The Way That I Love You

Last updated

"The Way That I Love You"
The Way That I Love You.jpg
Single by Ashanti
from the album The Declaration
ReleasedFebruary 26, 2008 (2008-02-26)
Genre R&B
Length4:30
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Ashanti Douglas
  • L.T. Hutton
Ashanti singles chronology
"Put a Little Umph in It"
(2007)
"The Way That I Love You"
(2008)
"Body on Me"
(2008)

"The Way That I Love You" is a song recorded by American singer Ashanti from her fourth studio album, The Declaration (2008). It was released as the album's lead single on February 26, 2008, through Universal and The Inc. Ashanti wrote and produced the song with L.T. Hutton. Backed by piano, guitar, and horns, "The Way That I Love You" is a midtempo R&B ballad whose lyrics tell of betrayal.

Contents

Critical response was primarily positive; some reviewers said it was a highlight from The Declaration while others felt it was inferior to music released by Beyoncé and Mary J. Blige. Commercially, the song peaked at number 37 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and appeared on the publication's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Adult R&B Songs component charts. Ashanti performed "The Way That I Love You" at Sessions@AOL and on tour.

Kevin Bray directed the music video which tells the story of Ashanti and her boyfriend—he cheats on her, she discovers it, and she murders him. The story for the video was inspired by the true crime TV shows Snapped and Forensic Files . The video's emphasis on violence attracted critical attention. As part of the song's promotion, Ashanti launched a website that allowed users to create and send a personalized news report and death threat to a contact. The campaign was received negatively and incited a protest in Los Angeles. The website was ultimately taken down.

Background and release

For her fourth studio album The Declaration (2008), Ashanti collaborated with songwriters and producers outside of her record label Murder Inc. Her previous album Concrete Rose (2004) had been overshadowed by negative news regarding the label, including a feud with G-Unit and an FBI investigation. [1] L.T. Hutton produced a majority of The Declaration, instead of Ashanti's longtime producer Irv Gotti. [2] [3] Ashanti said that she had more artistic freedom with the album. [3] Hutton and Ashanti wrote and produced "The Way That I Love". [4] Ashanti said that she "just started jotting down words, and it just kind of poured out" upon hearing the opening instrumental. [5] She produced the lead and background vocals, and Hutton programmed the song and played the instruments. The final version was mixed at Brandons Way Recording Studios in Los Angeles, California. [4]

"Switch", which featured Nelly, and "Hey Baby (After the Club)" were both announced as the album's lead single in 2007. [3] [6] They were replaced by "The Way That I Love You", [7] which was released to urban radio on February 26, 2008, and rhythmic radio on April 1, 2008. [8] [9] It was the number one most-added song on urban radio in the week of its release. [10] The single was included on a July 2008 Cartier charity playlist created to support the Boys & Girls Clubs of America organization. [11]

Composition and lyrics

"The Way That I Love You" is a midtempo R&B ballad that lasts four minutes and thirty seconds. [4] [13] [14] It is composed in the key of E minor using common time and a "moderate hip-hop" tempo. [12] The instrumentation is provided by a piano, a guitar, and horns; [13] [12] Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine wrote that the single is "driven by a distinct descending piano arpeggio and horn arrangement". [13]

Ashanti's vocal range spans from the low note of D4 to the high note of E5. [12] AllMusic's Andy Kellman compared her vocals to her 2003 single "Rain on Me" because of their similar "melodramatic flourishes" but said the lyrics of "The Way That I Love You" were "much more vengeful in nature than depressive." [2] Ashanti felt both men and women would relate to the single's theme of betrayal. [14] [5]

Reception

"The Way That I Love You" was praised by critics who identified it as a highlight of The Declaration. [2] [15] [16] The New York Daily News ' Jim Farber felt Ashanti's collaboration with Hutton was her best work, and described "The Way That I Love You" as a "strut of a song." [17] Noah Berlatsky of the Chicago Reader noted the song's piano loop as one of the few standouts from the album. [7] A Dayton Daily News reviewer summed up the single as "cliche but effective." [16]

