Control Myself

Last updated

"Control Myself"
Control Myself.jpg
Single by LL Cool J featuring Jennifer Lopez
from the album Todd Smith
ReleasedFebruary 7, 2006 (2006-02-07)
Studio
Genre
Length3:53
Label Def Jam
Songwriters
Producer
LL Cool J singles chronology
"It's LL and Santana"
(2005)		"Control Myself"
(2006)		"Freeze"
(2006)
Jennifer Lopez singles chronology
"Hold You Down"
(2005)		"Control Myself"
(2006)		"Qué Hiciste"
(2007)

"Control Myself" is a song by American rapper LL Cool J from his eleventh studio album, Todd Smith (2006). The song was written by Jermaine Dupri and Ryan Toby. The song was produced by Dupri, with co-production by LRoc, and features guest vocals from American singer Jennifer Lopez. "Control Myself" contains a sample of Afrika Bambaataa and Soulsonic Force's 1983 song "Looking for the Perfect Beat", while the vocals interpolate Bambaataa and Soulsonic Force's 1982 song "Planet Rock".

Contents

Background

"Control Myself" was written by LL Cool along with Jermaine Dupri and Ryan Toby for the former's eleventh studio album, Todd Smith (2006). [2] Production was overseen by Dupri, with co-production from LRoc. [2] The song contains a sample of Afrika Bambaataa and Soulsonic Force's 1983 song "Looking for the Perfect Beat", while the vocals interpolate Bambaataa and Soulsonic Force's 1982 song "Planet Rock". [2] On Dupri's idea to use the former, LL Cool J commented: "[He] is a genius. Very intelligent, brilliant. When I heard that Afrika Bambaataa "Looking for the Perfect Beat" [sample on the track], I felt like that was the move." [3] Dupri also recommended that LL should use his flow from "Going Back to Cali" for "Control Myself." [3] Fergie was initially considered as a guest vocalist for the song, though the collaboration did not materialize. [3] She was ultimately replaced by Jennifer Lopez, with whom LL Cool J had previously recorded the number-one hit "All I Have" (2002). [3]

Commercial performance

Released as the lead single from Todd Smith in February 2006, the song spent eleven weeks on the US Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number four. [4] When it became available as a digital download in April, it shot to number two on the Billboard Hot Digital Songs chart and re-entered the Hot 100 at number four — surpassing the previous re-entry record held by Jay-Z's 1998 hit "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)", which had returned to the chart at number 20 in 1999. [4] Elsewhere, "Control Myself" became a top ten hit in Canada, [5] Ireland, [6] New Zealand, [7] and Scotland, [8] at times marking LL Cool J's highest-charting single in several years. It also climbed to number two in the United Kingdom, matching the success of LL Cool J and Lopez's earlier collaboration, "All I Have," from 2002. [9] The single has since been certified Silver by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), [10] with sales totaling 188,000 units in the UK. [11]

Music video

A music video for "Control Myself" was directed by Hype Williams and filmed at Sony Studios in New York City on January 2, 2006. [12] As with some of Williams' other videos, footage appears in the black bars that would normally show on a 4:3 fullscreen TV ratio for a widescreen production, a style he first introduced in Ashanti's video for "Only U" (2003). [13] LL Cool J, who dubbed Williams "Hype Spielberg," praised this technique: "I love it. I think it's great. It gives you more information, it gives you a chance to watch three, four videos at one time and have a great time. Every time you watch it, you can focus on one of the letterboxes and have a different experience. You get to experience the record that much more." [13] He also commented on the final product: "It's wild. I feel real good about that, it's real different for both of us." [12] “Control Myself” was released in the United States on February 13, 2006, and in Europe on February 19, 2006. The video peaked at number two on MTV's Total Request Live , number three on BET's 106 & Park , and number eighteen on VH1's VSpot Top 20 Countdown .

