What About Us? (Total song)

Last updated
"What About Us"
Total - What About Us.jpg
Single by Total featuring Missy Elliott and Timbaland
from the album Soul Food (soundtrack)
ReleasedAugust 12, 1997 (1997-08-12) [1]
Genre
Length4:26
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Timbaland
Total singles chronology
"Loungin"
(1996)
"What About Us"
(1997)
"What You Want"
(1997)
Missy Elliott singles chronology
"Up Jumps da Boogie"
(1997)
"What About Us?"
(1997)
"Sock It 2 Me"
(1997)

The official music video for the song was directed by Christopher Erskin. [5]

Background and release

"What About Us?" was released as the lead single from Soul Food: Music from the Soul Food Motion Picture, a LaFace Records compilation issued on September 16, 1997. [3] The single itself arrived earlier on August 12, 1997, backed by multiple mixes and instrumentals. [2] Credits on commercial releases and databases attribute writing to Melissa Elliott and Timothy Mosley and production to Timbaland, with additional guitar credited to Darryl Pearson on the single release. [6] [7]

Track listings and formats

European remix single [8]
  1. "What About Us" (Album Version with Rap) (featuring Missy Elliott) 4:46
  2. "What About Us" (Album Version without Rap) 4:23
  3. "What About Us" (Lil Jon Remix) (featuring Sean Paul of YoungBloodZ) 5:48
  4. "What About Us" (Album Instrumental) 4:18
  5. "What About Us" (Lil Jon Remix Instrumental) 5:48
US 12" vinyl [9]
  1. "What About Us" (Album Version w/ Rap) 4:46
  2. "What About Us" (Album Version without Rap) 4:23
  3. "What About Us" (Beat Box) 4:29
  4. "What About Us" (Acappella) 4:22
  5. "What About Us" (Instrumental) 4:18
US CD single [10]
  1. "What About Us" 4:06
  2. "What About Us" (Instrumental) 4:11
US remix single [11]
  1. "What About Us" (Lil Jon Remix Radio Edit) (featuring Missy Elliott) 4:06
  2. "What About Us" (Lil Jon Remix without Rap) (featuring Missy Elliott) 4:11
  3. "What About Us" (Lil Jon Remix Instrumental) 5:47

Charts

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA) [19] Gold700,000 [20]

References

  1. "What About Us [#1] > Total". AllMusic . Rovi Corporation . Retrieved April 5, 2013.
  2. 1 2 What About Us [#1] - Total | Album | AllMusic , retrieved 2025-08-10
  3. 1 2 Soul Food: Music from the Soul Food Motion Pic... | AllMusic , retrieved 2025-08-10
  4. "Gold & Platinum". RIAA. Retrieved 2025-08-10.
  5. Garcia, Alex S. "mvdbase.com - Total - "What about us?"". Music Video DataBase. Retrieved February 19, 2015.
  6. What About Us - Total | AllMusic , retrieved 2025-08-10
  7. "Darryl Pearson Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & M..." AllMusic. Retrieved 2025-08-10.
  8. "Total - What About Us (The Remix) (CD) at Discogs". Discogs . Discogs.com. Retrieved July 3, 2013.
  9. "Total - What About Us (Vinyl) at Discogs". Discogs . Discogs.com. Retrieved July 3, 2013.
  10. "Total - What About Us (CD) at Discogs". Discogs . Discogs.com. Retrieved July 3, 2013.
  11. "Total - What About Us (The Remix) (CD) at Discogs". Discogs . Discogs.com. Retrieved July 3, 2013.
  12. "Total – What About Us". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
  13. "Total, HSI" . Billboard . Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  14. "Total, BSI" . Billboard . Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  15. "Total, TFC" . Billboard . Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  16. "The Urban Top 40 Tracks Of 1997" (PDF). Music Week . January 10, 1998. p. 6. Retrieved August 6, 2023.
  17. "Billboard Top 100 – 1997". Billboardtop100of.com. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  18. "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 1997". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 3, 2015. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  19. "American single certifications – Total – What About Us?". Recording Industry Association of America.
  20. "Best-Selling Records of 1997". Billboard . Vol. 110, no. 5. BPI Communications Inc. January 31, 1998. p. 76. ISSN   0006-2510 . Retrieved May 31, 2015.