On the other hand, some commentators negatively compared "The Way That I Love You" to music released by other singers. [18] [19] Despite praising Ashanti's performance as emotional, Leah Greenblatt of Entertainment Weekly found the single to be inferior to those by Beyoncé and Mary J. Blige. [18] Vibe's Shanel Odum dismissed the song as "barely set[ting] off a smoke detector, let alone ring[ing] any alarms", in a reference to Beyoncé's 2006 single "Ring the Alarm". [19]

Commercially, "The Way That I Love You" peaked at number 37 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart on May 17, 2008, and remained on the chart for 18 weeks. [20] It reached number two on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart, [21] [22] and number 18 on the Adult R&B Songs component charts compiled by the same publication. [23]

Music video

Ashanti debuted the Kevin Bray-directed music video on 106 & Park [5] [10] and it was played on BET, MTV Hits, and MTV Jams. [10] It was uploaded on Ashanti's YouTube account on December 22, 2009. [24] A rough cut had leaked a few weeks before its premiere in February 2008. [25] Another version of the video, with the subtitle "Access Denied", was released on Ashanti's YouTube account on November 22, 2009. [26] Ashanti used the true crime TV shows Snapped and Forensic Files as the primary inspiration for the video. [5] She felt that the storyline of a woman driven to murder fit the single's dramatic, painful, and emotional lyrics. [5] She said that she wanted the video to be "very cinematic as opposed to a regular music video" to make a larger impact after her absence from the music industry. [27] [28] When discussing the overall message, Ashanti said: "Don't cheat." [27]

Throughout the video, Ashanti is shown in a volatile relationship with her boyfriend, played by actor Christian Keyes. [5] [29] After learning about his infidelity, the singer poses with a butcher's knife while dressed in an evening gown. [14] Images of evidence, including a bloody knife, footprints, and walls, intercut the video. [27] [30] It ends when Ashanti leaves her partner [5] after killing him in a bathtub. [14] [28]

The video received critical attention for its representation of violence. [31] [32] In a 2015 article for The Atlantic , Kornhaber said it was part of a trend in music videos of violent female pop artists who want to avoid being presented as the victim. [31] A The Boombox contributor summarized the video as "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned." [32] The music video was popular on MTV.com and Total Request Live where it peaked at number one and two, respectively. [10]

Promotion

Promotional campaign

TheWayThatILoveYou.com (pictured) and its gotcha-gram campaign received criticism for its violent content. Gotchagram.jpg
TheWayThatILoveYou.com (pictured) and its gotcha-gram campaign received criticism for its violent content.

A publicity stunt was coordinated with the music video's release through Ashanti's website (TheWayThatILoveYou.com). The website allowed a user to create and send a personalized news report and a death threat to a contact. [14] [27] The message, stylized as a "gotcha-gram", [14] featured a news report about a series of murders inspired by "The Way That I Love You" music video and the upcoming release of The Declaration. [27] The message could be customized to include the victim's name and crime, the murder weapon, and the sender's name and home state. The choices for crimes were sleeping around, suspected sleeping around, playing you like a fool, and breaking your heart. The weapons included a boot, knife, can, sledgehammer, rolling pin, and a guillotine. The news report ends with the disclaimer, "Ashanti and Universal Music Group do not encourage or condone violence of any kind. This is for parody purposes only." [27] Each message was attributed to the fictional Universal Crime Network. [14] [27] An example of a gotcha-gram, sent to CNN's Lola Ogunnaike, was: "Do you know the person pictured in the following video. If so, please contact me immediately. Your life might be in danger." [14]

The campaign received a primarily negative response. [14] [27] The civil rights organization Project Islamic Hope and the think tank Industry Ears led a protest that called for the website's removal. These groups felt that the project encouraged violence as a valid means to handle disputes. [27] Ogunnaike deemed the messages "disturbing", and felt that they damaged Ashanti's public image as a "good girl". Universal closed the site, but Ashanti defended it as "a better alternative to actual violence" and "an incredible online viral tool." [14] Ashanti's publicist, Michelle Huff, clarified that the video was intended to have a similar tone to a Saturday Night Live sketch and said that the singer had received primarily positive feedback for the site. [27] Shanti Das, Motown's vice president for urban marketing, referred to the campaign as a parody of the music video and said that Ashanti does not promote violence against women. [28]

