"I Luh Ya Papi" is a song recorded by American singer
Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lynn Affleck (' Lopez; born July 24, 1969), also known as J.Lo, is an American singer, actress and dancer. In 1991, she began appearing as a Fly Girl dancer on the sketch comedy television series ''In Living Color'', where she rema ...
for her eighth studio album, ''
A.K.A.'' (2014). Featuring guest vocals from American rapper
French Montana
Karim Kharbouch (Arabic: æɾiːm χɑɾbuːʃ born November 9, 1984), better known by his stage name French Montana, is a Moroccan-American rapper. Born and raised in Morocco, he emigrated to the United States with his family when he was 13. ...
, the song was released on March 11, 2014 as the
lead single
A lead single (also known as a debut single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date.
Release s ...
from the album by
Capitol Records
Capitol Records, LLC (known legally as Capitol Records, Inc. until 2007) is an American record label distributed by Universal Music Group through its Capitol Music Group imprint. It was founded as the first West Coast-based record label of note ...
. The song was written and produced by
Noel "Detail" Fisher, with additional writing from
Andre Proctor,
Karim Kharbouch, and Lopez.
Cory Rooney
Mark Cory Rooney (born 1968) is an American record producer. He has written, produced, and developed various successful records for artists including Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige, Jessica Simpson, Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony, Thalia, Michael Ja ...
and Fisher provided vocal production for the song. Musically, "I Luh Ya Papi" is a
hip hop song, backed with synths and metallic beats, that lyrically contains
innuendoes
An innuendo is a hint, insinuation or intimation about a person or thing, especially of a denigrating or derogatory nature. It can also be a remark or question, typically disparaging (also called insinuation), that works obliquely by allusion ...
and references to Lopez's body.
"I Luh Ya Papi" received generally positive reviews from music critics, who praised the song's catchy chorus, as well as its playfulness, but criticized its title. The song's accompanying music video was shot by director
Jessy Terrero
Jessy Terrero (born October 7, 1972) is a List of people from the Dominican Republic, Dominican Film director, film and music video director.
Career
Terrero appeared as an extra on the 1992 film ''Juice (1992 film), Juice'' starring Tupac Shakur ...
, a previous collaborator of Lopez's. The video was filmed in
Miami
Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...
,
Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
and depicts her in fantasy, following a concept of Lopez objectifying males. The video was met with positive reviews from critics for confronting music industry
sexism
Sexism is prejudice or discrimination based on one's sex or gender. Sexism can affect anyone, but it primarily affects women and girls.There is a clear and broad consensus among academic scholars in multiple fields that sexism refers primari ...
. The single was promoted with a performance on
season thirteen of ''
American Idol
''American Idol'' is an American singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It aired on Fox from June 11, 2002, to Ap ...
'', where Lopez also serves as a judge, as well as on Lopez's concerts throughout 2014, including
Powerhouse 2014 and her free concert in the
Bronx
The Bronx () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the state of New York. It is south of Westchester County; north and east of the New York City borough of Manhattan, across the Harlem River; and north of the New Y ...
.
Background and release
After the release of her first
greatest hits
A greatest hits album or best-of album is a type of compilation album that collects popular and commercially successful songs by a particular artist or band. While greatest hits albums are typically supported by the artist, they can also be crea ...
compilation
Compilation may refer to:
*In computer programming, the translation of source code into object code by a compiler
**Compilation error
**Compilation unit
*Product bundling, a marketing strategy used to sell multiple products
*Compilation thesis
M ...
''
Dance Again... the Hits'' (2012), Jennifer Lopez went on to her first tour, the ''
Dance Again World Tour
Dance Again World Tour was the first worldwide concert tour by American entertainer Jennifer Lopez. Throughout the majority of her music career, beginning in 1999, a world tour by Lopez was anticipated, though it never materialized. Following t ...
'', and after completing it, she started writing and recording songs for the project.
In May 2013, Lopez released "
Live It Up", featuring
Pitbull
Pit bull is a term used in the United States for a type of dog descended from bulldogs and terriers, while in other countries such as the United Kingdom the term is used as an abbreviation of the American Pit Bull Terrier breed. The term was f ...
and produced by
RedOne,
which received generally favorable reviews from music critics,
[ but failed to match the success of Lopez's previous collaborations with Pitbull and RedOne. After postponing the album multiple times, she admitted that, "I'm more a believer of letting it gain momentum. Let there be demand for the album by putting out some great music first." After releasing the promotional singles " Same Girl" and "]Girls
A girl is a young female human, usually a child or an adolescent. When a girl becomes an adult, she is accurately described as a ''woman''. However, the term ''girl'' is also used for other meanings, including ''young woman'',Dictionary.c ...
