Lost & Found
Encyclopedia
Lost and Found is the fourth studio album released by Will Smith
. It was released in the spring of 2005 and was certified gold by the RIAA. This album features the single "Switch".
after several releases with Columbia
. It is also his first studio album since Born to Reign
. Released in early 2005, the album features the hit single "Switch
". Guest artists on the album include Mary J. Blige
, Snoop Dogg
, Ludacris
and long-time partner DJ Jazzy Jeff
. The title comes from how he felt he was "lost" since he's put rap primarily on hold to do films, and "found" because he's back again. The album cover features Smith with a street sign saying West Philly & Hollywood in reference to his Philadelphia roots and current Hollywood life as a superstar. The album is consistent in its critiques of the perceived state of hip hop
, and the album has gained some notoriety because of a track entitled "Mr. Nice Guy", in which he takes slight shots at those who have criticized him in the past, namely Wendy Williams, Larry Elder
, and Eminem
. The first track "Here He Comes" features Will rapping about his return to rap & versatility (a common theme), sampling the classic Spider-Man
theme song from the 1960s cartoon. Other tracks include "If U Can't Dance (Slide)" which includes the "Women equate dance with sex" line that appears in Smith's movie Hitch
; along with a song about a real life stalker ("Loretta") while "Ms. Holy Roller" deals with his view that extremist Christians are just as bad as the extremists who committed the terrorist bombings of 9/11, as well as aspects of his own faith and his ex-wife's conversion to Christianity. Both the title track & "I Wish I Made That/Swagga" deal with Smith commenting on current hip-hop. "I Wish I Made That/Swagga" is really two short songs, with the first half ("I Wish I Made That") talking about critiques of him not being "black enough" and black radio not playing his music despite high record sales. It references recent rap hits including Jay-Z's
"Dirt Off Your Shoulder
", Terror Squad's
"Lean Back
", Snoop Dogg's
(who is a guest artist on "Pump Ya Brakes") "Drop It Like It's Hot
" as well as Smith's own 1991 hit "Summertime
" from his DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince
days. The second half (aka "Swagga") is about his return to rap ("I got my swagga [swagger] back"). In "Lost & Found" he speaks how he doesn't do the standard "sex, drugs and violence" songs as found in popular gangsta rap
and the similarities and stereotypes of current hip-hop. This also contains only very light language, such as occasional use of the word "damn", but never any "explicit
" curse words, which is very common in the modern hip-hop genre. The track "Tell Me Why" is one of Will's most emotional and dark tracks. It tells about senseless violence, about how love is unable to defeat hate on this earth. "Tell Me Why" was originally planned to be Will's second single but producers of "Party Starter
" started mixing a new version for the song already. Lost and Found was certified Gold by the RIAA on July 6, 2005.
Will Smith
Willard Christopher "Will" Smith, Jr. , also known by his stage name The Fresh Prince, is an American actor, producer, and rapper. He has enjoyed success in television, film and music. In April 2007, Newsweek called him the most powerful actor in Hollywood...
. It was released in the spring of 2005 and was certified gold by the RIAA. This album features the single "Switch".
Background
The album is Smith's first to be released on Interscope RecordsInterscope Records
Interscope Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that currently operates as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-History:...
after several releases with Columbia
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
. It is also his first studio album since Born to Reign
Born to Reign
Born to Reign is the third solo studio album released by Will Smith. The album was released on Columbia Records in the United States on June 25, 2002 and was considered a drop from his previous level of success, having only reached Gold status by the Recording Industry Association of America ,...
. Released in early 2005, the album features the hit single "Switch
Switch (song)
"Switch" is a single released in 2005 by Will Smith from his album Lost & Found. The song peaked at No. 7 on the United States Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. It reached No. 1 in Canada and Australia where it remained for one week and No. 4 in the United Kingdom...
". Guest artists on the album include Mary J. Blige
Mary J. Blige
Mary Jane Blige is an American singer-songwriter, record producer and occasional actress. She is a recipient of nine Grammy Awards and four American Music Awards, and has recorded eight multi-platinum albums. She is the only artist with Grammy Award wins in Pop, Rap, Gospel, and R&B. Blige has...
, Snoop Dogg
Snoop Dogg
Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school...
, Ludacris
Ludacris
Christopher Brian Bridges , better known by his stage name Ludacris, is an American rapper and actor. Along with his manager, Chaka Zulu, Ludacris is the co-founder of Disturbing tha Peace, an imprint distributed by Def Jam Recordings...
and long-time partner DJ Jazzy Jeff
DJ Jazzy Jeff
Jeffrey Allen Townes , also known as DJ Jazzy Jeff or simply Jazz, is an American hip hop, R&B record producer, turntablist and actor. He is best known for his early career with Will Smith as DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince...