Live performances

Ashanti promoted "The Way That I Love You" with a live performance at a 2008 Sessions@AOL. [33] In 2016, she sang it as part of the Natural Born Hitters Tour with rapper Ja Rule. The Boombox's Liz Ramanand said the performance was a highlight from the show. [34] Ashanti subsequently included the song on the setlist for a 2018 tour with Ja Rule. Victor D. Infante of Telegram & Gazette praised her for providing a "soulful rendition" of the single and her decision to provide "an air of vulnerability" by singing it without backup dancers. [35]

Track listing

Digital download [36]
No.TitleLength
1."The Way That I Love You"4:30
2."The Way That I Love You" (video)4:25

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of The Declaration: [4]

Charts

Release history

RegionFormatDateLabel
United StatesUrban radio [8] February 26, 2008
  • Universal
  • The Inc.
Rhythmic radio [9] April 1, 2008

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ashanti (singer)</span> American singer and songwriter (born 1980)

Ashanti Shequoiya Douglas-Haynes is an American singer, songwriter and actress. She was first discovered as a teenager and signed to Irv Gotti's Murder Inc. Records, an imprint of Def Jam Recordings in 2002. That same year, she was featured on Fat Joe's "What's Luv?" and Ja Rule's "Always on Time", both of which were two of the biggest hit songs of 2002. She became the first female artist to occupy the top two positions on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart simultaneously with "Foolish" and "What's Luv?" at numbers one and two, respectively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jermaine Dupri</span> American record producer and rapper (born 1972)

Jermaine Dupri Mauldin is an American record producer, rapper, singer, songwriter, DJ, record executive. Raised in Atlanta as the son of Columbia Records executive Michael Mauldin, he began his career in music production at the age of nine. He discovered the teen hip hop duo Kris Kross in 1991. Dupri wrote and produced their breakout 1992 single "Jump," which peaked atop the Billboard Hot 100 and was named the 23rd most successful song of that decade. He established his own record label, So So Def Recordings in a joint venture with Columbia the following year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joe (singer)</span> American R&B singer (born 1972)

Joseph Lewis Thomas, known mononymously as Joe, is an American R&B singer. He signed to Polygram Records in 1992, and rose to prominence after releasing his debut album Everything the following year. He followed it with a series of successful albums under Jive Records, including All That I Am (1997), the international bestseller My Name Is Joe (2000) as well as the multi-certified albums Better Days (2001) and And Then... (2003). Several songs from these albums became hit singles on the pop and R&B record charts, including the number-one hit "Stutter", the top ten entries "All the Things ", "Don't Wanna Be a Player", and "I Wanna Know" as well as his collaborations "Faded Pictures", "Thank God I Found You" and "Still Not a Player".

<i>Ashanti</i> (album) 2002 studio album by Ashanti

Ashanti is the debut studio album by American singer Ashanti, released on April 2, 2002, by Murder Inc. and Def Jam Recordings. It was recorded in New York City and Los Angeles between 2001 and 2002, during the period of time where Ashanti was writing for other artists. The album features guest vocals from Gotti, Ja Rule, and the late the Notorious B.I.G. Contributions to the album's production came from a wide range of producers, including Irv Gotti, 7 Aurelius, Chink Santana, Jared Thomas and Reggie Wright.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lloyd (singer)</span> American singer

Lloyd Polite Jr. is an American R&B singer. Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, and raised in Decatur, Georgia, he began his musical career as a member of the preteen-boy band N-Toon, which was formed by Joyce Irby in 1996. The group disbanded in 2001, and Polite signed with record executive Irv Gotti's Murder Inc. Records, an imprint of Def Jam Recordings in 2003 to pursue a solo career. His 2004 debut single, "Southside" peaked within the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 and led his debut studio album of the same name (2004), which entered the Billboard 200 at number 11. His second album, Street Love (2007) debuted at number two on the chart and was supported by the Billboard Hot 100-top 20 singles "You" and "Get It Shawty".

