Jenny from the Block

"Jenny from the Block"
Single by Jennifer Lopez featuring Styles P and Jadakiss
from the album This Is Me... Then
Released	September 26, 2002
Format	CD single, 12" single
Recorded	2002; The Hit Factory (New York City, New York) The Studio (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
Genre	Pop, R&B, old school hip hop
Length	3:08
Label	Epic
Writer(s)	Troy Oliver, Mr. Deyo, Jennifer Lopez, Samuel Barnes, Jean-Claude Olivier, José Fernando Arbex Miró, Lawrence Parker, Scott Sterling, Michael Oliver
Producer	Cory Rooney, Troy Oliver, Poke & Tone
Jennifer Lopez singles chronology
"Alive" (2002) "Jenny from the Block" (2002) "All I Have" (2003)
Music sample Jennifer Lopez - "Jenny from the Block" (Track Masters Remix)

"Jenny from the Block" is a song by American singer Jennifer Lopez, featuring American rappers Styles P and Jadakiss. Written by Lopez, Troy Oliver, Mr. Deyo, Samuel Barnes, and Jean-Claude Olivier and produced by Cory Rooney, Oliver, and Poke & Tone, it was released to radio in late September 2002 as the lead single from Lopez's third studio album, This Is Me... Then (2002). In its lyrics, she insists that success has not spoiled her yet and that she remains the same girl she has always been. It received mixed reviews from music critics, some of whom noticed that it was silly whereas others felt it was infectious. The song reached number one in Canada and entered the top ten on the majority of all other charts it appeared on.

Themes

The song attempts to contrast the life of Lopez growing up in the Bronx, New York City, with her later life as a celebrity. She claims that despite her success, she is still "Jenny from the block." Its lyrics refer to Lopez's first two albums, On the 6 and J.Lo. Some critics derided both Lopez and the song as "hypocritical". Faith Hill would revisit the same theme of being true to one's roots in a country music context for her 2005 hit "Mississippi Girl," which many observers compared to "Jenny from the Block". Gwen Stefani and Fergie both reprised the theme in 2007 with their songs "Orange County Girl" and "Glamorous", respectively.

Samples

"Jenny from the Block's" opening passage, "Children grow and women producing, men go working, some go stealing, everyone's got to make a living," samples 20th Century Steel Band's 1975 song "Heaven and Hell Is on Earth", which has made several appearances in hip hop music as interpolated on Salt-n-Pepa's 1993 song "Heaven or Hell", Lauryn Hill's 1998 song "Every Ghetto, Every City", Positive K's 1992 song "Aint No Crime", Stop the Violence Movement's 1989 song "Self-Destruction", and The Black Eyed Peas's 1998 song "Say Goodbye".

The prevalence of this sample among a variety of different songs is ultimately due to its inclusion on Ultimate Breaks and Beats SBR 505, a seminal release much-sampled in the early days of Hip Hop. As such, the sample resonates with the song's central lyrical claim of authenticity; just as Jennifer is aware of her roots, so too is the song's instrumental backdrop.

"Jenny from the Block" also samples Boogie Down Productions' 1987 "South Bronx" (known for starting The Bridge Wars) and Enoch Light and the Light Brigade's 1975 interpretation of jazz flautist Herbie Mann's selection "Hi-Jack". "J.Lo", as Lopez had also come to be called by this time, sampled the song from The Beatnuts 1999 track "Watch Out Now". Unfortunately, the Beatnuts were convinced that the sample from "Hi-Jack" was stolen from them without credit, and they subsequently criticized Lopez on their 2004 song "Confused Rappers".

Critical reception

The song received a mixed reception from music critics. Stephen Thomas Erlewine from Allmusic said that: "Jenny From the Block is silly and had laughable lyrics" but gave a track pick for the song. Sal Cinquemani from Slant said that "Jenny from the Block is infectious". Jon Caramanica, from The Village Voice, was more cynical with the song, saying: "Jenny From the Block" continued the conceit of "I'm Real", from her last album, J.Lo, and "I'm Gonna Be Alright". Using the same flute sample the Beatnuts flipped for "Off the Books", a genuine Boricua classic (really, she researched it!), as well as a steady diet of "South Bronx!" yelps pulled from the Boogie Down Productions anthem of the same name, Jenny aims to fast-talk herself into authenticity. It matters not that guest rappers Styles and Jadakiss are from Yonkers, not the Bronx, or that the most humble thing about the accompanying video is, well, Ben Affleck." James Poletti from Yahoo! Music was also negative, naming the song "agonising" and said that "this is a track so insulting in its cynical appropriation of hip-hop culture that you almost fail to notice that lyric: 'Used to have a little / Now I've got a lot / I'm still Jenny from the block.'" Tom Sinclair from Entertainment Weekly was more favorable, saying "On Jenny From the Block, Lopez insists that fame hasn't changed her, and seduced by the breezy pleasure of her new music, we're almost inclined to believe her".

