The Village Voice [14] Unfavorable

Media response to Lost and Found was mixed; aggregating website Metacritic reports a normalized rating of 50, based on 10 critical reviews, indicating "Mixed or average reviews". [13] Entertainment Weekly awarded the album a B+ rating, describing it as "packed with the sort of undeniable pleasures only the most churlish thug could deny". [12] Andy Kellman of AllMusic described it as "an entertaining and thoughtful album for young kids and their parents to listen to and talk about", [3] while PopMatters' Mike Schiller praised Lost and Found as a return to form for Smith, but noted that his audience had likely dwindled by the time of the album's release. [4]

Christian Hoard of Rolling Stone noted that while the album features "plenty of up-to-date beats", Lost and Found is let down by the fact that Smith does not have "a commanding presence" on many of the songs, which Hoard claimed made the rapper "utterly unconvincing" and "fast running out of steam". [5] A review in The Guardian simply concluded that "[Smith's] decision to stray from his usual blend of impish party tunes and extended jingles for the latest summer blockbuster constitutes one of the most ill-advised career moves since MC Hammer went gangsta". [13] Greg Tate of The Village Voice dubbed Lost and Found "the lamest album that'll be released this year", describing Smith's style as "imitation hip-hop". [14]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Here He Comes" (performed by DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince)
2:20
2."Party Starter"
4:09
3."Switch"
  • Kwamé
  • Banga [b]
3:17
4."Mr. Niceguy"
  • Smith
  • Johnson
  • The Freshmen
2:21
5."Ms. Holy Roller"
  • The Freshmen
3:39
6."Lost & Found"
  • Smith
  • Johnson
  • Ronald Jackson
  • D. Lewis
  • The Freshmen
  • Banga [b]
4:16
7."Tell Me Why" (featuring Mary J. Blige)
  • Smith
  • Armique Wyche
  • Johnson
  • Jae Staxx
  • Banga
4:29
8."I Wish I Made That/Swagga"
  • "I Wish I Made That": Smith
  • Johnson
  • "Swagga": Smith
  • Johnson
  • Jackson
  • Omarr Rambert
  • Bennett
  • "I Wish I Made That": The Freshmen
  • JYP [a]
  • "Swagga": The Freshmen
  • Banga [b]
4:16
9."Pump Ya Brakes" (featuring Snoop Dogg)
  • The Freshmen
  • Banga
3:34
10."If U Can't Dance (Slide)" (featuring Nicole Scherzinger)
  • Smith
  • Johnson
  • The Freshmen
  • Banga [b]
4:03
11."Could U Love Me"
  • Smith
  • George Archie
2:50
12."Loretta"
  • Smith
  • Johnson
  • The Freshmen
4:55
13."Wave Em Off"
  • DJ Twinz
3:31
14."Scary Story"
  • Hotrunner
  • Eleet Beats
  • Treezah [c]
3:39
15."Switch" (...R&B remix, featuring Robin Thicke)
  • Smith
  • Holland
  • Bennett
  • "Co P!"
  • Banga
3:45
Total length:55:05
European bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
16."Coming to the Stage" (includes hidden track "Switch" (reggae remix) featuring Elephant Man)
  • Smith
  • Lovelace
  • Michael Edwards
  • Hotrunners
  • Mike Hype
  • Treezah [c]
8:10
Total length:59:24
European special edition bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
16."Coming to the Stage"
  • Smith
  • Lovelace
  • Edwards
  • Hotrunners
  • Hype
  • Treezah [c]
4:22
17."We Won't" (includes hidden track "Switch" (reggae remix) featuring Elephant Man)
  • Smith
  • Tony Dofat
  • Bennett
  • Dofat
  • Banga [b]
8:35
Total length:64:11
Notes [2]
Sample credits [2]

Personnel

Personnel credits adapted from liner notes. [2]

Charts

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI) [31] Silver60,000^
United States (RIAA) [32] Gold500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

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References

  1. ↑ "RapReviews.com Feature for March 29, 2005 - Will Smith's "Lost and Found"". www.rapreviews.com.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Lost and Found (liner notes). Will Smith. Interscope Records. 2005. B000430602.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  3. 1 2 3 Kellman, Andy. "Lost and Found - Will Smith". AllMusic . Retrieved April 18, 2015.
  4. 1 2 3 Schiller, Mike (April 21, 2005). "Will Smith: Lost and Found". PopMatters . Retrieved April 18, 2015.
  5. 1 2 3 Hoard, Christian (April 21, 2005). "Lost and Found: Will Smith: Review". Rolling Stone . Archived from the original on November 28, 2005. Retrieved April 19, 2015.
  6. ↑ "Will Smith Album & Song Chart History". Billboard Hot 100 for Will Smith. Retrieved April 16, 2015.
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  8. ↑ Whitmire, Margo (2005-04-06). "50's 'Massacre' Staves Off Beck's 'Guero'". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved 2009-02-08.
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  10. 1 2 "Longplay-Chartverfolgung at Musicline" (in German). Musicline.de. Phononet GmbH. Retrieved April 19, 2015.
  11. ↑ "Review: Lost and Found". Blender . Vol. June 2005. p. 115.
  12. 1 2 Sinclair, Tom (April 11, 2005). "Lost and Found". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved April 18, 2015.
  13. 1 2 3 "Critic Reviews for Lost and Found". Metacritic . Retrieved April 18, 2015.
  14. 1 2 Tate, Greg (May 3, 2005). "Signifying Nada". The Village Voice . Retrieved April 19, 2015.
  15. ↑ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 257.
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  29. ↑ "Year-End Charts: Billboard 200 Albums - 2005". Billboard . Retrieved December 17, 2018.
  30. ↑ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2005". Billboard. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
  31. ↑ "British album certifications – Will Smith – Lost and Found". British Phonographic Industry.
  32. ↑ "American album certifications – Will Smith – Lost and Found". Recording Industry Association of America.
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