" in early 2014, Lopez announced "I Luh Ya Papi" as the project's lead-single. The single's coverart was revealed on March 4, 2014, with Lopez wearing a "white hot outfit and slick ponytail on a yacht", as described by Mike Wass of ''Idolator
An idolator is a practitioner of idolatry.
Idolater or Idolator may also refer to: Books
*''Os Idólatras'', 1968 Portuguese novel by Maria Judite de Carvalho Music
* Idolator (website), an American music blog
* ''Idolator'' (album), third album ...
''.
A version of "I Luh Ya Papi" featuring French Montana
Karim Kharbouch (Arabic: æɾiːm χɑɾbuːʃ born November 9, 1984), better known by his stage name French Montana, is a Moroccan-American rapper. Born and raised in Morocco, he emigrated to the United States with his family when he was 13. ...
premiered on the radio station Power 106
KPWR (105.9 FM) – branded as ''Power 106'' – is a commercial radio station in Los Angeles, California, broadcasting to the Greater Los Angeles area. KPWR is owned and operated by Meruelo Group and airs a Rhythmic Hot AC format. KPWR's studio ...
on March 5, 2014,[ and it became available to digital download on March 11, 2014. Speaking of her decision to have French Montana feature, Lopez said, "We're both from New York, and we both have similar backgrounds, and I wanted this record to have that vibe and he was just perfect for it so I was so happy when he heard this record and wanted to be a part of it."] According to Nielsen BDS
Broadcast Data Systems (also known as BDS or Luminate BDS), is a service that tracks radio, television and internet airplay of songs. The service, which is a unit of MRC Data, is a contributing factor to North American charts published by co-owned ...
, "I Luh Ya Papi" was the second most added song to rhythmic radio
Rhythmic contemporary, also known as Rhythmic Top 40, Rhythmic CHR or rhythmic crossover, is a primarily American music-radio format that includes a mix of EDM, upbeat rhythmic pop, hip hop and upbeat R&B hits. Rhythmic contemporary never uses h ...
stations in Canada.
Recording and writing
"I Luh Ya Papi" originated as a song called "I Luh You Nigga" which was written by American singer-songwriter Tinashe
Tinashe Jorgensen Kachingwe ( ; born February 6, 1993), known mononymously as Tinashe, is an American singer, dancer, and actress. Born in Lexington, Kentucky, Tinashe moved to Pasadena as a child to pursue a career in entertainment. Her notab ...
for her debut studio album, ''Aquarius
Aquarius may refer to:
Astrology
* Aquarius (astrology), an astrological sign
* Age of Aquarius, a time period in the cycle of astrological ages
Astronomy
* Aquarius (constellation)
* Aquarius in Chinese astronomy
Arts and entertainme ...
''. According to Tinashe, she went on to an early session with record producer
A record producer is a recording project's creative and technical leader, commanding studio time and coaching artists, and in popular genres typically creates the song's very sound and structure.Virgil Moorefield"Introduction" ''The Producer as ...
Detail Detail(s) or The Detail(s) may refer to:
Film and television
* ''Details'' (film), a 2003 Swedish film
* ''The Details'' (film), a 2011 American film
* ''The Detail'', a Canadian television series
* "The Detail" (''The Wire''), a television epis ...
and they recorded the track, which was planned to be the singer's first single.[ Later, Detail was in a session with Jennifer Lopez and he played the track to her, prompting the singer to like it and cut her version. As claimed by Tinashe, "they switched the swag up a little bit," adding: "One day Detail calls me and is like 'B-T-dubs, J. Lo is singing that song.' I didn't believe it at first, I thought he was just not trying to give it to me for some reason. I was like 'J. Lo does not want that song, she's not gonna sing that.' And then it came out. I guess she wanted it."][
"I Luh Ya Papi" was re-written by ]Noel Fisher
Noel Roeim Fisher (born March 13, 1984) is a Canadian actor. He is known for his portrayal of List of Shameless (U.S. TV series) characters#Mickey Milkovich, Mickey Milkovich on the Showtime (TV network), Showtime series ''Shameless (U.S. TV ser ...
, Andre Proctor, Karim Kharbouch and Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lynn Affleck (' Lopez; born July 24, 1969), also known as J.Lo, is an American singer, actress and dancer. In 1991, she began appearing as a Fly Girl dancer on the sketch comedy television series ''In Living Color'', where she rema ...
