"I'm Real" is the name of two songs recorded by American actress and singer
Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lynn Lopez (born July 24, 1969), also known by her nickname J.Lo, is an American singer, songwriter, actress, dancer and businesswoman. Lopez is regarded as one of the most influential entertainers of her time, credited with breaking ...
, both primarily for her second
studio album
An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track cartridge, 8-track or Cassette tape, cassette), or digital distribution, dig ...
, ''
J.Lo'' (2001). The original song was released as the album's third single;
Ja Rule
Jeffrey Bruce Atkins (born February 29, 1976), better known by his stage name Ja Rule (), is an American rapper, singer, and actor. Born and raised in New York City, Ja Rule became known for blending gangsta rap with pop rap, pop and contempo ...
of
Murder Inc. Records wrote and was featured on a newly-written song with completely different lyrics and production titled "I'm Real (Murder Remix)", which was featured on a re-issue of ''J.Lo'' in July 2001, on Lopez's
remix album, ''
J to tha L–O! The Remixes'' (2002), and on Ja Rule's third studio album, ''
Pain Is Love'' (2001).
The original album track was well received by music critics, who complimented the 1980s-esque style and composition, while the "Murder Remix" received mixed reviews for its lyrics. However, both songs have been appreciated for the use of the samples.
The "Murder Remix" topped the U.S.
''Billboard'' Hot 100 for five non-consecutive weeks, beginning September 8, 2001, and also topped the
Hot 100 Airplay chart. It also reached the top 10 in twelve other countries. It was the fifth-bestselling song of 2001 in the US. Considerable
controversy
Controversy (, ) is a state of prolonged public dispute or debate, usually concerning a matter of conflicting opinion or point of view. The word was coined from the Latin '' controversia'', as a composite of ''controversus'' – "turned in an op ...
followed the song after its release, and was the cause of a rule change to the
''Billboard'' charts. Two music videos were made for the tracks, with the first depicting Lopez driving a motorcycle on a highway and featuring a dance break, while the second video features Ja Rule and
Irv Gotti.
Background and release
The original version of "I'm Real" was recorded by Jennifer Lopez for her second studio album, ''
J.Lo'' (2001) which had 14 other tracks. Released on January 23, 2001, ''J.Lo'' became a commercial success, debuting at the summit of the
''Billboard'' 200.
Describing ''J.Lo'' as a "reflection of who I am, my own experiences", Lopez said: "My fans call me J.Lo. Giving the album this title is my way of telling them that this is for them in appreciation of their support."
Prior to its release, she knew how important it was to "stay fresh", and decided to tweak her public image by dying her hair and changing her stage name to J.Lo.
Lopez felt that she had more "creative control" on ''J.Lo'' than her debut album, ''
On the 6'' (1999).
The album was reissued on July 24, 2001 (Lopez's thirty-second birthday), now containing the remix version of "I'm Real" featuring
Ja Rule
Jeffrey Bruce Atkins (born February 29, 1976), better known by his stage name Ja Rule (), is an American rapper, singer, and actor. Born and raised in New York City, Ja Rule became known for blending gangsta rap with pop rap, pop and contempo ...
.
Writing and recording
The original version of "I'm Real" was written by Jennifer Lopez,
Troy Oliver,
Cory Rooney and
Leshan David Lewis, with production being handled by Oliver and Rooney.
[Lopez, Jennifer (2001). '' J. Lo'' (liner notes). Jennifer Lopez. ]Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the American division of Japanese conglomerate Sony
is a Japanese multinational conglomerate (company), cong ...
. Lyrically, the singer offers voluptuous good times as long as her lover "don't ask me where I've been." While she brags that she's made him fall in love, a male voice chants, "She's a bad, bad bitch."
Oliver developed the song's concept while Lewis claims to have suggested the use of a loop from the song "Firecracker" (1978) by Japanese band
Yellow Magic Orchestra
Yellow Magic Orchestra (abbreviated to YMO) was a Japanese electronic music band formed in Tokyo in 1978 by Haruomi Hosono (bass, keyboards, vocals), Yukihiro Takahashi (drums, lead vocals, occasional keyboards) and Ryuichi Sakamoto (keyboards, ...
from their
self-titled album. After hearing the instrumental track, Lopez and Rooney wrote "I'm Real", which she said "was the first time I ever wrote a melody. I just love the hook of the song. I wrote it, so it’s kind of personal."
