Ghetto Story (song)

"Ghetto Story"
Single by Cham featuring Alicia Keys & Akon
from the album Ghetto Story
Released	June 28, 2006
Format	CD single, 12" single
Recorded	2005
Genre	Dancehall, Reggae fusion
Length	4:17 (original version) 4:25 (w/Akon) 4:42 (Remix w/Alicia Keys and Akon)
Label	Madhouse/Atlantic
Writer(s)	Dameon Beckett, Alicia Keys, Aliaune Thiam[1]
Producer	Dave Kelly
Certification	Platinum (RIAA)
Cham singles chronology
"Vitamin S" (2005) "Ghetto Story" (2006) "Rude Boy Pledge" (2006)
Alicia Keys singles chronology "Unbreakable" (2006) "Ghetto Story" (2006) "Every Little Bit Hurts" (2006)

"Ghetto Story" is a dancehall/ragga single performed by dancehall artist Baby Cham signed to Atlantic Records. It was the first single to be released off his album called Ghetto Story. The song is most known for its reggae fusion remix called "Ghetto Story Chapter 2" featuring Alicia Keys. The single has peaked at number 77 on the Billboard Hot 100 trajectory, number 15 on the Billboards Hot Hip Hop/R&B Singles, and number 13 on the Billboards Rap Tracks. It received heavy airplay on MTV2 and BET, and some airplay on Canada's MuchMusic. The song is about growing up in the ghetto and how it was for Cham in his younger years. The video entered BET's 106 & Park at number 9 peaked at number 5, making it one of the very few reggae videos to reach the top 5 on that countdown. Another remix features singer Akon. Rapper Lil Wayne has freestyled over the instrumental.

Contents 1 Song information 2 Music video 3 Track listings 4 Versions 5 Charts 6 References

Song information

“

Here's my, ghetto story. Been in hell through the fire, now, gonna take it higher. Here's my survival story. So many reasons to sing now, plus now we got the keys to the kingdom.

”

These are the lyrics to the intro sung by Alicia Keys. The overall feel of the song is rage and celebration that the two have made it out of the ghetto and out of their early struggles.

The lyrics are very informative as Cham and Alicia Keys explain how it felt to live in the ghetto. Cham says A lot of people like the song for its lyrics and overall feel of the song. These are the first two lines in Cham's opening verse:

“

I remember those days when Hell was my home. And me and Mama bed was a big piece of foam.

”

In the official remix, which also includes singer Akon, he explains his way of living in the ghetto, and how he made it, the lines in his opening verse:

“

See I was poor like many men, and didn't have nothin'. Came to America, trying to make somethin' out of somethin'. See we Africans we like hunting. Found my way up to the top like it wasn't nothin.

”

The song uses the "85" riddim.

Music video

"Ghetto Story"'s video is the Chapter 2 featuring Alicia Keys. It was shot in Jamaica by Sanaa Hamri. It shows the storyline of the lyrics and what it was like for Cham and Alicia Keys to live in a ghetto area. The unofficial video was put on MTV in late March. The video premiered on BET's 106 & Park on August 8, 2006 and entered the countdown three weeks later to debut at number nine and stay there for four days in a row. Eventually it peaked at number five.

Track listings

• CD 1

1. "Ghetto Story Chapter 2" (featuring Alicia Keys) (Dameon Beckett, Dave Kelly, Alicia Keys) – 4:46
2. "Hood" (Dameon Beckett, Dave Kelly) – 4:30

• CD 2

1. "Ghetto Story Chapter 2" (featuring Alicia Keys) (Dameon Beckett, Dave Kelly, Alicia Keys) – 4:46
2. "Ghetto Story" (Album Version) (Dameon Beckett, Dave Kelly) – 4:12
3. "Hood" (Dameon Beckett, Dave Kelly) – 7:01
4. "Mytone" (CD-ROM Track)

Versions

• "Ghetto Story Chapter 1" (Cham)
• "Ghetto Story Chapter 2" (Cham featuring Alicia Keys)
• "Ghetto Story Chapter 3" (Cham featuring Akon)
• "Ghetto Story Chapter 4" (Cham featuring Alicia Keys and Akon)

Charts

Chart (Original) (2006)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	99
U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs	22
U.S. Billboard Hot Rap Tracks	15
UK Singles Chart	62

Chart (Chapter Two featuring Alicia Keys) (2006)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	77
U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs	15
U.S. Billboard Hot Rap Tracks	13

References

Akon Discography Awards and nominations Albums Trouble Konvicted Freedom Stadium Singles "Locked Up" "Ghetto" "Lonely" "Belly Dancer (Bananza)" "Pot of Gold" "Smack That" "I Wanna Love You" "Don't Matter" "Mama Africa" "Sorry, Blame It on Me" "Right Now (Na Na Na)" "I'm So Paid" "Beautiful" "Oh Africa" "Angel" "Give It to 'Em" "Take It Down Low" Featured singles "Find Us" "Soul Survivor" "Moonshine" "Girls" "Snitch" "I Am Not My Hair" "The Sweet Escape" "I Tried" "We Takin' Over" "Bartender" "Speaker" "Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill)" "Hypnotized" "Get Buck in Here" "I'll Still Kill" "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 2008" "What You Got" "Dangerous" "Frozen" "What's Love" "Out Here Grindin" "Body on Me" "Am I Dreaming" "Wake It Up" "Day Dreaming" "One" "Just Go" "Stuck with Each Other" "Overtime" "All Up 2 You" "Sexy Bitch" "Let's Get Crazy" "On Top" "Shut It Down" "Push Push" "Body Bounce" "Move That Body" "Who Dat Girl" "Hold My Hand" "Kush" "I Just Had Sex" "Famous" Promotional singles "I Can't Wait" "Holla Holla" "Troublemaker" "We Don't Care" Other songs "Hold My Hand (Michael Jackson and Akon song)" "Operations of Nature" "Blood Into Gold" "We Are the World 25 for Haiti" "Chammak Challo" Book Category

Alicia Keys singles Songs in A Minor "Fallin'" • "A Woman's Worth" • "How Come You Don't Call Me" • "Girlfriend" The Diary of Alicia Keys "You Don't Know My Name" • "If I Ain't Got You" • "Diary" • "Karma" Unplugged "Unbreakable" • "Every Little Bit Hurts" As I Am "No One" • "Like You'll Never See Me Again" • "Teenage Love Affair" • "Superwoman" The Element of Freedom "Doesn't Mean Anything" • "Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart" • "Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down" • "Un-Thinkable (I'm Ready)" • "Put It in a Love Song" • "Wait Til You See My Smile" Other singles "Gangsta Lovin'" • "My Boo" • "Ghetto Story Chapter 2" • "Another Way to Die" • "Empire State of Mind" • "Looking for Paradise" • "Fireworks" • "All of the Lights" • "Speechless" • "International Party"