, with production being handled by Noel "Detail" Fisher, who was also responsible for vocal production, along with Cory Rooney
Mark Cory Rooney (born 1968) is an American record producer. He has written, produced, and developed various successful records for artists including Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige, Jessica Simpson, Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony, Thalia, Michael Ja ...
. It features a rap verse by French Montana
Karim Kharbouch (Arabic: æɾiːm χɑɾbuːʃ born November 9, 1984), better known by his stage name French Montana, is a Moroccan-American rapper. Born and raised in Morocco, he emigrated to the United States with his family when he was 13. ...
, whose vocals were recorded by Max Unruh at Doppler Studios
Doppler Studios is a recording studio in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, established in 1969 as a one-room studio, and grew to host seven rooms.
History
Founded by original co-owners Pete Caldwell and Tom Wells to serve as their jingle company ...
in Atlanta
Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
, while the song was mixed by Jayeen Joshua at Larrabee Sound Studios in North Hollywood, California
North Hollywood is a neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, located in the San Fernando Valley. The neighborhood contains the NoHo Arts District, the El Portal Theatre, several art galleries, and the Academy of TV Arts and Sciences. The North H ...
.
Composition and lyrics
"I Luh Ya Papi" is a hip hop song with a synth-pop melody. According to Michael Cragg of ''The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'', the song is "all a bit bonkers", with synths sliding in reverse and metallic beats "clanking in the distance". Jeff Benjamin of ''Fuse.tv
Fuse is an American pay television channel launched in 1994 which was originally dedicated to music. After merging with the Latino-oriented NuvoTV in 2015, Fuse shifted its focus to general entertainment and lifestyle programming targeting multi ...
'' also called the production of the song a "mixing electro bloops with a hip hop beat". Carolyne Menyes of ''Music Times'' added that the song has "some funky beats and a more R&B influence than her typical Latin flavor." Both Craig Mathieson of ''The Sydney Morning Herald
''The Sydney Morning Herald'' (''SMH'') is a daily compact newspaper published in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, and owned by Nine. Founded in 1831 as the ''Sydney Herald'', the ''Herald'' is the oldest continuously published newspaper ...
'' and Saeed Saeed of '' The National'' also saw Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
influences on the track, with the first calling it a "latin hip-hop" song, and the latter naming it a "latin-tinged" bouncy track.
In "I Luh Ya Papi", Lopez raps and sings in three different accents. Lyrically, the song is an unashamed ode to sex
Sex is the trait that determines whether a sexually reproducing animal or plant produces male or female gametes. Male plants and animals produce smaller mobile gametes (spermatozoa, sperm, pollen), while females produce larger ones ( ova, of ...
. For Menyes, the song "finds her in lyrically familiar territory: she's still that same ol' girl from the Bronx, she loves her man and, well, together her and her 'Papi' have been through it all together and she still luhs him."[ Many critics noted that the song has an "addictive, repetitive 'I luh ya Papi, I I luh ya, luh ya, luh ya, luh ya Papi' hook."][
]
Critical response
"I Luh Ya Papi" was met with favorable reception from music critics
Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on w ...
, although there was criticism directed towards its title. While criticizing the song for being "ridiculously-titled", Michael Cragg of ''The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'' wrote that the hook "may actually require surgery to get out of your head". Similarly, Mike Wass of ''Idolator
An idolator is a practitioner of idolatry.
Idolater or Idolator may also refer to: Books
*''Os Idólatras'', 1968 Portuguese novel by Maria Judite de Carvalho Music
* Idolator (website), an American music blog
* ''Idolator'' (album), third album ...
'' said his "eyes rolled" upon hearing the single's title, but commended it as being "actually rather great". Wass, despite calling the lyrics "questionable", compared the song to Lopez's single "I'm Into You
"I'm Into You" is a song recorded by American singer Jennifer Lopez for her seventh studio album '' Love?'' (2011). It features American rapper Lil Wayne, who also co-wrote it alongside British singer-songwriter Taio Cruz and Norwegian musician ...
" (2011) and wrote, "the production is jam-packed with catchy hooks and the chorus is terrifyingly catchy. It's only a matter of time before this becomes a meme." Scott T. Sterling of ''Radio.com
Audacy, previously known as Radio.com, is a free broadcast and Internet radio platform owned by the namesake company Audacy, Inc. (formerly known as Entercom). The Audacy platform functions as a music recommender system and is the national umbr ...