Lopez recorded the song that day, and called in her boyfriend at the time
Sean Combs
Sean John Combs (born November 4, 1969), better known by his stage name Diddy, and formerly Puff Daddy and P. Diddy, is an American rapper, record producer, and record executive. Born in Harlem and raised in Mount Vernon, New York, Mount Ve ...
to record the lyric, "She's a bad, bad bitch." Rooney revealed: "She wrote that and she had him stop what he was doing, leave his studio, come across town and just go in the vocal booth and say that one part. Then she said, 'OK, now you can leave.'"
Remix
Urban radio stations were disappointed that ''J. Lo'' had not produced a single that catered to their audiences, and
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the American division of Japanese conglomerate Sony
is a Japanese multinational conglomerate (company), cong ...
knew that they needed the support of both urban and
pop radio
Pop or POP may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Pop music, a musical genre
Artists
* POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade
* Pop! (British group), a UK pop group
* Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band
Album ...
.
After the album began to decline on the charts, Rooney suggested to
Tommy Mottola
Thomas Daniel Mottola (born July 14, 1948) is an American businessman, record executive, television producer, theater producer, film producer, investor, and serial entrepreneur. Mottola is the chairman of Mottola Media Group, co-founder of Nter ...
that the song be remixed, which prompted Mottola to enlist Ja Rule of
Murder Inc. Records. Ja Rule admitted that he was "thrown" when he heard the song, saying: "I don't do
dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole piece or part of a larger musical arrangement. In terms of performance, the major categories are live dance music and recorded dance musi ...
, so what do you want me to do to this?" Though initially enlisted to remix the song, he decided to write a new song with the same title instead, saying: "OK, I don't need to hear that, scratch that, 'cause we're gonna do our own thing" after hearing the original track.
Along with
Irv Gotti, Ja Rule wrote the Murder remix for "I'm Real", which utilizes samples from "
All Night Long" (1983) by
Mary Jane Girls
The Mary Jane Girls were an American girl group formed in 1979, best known for their songs "In My House", "All Night Long (Mary Jane Girls song), All Night Long", "Candy Man", and their cover version of "Walk Like a Man (The Four Seasons song), ...
and "
Mary Jane" by
Rick James
James Ambrose Johnson Jr. (February 1, 1948 – August 6, 2004), better known by his stage name Rick James, was an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. Born and raised in Buffalo, New York, James began his musical career in his tee ...
.
"I'm Real (Murder Remix)" was produced by Gotti and
7 Aurelius, and was recorded at
Record Plant
The Record Plant was a recording studio established in New York City in 1968 and last operating in Los Angeles, California. Known for innovations in the recording artists' workspace, it produced highly influential albums, including the New York ...
in
Hollywood, California
Hollywood, sometimes informally called Tinseltown, is a List of districts and neighborhoods in Los Angeles, neighborhood and district in the Central Los Angeles, central region of Los Angeles County, California, within the city of Los Angeles. ...
and Crackhouse Studios in
New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
.
Singer
Ashanti recorded the demo version of the remix, and provided background vocals for the final version.
Ja Rule opens the remix by screaming "What's my motherfucking name?", to which Lopez responds "R-U-L-E". However, these lyrics resulted in common confusion among listeners, with many having heard "Are you Ellie?" instead.
Following the release of "I'm Real (Murder Remix)", Lopez's personal sound had shifted away from a pure
pop sound to more of an
R&B/
hip-hop
Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hi ...
sound.
[ Ja Rule noted that her audience now wanted a different sound from her, "It's J. Lo now because of 'I'm Real' ..It's gonna put her in another zone. After this one, they gonna be expecting hot crossover R&B joints from J. Lo. They ain't gonna want the pop version of J. Lo no more, they gonna want the 'I'm Real' version."][ Rule described it as a "real collaboration" by saying "Sometimes when you do a collaboration with an artist it's not real collaborations ..'Send me a reel here. I'll fly it back here.' Me and J. Lo's record was a real collaboration."][
]
Critical response
The song received mostly positive reviews 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 ...
. Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine (; born June 18, 1973) is an American music critic and former senior editor for the online music database AllMusic. He is the author of multiple artist biographies and record reviews for AllMusic, as well as a freelance ...
of AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
picked the song as one of his "track picks", noting that the song has "hook, but it needs a couple of spins before its catch holds". While saying that the song "sound like it's straight out of 1986", Sal Cinquemani 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 Yor ...
'' called it "a retro pop track reminiscent of Janet Jackson
Janet Damita Jo Jackson (born May 16, 1966) is an American singer, songwriter, actress and dancer. She is noted for her innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows. Her sound and choreogr ...
's '' Control'' era". Tom Sinclair of ''Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American online magazine, digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, ...
'' called it "a chirpy little synth pop number".
The "Murder Remix" also received favorable reviews from music critics. William Ruhlmann of AllMusic picked the song as one of the best from the album, while Sal Cinquemani of ''Slant Magazine'' called it "edgy, often sexy remix", naming it "a significant departure from the retro-hued album version". Ian Wade of Yahoo! Music
Yahoo Music was a brand under which Yahoo provided music services including Internet radio, a digital music store, music streaming service, media player software, and original programming. Yahoo Music was sold to Rhapsody in early 2008.
Pro ...
wrote that "only the Ja Rule assisted 'I'm Real' and ' Ain't It Funny', that makes something vaguely special out of the original versions, Jen'd be better off just hooking up with him for good and they could become a Cristal-sipping, foulmouthed and bling-blinging Sonny & Cher
Sonny & Cher were an American pop and entertainment duo in the 1960s and 1970s, made up of spouses Sonny Bono and Cher. The couple started their career in the mid-1960s as rhythm and blues, R&B backing singers for record producer Phil Spector.
...
." While reviewing Ja Rule's '' Pain Is Love'' album, Soren Baker of ''Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...
'' noted "I'm Real" to be "one of the album's stronger songs, as Rule's rough voice and Lopez's sugary tones make a surprisingly appealing blend". In 2011, the remix version was named the sixth-biggest duet of all time by ''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 advertis ...
''.
Chart performance
United States
"I'm Real" debuted at number 66 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100 on the week ending July 7, 2001, earning the "Hot Shot Debut of the Week" title and debuting on the ''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 advertis ...
'' Hot 100 Airplay at number 55.[ "I'm Real" jumped to number 40 in its second week on the Hot 100 and moved up to number 32 on the Hot 100 Airplay chart.] In its third week, the song continued to steadily increase, reaching number 25 on the Hot 100 and 20 on the Hot 100 Airplay chart. By its fourth week, the song had reached the top twenty, fueled by increasing airplay
Airplay is how frequently a song is being played through broadcasting on radio stations. A song which is being played several times every day (spins) would have a significant amount of airplay. Music which became very popular on jukeboxes, in n ...
. On September 8, 2001, "I'm Real" replaced Alicia Keys
Alicia Augello Cook (born January 25, 1981), known professionally as Alicia Keys, is an American singer and songwriter. A classically trained pianist, Keys began composing songs at the age of 12 and was signed by Columbia Records at 15. After d ...
' " Fallin'" as the leader of both the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and Hot 100 Airplay chart. It was the number one song in the United States the day of the September 11 attacks
The September 11 attacks, also known as 9/11, were four coordinated Islamist terrorist suicide attacks by al-Qaeda against the United States in 2001. Nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercial airliners, crashing the first two into ...
. Rooney recalled: "I didn't get a chance to celebrate the success of "I'm Real" so much because of all that was going on. The focus shifted. I remember it putting a really dark cloud over everything." "I'm Real" spent the next three charting weeks at the summit and was subsequently knocked out of the top spot by "Fallin'", which boasted an additional three consecutive weeks at number one. After three weeks stalled at number two, "I'm Real" returned to number one again for a final two weeks, through October 27, 2001. "I'm Real (Murder Remix)" was a staple on R&B/hip-hop and pop radio during the summer and fall of 2001, spending fifteen weeks in the top five of the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. In 2009 the single was named the 30th most successful song of the 2000s, on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 Songs of the Decade.
