Where I Wanna Be (Donell Jones album)

Last updated
Where I Wanna Be
Donell Jones - Where I Wanna Be.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedOctober 12, 1999
Length55:54
Label LaFace
Producer
Donell Jones chronology
My Heart
(1996)
Where I Wanna Be
(1999)
Life Goes On
(2002)
Singles from Where I Wanna Be
  1. "U Know What's Up"
    Released: August 3, 1999
  2. "Where I Wanna Be"
    Released: June 20, 2000

Where I Wanna Be is the second studio album by American R&B singer Donell Jones. It was released by LaFace Records on October 12, 1999, in the United States. The follow-up to his debut album My Heart (1996), it became his most successful album to date, having gone platinum, and produced three singles, including the worldwide hit "U Know What's Up", Donell's biggest hit single to date, peaking inside the top 10 in the Billboard Hot 100 and at number two on the UK Singles Chart. The album also includes the UK hit "Shorty (Got Her Eyes on Me)", the minor R&B/Hip Hop hit "This Luv" and the US smash hit, soulful ballad and title track, "Where I Wanna Be".

Contents

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [1]

AllMusic editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine rated the album four out of five stars. He found that "on the surface of things, Jones may sound similar to a lot of his peers, but there's a greater sense of musical sophistication in his music. There are light touches of jazz, suave electric pianos, and an easy seductiveness to the entire production [...] For much of the album, Jones hits the right tone – balancing mood, song, and performance quite alluringly. It gets him and the listener where they wanna be." [1]

Chart performance

Where I Wanna Be debuted and peaked at number 35 on the US Billboard 200, with first week sales of 39,000 units. [2] It also marked Jones' first top ten album on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. [2] The album was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on February 8, 2000, and Platinum on May 24, 2000. [3] By June 2002, Where I Wanna Be had sold 1.2 million copies in the US. [2]

Track listing

Where I Wanna Be track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)ProducerLength
1."U Know What's Up"
4:01
2."Shorty (Got Her Eyes on Me)"
  • Donell Jones
  • Eric Williams
  • Wesley Hogges
  • Christopher Leslie
  • Melvin Lewis
  • Thomas Martin
  • Jones
  • Williams
  • Hogges
3:12
3."Where I Wanna Be"
  • Jones
  • Kyle West
  • Jones
  • West
4:13
4."Have You Seen Her"
  • Williams
  • Hogges
  • Lewis
  • Kent Lawrence
  • Williams
  • Hogges
3:42
5."This Luv"
  • Jones
  • Sheldon Goode
  • Jones
  • Goode
4:09
6."All Her Love"
  • Jones
  • Goode
  • Jolyon Skinner
  • Jones
  • Goode
4:35
7."It's Alright"
  • Jones
  • Goode
  • Jones
  • Goode
4:23
8."Think About It (Don't Call My Crib)"JonesJones5:37
9."He Won't Hurt You"JonesJones4:50
10."Pushin'"
  • Ferrell
  • D. Lighty
  • C. Lighty
  • Muhammad
  • Veronica McKenzie
  • Hamilton
  • Eddie F.
  • Darren Lighty
4:55
11."I Wanna Luv U"JonesJones4:18
12."When I Was Down"
  • Jones
  • Goode
3:47
13."U Know What's Up (Remix)" (featuring Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes)
  • Ferrell
  • D. Lighty
  • C. Lighty
  • Muhammad
  • Hamilton
  • Harris
  • Damon
  • Lopes
  • Inga Nandi Willis
  • Eddie F.
  • Darren Lighty
4:03
Total length:55:54

Charts

Certifications

Certifications for Where I Wanna Be
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI) [10] Gold100,000*
United States (RIAA) [3] Platinum1,000,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

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