'' called the song a "sunny and infectious tune hat
A hat is a head covering which is worn for various reasons, including protection against weather conditions, ceremonial reasons such as university graduation, religious reasons, safety, or as a fashion accessory. Hats which incorporate mecha ...
is sure to soundtrack many beach parties." Amaya Mendizabal of ''Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' noted that the song "serves to let you fiercely unleash your inner sass." Anupa Mistry of ''Spin
Spin or spinning most often refers to:
* Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thread by twisting fibers together, traditionally by hand spinning
* Spin, the rotation of an object around a central axis
* Spin (propaganda), an intentionally b ...
'' considered the song "a new take on that thing she does best: flirty street-pop team-ups with once-grimy rappers, in this case South Bronx
The South Bronx is an area of the New York City Borough (New York City), borough of the Bronx. The area comprises neighborhoods in the southern part of the Bronx, such as Concourse, Bronx, Concourse, Mott Haven, Bronx, Mott Haven, Melrose, B ...
sheikh French Montana
Karim Kharbouch (Arabic: æɾiːm χɑɾbuːʃ born November 9, 1984), better known by his stage name French Montana, is a Moroccan-American rapper. Born and raised in Morocco, he emigrated to the United States with his family when he was 13. ...
." while Nick Murray of ''Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
'' named it a "summer-anthem contender." Sarah Rodman of ''Boston Globe
''The Boston Globe'' is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes, and has a total circulation of close to 300,000 print and digital subscribers. ''The Boston Glob ...
'' classified it as "playfully undulating", while Jazz Tangcay of ''So So Gay'' felt the song as "fun, but not a standout."
While feeling "shame" about its name, Caroline Sullivan from ''The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'' praised the song for haing
Ing, ING or ing may refer to:
Art and media
* '' ...ing'', a 2003 Korean film
* i.n.g, a Taiwanese girl group
* The Ing, a race of dark creatures in the 2004 video game '' Metroid Prime 2: Echoes''
* "Ing", the first song on The Roches' 1992 ...
a ferocious hookline," while Saeed Saeed of '' The National'' called it "quite catchy if you manage to ignore that grating chorus." Reed Jackson of ''XXL Magazine
''XXL'' is an American hip hop magazine, published by Townsquare Media, founded in 1997.
History
In August 1997, Harris Publications released the first issue of ''XXL''. It featured rappers Jay-Z and Master P on a double cover. In December 2006 ...
'' added that the song has a "catchy-as-hell chorus and goofy sweet rhymes by French." Melissa Maerz wrote for ''Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...
'' that the "only song n the album
N, or n, is the fourteenth letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''en'' (pronounced ), plural ''ens''.
History
...
that even approaches classic J. Lo is the single 'I Luh Ya Papi', a bubbly sung-spoken jam that finds her lovin' on backseat hookups and hatin' on enunciation." Alexa Camp of ''Slant Magazine
''Slant Magazine'' is an American online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York ...
'' agreed, writing that "aside from the album's lead single, 'I Luh Ya Papi,' which is ridiculous in all the right ways, Jenny from the Block seems to have largely forgotten the fun this time around." In a less favorable vein, Stephen Thomas Erlewine from ''Allmusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
'' noted that "when the scale tips too heavily toward rhythm--as it does on 'Booty
Booty may refer to:
Music
*Booty music (also known as Miami bass or booty bass), a subgenre of hip hop
* "Booty" (Jennifer Lopez song), 2014
*Booty (Blac Youngsta song), 2017
* Booty (C. Tangana and Becky G song), 2018
*"Booty", a 1993 song by G ...
' and 'I Luh Ya Papi'--the productions don't do Lopez many favors, burying her in their thrum." Writing for ''PopMatters
''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, fi ...
'', Devone Jones thought that the track "doesn't do justice for either opez and Montana" criticizing him for "runing
Ing, ING or ing may refer to:
Art and media
* '' ...ing'', a 2003 Korean film
* i.n.g, a Taiwanese girl group
* The Ing, a race of dark creatures in the 2004 video game '' Metroid Prime 2: Echoes''
* "Ing", the first song on The Roches' 1992 ...
out of steam within the first 20 seconds of popping up on the track" and Jennifer for sound nglike she's trying too hard."