''Billboard'' controversy
The success of "I'm Real (Murder Remix)", which became the biggest hit of Lopez's career at the time, propelled the album ''J.Lo'' from number 90 on the ''Billboard'' 200 back to the top ten according to Nielsen SoundScan
Luminate Data, LLC (formerly MRC Data and P-MRC Data) is a provider of music and entertainment data. Established as a joint-venture in 2020, it brought together Nielsen Music, Alpha Data (formerly BuzzAngle Music) and Variety Business Intellige ...
. The chart position of the Murder Remix was boosted by radio play of the album track, which led to complaints of unfairness and change of ''Billboard'' policy in 2002. Afterwards, airplay of identically named songs but with substantially different melodies was not combined when computing chart positions. Rooney stated that the song's success "really pissed off everybody in terms of ''Billboard''s rules". Following the release of " Ain't It Funny (Murder Remix)", Chuck Taylor of ''Billboard'' noted: "Sony has got to be kidding, calling it "Ain't it Funny" when not one note of it is held in common with the original", calling it a "disturbing trend".
Oceania and Europe
Elsewhere, "I'm Real" was very successful. In Australia, the song debuted at number nine, before moving to number six. After weeks descending the charts, the song eventually climbed once again to number six, remaining at number seven for two further weeks. Finally, the song climbed to number five, on January 6, 2002, before peaking at number three the following week.[ It was Lopez's highest charting-single since her debut-single " If You Had My Love" (1999).][ In New Zealand, "I'm Real" debuted at number 44, before peaking at number three for two consecutive weeks, becoming her highest single from ''J.Lo'' since " Love Don't Cost a Thing" and the album's third top-ten single.][
In Europe, the song continued the success. In the United Kingdom, "I'm Real" became Lopez's sixth top-five single, reaching number four, also becoming her fourth consecutive top-five single from the same album.][ In France, "I'm Real" debuted at number 90, on December 15, 2001. The song kept climbing, until it reached a peak of number three, on January 12, 2002. It became her highest charting-single in France, until " Get Right" peaked at number two in 2005 and was certified gold by ]SNEP
SNEP (, in English National Syndicate of Phonographic Publishing) is the inter-professional organisation that protects the interests of the French record industry. Originally known under the acronym SNICOP, the organisation was established in ...
for over 250,000 sold. It was the fourth time the artist achieved this in the country.
Accolades
Music videos
The music videos for "I'm Real" were both directed by Dave Meyers and followed its release as a single in the United States. The original version's music video depicts Lopez driving a motorcycle in the countryside, with Meyers noting that it "looked very country
A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. When referring to a specific polity, the term "country" may refer to a sovereign state, state with limited recognition, constituent country, ...
". Lopez's soon-to-be husband Cris Judd appeared as a dancer in the clip; the video also featured cameo appearances by Ja Rule, Irv Gotti and underwear model Travis Fimmel
Travis Fimmel (born 15 July 1979) is an Australian actor. He is known for his role as Ragnar Lothbrok in the History Channel television series ''Vikings'' (2013–2017). He also starred in HBO science fiction series' '' Raised by Wolves'' as M ...
. According to Meyers, "we finished that video very quickly, turned it around and then shot the remix video." The director said: "We got Ja out there and then Irv shakes his head and goes, 'Nah, this is all wrong.' He's like, 'Dave, check it out: We just remixed the song. This is hot. We need to bring Jennifer and Ja to the hood, not out in the wilderness, not in the reeds.' So It was a one-day shoot. Then, of course, the remix video was the one that exploded."
