21 Questions

For the guessing game, see Twenty Questions.
"21 Questions"
Single by 50 Cent featuring Nate Dogg
from the album Get Rich or Die Tryin'
Released April 29, 2003
Format 12" single
Recorded 2002
Genre Hip hop, R&B
Length 3:44
Label Aftermath, Interscope, Shady
Writer(s) 50 Cent, Kevin Risto, Jimmy Cameron & Vela M. Cameron
Producer Dirty Swift of Midi Mafia
Certification

3x platinum (RIAA)

Platinum (ARIA)
50 Cent chronology
"Magic Stick"
(2003)		 "21 Questions"
(2003)		 "P.I.M.P."
(2003)
Nate Dogg chronology
"Gangsta Nation"
(2003)		 "21 Questions"
(2003)		 "The Set Up"
(2004)
Get Rich or Die Tryin' track listing
"Poor Little Rich"
(13)		 "21 Questions"
(14)		 "Don't Push Me"
(15)

"21 Questions" is a song performed by American rapper 50 Cent and Nate Dogg. The song was written by 50 Cent, K. Risto, J. Cameron, and V. Cameron for 50 Cent's commercial debut album Get Rich or Die Tryin' (2003). Released in 2003 as the album's second single, it became his second number one song in the United States after "In Da Club". It reached number six in the UK Singles Chart while "In Da Club" was at #23, giving him the rare feat of having two singles in the Top 30 at the same time. The track was produced by Dirty Swift of Midi Mafia and samples elements from Barry White's "It's Only Love Doing Its Thing". R&B singer Lil' Mo created the answer-back remix titled "21 Answers". Her version received decent airplay, and was often merged together with 50 Cent's version for club play. While the title of the song is "21 Questions," 50 Cent actually asks 22 questions in the duration of the song.

Contents

Background

When producer Dr. Dre worked with 50 Cent on his debut album, he stated that he did not want the song on the album. According to 50 Cent, "Dre was, like, 'How you goin' to be gangsta this and that and then put this sappy love song on?'" 50 Cent responded saying, "I'm two people. I've always had to be two people since I was a kid, to get by. To me that's not diversity, it's necessity."[1]

Music video

The music video was directed by Damon Johnson, Dr. Dre and Phillip Atwell in March 2003.[2] It depicts 50 Cent arrested and confined to prison, where he tries to keep in touch with his girlfriend, played by Meagan Good. In prison, he is constantly harangued by rival inmate (Tyson Beckford). The video ends with a continuation of the beginning, showing 50 Cent and his girlfriend watching from their home as the police arrest Beckford instead; the prison scenes are revealed to be a hypothetical scenario imagined by a worried 50 Cent. The video has cameo appearances by G-Unit and Nate Dogg, who sings the chorus and the outro.[2] The video concept can also be originated from Nate Dogg's "Never Leave Me Alone".

On April 15, 2003, the video debuted on MTV's Total Request Live at number six, reached number one two days later, and stayed on the chart for 50 days.[2][3] It also reached number two on the MuchMusic video charts.[4]

Track listings

  1. 21 Questions (album version)[5]
  2. Soldier (50 Cent & G-Unit freestyle)[5]
  3. 21 Questions (live from New York)[5]
  4. 21 Questions (video)[5]

Official versions

  1. 21 Questions (Album Version) / (Album Version - Explicit)
  2. 21 Questions (Live from New York)
  3. 21 Answers

A remix was released which featured American R&B singer Monica.

Credits and personnel

Charts

Chart (2003) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[6] 4
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 75)[7] 39
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[8] 37
Belgium (Ultratop 40 Wallonia)[9] 36
Canada (Canadian Singles Chart)[10] 5
Denmark (Tracklisten)[11] 18
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[12] 20
France (SNEP)[13] 58
Germany (Media Control AG)[14] 35
Ireland (IRMA)[15] 11
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[16] 8
New Zealand (RIANZ)[17] 8
Norway (VG-lista)[18] 15
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[19] 34
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[20] 14
UK Singles (The Official Charts Company)[21] 6
US Billboard Hot 100[22] 1
US Pop Songs (Billboard)[23] 6
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[24] 1
US Rap Songs (Billboard)[25] 1