. The title comes from how he felt he was "lost" since he's put rap primarily on hold to do films, and "found" because he's back again. The album cover features Smith with a street sign saying West Philly & Hollywood in reference to his Philadelphia roots and current Hollywood life as a superstar. The album is consistent in its critiques of the perceived state of 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...
, and the album has gained some notoriety because of a track entitled "Mr. Nice Guy", in which he takes slight shots at those who have criticized him in the past, namely Wendy Williams, Larry Elder
Larry Elder
Laurence Allen "Larry" Elder is an American radio and television personality. His radio program The Larry Elder Show airs weekdays 9 AM to noon on talk radio 790 KABC in Los Angeles, California...
, and Eminem
Eminem
Marshall Bruce Mathers III , better known by his stage name Eminem or his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem's popularity brought his group project, D12, to mainstream recognition...
. The first track "Here He Comes" features Will rapping about his return to rap & versatility (a common theme), sampling the classic Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
theme song from the 1960s cartoon. Other tracks include "If U Can't Dance (Slide)" which includes the "Women equate dance with sex" line that appears in Smith's movie Hitch
Hitch (film)
Hitch is a 2005 romantic comedy film directed by Andy Tennant and starring Will Smith. The film, which was written by Kevin Bisch, co-stars Eva Mendes, Kevin James, and Amber Valletta. Smith plays a professional matchmaker who makes a living teaching men how to woo women...
; along with a song about a real life stalker ("Loretta") while "Ms. Holy Roller" deals with his view that extremist Christians are just as bad as the extremists who committed the terrorist bombings of 9/11, as well as aspects of his own faith and his ex-wife's conversion to Christianity. Both the title track & "I Wish I Made That/Swagga" deal with Smith commenting on current hip-hop. "I Wish I Made That/Swagga" is really two short songs, with the first half ("I Wish I Made That") talking about critiques of him not being "black enough" and black radio not playing his music despite high record sales. It references recent rap hits including Jay-Z's
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
"Dirt Off Your Shoulder
Dirt off Your Shoulder
"Dirt off Your Shoulder" is the second single released from Jay-Z's 2003 album The Black Album.In 2004, the song was combined with the Linkin Park single "Lying from You" and released as a single for the mash-up album Collision Course....
", Terror Squad's
Terror Squad (group)
Terror Squad is an American hip hop collective that was first established in 1998. Based in The Bronx borough of New York City, the members of Terror Squad collectively debuted on a song in member Fat Joe's album Don Cartagena...
"Lean Back
Lean Back
"Lean Back" is a 2004 single from the Terror Squad's album True Story. It features Fat Joe and Remy Ma, and was produced by Scott Storch. Fat Joe raps verses one and three, and Remy handles verse two...
", Snoop Dogg's
Snoop Dogg
Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school...
(who is a guest artist on "Pump Ya Brakes") "Drop It Like It's Hot
Drop It Like It's Hot
"Drop It Like It's Hot" is a 2004 rap number-one hit single by Snoop Dogg featuring Pharrell. Snoop performs the chorus and the second and third verses , while Pharrell performs the first verse....
" as well as Smith's own 1991 hit "Summertime
Summertime (DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince song)
The single was DJ Jazzy and The Fresh Prince's most popular song, and is still played in rotation around the world, especially in the United Kingdom during the summer months....
" from his DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince
DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince
DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince is a hip hop duo from West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Vocalist Will Smith met Jeff Townes while trying to make a name for himself in West Philadelphia's local hip hop scene. After joining forces with Clarence Holmes the team members became local celebrities...
days. The second half (aka "Swagga") is about his return to rap ("I got my swagga [swagger] back"). In "Lost & Found" he speaks how he doesn't do the standard "sex, drugs and violence" songs as found in popular gangsta rap
Gangsta rap
Gangsta Rap is a subgenre of hip hop music that evolved from hardcore hip hop and purports to reflect urban crime and the violent lifestyles of inner-city youths. Lyrics in gangsta rap have varied from accurate reflections to fictionalized accounts. Gangsta is a non-rhotic pronunciation of the word...
and the similarities and stereotypes of current hip-hop. This also contains only very light language, such as occasional use of the word "damn", but never any "explicit
Parental Advisory
Parental Advisory is a message affixed by the Recording Industry Association of America to audio and recordings in the United States containing excessive use of profane language and/or sexual references. Albums began to be labeled for "explicit lyrics" in 1985, after pressure from the Parents...
