Tell Me (Smilez and Southstar song)
Encyclopedia
"Tell Me" is a hip hop
song written and performed by the hip-hop duo Smilez and Southstar
for their debut studio album, Crash the Party
(2003). "Tell Me" was released in early 2003 as the album's second single to decent success and heavy airplay. To date, "Tell Me" is Smilez and Southstar's only and most successful single, earning the descriptor of "one-hit wonder
."
-based DJ Nasty & LVM
and written by Smilez and Southstar. The song samples the song Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart)
by Marvin Gaye
and Diana Ross
and was frequently compared to the Ja Rule
and Ashanti duet "Mesmerize" released around the same time due to both songs' beats using a similar sample. The competition and similarities between both records were the source of controversy and "beef" between DJ Nasty and Ja Rule's record label, Murder, Inc.
.
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...
song written and performed by the hip-hop duo Smilez and Southstar
Smilez and Southstar
Smilez and Southstar hip-hop duo based in Orlando, Florida. They had a Top 40 hit with the song "Tell Me" in late 2002. Their music has been played on stations nationwide and their videos have appeared on MTV and BET-Early success 2002-2003:...
for their debut studio album, Crash the Party
Crash the Party
Crash the Party is the debut studio album by the Orlando, Florida rap duo Smilez and Southstar. The album was primarily produced by brothers DJ Nasty & LVM.- Singles :...
(2003). "Tell Me" was released in early 2003 as the album's second single to decent success and heavy airplay. To date, "Tell Me" is Smilez and Southstar's only and most successful single, earning the descriptor of "one-hit wonder
One-hit wonder
A one-hit wonder is a person or act known mainly for only a single success. The term is most often used to describe music performers with only one hit single.-Characteristics:...
."
Background
The single was produced by Orlando, FloridaOrlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
-based DJ Nasty & LVM
DJ Nasty & LVM
DJ Nasty & LVM are a hip hop production duo consisting of brothers DJ Nasty and LVM . They are best known for working with today's biggest urban music artists such as Blood Raw, Ace Hood, DJ Khaled, Plies, Ludacris, Young Jeezy, Lil Wayne, Brisco, Flo Rida, Rick Ross, Birdman, 8Ball & MJG, Juelz...
and written by Smilez and Southstar. The song samples the song Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart)
Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart)
"Stop, Look, Listen " is a soul song written by Thom Bell and Linda Creed that was originally recorded by the Philadelphia soul group The Stylistics.-The Stylistics version:...
by Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
and Diana Ross
Diana Ross
Diana Ernestine Earle Ross is an American singer, record producer, and actress. Ross was lead singer of the Motown group The Supremes during the 1960s. After leaving the group in 1970, Ross began a solo career that included successful ventures into film and Broadway...
and was frequently compared to the Ja Rule
Ja Rule
Jeffrey Atkins , better known by his stage name Ja Rule, is an American rapper, singer, and actor.Born in Hollis, Queens, he began his career in the group Cash Money Click and debuted in 1999 with Venni Vetti Vecci and its single "Holla Holla"...
and Ashanti duet "Mesmerize" released around the same time due to both songs' beats using a similar sample. The competition and similarities between both records were the source of controversy and "beef" between DJ Nasty and Ja Rule's record label, Murder, Inc.
The Inc. Records
The Inc. Records , is an American record label, owned by Irv Gotti.In 1999, Murder Inc. released its first album, Venni Vetti Vecci by Ja Rule. The album featured the hit single "Holla Holla". The album was executively produced by Irv Gotti and moved on to go platinum, which rose Ja Rule and...
.
Chart performance
"Tell Me" entered the Billboard R&B/Hip Hop Songs chart at 29 and peaked at that position for two weeks before declining. Additionally, "Tell Me" reached 34 on the Billboard Hot 100 and 10 on Billboard Rap Songs charts.| Chart (2003) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
34 |
| U.S. Billboard 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,... |
29 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Rap Tracks Hot Rap Tracks Rap Songs is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States. It lists the 25 most popular hip-hop/rap songs, calculated weekly by airplay on rhythmic and urban radio stations and sales in hip hop-focused or exclusive markets. From 1989 through 2001, it was based on how much the single... |
10 |