Upgrade U
| "Upgrade U" | |||||||||||
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| Single by Beyoncé featuring Jay-Z | |||||||||||
| from the album B'Day | |||||||||||
| Released | November 27, 2006 (U.S.)[1] | ||||||||||
| Format | 12" promo single, digital download | ||||||||||
| Recorded | 2006 Sony Music Studios (New York City, New York) |
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| Genre | Hip hop, R&B | ||||||||||
| Length | 4:32 | ||||||||||
| Label | Columbia | ||||||||||
| Writer(s) | Beyoncé Knowles, MK, Makeba, Sean Garrett, Angela Beyincé, Shawn Carter, Willie Clarke, Clarence Reid, Solange Knowles | ||||||||||
| Producer | Swizz Beatz, Cameron Wallace, Beyoncé Knowles | ||||||||||
| Beyoncé singles chronology | |||||||||||
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"Upgrade U" is a song by American R&B singer Beyoncé Knowles, featuring vocals by hip hop artist Jay-Z. The track was produced by American producers Swizz Beatz, Cameron Wallace and Knowles for her second solo album, B'Day. "Upgrade U" is about a relationship between a man and a woman; the woman claims she can upgrade her man and introduce him to new things, improving his lifestyle and reputation.
The song was released in the United States only as a promo single. It received mixed reviews from critics and reached #59 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart and #11 on the U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
Contents |
Writing and recording
"Upgrade U" samples Betty Wright's 1968 song "Girls Can't Do What the Guys Do" written by Willie Clarke and Clarence Reid. It was produced by Swizz Beatz, Cameron Wallace and Knowles, and was recorded at Sony Music Studios in New York City, New York.[2] Knowles sister, Solange, co-wrote and Swizz Beatz co-produced the song.[2] "Upgrade U" is the album's second collaboration with Jay-Z. T.I. also recorded a verse for the song, but it was not included in the album, it's later used as the official remix.[3]
Music structure and lyrics
"Upgrade U" is a moderate hip hop song, with influences of pop & soul.[4] The song is set in the key of D minor, with a beat in common time.[5] The song features a synth-horn backdrop,[6] and, like most of the tracks in the album, the drum beat of the song is provided by the Roland TR-808 drum machine.[7] It opens with a dialogue between Knowles and Jay-Z, and features a rap before the final chorus.
The concept of the song revolves around a woman offering luxuries to a man, to upgrade the lifestyle and the reputation of the latter; it is similar to the concept of "Suga Mama", a song from B'Day.[8] Both Jay-Z and Knowles name-check in the song several luxury goods, companies, and personalities: "Audemars Piguet", a Swiss watchmaker; "Jacob the Jeweler", a celebrity jeweler; "Cartier", a jeweler and watch manufacturer; "Hermès", a luxury goods company; "Lorraine Schwartz", a celebrity jeweler; "Ralph Lauren Purple Label", a higher-end division of the legendary designer's clothing line; "Natura Bisse Diamond Cream", a diamond dust mixed with cream that is expensive; "6 star pent suites", only a handful exist in the world such as Crown Macau in China and Dreams Los Cabos near San Jose del Cabo in Mexico; "The Amalfi Coast", located in Southern Italy; "Fendi", a luxury goods company; and "The Bloomberg Luxury Accommodation Group", that is partly owned by Calangian and Zobel families which is located around the world and caters to Hollywood-millionaire types.[9]
Reception
"Upgrade U" has received mixed reviews. Eb Haynes of Allhiphop called the track "the finest of the Bonnie and Clyde, Ride or Die series".[10] He also commented that the song was "consistent with B's assertiveness".[10] Sarah Rodman of The Boston Globe wrote that Beyoncé "declares herself an equal" and "disturbingly conflates transforming her man into a leader".[8] Chris Williams of The Washington Post described the track a reflection of "buy-me-love sentiments".[7] Andy Kellman of Allmusic considered "Upgrade U" the "most potent track on the album" which he described as a "low-slung Cameron Wallace production where Beyoncé wears and buys the pants while making her proposition sound more like empowerment than emasculation".[11] Tim Finney of Pitchfork Media called it a "stiffly blaring" track.[12] Mike Joseph of Popmatters considered that "['Upgrade U'] survives not due to B’s singing, but due to the natural chemistry that she and Jay have."[13] Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine found "['Upgrade U'] could very well be a Destiny's Child track".[14] Bernard Zuel of The Sydney Morning Herald referred to it as a "mechanical" track.[15] Phil Harrison of Timeout commented that "['Upgrade U'] hints at ambivalence towards bling aspirations."[16] Carolyn Davis of US Magazine found it a "catchy track" where Beyoncé and Jay-Z "address rumors they're getting engaged".[17] Entertainment Weekly's The 10 Best Songs of 2007 listed "Upgrade U" at number five behind Justin Timberlake's "LoveStoned/I Think She Knows", while Joy Rosen complimented the collaboration of Beyoncé and Jay-Z in the song as "both halves of music's power couple pay tribute to the virtues of materialism."[6]
2 Pistols' debut single "She Got It" which features T-Pain phrases "let me upgrade u" has been used on his 2008 debut album, Death Before Dishonor.
