| "Rock the Boat" | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Single by Aaliyah | |||||||||||||||||||
| from the album Aaliyah | |||||||||||||||||||
| A-side | "More Than a Woman" | ||||||||||||||||||
| Released | August 11, 2001 March 5, 2002 May 6, 2002 |
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| Format | CD single, vinyl single, 12" single, cassette | ||||||||||||||||||
| Recorded | 2000 Manhattan Center (New York City, New York) |
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| Genre | R&B, pop, reggae fusion, neo soul | ||||||||||||||||||
| Length | 4:35 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Label | Blackground/Virgin Records | ||||||||||||||||||
| Writer(s) | Static Major, Eric Seats, Rapture Stewart | ||||||||||||||||||
| Producer | Keybeats | ||||||||||||||||||
| Aaliyah singles chronology | |||||||||||||||||||
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"Rock the Boat" is an R&B song written by Static Major, Eric Seats and Rapture Stewart for Aaliyah's third studio album, Aaliyah (2001). It was produced by Keybeats and released as the album's second single in North America in August 2001 (see 2001 in music) and as the 3rd international single during the first quarter of 2002 (see 2002 in music). The song was nominated for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance in the 44th Annual Grammy Awards. This is Aaliyah's last single released in her lifetime. The song uses an interpolation of the Westminster Quarters. It is in the key of B♭ with a moderately slow tempo in a 4/4 time signature with an 8/8 half time shuffle groove similar to songs such as Toto's "Africa" and Hues Corporation's 1973 hit of the same name. The words "high" and "dope" were censored on MTV because of the drug connotation.
In an issue of Vibe magazine, it was revealed the song was written at least two years before its actual release, but never recorded because her label didn't think she was ready for a song with sensual lyrics that "Rock the Boat" entailed.
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Aaliyah appeared on BET's 106 & Park on August 21, 2001 and announced the video shoot would start the following day, August 22, 2001, and the video would be released in early September. She also announced that "More Than a Woman" would be released as a back-to-back single.
The music video for the song was directed by Hype Williams. It features Aaliyah walking on a beach having been inspired by the poem "Footprints", also dancing on a yacht, and on water in Marsh Harbour and swimming in the ocean. Aaliyah appears to be dancing on water, in a CGI scene. She also dances with other women, as there are no men in the video. The dance routine was choreographed by Aaliyah's close friend Fatima Robinson. Filming started on August 22, 2001 and made its world premiere on BET's Access Granted on October 9th, 2001. It remains the highest rated and most viewed Access Granted episode in the series' history.[1]
On August 25, 2001, Aaliyah and eight others were killed in an airplane crash in Bahamas after filming the music video for "Rock the Boat". The investigation of the crash found that the plane was over its total gross weight by 700 pounds and was loaded with one more passenger than it was allowed to carry. The pilot, Luis Morales III, was not duly licensed at the time of the accident, and had traces of cocaine and alcohol in his system.[2]
"Rock the Boat" was included on Channel V's Vault's countdown for the top 10 beach scenes in music videos and became the first video to be played twice as a "New Joint of the Day" on BET's music countdown show, 106 & Park. After making the countdown more than 65 times, the video was retired and inducted into 106 & Park's "Hall of Fame". The follow-up "More than a Woman" made the number-one spot after "Rock the Boat" was retired. "Rock the Boat" appeared at #2 on the BET: Notarized Top 100 Videos of 2001.
On the Billboard Hot 100, the song entered on the chart September 8, 2001 at number fifty-seven[3] and peaked at number 14 in its twelfth week.[4] The song stayed on the chart for twenty-five weeks.[5]
The song reached the top twenty of Belgium (Wallonia), Netherlands and United Kingdom. "Rock the Boat" still receives heavy rotation on worldwide radio stations among other Aaliyah hits.
| Chart (2001–02) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Singles Chart[6] | 49 |
| Belgian Singles Chart (Flanders)[6] | 43 |
| Belgian Singles Chart (Wallonia)[7] | 9 |
| Dutch Singles Chart[6] | 12 |
| German Singles Chart[6] | 70 |
| Swiss Singles Chart[6] | 59 |
| UK Singles Chart[6] | 12 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100[6] | 14 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs[6] | 2 |
| U.S. Billboard Top 40 Tracks[6] | 3 |
| U.S. Billboard Rhythmic Top 40[6] | 1 |
| Chart (2002) | Position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100[8] | 85 |
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