Slow Jamz
"Slow Jamz" is a song by American rapper Twista featuring fellow American rapper and producer Kanye West and American singer Jamie Foxx. Produced by the latter, it was released in November 2003 through Atlantic and Roc-A-Fella Records, as the lead single from Twista's fourth studio album Kamikaze (2004), and the second single from West's debut studio album The College Dropout (2004). The song was written by Twista and West, with additional writing credits going to Burt Bacharach and Hal David for the sampling of Luther Vandross' cover of Dionne Warwick's 1964 song "A House Is Not a Home". Containing genres of hip hop, pop rap, R&B, and soul, the song's lyrics reference slow jam artists and describes the role of lovermen.
This article is about the Twista song. For the song by Quincy Jones, see Slow Jams. For other uses, see Slow Jam."Slow Jamz"
"I Know"
November 10, 2003
- 3:32 (Kamikaze version)
- 5:16 (The College Dropout version)
Kanye West
Upon release, "Slow Jamz" peaked at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100, which was the first number one song for Twista, West, and Foxx. The song was positioned at number 16 on the 2004 year-end chart in the United States. It also peaked at number three on the UK Singles Chart, and placed at number 47 on the 2004 year-end chart in the country. The song received a gold certification from the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). "Slow Jamz" received a nomination for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration at the 47th Annual Grammy Awards in 2005, and was nominated for Best Collaboration at the 4th BET Awards in 2004.
Background and development[edit]
While hosting a party which included Sean Combs,[3] Missy Elliott, the Neptunes, and Jay-Z, Jamie Foxx first encountered Kanye West, who was recovering from a car crash which shattered his jaw. West performed a freestyle rap which impressed Foxx, and later invited him to his recording studio to record "Slow Jamz". Foxx originally belted the song's hook which consisted of the lyrics, "She said she want some Marvin Gaye, some Luther Vandross".[4] West ridiculed his singing by insisting that the song was hip hop instead of R&B,[5] while Foxx scoffed at his chances of success in the music industry. In a 2017 interview with Power 106, Foxx noted that his desperation to crossover to music led him to host parties with musicians he invited, hoping they would eventually collaborate.[3]
Despite breaking a world record for the fastest rap on the Guinness World Records in 1992 by pronouncing 598 syllables in 55 seconds,[6] Twista questioned the future of his rap career when various rappers began mimicking his "fast-paced style", such as the Poor Righteous Teachers and Fu-Schnickens. The imitation of other rappers, as well as struggles in his own career, forced him to take a job in telemarketing and feature in several guest appearances.[7] In early 2003, Gee Roberson received a job at Atlantic Records. He originally established the company venture Hip Hop Since 1978 with Roc-A-Fella Records before leaving for Atlantic, with West being the first artist signed. As an artist signed to Atlantic, Twista needed a single, which allowed Roberson to include West's song "Slow Jamz" on both Twista's fourth studio album Kamikaze (2004), and West's debut studio album The College Dropout (2004).[8]
Critical reception[edit]
Barrie Examiner staff writers stated that "Slow Jamz" is a "tribute to old-school R&B love songs", and highlighted West's line as an instant classic, "She got a light-skinned friend look like Michael Jackson / got a dark-skinned friend look like Michael Jackson".[14] Caramanica praised the audacious execution of the "low-concept" song, stating that Foxx's inclusion on the hook should have been a car crash on paper, but was assisted by West's "keen ear for melody and near perfect sample selection".[11] In a review of Kamikaze, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution writers called it a "hilarious bedroom song".[28] Writing for PopMatters, Matt Cibula commended "Slow Jamz" for being "one of the finest rap singles in many years". He described West's verse as "swagger", and was impressed with how Twista added more syllables in his verse than other rappers such as Lyrics Born and Busta Rhymes.[18] Soren Baker of Houston Chronicle stated that the song is a "crowning moment for Twista", and acknowledged that it "showcases his stunning delivery and flow patterns". He also referred to Foxx's chorus as "charmingly nostalgic".[29]
Baker additionally wrote in the Los Angeles Times that West's verse was "playful but unremarkable", but compared Twista's verse to a "lyrical tornado".[15] However, Pitchfork staff writer Sean Fennessey criticized Twista's involvement in a review of Kamikaze, stating that West overshadowed him on the song.[30] Writing for the same publication while reviewing The College Dropout, Rob Mitchum berated the song's extended version, which he described Foxx as "overkill" and Twista as "depleted". Mitchum concluded that it "[remained] the best getting-it-on song ever written about getting-it-on songs".[31]
Writing for Cleveland.com, Troy L. Smith ranked "Slow Jamz" on his list of 100 greatest rap songs since 2000 at number 74. He praised West's creative process of sampling the song, allowing Foxx to "go all out on the hook", and combining Twista's rhymes to create a "hip-hop soul masterpiece".[12] Pitchfork staff ranked the song at number 12 on its Top 50 Singles of 2004 list, writing that it was "the reverse Midas track of 2004" and a "choice musical meta-fiction [sic]".[32] Blender ranked "Slow Jamz" at number 327 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs Since You Were Born, stating that it was "an old school celebration of [...] gettin' that booty!".[33]
Commercial performance[edit]
In the United States, "Slow Jamz" peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart dated February 21, 2004, where it remained for 22 weeks.[43][44] It was the first number one song on the chart for Twista, West, and Foxx, the seventh for songwriter Burt Bacharach, and the fourth for songwriter Hal David.[45] The song debuted at the number three peak on the UK Singles Chart dated April 4, 2004, where it charted for 13 non-consecutive weeks.[46] It received a gold certification from the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), for sales and streams of over 400,000 equivalent-units in the United Kingdom.[47] In Australia, "Slow Jamz" debuted at number 32 on the ARIA Singles Chart dated April 4, 2004. It peaked at number 26 on the chart dated May 9, 2004, and remained for 10 weeks.[48] The song peaked at number 9 on the New Zealand Top 40 Singles Chart.[49]
Music video[edit]
The music video shows a party; at first Jamie Foxx is seen buying records for the party, then it goes to the party where Kanye West and Twista are. It includes cameo appearances by Consequence, Aisha Tyler, John Legend, Mike Epps, and Common. While the video was being filmed, Twista stated that Foxx "kept the whole place live [sic]".[50] A second version of the music video was filmed in South Side, Chicago, but was unreleased.[51]
Credits adapted from the back cover of "Slow Jamz".[54]