Remix
A remix of the song featuring American rapper Big Sean
Sean Michael Leonard Anderson (born March 25, 1988), known professionally as Big Sean, is an American rapper. Anderson began his music career in 2007 and gained popularity in 2010 with his third mixtape '' Finally Famous Vol. 3: Big''. He then s ...
was also premiered on March 6, 2014, a day after the original was released. On April 21, 2014, J Lo released a remix by DJ Khaled
Khaled Mohammed Khaled (born November 26, 1975), known professionally as DJ Khaled, is an American DJ, record executive, record producer and rapper.
Khaled first gained recognition as a radio host in the 1990s on the radio station WEDR, 99 Ja ...
through her SoundCloud
SoundCloud is an online audio distribution platform and music sharing website that enables its users to upload, promote, and share audio. Founded in 2007 by Alexander Ljung and Eric Wahlforss, SoundCloud is one of the largest music streaming se ...
, featuring the original verses from French Montana and Big Sean in addition to a verse from Tyga
Michael Ray Nguyen-Stevenson[Micheal Ray Stevenson ...](_blank)
.
Music video
Background
A music video for "I Luh Ya Papi" was directed by Jessy Terrero
Jessy Terrero (born October 7, 1972) is a List of people from the Dominican Republic, Dominican Film director, film and music video director.
Career
Terrero appeared as an extra on the 1992 film ''Juice (1992 film), Juice'' starring Tupac Shakur ...
in Miami
Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...
, Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
. On February 12, 2014, Lopez was photographed on a large luxury yacht in Miami filming a music video. Lopez was clothed in a "skin-tight long-sleeve cut-out top" and "white hot pants", while wearing gold sunglasses and sporting a "sleek sectioned ponytail". She was surrounded by shirtless men. The clip for "I Luh Ya Papi" is a comic concept video that "speaks out about men objectifying women in 'every single video'". Speaking of the music video, Lopez stated: "The director came up with the concept to kind of flip the rap video — to make me the rapper and, you know, just turn the tables in that way...instead of having girls in bathing suits, have guys in bathing suits. Instead of having me be the soft girl in the video, be the rapper who's in the mansion and the yacht. It was all meant to be in good fun, but you know, I knew people would get the joke."
Synopsis
The video opens with Lopez and two of her female friends consulting with a record label executive on treatment ideas for her new music video, who suggests that it be filmed in a water park or zoo. Her friends complain about females being objectified in music videos and begin fantasizing a concept video where Lopez objectifies males. Their fantasy video then begins with Lopez in a "morning-after scene", where she walks around a mansion filled with partly naked men ("for no reason"), wearing a tracksuit inspired by her famed 2000 Green Versace jungle dress. Then, Lopez and her friends (clothed in denim shorts) are seen dancing in a driveway, where they later view topless men cleaning cars. In a poolside scene, she and her friends are taking pictures of the men, and are fed by them. Later, Lopez is clothed in an all-white outfit on a yacht, where she and her friends continue objectifying the males. Towards the end of the clip, Lopez, French Montana and her friends all appear singing, rapping and dancing in a studio-lit setting.
Reception
Rosie Swash of ''The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'' stated that "gender politics are confused but the outfits are fabulous". Lily Rothman of ''Time
Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, to ...
'' magazine similarly asked, "If she and her girlfriends are upset enough about women being objectified in music videos to make a whole video skewering that tradition, why respond by objectifying other people?." Rothman also noted the two female back-up dancers who act as "decorative objects" for French Montana's appearance in the clip, and wrote: "They don't play characters, they don't really show off any particular dance skills, you can barely see their faces — it's pretty much a textbook case of the "video vixen
A video vixen (also referred to as a hip hop honey or video girl) is a female model who appears in hip hop-oriented music videos. The video vixen image has become a staple in popular music, especially within the genre of hip hop.Story, Kaila ...
" objectification that's derided in the video's intro." ''The Huffington Post
''HuffPost'' (formerly ''The Huffington Post'' until 2017 and sometimes abbreviated ''HuffPo'') is an American progressive news website, with localized and international editions. The site offers news, satire, blogs, and original content, and ...
''s Emma Gray commented that, "There is something simply wonderful about seeing a mainstream pop star – one who has been working within the confines of music industry sexism for decades – explicitly call out a gender-based double standard". However, Gray noted the video's "empowering undertones" to fall apart in French Montana's scene: "With the entrance of a powerful male character, the scripts are immediately flipped back to normal." Speaking of the video's theme, Daisy Buchanann of ''The Telegraph
''The Telegraph'', ''Daily Telegraph'', ''Sunday Telegraph'' and other variant names are popular names for newspapers. Newspapers with these titles include:
Australia
* ''The Telegraph'' (Adelaide), a newspaper in Adelaide, South Australia, publ ...
