"Ghetto" is the second single from American singer-songwriter Akon's debut studio album, Trouble. The single was released on December 21, 2004, exclusively in Latin America and certain countries of Europe. The single peaked at #92 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. Akon describes the meaning of the song, reflected in the song's lyrics, as "a description of the cycle of poverty experienced by those living in poor, inner-city areas" (see ghetto). Additionally, it describes the physical and psychological oppression with which these residents must deal on a regular basis. The music video for the track was filmed in New Jersey, New Mexico, and the Navajo Nationreservation in Arizona.
Song information
Four official versions of the song exist. The main album version is sung entirely by Akon, and features on all versions of the album. The 2nd version is entitled the "International Remix", which features Dutch artists Ali B and Yes-R, and is listed as the main version of the track on the most prominent single formats. The third version is entitled the "US Remix", and features additional vocals from 2Pac (Tupac Shakur) and The Notorious B.I.G. (Christopher Wallace). The "US Remix" version is only on the promotional version (US promo CD single). The 4th version is entitled the "Reggaeton Remix", and features vocals from Tego Calderon. There is also a Spanish version of this song by MC Piri, called "Pueblo Libre".