The second music video features a variety of settings including a dilapidated house, swimming pool and basketball court. Meyers stated that: "I was really up to capturing the less polished version of the two. The Murder Inc. crew at that time was all about having a good time, and I think Jennifer certainly was infected by that energy as well." Ja Rule described the process of making the remix and filming the video as a "the fastest turnaround probably ever for a record. From the time the record was written to video, it was a two-day spin. It was done that fast." The pink velour
Velour, occasionally velours, is a plush, knits, knitted fabric or textile similar to velvet or velveteen. It can be made from polyester, spandex, cotton, or a cotton-polyester blend. Velour is used in a wide variety of applications, including ...
Juicy Couture
Juicy Couture is an American casualwear and dress clothing brand based in Arleta, Los Angeles, California. Best known for their velour tracksuits which became a luxury staple in the 2000s, the company was founded by Pamela Skaist-Levy and Gel ...
tracksuit worn by Lopez in the Murder remix video became iconic according to '' Vogue''. CNN
Cable News Network (CNN) is a multinational news organization operating, most notably, a website and a TV channel headquartered in Atlanta. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable ne ...
's Marianna Cerini noted that the tracksuit "created a craze -- and one of the most ubiquitous looks of the decade", with ''Vogue'' crediting the music video with putting Juicy Couture, previously a "little-known LA-based brand", "firmly on the map". ''Complex
Complex commonly refers to:
* Complexity, the behaviour of a system whose components interact in multiple ways so possible interactions are difficult to describe
** Complex system, a system composed of many components which may interact with each ...
'' magazine wrote that the video "completely dominated ''TRL'' and pretty much all of MTV
MTV (an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable television television channel, channel and the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group sub-division of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. Launched on ...
with a visual that perfectly encapsulated the '00s aesthetic of a Juicy sweatsuit and big sunglasses."
The Murder remix version won the award for Best Hip-Hop Video at the 2002 MTV Video Music Awards.
Original version
The original video for "I'm Real" begins with Lopez driving down a highway on a motorcycle
A motorcycle (motorbike, bike; uni (if one-wheeled); trike (if three-wheeled); quad (if four-wheeled)) is a lightweight private 1-to-2 passenger personal motor vehicle Steering, steered by a Motorcycle handlebar, handlebar from a saddle-style ...
, passing various smiling children, who stop what they are doing and run after her. Lopez is also seen at a gas station
A filling station (also known as a gas station [] or petrol station []) is a facility that sells fuel and engine lubricants for motor vehicles. The most common fuels sold are gasoline (or petrol) and diesel fuel.
Fuel dispensers are used to ...
, where she stops and proceeds to walk into the town. Several more people gaze at her as she walks through the town, and she is later seen eating ice cream
Ice cream is a frozen dessert typically made from milk or cream that has been flavoured with a sweetener, either sugar or an alternative, and a spice, such as Chocolate, cocoa or vanilla, or with fruit, such as strawberries or peaches. Food ...
with children, until she gets back onto her motorcycle and drives back down the highway. A string of children are running after her, and the music stops as she steps up onto a stage set on a hillside; where she goes into a dance-break to " More Bounce to the Ounce" by Zapp. These scenes feature Lopez's second husband, Cris Judd, as a back-up dancer. For the rest of the video, Lopez continues to sing, dance and entertain the crowd on stage as the crowd watch in pleasure. The video also features cameo appearances by Ja Rule and Travis Fimmel.
Murder remix
A separate video clip was shot for the Murder remix of "I'm Real" featuring Ja Rule. It opens with Lopez leaning on a gate of an urban home in Los Angeles and singing in front of a red backdrop along with Ja Rule, who is also seen walking the streets of LA, with a basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...
. Men and women are then seen in various locations such as a park
A park is an area of natural, semi-natural or planted space set aside for human enjoyment and recreation or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. Urban parks are urban green space, green spaces set aside for recreation inside t ...
and swimming pool
A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, paddling pool, or simply pool, is a structure designed to hold water to enable Human swimming, swimming and associated activities. Pools can be built into the ground (in-ground pools) or built abo ...