Chart performance

On the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, "Jenny from the Block" debuted at number sixty-seven the week of October 12, 2002. Six weeks later, it had already reached the top ten, finally peaking at number three the week of December 7, 2002. It remained there for four consecutive weeks, stuck behind Eminem's "Lose Yourself" and Missy Elliott's "Work It". Jenny From the Block also ranked #33 on VH1's list of the most awesomely bad songs of all-time. It was also listed as #93 on the list of the 100 Worst Songs Ever by Matthew Wilkening of AOL Radio, commenting that Lopez is "just your average girl, willing to risk a national TV gig over the size of her 'dressing-room compound.'"

Music video

The music video, directed by Francis Lawrence, is meant to show the intrusion of paparazzi into her life and her relationship with then-boyfriend Ben Affleck, by showing the two from the point of view of surveillance cameras and photographers' camera lenses.

The video alternates between several different scenes of Lopez and Affleck in their daily life: the two sitting around their apartment in various states of undress, out in their car, on a yacht in the ocean, Lopez shopping, and Lopez at a high-fashion photo shoot; in each case, the view is meant to be from a hidden camera or a photographer's lens. In addition, there are scenes of Lopez singing and dancing on a New York street corner, and of Styles P and Jadakiss rapping (perhaps ironically, the two rappers are from Queens and Yonkers, respectively).

There is also a second version of the video where Styles P and Jadakiss' raps are cut out. Instead, when in the original video Jadakiss and Styles P do their rap, the video changes to Jennifer Lopez and a band performing the chorus of "Loving You" in a building. Then Jennifer sees the paparazzi watching them perform, and the video cuts back to "Jenny from the Block".

The video was filmed in several cities over a month-long period from October 1–24, 2002. It was premiered on MTV's TRL on November 5, 2002.

Track listings

U.S. CD single

1. "Jenny from the Block" (Track Masters Remix) – 3:08
2. "Jenny from the Block" (Bronx Remix (No Rap) Edit) – 2:48
3. "Jenny from the Block" (Bronx Instrumental) – 3:07
4. "Jenny from the Block" (Rap a Cappella) – 2:58
5. "Alive" (Thunderpuss Radio Mix) – 4:12

UK CD 1 (673357)
(Released: November 19, 2002)

1. "Jenny from the Block" (Bronx Remix (No Rap) Edit) – 2:59
2. "Alive" (Thunderpuss Radio Mix) – 4:18
3. "Play" (Thunderpuss Club Mix) – 8:19

UK CD 2 (673357)
(Released: November 19, 2002)

1. "Jenny from the Block" (Track Masters Remix) – 3:09
2. "Jenny from the Block" (Bronx Instrumental) – 3:08
3. "Love Don't Cost a Thing" (HQ2 Club Vocal Mix) – 10:54

Australian CD single (673281)
(Released: November 26, 2002)

1. "Jenny from the Block" (Track Masters Remix) – 3:09
2. "Jenny from the Block" (Rap a Cappella) – 2:59
3. "Jenny from the Block" (Bronx Remix (No Rap) Edit) – 2:50
4. "Alive" (Thunderpuss Club Mix) – 8:56

Charts

Chart (2002)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)	5
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 75)	7
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)	7
Belgium (Ultratop 40 Wallonia)	6
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)	1
Denmark (Tracklisten)	3
European Hot 100 Singles	4
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)	18
France (SNEP)	5
Germany (Media Control AG)	7
Hungary (Single Top 10)	4
Ireland (IRMA)	12
Italy (FIMI)	4
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)	3
New Zealand (RIANZ)	6
Norway (VG-lista)	5
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)	7
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)	4
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)	3
US Billboard Hot 100	3
US Pop Songs (Billboard)	2
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)	22
US Latin Pop Songs (Billboard)	25

Certifications

Country	Certifier	Certification	Sales
Australia	ARIA	Platinum	70,000
Belgium	IFPI	Gold	25,000
France	SNEP	Gold	263,000
New Zealand	RIANZ	Gold	7,500
Norway	IFPI	Platinum	10,000
Switzerland		Gold	20,000

Covers

This song was covered by an American punk and hardcore band called Zebrahead

Chart procession and succession

Preceded by "Die Another Day" by Madonna

Canadian Singles Chart number-one single January 18, 2003 (first run) February 1, 2003 – February 8, 2003 (second run)

Succeeded by "Die Another Day" by Madonna "The Ketchup Song" by Las Ketchup

References