Contemporary R&B is a popular music genre that combines rhythm and blues with elements of pop, soul, funk, hip hop, and electronic music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Foolish (Ashanti song)</span> 2002 single by Ashanti

"Foolish" is a song by American singer Ashanti. It served as her debut single, the first from her self-titled debut album (2002) and was released by Def Jam Recordings, AJM, and Irv Gotti's Murder Inc. Records. It was written by Ashanti, Etterlene Jordan, Mark DeBarge and Irv Gotti, while production was overseen by Gotti. The song heavily samples DeBarge's "Stay with Me". Due to the inclusion of the sample, Mark DeBarge and Etterlene Jordan are also credited as songwriters. A promotional version of the single called "Unfoolish" features a verse from The Notorious B.I.G. from his song "F--king You Tonight".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rain on Me (Ashanti song)</span> 2003 single by Ashanti

"Rain on Me" is a song recorded by R&B singer Ashanti. Produced by Irv Gotti and Chink Santana, it was released as the lead single from her second album Chapter II on August 11, 2003. The record contains a sample of "The Look of Love" by Isaac Hayes. A commercial success, it reached number seven on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and the top 20 in the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pac's Life (song)</span> 2006 single by 2Pac featuring Ashanti and T.I.

"Pac's Life" is a single written and performed by American rappers Tupac Shakur and T.I and R&B singer Ashanti, produced by L. T. Hutton for Shakur's posthumously released album of the same name. It is a hip hop and R&B song; the second Tupac verse was recycled from a song titled "This Life I Lead". T.I. said in an interview that working on the song was an honor, as he idolized him while growing up.

<i>The Declaration</i> 2008 studio album by Ashanti

The Declaration is the fifth studio album by American singer Ashanti, released on June 3, 2008, by The Inc. Records and Universal Motown Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Body on Me (Nelly song)</span> 2008 single by Nelly featuring Akon and Ashanti

"Body on Me" is a song by American rapper Nelly featuring American singers Akon and Ashanti. It was recorded for Ashanti's fourth album The Declaration and Nelly's fifth studio album Brass Knuckles. The track is produced by Akon and Giorgio Tuinfort. It was released as Ashanti's third single from The Declaration, and Nelly's second single from Brass Knuckles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Good Good (Ashanti song)</span> 2008 single by Ashanti

"Good Good" is a song by American singer Ashanti from her fourth studio album The Declaration (2008), which was released as the album's second single. Jermaine Dupri and Manuel Seal produced the song and wrote it with Ashanti. The lyrics revolve around sexuality and innuendo with the title phrase "Good Good". It received positive reviews from music critics, and several commentators cited it as the best track from the album. The song peaked at number 30 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Billboard chart. A well-received music video, directed by Melina Matsoukas, was released to promote the single; Ashanti said that it focused on sexual fantasy with influences from pin-up models. She promoted "Good Good" through live performances.

American singer Keyshia Cole has released seven studio albums, one extended play, two mixtapes, 24 singles and 31 music videos. Cole's debut single, "Never", peaked at number 71 on the United States Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and became Cole's first entry on a national record chart. She was later featured on "Let's Get Blown", a 2004 single by American West Coast hip hop rapper Snoop Dogg – it peaked at number 54 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Cole released her debut album The Way It Is on June 21, 2005, through A&M Records. The album debuted at number six on the US Billboard 200, with first-week sales of 89,000 copies. The Way It Is was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It produced the four singles "I Changed My Mind", "(I Just Want It) To Be Over", "I Should Have Cheated", and "Love", of two of which reached the top ten of the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Woman You Love</span> 2011 single by Ashanti featuring Busta Rhymes

"The Woman You Love" is a song recorded by American recording artist Ashanti and Brooklyn native rapper Busta Rhymes. It was written by Arden "Keys" Altino, Eric Bellinger, Peter Brown, John Bruce, Ashanti, "Jerry Wonder" Duplessis, Shama "Sak Pase" Joseph, Rhymes and Alozono Stevenson while Sak Pase, Jerry Wonder and Arden "Keys" Altino produced the song. "The Woman You Love" samples elements of Cream's 1968 single "White Room", written by Bruce and Brown.

