| I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me) | |
| Cover: | Ijustwannaloveu.jpg |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | Jay-Z |
| Released: | October 17, 2000 |
| Recorded: | 2000 |
| Studio: | Baseline Studios (New York City, New York) |
| Length: | 3:47 |
| Producer: | The Neptunes |
| Chronology: | Jay-Z |
| Prev Title: | Is That Your Chick (The Lost Verses) |
| Prev Year: | 2000 |
| Next Title: | Change the Game |
| Next Year: | 2001 |
"I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)" is a song by American rapper Jay-Z, released as the first single from his 2000 album . It was produced by the Neptunes and features a chorus performed by Neptunes member Pharrell and Pennsylvania rapper Omillio Sparks, both of whom remain uncredited. The video for the song, directed by David Meyers, features cameos from rappers Lil' Kim, Lil' Cease, Damon Dash, Beanie Sigel, Memphis Bleek, Jermaine Dupri and actor John Witherspoon.
Janet Jackson included the song in a dance breakdown during "Nasty" on her All for You Tour. The song was also featured during Coldplay's Viva tour as pre-show music, a reference due to Jay-Z's feature on the track "Lost!". Beyoncé also included the song in the "Crazy in Love" breakdown on her I Am World Tour.
Jay-Z's first verse interpolates The Notorious B.I.G.'s song "The World Is Filled..." from the album Life After Death, as well as an interpolation from "I Wish" by Carl Thomas (the line "and I wish I never met her at all".) The chorus of the song is interpolated from "Give It to Me Baby" by Rick James.
During a spot on Bill Maher's talk show, Jay-Z revealed the song was based on a true story, about real life events that occurred during a Mary J. Blige afterparty. AllMusic's Steve Birchmeier considers "I Just Wanna Love U" to be "a fun, playful song miles away from the rugged Ruff Ryder beats Swizz Beatz had been offering Jay-Z a year earlier."[1] In addition, Rob Marriott of Rolling Stone and Steve Juon of RapReviews.com describe it as a club-ready[2] track that will get "whips hopping from coast to coast.".[3] The single eventually became the first Jay-Z single to reach number one on the Hip-Hop/R&B chart. The song was voted number one by Complex for their Best Songs of the Decade list.[4] The song peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100, number one on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, number 3 on Billboards Hot Rap Songs chart, and number 17 on the UK Singles Chart.
Britney Spears said she was inspired by Jay-Z and "I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)" to work with the song's producers the Neptunes for her Britney album, saying "for this album I was really inspired by Jay-Z and the Neptunes, those were the two people I really listened to." Spears' single "I'm a Slave 4 U", released the following year, was produced by the Neptunes and became a defining hit in her career.
The music video on YouTube has received over 35 million views as of May 2024.[5]
| Chart (2001) | Position | |
|---|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100[7] | 56 | |
| US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[8] | 23 |