'' wrote: "I suspect she's savvy enough to know that full frontal feminism would lead to a commercial disaster, and she knows she can't fix sexism within the industry with one video, but she can start a conversation about it." Nadeska Alexis of MTV News
MTV News is the news production division of MTV. The service is available in the US with localized versions on MTV's global network. In February 2016, MTV Networks confirmed it would refresh the MTV News brand in 2016, to compete with the likes ...
praised the video's role reversal, praising Lopez for "actually waving a flag for women in the accompanying music video, as she should, since March is Women's History Month and all." Alexis called the clip "Basically 'Blurred Lines
"Blurred Lines" is a song by American singer Robin Thicke featuring American rappers T.I. and Pharrell Williams from the former's sixth studio album of the same name (2013). Solely produced by Williams, it was released as the album's lead si ...
' For Women". The video racked up 9.5 million views on Vevo during its first week of release.
Live performances
Lopez performed the song live on the March 20, 2014 episode of ''American Idol
''American Idol'' is an American singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It aired on Fox from June 11, 2002, to Ap ...
'', where she is a part of the judging panel. The performance opened with an a cappella introduction that featured Lopez singing with former contestants of the show, Jessica Sanchez
Jessica Elizabeth Sanchez (born August 4, 1995) is an American singer-songwriter. She rose to prominence following her finish as the runner-up on the eleventh season of ''American Idol''.
Early life
Jessica Elizabeth Sanchez was born in Chula ...
, Allison Iraheta
Allison Iraheta (; born April 27, 1992) is an American singer from Los Angeles, California, who was the fourth place finalist on the eighth season of ''American Idol''. Prior to ''Idol'', Iraheta won the Telemundo competition ''Quinceañera: Mam ...
and Pia Toscano
Pia Toscano (born October 14, 1988) is an American singer. Toscano placed ninth on the tenth season of ''American Idol''. In 2016, she released the EP ''Belong''. Her debut album ''I'm Good'' was released on October 14, 2022.
Early life
Toscano ...
. French Montana
Karim Kharbouch (Arabic: æɾiːm χɑɾbuːʃ born November 9, 1984), better known by his stage name French Montana, is a Moroccan-American rapper. Born and raised in Morocco, he emigrated to the United States with his family when he was 13. ...
joined Lopez on stage towards the end of the performance. She wore a "skimpy" pair of denim cut-offs "paired with glittery tights and a furry parka", while being accessorized with "big earrings, white wedge sneakers and a tight bun". The stage, according to Idolator
An idolator is a practitioner of idolatry.
Idolater or Idolator may also refer to: Books
*''Os Idólatras'', 1968 Portuguese novel by Maria Judite de Carvalho Music
* Idolator (website), an American music blog
* ''Idolator'' (album), third album ...
's Lisa Timmons, was a "throwback to the gritty fabulous Bronx in the '80s with Jennifer and a gang of fly girls". However, not all of the reception was positive; some fans accused Lopez of lip synching
Lip sync or lip synch (pronounced , the same as the word ''sink'', short for lip synchronization) is a technical term for matching a speaking or singing person's lip movements with sung or spoken vocals.
Audio for lip syncing is generated th ...
the performance. The song was also on the setlist
A set list, or setlist, is typically a handwritten or printed document created as an ordered list of songs, jokes, stories and other elements an artist intends to present during a specific performance.
A setlist can be made of nearly any materi ...
of Lopez's concert at Power 106
KPWR (105.9 FM) – branded as ''Power 106'' – is a commercial radio station in Los Angeles, California, broadcasting to the Greater Los Angeles area. KPWR is owned and operated by Meruelo Group and airs a Rhythmic Hot AC format. KPWR's studio ...
's "Powerhouse 2014", on May 17, 2014, and at her Orchard Beach free concert, in the Bronx
The Bronx () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the state of New York. It is south of Westchester County; north and east of the New York City borough of Manhattan, across the Harlem River; and north of the New Y ...
, on June 4, 2014. During the latter, she performed it in three-part harmony while sitting on a neighborhood stoop set with her backup singers, including, once again, Toscano.[
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Charts
Release history
References
External links
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2014 songs
2014 singles
Capitol Records singles
French Montana songs
Jennifer Lopez songs
Music videos directed by Jessy Terrero
Song recordings produced by Cory Rooney
Song recordings produced by Detail (record producer)
Songs written by Detail (record producer)
Songs written by Dre Moon
Songs written by French Montana
Songs written by Jennifer Lopez