. Lopez and Ja Rule are then seen together in a basketball court
In basketball, the basketball court is the playing surface, consisting of a rectangular floor, with baskets at each end. Indoor basketball courts are almost always made of polished wood, usually maple, with -high rims on each basket. Outdoor ...
in the chorus of the song. These locations are shown for a prominent part of the video, until both of them are later at a party; and sitting together at a park watching children play.
Live performances
Lopez and Ja Rule performed the murder remix version of the song at the 2001 MTV Video Music Awards. The song (original version) was included on the set list for her series of Let's Get Loud concerts in 2001, and later appeared on the ''Let's Get Loud'' concert DVD. She sang the original version of the song on NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...
's '' Today'' in the middle of the Rockefeller Plaza
Rockefeller Center is a complex of 19 commerce, commercial buildings covering between 48th Street (Manhattan), 48th Street and 51st Street (Manhattan), 51st Street in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. The 14 original Art De ...
. Lopez performed the Murder Remix version of the song as part of her medley during the 2018 MTV Video Music Awards
The 2018 MTV Video Music Awards were held on Monday night, August 20, 2018 at 9:00–11:43pm EDT at Radio City Music Hall in Midtown Manhattan, Manhattan, New York City. The 35th annual award show aired live from the venue for the 12th time, t ...
on August 20, 2018, at Radio City Music Hall
Radio City Music Hall (also known as Radio City) is an entertainment venue and Theater (structure), theater at 1260 Sixth Avenue (Manhattan), Avenue of the Americas, within Rockefeller Center, in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York C ...
in New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
.
The song was featured as a sample in Lopez's setlist during the Super Bowl LIV halftime show.
Controversies
Alongside the controversy regarding the song's chart performance, the song was subject to a number of other controversies. There was controversy over the use of the original single's sample and the structure of the song. The original song contains a sample from Yellow Magic Orchestra's 1978 hit "Firecracker" (an electronic synthpop cover of Martin Denny
Martin Denny (April 10, 1911 – March 2, 2005) was an American pianist, composer, and arranger. Known as the "father of exotica," he was a multi-instrumentalist and could play a number of percussion instruments. In a long career that saw him per ...
's 1959 melody of the same name). The "Firecracker" sample was originally planned and licensed to be used for Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey ( ; born March 27, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Songbird Supreme" by ''Guinness World Records'', Carey is known for her five-octave voc ...
's "Loverboy
Loverboy is a Canadian Rock music, rock band formed in Calgary, Alberta in 1979. Loverboy's hit singles, particularly "Turn Me Loose (Loverboy song), Turn Me Loose" and "Working for the Weekend", have become arena rock staples and are still hear ...
" from her soundtrack album ''Glitter
Glitter is an assortment of flat, small, reflective particles that are precision cut and come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. Glitter particles resemble confetti, sparkles and sequins, but somewhat smaller.
Since prehistoric times ...
''. According to the music publisher of "Firecracker", Carey's team called to license a sample of the song, which had never been sampled, months before Lopez's team called to do the same. Carey felt that former husband and music executive at Sony Music
Sony Music Entertainment (SME), commonly known as Sony Music, is an American multinational music company owned by Japanese conglomerate Sony Group Corporation. It is the recording division of Sony Music Group, with the other half being the ...
(), Tommy Mottola, was interfering with her career by arranging for the sample to go to Lopez. Upset by the conduct of Lopez and her ex-husband which caused her to change the sample in "Loverboy" to "Candy
Candy, alternatively called sweets or lollies, is a Confectionery, confection that features sugar as a principal ingredient. The category, also called ''sugar confectionery'', encompasses any sweet confection, including chocolate, chewing gum ...
" by Cameo, Carey featured a reference to the song on the remix of her single "Loverboy", her first single released by her record company at the time, Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label owned by Universal Music Group. They were originally founded as a British independent record label in 1972 by entrepreneurs Richard Branson, Simon Draper, Nik Powell, and musician Tom Newman (musician), ...
. The verse can be heard in Da Brat
Shawntae Harris-Dupart (née Harris; born April 14, 1974), better known by her stage name Da Brat, is an American rapper. Born and raised in Chicago, she began her career in 1992 and signed with Jermaine Dupri's So So Def Recordings two years l ...