Fabolous' "Make Me Better" featuring Ne-Yo phrases "front page ya" has been used on From Nothin' to Somethin'.
The phrase "let me upgrade U" from the song has been used in Lil' Mama's "Lip Gloss",[18] Kanye West's first verse in the freestyle of Rich Boy's "Throw Some D's",[19] and Bow Wow's rap verse on the remix of Paula DeAnda's "Easy".[20] Lil Wayne performed a freestyle over the beat of "Upgrade U" on his mixtape Da Drought 3.[21]
After the release of B'Day, and before its release as a single, the song gained popularity on R&B and hip hop radio stations in the U.S.;[22] consequently, it entered the U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, and later the Billboard Hot 100 at number ninety-two on November 9, 2006. The song was released as a twelve-inch promotional single on November 27,[1] after which it reached number fifty-nine on the Hot 100 and number eleven on the R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.[23] "Upgrade U" remained on the Hot 100 for eighteen non-consecutive weeks.[24]
Music video
The music video for "Upgrade U" was shot during the two-week filming for B'Day Anthology Video Album. It was directed by Melina and Beyoncé, and shot between "Kitty Kat" and "Green Light" for a day and a half. Jay-Z performed his rap scenes after Beyoncé studied her part.[25] In the video, Beyoncé pretends as Jay-Z during the second rap; she later commented that she was "out of her character" or the character "people think" she is.[25]
It premiered on February 28, 2007 on BET's 106 & Park – the same day as the video for Beyoncé's other single release, "Beautiful Liar" featuring Shakira, on TRL. The music video for "Upgrade U" peaked at number six on 106 & Park; in the UK, the music video peaked at number one on MTV Base's Base Chart Show on May 16.[26]
In the beginning of the video, Beyoncé is seen mouthing the words of Jay-Z's lyrics, dressed in masculine, hip-hop style clothing. She is later seen wearing vintage Cazal 907 sunglasses and singing in the backseat of a Rolls Royce. During the choruses, she dances in a gold minidress in front of a group of male back-up dancers. She continues the Jay-Z imitation through his rapped verse, and halfway through it, Jay-Z appears to finish the rap himself. Beyoncé is seen amidst gold watches and jewelry, continuing the motif of luxury that is alluded to in the song.
The music video has been used as a commercial advertising high definition satellite television from DirecTV; portions of the video were re-shot for her announcement.[27]
Formats and track listings
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Credits and personnel
- Lead vocals: Beyoncé Knowles, Jay-Z
- Mixed by Jason Goldstein
- Mixing assistance: Steve Tolle
- Recorded by Jim Caruana at Sony Music Studios, New York City
- Assisted by Rob Kinelski
Charts
| Chart (2006-2007) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Romanian Singles Chart | 21 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100[23] | 59 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs | 11 |
| UK Singles Chart | 176 |
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "BEYONCE feat JAY Z - Upgrade U". Juno Records. Retrieved June 28, 2007.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Album notes for B'Day deluxe edition. Sony Music BMG Entertainment.
- ↑ Reid, Shaheem (2007-08-30). "Beyonce Album Preview: Harder Sound, Aggressive Songs Among B'Day's Gifts". MTV News. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1539691/20060829/knowles_beyonce.jhtml. Retrieved 2007-12-27.
- ↑ "Beyonce - Biography". Music World Entertainment. http://www.musicworldentertainment.com/beyonce.php. Retrieved 2008-02-11.