Track listings

Credits and personnel

Credits lifted from the liner notes of Todd Smith . [2]

Charts

Sales and certifications

Certifications for "Control Myself"
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI) [10] Silver188,000 [11]
United States (RIAA) [36] Gold500,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Release dates and formats for "Control Myself"
RegionDateFormatLabelRef.
United StatesFebruary 7, 2006 Rhythmic/crossover radio Island Def Jam [37]
February 14, 2006 12-inch single [38]
RussiaFebruary 28, 2006 Contemporary hit radio [19]
United StatesApril 11, 2006 Digital download (extended dance remixes) [39]
GermanyApril 28, 2006 CD single [40]
United KingdomMay 8, 2006 [41]

References

  1. 1 2 "Todd Smith - LL Cool J". AllMusic. Archived from the original on December 26, 2015. Retrieved August 9, 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Todd Smith (booklet). LL Cool J. Def Jam Recordings. 2006.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  3. 1 2 3 4 Reid, Shaheem (April 7, 2006). "With Blige, J. Lo, Foxx On Board, LL Cool J's New LP Is A Guest Fest". MTV News . Archived from the original on September 8, 2006. Retrieved January 25, 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 "LL Cool J Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard . Retrieved March 17, 2014.
  5. 1 2 "LL Cool J Chart History (Canadian Digital Songs)". Billboard . Retrieved July 25, 2020.
  6. 1 2 "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Control Myself". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
  7. 1 2 "LL Cool J feat. Jennifer Lopez – Control Myself". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
  8. 1 2 "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart on 20/5/2006 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
  9. 1 2 "Official Singles Chart on 20/5/2006 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
  10. 1 2 "British single certifications – LL Cool J ft Jennifer Lopez – Control Myself". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved July 8, 2022.
  11. 1 2 "Watch Jennifer Lopez and Shakira's dazzling Super Bowl Halftime show". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  12. 1 2 Reid, Shaheem; Frias, Jannette (January 13, 2006). "Jennifer Lopez Drives LL Cool J To Lose His Cool". MTV News . Archived from the original on September 7, 2006. Retrieved January 25, 2026.
  13. 1 2 Reid, Shaheem; Richard, Yasmine (April 7, 2006). "Video Director For Beyonce, Ne-Yo — Changing Up His Style". MTV News . Archived from the original on April 26, 2007. Retrieved January 25, 2026.
  14. ↑ "LL Cool J feat. Jennifer Lopez – Control Myself". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
  15. ↑ "The ARIA Report, Issue 846". ARIA Top 40 Urban Singles. National Library of Australia. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  16. ↑ "LL Cool J feat. Jennifer Lopez – Control Myself" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
  17. ↑ "LL Cool J feat. Jennifer Lopez – Control Myself" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
  18. ↑ "LL Cool J feat. Jennifer Lopez – Control Myself" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
  19. 1 2 "Charts – TopHit – Highway to Airplay". TopHit. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  20. ↑ "LL Cool J feat. Jennifer Lopez – Control Myself". Tracklisten. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
  21. ↑ "Hits of the World: Eurocharts". Billboard . Vol. 118, no. 21. May 27, 2006. p. 65.
  22. ↑ "LL Cool J feat. Jennifer Lopez: Control Myself" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
  23. ↑ "Offizielle Deutsche Charts" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. To see the peak chart position, click 'TITEL VON', followed by the artist's name. Retrieved March 2, 2020.
  24. ↑ "IFPI archive". Archived from the original on July 7, 2006. Retrieved July 7, 2006.
  25. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 21, 2006" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
  26. ↑ "LL Cool J feat. Jennifer Lopez – Control Myself" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
  27. ↑ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart on 20/5/2006 – Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
  28. ↑ "LL Cool J Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard . Retrieved March 17, 2014.
  29. ↑ "LL Cool J Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard . Retrieved March 17, 2014.
  30. ↑ "LL Cool J Chart History (Hot Rap Songs)". Billboard . Retrieved March 17, 2014.
  31. ↑ "ARIA Charts – End of Year Charts – Top 50 Urban Singles 2006". ARIA. Archived from the original on April 15, 2020. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
  32. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten 2006" (in Dutch). Ultratop . Retrieved July 25, 2020.
  33. ↑ "Лучшие песни и музыка за 2006 год" (in Russian). TopHit . Retrieved October 30, 2021.
  34. ↑ "End of Year Singles Chart Top 100 – 2006". Official Charts Company . Retrieved July 25, 2020.
  35. ↑ "2006 Urban Top 40" (PDF). Music Week . January 13, 2007. p. 26. Retrieved August 6, 2023.
  36. ↑ "American single certifications – L.L. Cool J – Control Myself". Recording Industry Association of America.
  37. ↑ "FMQB: Radio Industry News, Music Industry Updates, Arbitron Ratings, Music News and more!". fmqb.com. Archived from the original on December 28, 2007. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  38. ↑ "Control Myself". Amazon.
  39. ↑ "Control Myself". Amazon.
  40. ↑ "Control Myself". Amazon Germany.
  41. ↑ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week . May 6, 2006. p. 27.
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