<i>Braveheart</i> (Ashanti album) 2014 studio album by Ashanti

Braveheart is the sixth studio album by American singer Ashanti, released on March 4, 2014, by Ashanti's independent record label Written Entertainment. This was her first studio album to be released in six years, with her last studio album having been 2008's The Declaration. It was also her first release since leaving Murder Inc Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Enough of No Love</span> 2012 single by Keyshia Cole featuring Lil Wayne

"Enough of No Love" is a song recorded by American R&B singer-songwriter Keyshia Cole. It serves as the lead single from her fifth studio album, Woman to Woman. It features American hip hop recording artist Lil Wayne. It was released for digital download in the United States on July 2, 2012. It is her first single to reach the top 10 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart since 2009's "Trust". It debuted at number 94 on the Billboard Hot 100 and peaked at 84. As of July 10, 2013 it sold over 70,000 copies in the US.

The discography of K. Michelle, an American R&B recording artist, consists of six studio albums, 24 singles, five mixtapes, six guest appearances, and eighteen music videos.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Say Less (Ashanti song)</span> 2017 single by Ashanti featuring Ty Dolla $ign

"Say Less" is a song recorded by American singer Ashanti that features fellow American singer Ty Dolla $ign. It was released on November 6, 2017. Media outlets reported that it was the lead single from Ashanti's upcoming sixth album. The single was produced by DJ Mustard and was written by two said artists. It is an R&B, club, and West Coast hip hop song whose lyrics are about someone telling critics to mind their own businesses; Ashanti and Ty Dolla $ign also flirt with one another on the track.

"Wockesha" is a song by American rapper Moneybagg Yo. It was sent to rhythmic contemporary radio on August 10, 2021, as the third single from his fourth studio album, A Gangsta's Pain. He wrote the song alongside Mark and Bunny DeBarge, and producers Real Red, YC, and Javar Rockamore. An official remix of the song, featuring Lil Wayne and Ashanti, was released on September 22, 2021.

