"U Know What's Up" | ||||
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Single by Donell Jones featuring Lisa Lopes | ||||
from the album Where I Wanna Be | ||||
B-side | "Shorty (Got Her Eyes on Me)" (excerpt) | |||
Released | August 3, 1999 | |||
Length | 3:59 | |||
Label | ||||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) |
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Donell Jones singles chronology | ||||
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Lisa Lopes singles chronology | ||||
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"U Know What's Up" is a song by American R&B singer Donell Jones. It was written by Edward "Eddie F." Ferrell, Darren Lighty, Clifton Lighty, Balewa Muhammad, Anthony Hamilton, and Veronica McKenzie for his second studio album, Where I Wanna Be (1999), while production was helmed by Ferrell and Darren Lighty for Untouchables Entertainment.
Released as the album's lead single, the song became Jones' biggest hit, reaching the top 10 in Ireland and on the US Billboard Hot 100. The song was most successful in the United Kingdom, where it peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart. In addition, "U Know What's Up" topped Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart for eight consecutive weeks, his only single to do so to date. A remix version featuring Left Eye of TLC was used for the accompanying music video.
The video features rapper Left Eye of TLC, YoungBloodZ, T.I., Usher and Big Boi of OutKast, all of whom were (including Jones) part of the LaFace Records label. At the beginning of the video, there is a sign that says La Face Place, in reference to the record label. The clip premiered on BET on the week ending September 12, 1999. [1]
The video begins with Left Eye at her apartment receiving a phone call, presumably from Jones, informing her that the music video for the song is being aired on TV. She turns to the TV screen behind her playing the video, which shows Jones at a hotel party, and proceeds to watch it. As it turns out, Left Eye is not the only person watching the video, as the video pans across the building showing Usher and his girlfriend at his apartment, and Big Boi hosting a music video premiere at his apartment. Midway through the video, Left Eye leaves her apartment and recites her verse in the song while walking across the corridor, presumably to join Jones at a similar party at the back of the building, which is revealed as the camera pulls back from the corridor. At the end, the video pulls back to reveal Jones watching it at his apartment with his girlfriend.
US CD and cassette single [2] [3]
US 12-inch single [4]
Australian CD single [5]
| UK CD1 [6]
UK CD2 [7]
UK 12-inch single [8]
UK cassette single and European CD single [9] [10]
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Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
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Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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United Kingdom (BPI) [33] | Platinum | 600,000‡ |
United States (RIAA) [34] | Gold | 500,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref. |
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United States | August 3, 1999 | Urban radio |
| [35] |
September 14, 1999 | Urban AC radio | [36] | ||
September 21, 1999 | Rhythmic contemporary radio | [37] | ||
United Kingdom | January 10, 2000 |
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| [38] |
New Zealand | March 6, 2000 |
| [39] |
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