Chart Procession/Succession

Preceded by
"Get Busy" by Sean Paul		 Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks number-one single
May 3, 2003 – June 14, 2003		 Succeeded by
"So Gone" by Monica
Billboard Hot 100 number-one single
May 31, 2003 – June 21, 2003		 Succeeded by
"This Is the Night" by Clay Aiken

References

  1. ^ Allison Samuels, February 21, 2007. The Flip Side of 50 Cent. MSNBC. Accessed July 7, 2007.
  2. ^ a b c Reid, Shaheem (May 2, 2003). 50 Cent: Still Hungry After 4 Million Records. MTV. Accessed July 7, 2007.
  3. ^ TRL Archive Debuts. Popfusion. Accessed July 7, 2007.
  4. ^ Universal Urban (April 24, 2007). 50 Cent's new album, Curtis, takes Hip-Hop to the bank. Accessed July 7, 2007.
  5. ^ a b c d "21 Questions - 50 Cent". allmusic. 04/13/11. http://www.allmusic.com/album/21-questions-r645247. Retrieved 14 April 2011. 
  6. ^ "Australian-charts.com – 50 Cent – 21 Questions". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Hung Medien. Retrieved January 3, 2012.
  7. ^ "50 Cent – 21 Questions – Austriancharts.at" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Hung Medien. Retrieved January 3, 2012.
  8. ^ "Ultratop.be – 50 Cent – 21 Questions" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Ultratop & Hung Medien / hitparade.ch. Retrieved January 3, 2012.
  9. ^ "Ultratop.be – 50 Cent – 21 Questions" (in French). Ultratop 40. Ultratop & Hung Medien / hitparade.ch. Retrieved January 3, 2012.
  10. ^ "50 Cent > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/50-cent-p372609/charts-awards/billboard-singles. Retrieved January 3, 2012. 
  11. ^ "Danishcharts.com – 50 Cent – 21 Questions". Tracklisten. Hung Medien. Retrieved January 3, 2012.
  12. ^ "Finnishcharts.com – 50 Cent – 21 Questions". Suomen virallinen lista. Hung Medien. Retrieved January 3, 2012.
  13. ^ "Lescharts.com – 50 Cent – 21 Questions" (in French). Les classement single. Hung Medien. Retrieved January 3, 2012.
  14. ^ "Die ganze Musik im Internet: Charts, News, Neuerscheinungen, Tickets, Genres, Genresuche, Genrelexikon, Künstler-Suche, Musik-Suche, Track-Suche, Ticket-Suche - musicline.de" (in German). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH. Retrieved January 3, 2012.
  15. ^ "Chart Track". Irish Singles Chart. Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved January 3, 2012.
  16. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 31, 2003" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 Stichting Nederlandse Top 40. Retrieved January 3, 2012.
  17. ^ "Charts.org.nz – 50 Cent – 21 Questions". Top 40 Singles. Hung Medien. Retrieved January 3, 2012.
  18. ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – 50 Cent – 21 Questions". VG-lista. Hung Medien. Retrieved January 3, 2012.
  19. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – 50 Cent – 21 Questions". Singles Top 60. Hung Medien. Retrieved January 3, 2012.
  20. ^ "50 Cent – 21 Questions – swisscharts.com". Swiss Singles Chart. Hung Medien. Retrieved January 3, 2012.
  21. ^ "Archive Chart" UK Singles Chart. The Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 3, 2012.
  22. ^ "50 Cent Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Hot 100 for 50 Cent. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved January 3, 2012.
  23. ^ "50 Cent Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Pop Songs for 50 Cent. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved January 3, 2012.
  24. ^ "50 Cent Album & Song Chart History" Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Songs for 50 Cent. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved January 3, 2012.
  25. ^ "50 Cent Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Rap Songs for 50 Cent. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved January 3, 2012.

External links

50 Cent singles
Power of the Dollar
Get Rich or Die Tryin'
The Massacre
Get Rich or Die Tryin' OST
Curtis
Before I Self Destruct
Other singles
Notable songs
Featured singles
Nate Dogg
Studio albums
Compilation albums
Collaboration albums
Featured singles
Related articles