's rap section, where she sings, "Hate on me much as you want to / You can't do what the fuck I do / Bitches be emulating me daily" over the melody of "Firecracker". In 2020, Carey released the original version of "Loverboy", with the "Firecracker" sample on her album '' The Rarities'', released on October 2, 2020.
Irv Gotti, who produced the Murder remix of "I'm Real", openly admitted during an interview with '' XXL'' magazine that Mottola contacted him with instructions to create a song that sounded exactly like a song he had made with Carey for the ''Glitter'' soundtrack entitled "If We", also featuring Ja Rule.
Furthermore, some in the African American
African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
community were outraged by Lopez's use of the racial slur "nigga
''Nigga'' (), also known as "''the N-word''", is a colloquial term in African-American Vernacular English that is considered as a vulgar word in most contexts of its use. It began as a dialect form of the word ''nigger'', an ethnic slur agai ...
" in the Murder Remix. She said "I tell them niggas, mind they biz, but they don't hear me, though." A free New York concert drew banner-carrying protesters, angry at the lyrics for "I'm Real".
In response to this, Lopez said in between performances "For anyone to think or suggest that I'm racist is really absurd and hateful to me. The use of the word in the song—it was actually written by Ja Rule—it was not meant to be hurtful to anybody." Ja Rule also responded to this, defending Lopez by stating "I think it's silly ..I think the whole thing, like everything else, is being blown out of proportion."[ Rule said that Lopez was not the first Latino to use the word in a song, and that it had not been an issue previously, adding it was something to let people get a chance to "poke her".] Julian Kimble of the website Genius
Genius is a characteristic of original and exceptional insight in the performance of some art or endeavor that surpasses expectations, sets new standards for the future, establishes better methods of operation, or remains outside the capabiliti ...
noted in 2016, "Other Latino performers had said the word and ducked the backlash, primarily because their reach didn't compare to Lopez's. To that effect (and apparently unbeknownst to her at the time), the Bronx native's position as world-renowned pop star limited what she could do and say." Kimble observed that her 2002 single "Jenny from the Block
"Jenny from the Block" is a song by American singer Jennifer Lopez, which features American rappers Jadakiss and Styles P, both members of the Lox. It was released by Epic Records on September 26, 2002, as the lead single from her third studio al ...
" "has always rung like a response to everyone who derided her for the 'I'm Real' remix."
Track listings
* Australian CD1
# "I'm Real" (Murder Remix featuring Ja Rule
Jeffrey Bruce Atkins (born February 29, 1976), better known by his stage name Ja Rule (), is an American rapper, singer, and actor. Born and raised in New York City, Ja Rule became known for blending gangsta rap with pop rap, pop and contempo ...
)
# "I'm Real" (radio edit)
# "I'm Real" (Dezrok club mix)
# "I'm Real" ( Dreem Teem Master)
# "I'm Real" ( Pablo Flores club mix)
# "I'm Real" (Andre Betts remix)
* Australian CD2
# "I'm Real" (Murder Remix featuring Ja Rule)
# "I'm Real" (radio edit)
# "I'm Real" (Dezrock vocal radio edit)
# "I'm Real" (Dreem Teem UK Garage mix)
# "I'm Real" (D. MD Strong club)
# "I'm Real" (Pablo Flores Euro dub)
* European CD single
# "I'm Real" (Murder Remix featuring Ja Rule—clean version) – 4:22
# "I'm Real" (album version) – 4:55
* European maxi-CD single
# "I'm Real" (Murder Remix featuring Ja Rule) – 4:22
# "I'm Real" (album version) – 4:55
# "I'm Real" (Warren Clarke's club mix)
# "I'm Real" (Dreem Team Master)
# "I'm Real" (D. MD Strong club)
* European 12-inch single
:A1. "I'm Real" (Murder Remix featuring Ja Rule)
:A2. "I'm Real" (album version)
