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Run It! › Released



2005

Run It!" is the debut single by American recording artist Chris Brown. It was produced by Scott Storch and written by Sean Garrett alongside guest artist Juelz Santana. The song appeared on his debut studio album, Chris Brown (2005), and was released as a single on June 30, 2005. The remix features rappers Bow Wow and Jermaine Dupri and was performed at the 2006 Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards by Bow Wow and Chris Brown.

"Run It!"Single by Chris Brown featuring Juelz Santanafrom the album Chris BrownReleasedJune 30, 2005Recorded2005Genre

Crunk&B

hip hop

Length

3:50 (album version)

4:04 (remix version)

3:13 (radio version)

LabelJiveSongwriter(s)

Scott Storch

Sean Garrett

LaRon James

Producer(s)StorchChris Brown singles chronology"Run It!"
(2005)"Yo (Excuse Me Miss)"
(2005)Juelz Santana singles chronology"Oh Yes"
(2005)"Run It!"
(2005)"Clockwork"
(2005)

Commercially, the song topped the charts in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. The song also managed to peak inside the top ten in six other countries and the top twenty in another five. The music video earned nominations at the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards for "Best New Artist" and "Viewer's Choice". Also in 2006, the radio version of the song appeared on the compilation album Now That's What I Call Music! 21

Background and compositionedit

"Run It" was released as Brown's debut single on June 30, 2005, through digital distribution. On July 19, 2005, Jive and Zomba Records serviced the song to rhythmic crossover radio in the United States. They later solicited the song to contemporary hit radio on October 3, 2005.[1] "Run It" was written and produced by Scott Storch and Sean Garrett. It interpolates The Waitresses' 1980 single "I Know What Boys Like", written by Christopher Butler. The track is composed in the key of C# minor as a Crunk&B song that consists of slinky synth beats, a catchy chorus, an ominous, creepy background, and elements of Scott Storch productions.[2][3] Brown's vocals have been described as "sweet" and "baby mack"-like.[3][4] Christian Hoard of Rolling Stone called the song "a de-crunked 'Yeah!' that gets by thanks to a slinky synth beat and the mix of smooth seduction and cunning come-ons in Brown's baby-mack vocals."[2] The song features rap verses from American hip-hop recording artist Juelz Santana.[3]

Music videoedit

The music video for "Run It!" was released on August 8, 2005.[5] Directed by Erik White, it portrays an underground dance inside a school gym, where Brown meets a girl (Destiny Lightsy) that he is suddenly attracted to and with whom he wants to dance. The video features several dance sequences in which the males and females dance off against each other. During the sequences, Brown makes several movements toward his love interest. At the end, Brown and his love interest are about to kiss before the security guards arrive, and the whole gym is evacuated, with both of them pulled in separate directions. However, as soon as the guards find nobody there, they start dancing. The music video received two nominations at the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards for "Best New Artist" and "Viewer's Choice", but lost to Avenged Sevenfold's "Bat Country" and Fall Out Boy's "Dance, Dance", respectively.[6]

Critical receptionedit

Bill Lamb of About.com awarded "Run It!" a four-star rating, commending the song's backing music, Brown's voice, and chorus, but called it "another cookie cutter Scott Storch production."[4] Andy Kellman of AllMusic noted it as one of the album's top tracks, commenting that the song's "way of tempering Brown's small-town innocence with hard-edged backing and a guest spot from an MC of ill repute is clearly a strategy to make the singer appeal to more than tween girls."[3] Christian Hoard of Rolling Stone said that the song gets by "thanks to a slinky synth beat and the mix of smooth seduction and cunning come-ons in Brown's baby-mack vocals."[2]

Chart performanceedit

"Run It!" debuted at number 92 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the issue dated August 27, 2005.[7] After eight weeks on the chart, the song entered the top ten at number eight on October 22, 2005, receiving the airplay gainer title.[8] It gained the airplay title again in the following week, climbing to number two on the chart, where it stalled for a month.[9] On November 26, 2005, "Run It!" peaked on the Billboard Hot 100 at number one, becoming Brown's first number one single on the chart, and making him the third youngest solo artist to top the chart, behind only Stevie Wonder and Peggy March, and the fourth youngest overall. That same week, the song was also at the top of the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and the US Radio Songs.[10] Two weeks later, it topped the US Pop Songs chart. The song remained on top of the Hot 100 for five weeks, becoming his longest lasting number one single on the chart.[11] It was certified 3x multi-platinum by the Recording Industry Association.