I Got That

Summary

"I Got That" is a song by American rapper Amil, featuring collaborative vocals by American singer Beyoncé. It was released on July 5, 2000 as Amil's debut solo single, from her debut album, All Money Is Legal (2000). The song was produced by L.E.S. and Poke & Tone, and was written by Amil, Shawn Carter, Tamy Lestor Smith, Samuel J. Barnes, Leshan Lewis, Makeda Davis, and Jean-Claude Olivier. It marked one of the first songs released by Beyoncé outside of Destiny's Child. The lyrics revolve around female empowerment and independence.

"I Got That"
An image of a woman wearing a white top, jeans, and fur jacket poses in front of a bank vault. The rapper's name (Amil) and the songs' names ("I Got That" and "4 da Fam") are shown in the image.
Single by Amil featuring Beyoncé
from the album All Money Is Legal
B-side"4 da Fam"
ReleasedJuly 5, 2000
StudioThe Hit Factory and Platinum Post Studios (New York City)
Length3:17
LabelSony
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Amil singles chronology
"Hey Papi"
(2000)
"I Got That"
(2000)
"4 da Fam"
(2000)
Beyoncé singles chronology
"I Got That"
(2000)
"Work It Out"
(2002)

"I Got That" received primarily positive reviews from music critics. It peaked at number one on the Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Billboard chart. The song was promoted through a music video directed by Jay-Z and Darren Grant, and featured on the list of the most-played clips on BET and played on The Box. It was also included on the compilation albums R&B Masters (2001) and Urban Sounds: Hip-Hop & Reggae 1996–2000 (2003).

Recording and release edit

"I Got That" was written by Amil Whitehead, Shawn Carter (Jay-Z), Tamy Lestor Smith, Samuel J. Barnes, Leshan Lewis, Makeda Davis, and Jean-Claude Olivier. The production was provided by L.E.S. and Poke & Tone. It was recorded in The Hit Factory and Platinum Post Studios in New York City. The track was mixed by Rich Travali and recorded by Mark Mason and Steve Sauder. The single includes collaborative vocals by singer Beyoncé.[1] It was the first collaboration between Beyoncé and rapper Jay-Z.[2]

"I Got That" was released on July 5, 2000, as the lead single from Amil's debut album All Money Is Legal (2000).[3][4][5] The song was made available as a 12-inch single through Sony.[6][7] It was also included on a double A-side with the album's second single "4 da Fam".[6] "I Got That" was included on the compilation albums R&B Masters (2001),[8][9] and Urban Sounds: Hip-Hop & Reggae 1996–2000 (2003).[10][11]

Composition and lyrics edit

The lyrics in "I Got That" encourage women to become more independent.[3] A contributor for Spin wrote that the song focused on "statement[s] of simple financial and romantic independence",[12] and Sowmya Krishnamurthy of ABC News described it as "girl power-infused".[13] Music critics compared the song's sound and lyrics to music released by the group Destiny's Child.[14][12] The composition includes a sample from Gwen Guthrie's 1986 single "Seventh Heaven".[1] A writer for the Chicago Sun-Times described the single's instrumental as "danceable",[15] and a contributor for Knight Ridder interpreted Amil's verses as "girlish".[16]

Music video edit

A music video directed by Jay-Z and Darren Grant was released to promote the single,[14] and included scenes with Beyoncé.[2] Rapper Eve makes a cameo appearance.[17] It was featured on the list of the most-played clips on BET and played on The Box for the weeks of August 1 and August 8, 2000.[18][19] The video was uploaded to Amil's Vevo channel on October 7, 2009.[20]

Reception edit

"I Got That" received primarily positive reviews from music critics. In a 2015 article, a reviewer from Spin magazine praised Beyoncé's vocals on the chorus, and described the song as "squelching [and] slithering".[12] A contributor for Billboard described the single as "a catchy enough radio-ready tune",[3] and Kathy Iandoli of Dazed felt that it showcased Amil's potential as a rapper.[14] David Browne of Entertainment Weekly cited "I Got That" as an example of how Amil's "sultry, sing songy rapping locks into the beats".[21] In a negative review, a writer for Vibe criticized Amil's collaboration with Beyoncé on its list of "Matches Made in Error".[22] On a Billboard poll asking fans to choose Beyoncé's best feature, "I Got That" received the fewest votes.[23]

"I Got That" peaked at number one on the Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Billboard chart on September 16, 2000, and remained on the chart for 12 weeks.[24]