:B1. "I'm Real" (Warren Clarke's club mix)
:B2. "I'm Real" (D. MD Strong club)
* UK CD1
# "I'm Real" (radio edit) – 3:15
# "I'm Real" (Warren Clarke's club mix) – 7:00
# " Let's Get Loud" – 3:58
# "I'm Real" (video)
* UK CD2
# "I'm Real" (Murder Remix featuring Ja Rule) – 4:22
# "I'm Real" (Andre Betts remix) – 3:56
# "I'm Real" (Dezrok radio remix) – 3:38
# "I'm Real" (Dreem Teem remix) – 4:06
# "I'm Real" (Murder Remix featuring Ja Rule; video)
* UK 12-inch single
:A1. "I'm Real" (Murder Remix featuring Ja Rule) – 4:22
:A2. "I'm Real" (Andre Betts remix) –3:56
:A3. "I'm Real" (Dreem Teem remix) – 4:06
:B1. "I'm Real" (Warren Clarke's club mix) – 7:00
:B2. "I'm Real" (Warren Clarke's instrumental dub) – 7:28
:B3. "I'm Real" (original mix) – 4:55
* UK cassette single
# "I'm Real" (radio edit) – 3:15
# "I'm Real" (Murder Remix featuring Ja Rule) – 4:22
# "Let's Get Loud" – 3:58
* US 7-inch single
:A. "I'm Real" (Murder Remix featuring Ja Rule—clean version) – 4:22
:B. " Love Don't Cost a Thing" – 3:50
* US 12-inch single
:A1. "I'm Real" (Murder Remix featuring Ja Rule) – 4:22
:A2. "I'm Real" (Dezrok club mix) – 9:23
:B1. "I'm Real" (Andre Betts remix) – 3:37
:B2. "I'm Real" (Pablo Flores club mix) – 9:33
Credits and personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes of '' J.Lo''.
* Leshan David Lewis – production, composition
* Ted Jensen
Ted Jensen (born September 19, 1954) is an American mastering engineer, known for having mastered many recordings, including the Eagles' '' Hotel California'', Green Day's '' American Idiot'' and Norah Jones' ''Come Away with Me''.
Early life ...
– master engineering
* Peter Wade Keusch – Pro Tools
Pro Tools is a digital audio workstation (DAW) developed and released by Avid Technology (formerly Digidesign) for Microsoft Windows and macOS. It is used for music creation and production, sound for picture (sound design, audio post-productio ...
* Tony Maserati – mixing
* Troy Oliver – composition, production, programming, instruments
* Cory Rooney – composition, production
* David Swope – engineering assistance
* Shalene Thomas – background vocals
* Robert Williams – engineering
Murder Remix
Credits adapted from the liner notes of '' J to tha L–O! The Remixes''.
* JD Andrew – engineering assistance
* Seven Aurelius – production
* Jeffrey Atkins – composition, guest vocals
* Milwaukee Buck – engineering
* Tom Coyne – mastering
* Leshan David Lewis – composition
* Eddie Delena – Pro Tools
* Ashanti Douglas – background vocals
* Jay Goin – engineering assistance
* Rick James
James Ambrose Johnson Jr. (February 1, 1948 – August 6, 2004), better known by his stage name Rick James, was an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. Born and raised in Buffalo, New York, James began his musical career in his tee ...
– composition
* Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lynn Lopez (born July 24, 1969), also known by her nickname J.Lo, is an American singer, songwriter, actress, dancer and businesswoman. Lopez is regarded as one of the most influential entertainers of her time, credited with breaking ...
– composition, lead vocals
* Irv Gotti – composition, production, mixing
* Troy Oliver – composition
* Marty Osterer – bass
* Brian Spencer – mixing
* Brian Springer – engineering
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Decade-end charts
All-time charts
Certifications
Release history
References
{{Authority control
2001 singles
African–Hispanic and Latino American relations
Jennifer Lopez songs
Ja Rule songs
Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles
Music videos directed by Dave Meyers (director)
Songs written by Cory Rooney
Songs written by Jennifer Lopez
Songs written by Troy Oliver
Song recordings produced by Cory Rooney
Song recordings produced by L.E.S. (record producer)
Epic Records singles
Sampling controversies
Race-related controversies in music
Race-related controversies in the United States
Remix singles