- ↑ "Digital Sheet Music: Upgrade U". Musicnotes. Hal Leonard Corporation. http://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/scorch.asp?ppn=SC0034387. Retrieved 2007-12-27.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Rosen, Jody (2007-09-01). "Music Review: B'Day (2006)-Beyonce Knowles". Entertainment Weekly. http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,1516025,00.html. Retrieved 2007-12-28.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Williams, Chris (2006-09-06). "Beyonce's 'B'Day' Is Nothing to Celebrate". The Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/05/AR2006090501475.html. Retrieved 2008-02-10.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Rodman, Sarah (2006-09-04). "Beyonce shows rage and range on new release". The Boston Globe. The New York Times Company. http://www.boston.com/news/globe/living/articles/2006/09/04/beyonce_shows_rage_and_range_on_new_release/. Retrieved 2008-02-10.
- ↑ Reid, Shaheem; Cobbin-Wooten, Raslyn (2006-12-20). "Luxury Ties, Fancy Suites: A Guide To Beyonce And Jay-Z's 'Upgrade U'". MTV News. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1548533/20061219/jay_z.jhtml. Retrieved 2008-08-07.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Haynes, Eb (2006-09-20). "B'Day". Allhiphop. http://allhiphop.com/stories/reviews/archive/2006/09/20/18134780.aspx. Retrieved 2008-02-10.
- ↑ Kellman, Andy. "B'Day". Allmusic. Macrovision Company. http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:0cfyxqqdld6e. Retrieved 2008-02-10.
- ↑ Finney, Time (2006-09-07). "Beyoncé: B'Day". Pitchfork Media. http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/38328-bday. Retrieved 2008-02-10.
- ↑ Joseph, Mike (2006-09-11). "Beyoncé: B-Day". Popmatters. http://www.popmatters.com/pm/music/reviews/5216/beyonce-b-day/. Retrieved 2008-02-10.
- ↑ Cinquemani, Sal. "Beyoncé: B'Day". Slant Magazine. http://www.slantmagazine.com/music/music_review.asp?ID=950. Retrieved 2008-02-10.
- ↑ Zuel, Bernard (2006-09-08). "B'Day". The Sydney Morning Herald. http://www.smh.com.au/news/cd-reviews/bday/2006/09/08/1157222307561.html. Retrieved 2008-02-10.
- ↑ Harrison, Phil (2006-08-25). "Beyoncé: B'Day". Timeout. http://www.timeout.com/london/music/review/audio/426/beyonce_b-day.html. Retrieved 2008-02-10.
- ↑ Davis, Carolyn. "B-Day: Beyoncé’s back and branching out with a more mature sound". US Magazine. US Weekly. http://www.usmagazine.com/node/560. Retrieved 2008-02-10.
- ↑ "Lil' Mama Lip Gloss Lyrics". Metro Lyrics. http://www.metrolyrics.com/lip-gloss-lyrics-lil-mama.html. Retrieved 2008-08-08.
- ↑ "Rich Boy Throw Some D's Lyrics". Metro Lyrics. http://www.metrolyrics.com/throw-some-ds-lyrics-rich-boy.html. Retrieved 2008-08-08.
- ↑ "Paula Deanda Easy Lyrics". Metrolyrics. http://www.metrolyrics.com/easy-lyrics-paula-deanda.html. Retrieved 2008-08-08.
- ↑ metrolyrics.com/upgrade-lyrics-lil-wayne.html "Lil' Wayne Upgrade Lyrics". Metrolyrics. http://www.metrolyrics.com/upgrade-lyrics-lil-wayne.html. Retrieved 2008-08-09.
- ↑ Caulfield, Keith. "Ask Billboard - Replacing Irreplaceable". Billboard. December 29, 2006. Retrieved February 8, 2007.
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 "Beyoncé - Artist Chart History - Singles". Billboard. Retrieved February 8, 2007.
- ↑ "Beyoncé and Jay-Z - Upgrade U". aCharts.us. Retrieved June 28, 2007.
- ↑ 25.0 25.1 Vineyard, Jennifer. "Beyonce: Behind The B’Day Videos". MTV. MTV Network. http://www.mtv.com/bands/b/beyonce/videos_07/news_feature_040207/index3.jhtml. Retrieved 2008-02-10.
- ↑ "Beyonce Sets Billboard Chart Record as 'Beautiful Liar'". PR Newswire. 2007-03-29.
- ↑ Fiutak, Pete (2007-11-27). "Cavalcade of Whimsy - The Coaching Situations". Scout. http://michigan.scout.com/a.z?s=162&p=2&c=705819. Retrieved 2008-08-07.
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