I Ain't Thru
Encyclopedia
"I Ain't Thru" is a song by American singer Keyshia Cole
. It features Trinidadian rapper Nicki Minaj
rapping the second verse of the song. Written by Cole, Minaj and Russell Gonzalez, the up-tempo hip hop
/R&B
song is the lead single
taken from Cole's fourth studio album Calling All Hearts
. The song's lyrics revolve around Cole trying to do her own thing well while maintaining ignorance toward people that are against her. It was produced by The ARE and Ron Fair
as Cole's 'statement record'.
It was released for digital download
in the United States on December 7, 2010. "I Ain't Thru" was described by critics as the most grit-flecked Cole has ever sounded. It was moderately successful across the airplay formats as it debuted on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
chart at number seventy-eight on November 18, 2010. In subsequent weeks, the single peaked at number fifty-four. An accompanying music video for "I Ain't Thru", directed by Benny Boom
, was premiered on November 12, 2010 alongside the music video for follow-up single "Long Way Down
".
, with lines like "I took the spot, She's Gone. Poof!" being subliminal and direct at the rapper.
.
US and Canadian Mega-Deluxe EP
Keyshia Cole
Keyshia Myeshia Cole Gibson born October 15, 1981) is an American singer–songwriter and actress. She gained nationwide acclaim when her 2005 debut album, The Way It Is went platinum. Her sophomore album Just Like You went into production shortly after that and was released in September 2007...
. It features Trinidadian rapper Nicki Minaj
Nicki Minaj
Onika Tanya Maraj , better known by her stage name Nicki Minaj; ), is a Trinidadian-born American recording artist...
rapping the second verse of the song. Written by Cole, Minaj and Russell Gonzalez, the up-tempo hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
/R&B
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
song is the lead single
Lead single
A lead single is usually the first single released by a musician or a band before the release of its home album.During the era of the grammophone record, all music arrived in the marketplace as what is now termed a single, one potential hit song backed by an additional song of generally less...
taken from Cole's fourth studio album Calling All Hearts
Calling All Hearts
Calling All Hearts is the fourth studio album by American R&B singer Keyshia Cole, released December 21, 2010 in the United States by Geffen Records. Appearances on the album include Nicki Minaj, Tank, Faith Evans, Timbaland and Yvonne Cole....
. The song's lyrics revolve around Cole trying to do her own thing well while maintaining ignorance toward people that are against her. It was produced by The ARE and Ron Fair
Ron Fair
Ron Fair is a veteran A&R executive, record producer arranger, recording engineer and songwriter. In a career that has spanned over 30 years at major record labels he has produced and arranged hits for several artists, but he is best known as a "guru/mentor", guiding the careers of unknown artists...
as Cole's 'statement record'.
It was released for digital download
Music download
A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment...
in the United States on December 7, 2010. "I Ain't Thru" was described by critics as the most grit-flecked Cole has ever sounded. It was moderately successful across the airplay formats as it debuted on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
chart at number seventy-eight on November 18, 2010. In subsequent weeks, the single peaked at number fifty-four. An accompanying music video for "I Ain't Thru", directed by Benny Boom
Benny Boom
Benny Boom is a music video director and current director of Gorilla Flix, Inc. He trained at Temple University's School of Radio, Television, & Film, and also served as a protégé of veteran director Little X and Hype Williams....
, was premiered on November 12, 2010 alongside the music video for follow-up single "Long Way Down
Long Way Down (Keyshia Cole song)
Long Way Down is a promo single by R&B artist Keyshia Cole from her fourth studio album "Calling All Hearts". This single was produced J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League. -Song Information:...
".
Background
Cole has admitted that she should not have released 'I Ain't Thru' as the lead single. She stated, “The label didn’t really want to drop the record because they knew … that people wanted a more intense, soulful record from me about love and I really should have followed (their) direction,” she said. “But I wanted that to be a statement record. It’s like saying, ‘I’m doing me, you know. I don’t have no regrets for nothing that I’m doing.’” Some speculate that Minaj's verse in the song is a diss at Lil' KimLil' Kim
Kimberly Denise Jones , better known by her stage name Lil' Kim, is an American rapper and actress who was a member of the group Junior M.A.F.I.A.....
, with lines like "I took the spot, She's Gone. Poof!" being subliminal and direct at the rapper.
Music video
The video premiered on November 12, 2010. The production of the video was shot in Los Angeles. The visual was overseen by Benny BoomBenny Boom
Benny Boom is a music video director and current director of Gorilla Flix, Inc. He trained at Temple University's School of Radio, Television, & Film, and also served as a protégé of veteran director Little X and Hype Williams....
.
Charts
| Chart (2011) | Peak position |
|---|---|
Tracks
US standard digital download- "I Ain't Thru" (Featuring Nicki Minaj) (Clean or Explicit) - 3:59
US and Canadian Mega-Deluxe EP
- "I Ain't Thru" (Explicit Version featuring Nicki Minaj) - 3:59
- "I Ain't Thru" (Clean Version featuring Nicki Minaj) - 3:59
- "I Ain't Thru" (Explicit Leak Mix featuring Nicki Minaj) - 4:04
- "I Ain't Thru" (Clean Leak Mix featuring Nicki Minaj) - 4:04
- "I Ain't Thru" (Video) - 4:08
Release history
| Country | Date | Format | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | December 7, 2010 | Digital download Music download A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment... |
Geffen Geffen Records Geffen Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-Beginnings:... |