Track listings edit

12" single[25]
No.TitleLength
1."I Got That (Radio Edit)"3:21
2."I Got That (Instrumental)"3:19
12" single[6]
No.TitleLength
1."I Got That (Radio Edit) (featuring Beyoncé Knowles)"3:21
2."I Got That (Album Version) (featuring Beyoncé Knowles)"3:19
3."4 Da Fam (Radio Edit) (featuring Beanie Sigel, Jay-Z, Memphis Bleek)"4:19
4."4 Da Fam (Album Version) (featuring Beanie Sigel, Jay-Z, Memphis Bleek)"6:52

Credits and personnel edit

Credits adapted from the liner notes of All Money Is Legal:[1]

Charts edit

Chart (2000) Peak
position
US Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Singles (Billboard)[24] 1

Release history edit

Country Date Format Label Ref.
United States July 5, 2000 (2000-07-05) 12-inch single Sony [6][4]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c Amil (September 19, 2000). All Money Is Legal (Inlay cover). Roc-A-Fella, Columbia, and Sony.
  2. ^ a b Riotta, Chris (March 2, 2016). "How Did Beyoncé and Jay Z Meet? Superstars Share Different Versions of Their Love Story". Mic. Retrieved April 3, 2018.
  3. ^ a b c "Reviews & Previews". Billboard. Vol. 112, no. 39. September 23, 2000. pp. 35–36. Archived from the original on December 11, 2017 – via Google Books.
  4. ^ a b Johnson, Elon (May 25, 2000). "Amil Taps Jay-Z, Beyoncé, More for "Money"". MTV. Archived from the original on December 11, 2017.
  5. ^ Preezy (September 15, 2017). "10 Classic Beyonce Collaborations That Wouldn't Happen in 2017". The Boombox. Archived from the original on October 1, 2017.
  6. ^ a b c d I got that : 4 da fam. WorldCat. OCLC 74825265.
  7. ^ "Releases". AllMusic. Archived from the original on April 3, 2018.
  8. ^ R & B masters. WorldCat. OCLC 49497853.
  9. ^ "AllMusic Review by Andy Kellman". AllMusic. Archived from the original on January 19, 2017.
  10. ^ Urban sounds, 1996–2000 : hip-hop. WorldCat. OCLC 62502391.
  11. ^ "AllMusic Review by Marisa Brown". AllMusic. Archived from the original on April 3, 2018.
  12. ^ a b c "Every Beyoncé Song, Ranked". Spin. August 19, 2015. Archived from the original on June 26, 2017.
  13. ^ Krishnamurthy, Sowmya (November 21, 2012). "Opinion: Before Nicki Minaj, These 8 Female MCs Ruled". ABC News. Archived from the original on October 25, 2017.
  14. ^ a b c Iandoli, Kathy (April 23, 2014). "Beyoncé's most overlooked features". Dazed. Archived from the original on March 30, 2015.
  15. ^ "Spin Control". Chicago Sun-Times. October 8, 2000. Archived from the original on April 3, 2018.(subscription required)
  16. ^ "Reviews of new pop, country/roots, jazz and classical releases". Knight Ridder . October 3, 2000. Archived from the original on April 3, 2018.(subscription required)
  17. ^ "Wayback Machine". web.archive.org. Retrieved 2024-03-04.
  18. ^ "Video Monitor". Billboard. Vol. 112, no. 34. August 19, 2000. p. 96. Archived from the original on November 8, 2014 – via Google Books.
  19. ^ "Video Monitor". Billboard. Vol. 112, no. 35. August 26, 2000. p. 93. Archived from the original on June 28, 2014 – via Google Books.
  20. ^ "Amil – I Got That ft. Beyoncé Knowles". Vevo. October 7, 2009. Archived from the original on July 19, 2017.
  21. ^ Browne, David (September 18, 2000). "All Money Is Legal". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on December 11, 2017.
  22. ^ Group, Vibe Media (December 2000). "Matches Made in Error". Vibe. 8 (10): 59. Archived from the original on June 28, 2014 – via Google Books.
  23. ^ Armstrong, Megan (November 10, 2017). "Which Song With a Beyonce Feature Is the Best? Vote!". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 12, 2017.
  24. ^ a b "Search results". Billboard. Retrieved December 15, 2017.
  25. ^ "Track Listing". AllMusic. Archived from the original on August 19, 2016.