" curse words, which is very common in the modern hip-hop genre. The track "Tell Me Why" is one of Will's most emotional and dark tracks. It tells about senseless violence, about how love is unable to defeat hate on this earth. "Tell Me Why" was originally planned to be Will's second single but producers of "Party Starter
Party Starter
"Party Starter" is the second single released from Will Smith's album Lost & Found. There are slight differences between the single and album versions. The single version has different beats and is longer with added compression. The song was written with rapper Ludacris as a tribute to Bobby Seale....
" started mixing a new version for the song already. Lost and Found was certified Gold by the RIAA on July 6, 2005.
Track listing
- "Here He Comes" (W. Smith, T. Johnson, J. Townes, R. Harris, P. Webster) - 2:19
- "Party Starter" (W. Smith, C. BridgesLudacrisChristopher Brian Bridges , better known by his stage name Ludacris, is an American rapper and actor. Along with his manager, Chaka Zulu, Ludacris is the co-founder of Disturbing tha Peace, an imprint distributed by Def Jam Recordings...
, J. Jones) - 4:09 - "SwitchSwitch (song)"Switch" is a single released in 2005 by Will Smith from his album Lost & Found. The song peaked at No. 7 on the United States Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. It reached No. 1 in Canada and Australia where it remained for one week and No. 4 in the United Kingdom...
" (W. Smith, K. Holland, L. Bennett) - 3:16 - "Mr. Niceguy" (W. Smith, T. Johnson) - 2:21
- "Ms. Holy Roller" (W. Smith, T. Johnson, A. Pinto, E. Cortes) - 3:39
- "Lost & Found" (W. Smith, T. Johnson, R. Jackson, D. Lewis) - 4:15
- "Tell Me Why" (featuring Mary J. BligeMary J. BligeMary Jane Blige is an American singer-songwriter, record producer and occasional actress. She is a recipient of nine Grammy Awards and four American Music Awards, and has recorded eight multi-platinum albums. She is the only artist with Grammy Award wins in Pop, Rap, Gospel, and R&B. Blige has...
)(W. Smith, A. Wyche, T. Johnson) - 4:28 - "I Wish I Made That/Swagga" (W. Smith, T. Johnson, R. Jackson, O. Rambert, L. Bennett, J.Y. Park "The Asian Soul") - 4:15
- "Pump Ya Brakes" (featuring Snoop DoggSnoop DoggCalvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school...
)(W. Smith, O. Rambert, C. Broadus, L. Bennett, T. Johnson, R. Jackson) - 3:34 - "If U Can't Dance (Slide)" (featuring Nicole ScherzingerNicole ScherzingerNicole Prescovia Elikolani Valiente Scherzinger is an American singer-songwriter, dancer, record producer, model, and actress. Scherzinger is perhaps best known for being the lead vocalist of the Pussycat Dolls....
of The Pussycat Dolls)(W. Smith, T. Johnson) - 4:00 - "Could U Love Me" (W. Smith, G. Archie) - 2:48
- "Loretta" (W. Smith, T. Johnson) - 4:54
- "Wave Em Off" (W. Smith, O. Rambert, L. Bennett, R. Grant, R. Grant, E. Ellington) - 3:29
- "Scary Story" (W. Smith, T. Lovelace, E. Gold, E. Okon) - 3:38
- "Switch" (R&B Remix) (featuring Robin ThickeRobin ThickeRobin Charles Thicke is an Award-winning American R&B singer-songwriter, musician, composer, and actor. Thicke's albums, which he previously released under the moniker Thicke, are noted for their feature of a predominantly R&B sound. Robin Thicke has penned hits for popular artists such as...
)(W. Smith, K. Holland, L. Bennett) - 4:45 - "Coming To The Stage" (W.Smith, K. Holland) - 4:20
- "We Won't" (W.Smith, K. Holland) - 3:45
- "Switch" (Reggae Mix) (featuring Elephant ManElephant ManElephant Man, also known as the Energy God, born O'Neil Bryan on September 11, 1975 in Kingston, Jamaica, is a dancehall musician.-Career:...
)(W. Smith, K. Holland, L. Bennett) - 3:50 - "Chosen One" (W.Smith, K.Holland) - 3:11
Charts
| Chart | Peak |
|---|---|
| Canadian Albums Chart Canadian Albums Chart The Canadian Albums Chart is the official album sales chart in Canada. It is compiled every Wednesday by U.S.-based music sales tracking company Nielsen Soundscan, and published every Thursday by Jam! Canoe and Billboard, along with its sister charts the Canadian Singles Chart and the Canadian BDS... |
8 |
| U.S. Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
6 |
| U.S. Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999... |
4 |