References

  1. Birchmeier, Jason. "Artist Biography by Jason Birchmeier". AllMusic. Archived from the original on March 17, 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 Kellman, Andy. "AllMusic Review by Andy Kellman". AllMusic. Archived from the original on October 2, 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 Reid, Shaheem (June 29, 2007). "Ashanti, Nelly Get Their Beyonce-And-Jay-Z on for New Single 'Switch'". MTV News. Archived from the original on September 15, 2017.
  4. 1 2 3 4 The Declaration . Murder Inc., Universal Motown (Inlay cover). Ashanti. June 3, 2008.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Rodriguez, Jayson (February 21, 2008). "Ashanti Snaps in TV-Inspired 'The Way That I Love You' Video". MTV News. Archived from the original on September 15, 2017.
  6. "New Music: Ashanti F/ Mario Winans - 'Hey Baby (After The Club'". Rap-Up . September 17, 2007. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016.
  7. 1 2 Berlatsky, Noah (June 12, 2008). "Out of Step". Chicago Reader . Archived from the original on July 25, 2009.
  8. 1 2 "Urban". Radio & Records. February 26, 2008. Archived from the original on May 29, 2012.
  9. 1 2 "Rhythmic". Radio & Records. April 1, 2008. Archived from the original on February 1, 2013.
  10. 1 2 3 4 "America Loves 'The Way That I Love You,' Brand-New Ashanti Smash". Business Wire. March 10, 2008. Archived from the original on November 30, 2018.
  11. "Ashanti, Janet Jackson Spread Love with Cartier Bracelets". Rap-Up . July 8, 2008. Archived from the original on March 21, 2014.
  12. 1 2 3 4 "The Way That I Love You". Universal Music Publishing Group. January 2, 2012. Archived from the original on May 21, 2018.
  13. 1 2 3 4 Cinquemani, Sal (June 1, 2008). "The Declaration". Slant Magazine . Archived from the original on January 18, 2016.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Ogunnaike, Lola (June 13, 2008). "Behind the Scenes: Star's bloody stunt flopped". CNN. Archived from the original on July 12, 2015.
  15. Jones, Steve (June 2, 2008). "Going It Alone". USA Today . Retrieved May 25, 2018.
  16. 1 2 "R&B Ashanti". Dayton Daily News . July 4, 2008. Archived from the original on May 21, 2018.(subscription required)
  17. Farber, Jim (June 2, 2008). "Ashanti declares her confidence with 'The Declaration'". New York Daily News . Archived from the original on January 18, 2016.
  18. 1 2 Greenblatt, Leah. "The Declaration". Entertainment Weekly . Archived from the original on November 8, 2015.
  19. 1 2 Odum, Shanel (June 5, 2008). "Ashanti, "The Declaration"". Vibe . Archived from the original on June 8, 2008.
  20. "Hot 100". Billboard . Archived from the original on May 26, 2018.
  21. "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard . Archived from the original on May 26, 2018.
  22. "R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay - Week of May 17, 2008". Billboard .
  23. "Adult R&B". Billboard . Archived from the original on May 26, 2018.
  24. "Ashanti - The Way That I Love You". YouTube. November 22, 2009. Archived from the original on December 15, 2017.
  25. "Video: Ashanti - 'The Way That I Love You' (Official Version)". Rap-Up . February 27, 2008. Archived from the original on June 7, 2008.
  26. "Ashanti - The Way That I Love You (Access Denied)". YouTube. November 22, 2009. Archived from the original on October 9, 2011.
  27. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Kaufman, Gil (June 10, 2008). "Ashanti's Bloody Online Promotion Sparks Anti-Violence Protest in L.A." MTV News. Archived from the original on December 15, 2017.
  28. 1 2 3 Christian, Margena A. (June 9, 2008). "Ashanti Returns More Empowered With 'The Declaration'". Jet . Retrieved December 5, 2018.
  29. "(BPRW) GMC TV Presents the Original World Premiere Stage Play 'Love Will Find A Way'". Black PR Wire. May 15, 2013. Archived from the original on May 21, 2018.
  30. Day, Adrienne (February 29, 2008). "'Snapped' Judgment: Ashanti's 'The Way That I Love You' video". Entertainment Weekly . Archived from the original on June 13, 2015.
  31. 1 2 Kornhaber, Spencer (October 1, 2015). "A History of Violence (by Women in Music Videos)". The Atlantic . Archived from the original on January 11, 2018.
  32. 1 2 "Ashanti, 'The Way That I Love You' — New Video". The Boombox . March 6, 2008. Archived from the original on September 23, 2015.
  33. "Ashanti Performing The Way That I Love You On (AOL Sessions)". WorldStarHipHop. June 10, 2008. Retrieved May 21, 2018.
  34. Ramanand, Liz (August 26, 2016). "Ja Rule and Ashanti Kick Off Natural Born Hitters Tour with Back-to-Back Shows in New York City [Photos]". The Boombox . Archived from the original on May 21, 2018.
  35. Infante, Victor D. (January 14, 2018). "Ashanti, Ja Rule ward off winter in steamy Palladium show". Telegram & Gazette . Archived from the original on March 18, 2018.
  36. "The Way That I Love You - Single". Apple Music. January 1, 2008. Archived from the original on May 26, 2018.
  37. "Issue 957" ARIA Top 100 Singles. National Library of Australia. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
  38. "Ashanti Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
  39. "Ashanti Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
  40. "Ashanti Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
  41. "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 2008". Billboard. Retrieved February 21, 2021.