What You Know
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| “What You Know” | |||||
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| Single by T.I. from the album King |
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| Released | February 28, 2006 (U.S.) | ||||
| Format | Digital download | ||||
| Genre | Hip hop Southern rap |
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| Length | 4:34 | ||||
| Label | Grand Hustle Atlantic Records |
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| Writer(s) | Gabriel W. Arillo Billy Roberts Clifford Harris Aldrin Davis Curtis Mayfield Donny Hathaway Leroy Hutson |
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| Producer | DJ Toomp | ||||
| Certification | 2x Platinum | ||||
| T.I. singles chronology | |||||
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"What You Know" is a Grammy Award-winning multi platinum hip-hop song by the Southern hip-hop artist T.I., and the lead single of his 2006 album King.
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[edit] Song information
The critically acclaimed song is produced by DJ Toomp from Zone Boy Productions, with additional keys by Wonder Arillo.
It utilizes an interpolation of Roberta Flack's version of The Impressions's "Gone Away". The track was rumored to be a diss song directed at fellow Dirty South rapper Lil' Flip.
According to the last verse when he says "You say you want to squash it, what you still talkin' shit for" and "Video or not, dawg, I'll bust until the glock stop" referring to the videotape that T.I. supposedly has of a fight between him and Flip.
There are two remixes of this song. One features Dipset members Juelz Santana and J. R. Writer along with Papoose. Another remix features the same verse from Papoose and a verse from Lil' Wayne. There is another remix featuring the original song with the main riff from the popular song "Mr. Brightside" by the band the Killers played in place of the original beat.
[edit] Music video
The video took place in California. The beginning starts where comedian Mike Epps calls T.I. on his cellphone asking T.I. to come and hang out with him. T.I. said he will be there because he has a movie premiere to attend that night. The next scene shows him in a Bentley Continental driving through the neighborhood with Young Dro in slow motion and T.I. rapping in front of a white background. After that scene is showing him walking with a Louis Vuitton backpack in slow motion.
Next scene he stops by Mike Epps' house. After that scene is showing him rapping in different clothes in front of a black and white screen. Then the video showing T.I. gambling with his Mike and his crew. The video showing a bunch of women in rollerskates with spinning rims. After that scene it shows him playing chess with his friend. After that scene, he chooses a suit to wear to the premiere with the assistance of three women.
Finally a bunch of black Cadillac Escalades pull up for the premiere. T.I. and his co-star Lauren London, along with the rest of the cast, Jason Weaver,Evan Ross, and Jackie Long walking on the red carpet along with a cameo by Travis Barker. Next scene is where they show scenes to the movie. The party scene, T.I. shook the champagne and squirt it out everywhere. T.I.'s group P$C and co-stars makes a cameo appearance at the party. At the end, T.I. cleans his glasses and shows him dancing at the party.
[edit] Chart position and certifications
| Chart (2006) | Peak Position |
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| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 3 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Rap Tracks | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Pop 100 | 10 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Airplay | 2 |
| South Africa | 32 |
| Tokio Hot 100 | 32 |
| United World Chart Singles And Airplay (40) | 25 |
"What You Know" was RIAA certified 2x multi platinum on December 14, 2006.
[edit] Awards and accolades
"What You Know" won for "Best Rap Solo Performance" and was nominated for "Best Rap Song" at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards.
"What You Know" was performed at the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards, where its music video was nominated for two awards.
VIBE named T.I.'s "What You Know" as the Top Song of 2006. It was also ranked fourth on a similar list by Rolling Stone [1], and was #1 in Muchmusic's Top HipHop 2006 List.[1]
Pitchfork Media ranked "What You Know" #3 on their "Top Tracks of 2006" list, while T.I.'s collaboration on Justin Timberlake's song "My Love" was ranked #1.[2]
The song is one of the most critically acclaimed of 2006, and is one of T.I.'s most successful. It has garnered a 5-star rating from Pitchfork Media.[3] The song peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100, and it also topped the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. It is ranked the 332nd best song of all time, 3rd of 2006, and 19th of the 2000s decade by Acclaimedmusic.net.[4]
[edit] In popular culture
- The song has also been used in promotion of the film ATL, in which T.I. stars. The song was a major smash during the spring of 2006.
- Japanese professional wrestler KENTA uses an instrumental of "What You Know" as his entrance theme.
| Preceded by "Be Without You" by Mary J. Blige |
Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs number one single April 22, 2006- May 27, 2006 |
Succeeded by "It's Goin' Down" by Yung Joc |
[edit] References
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