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{{short description|2008 single by Ashanti}}
{{short description|2007 single by Ashanti}}
{{good article}}{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2018}}
{{good article}}{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2018}}
{{Infobox song
{{Infobox song
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| artist = [[Ashanti (entertainer)|Ashanti]]
| artist = [[Ashanti (entertainer)|Ashanti]]
| album = [[The Declaration]]
| album = [[The Declaration]]
| released = {{Start date|2008|2|26}}
| released = {{Start date|2007|12|11}}
| recorded =
| recorded =
| studio =
| studio =
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}}
}}


"'''The Way That I Love You'''" is a song recorded by American singer [[Ashanti (entertainer)|Ashanti]] from her fourth studio album, ''[[The Declaration]]'' (2008). It was released as the album's lead single on February 26, 2008, through [[Universal Records|Universal]] and [[Murder Inc Records|The Inc.]] Ashanti wrote and produced the song with [[L.T. Hutton]]. Backed by piano, guitar, and horns, "The Way That I Love You" is a midtempo [[Contemporary R&B|R&B]] ballad whose lyrics tell of betrayal.
"'''The Way That I Love You'''" is a song recorded by American singer [[Ashanti (entertainer)|Ashanti]] from her fourth studio album, ''[[The Declaration]]'' (2008). It was released as the album's lead single on December 11, 2007, through [[Universal Records|Universal]] and [[Murder Inc Records|The Inc.]] Ashanti wrote and produced the song with [[L.T. Hutton]]. Backed by piano, guitar, and horns, "The Way That I Love You" is a midtempo [[Contemporary R&B|R&B]] ballad whose lyrics tell of betrayal.


Critical response was primarily positive; some reviewers said it was a highlight from ''The Declaration'' while others felt it was inferior to music released by [[Beyoncé]] and [[Mary J. Blige]]. Commercially, the song peaked at number 37 on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]] chart and appeared on the publication's [[Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs]] and [[Adult R&B Songs]] component charts. Ashanti performed "The Way That I Love You" at [[Sessions@AOL]] and on tour.
Critical response was primarily positive; some reviewers said it was a highlight from ''The Declaration'' while others felt it was inferior to music released by [[Paul Wall]] and [[Kanye West]]. Commercially, the song peaked at number 37 on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]] chart and appeared on the publication's [[Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs]] and [[Adult R&B Songs]] component charts. Ashanti performed "The Way That I Love You" at [[Sessions@AOL]] and on tour.


[[Kevin Bray (director)|Kevin Bray]] directed the music video which tells the story of Ashanti and her boyfriend—he cheats on her, she discovers it, and she murders him. The story for the video was inspired by the [[true crime]] TV shows ''[[Snapped]]'' and ''[[Forensic Files]]''. The video's emphasis on violence attracted critical attention. As part of the song's promotion, Ashanti launched a website that allowed users to create and send a personalized news report and death threat to a contact. The campaign was received negatively and incited a protest in Los Angeles. The website was ultimately taken down.
[[Kevin Bray (director)|Kevin Bray]] directed the music video which tells the story of Ashanti and her boyfriend—he cheats on her, she discovers it, and she murders him. The story for the video was inspired by the [[true crime]] TV shows ''[[Snapped]]'' and ''[[Forensic Files]]''. The video's emphasis on violence attracted critical attention. As part of the song's promotion, Ashanti launched a website that allowed users to create and send a personalized news report and death threat to a contact. The campaign was received negatively and incited a protest in Los Angeles. The website was ultimately taken down.
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For her fourth studio album ''[[The Declaration]]'' (2008), [[Ashanti (singer)|Ashanti]] collaborated with songwriters and producers outside of her record label [[Murder Inc Records|Murder Inc]]. Her previous album ''[[Concrete Rose]]'' (2004) had been overshadowed by negative news regarding the label, including a feud with [[G-Unit Records|G-Unit]] and an [[Federal Bureau of Investigation|FBI]] investigation.<ref name="Source1">{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/ashanti-mn0000933898/biography|title=Artist Biography by Jason Birchmeier|last=Birchmeier|first=Jason|publisher=[[AllMusic]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170317015042/http://www.allmusic.com/artist/ashanti-mn0000933898/biography|archive-date=March 17, 2017|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> [[L.T. Hutton]] produced a majority of ''The Declaration'', instead of Ashanti's longtime producer [[Irv Gotti]].<ref name="Source2">{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-declaration-mw0000787561|title=AllMusic Review by Andy Kellman|last=Kellman|first=Andy|publisher=[[AllMusic]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171002163228/http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-declaration-mw0000787561|archive-date=October 2, 2017|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref name="OriginalSingle2">{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1563789/ashanti-nelly-get-their-beyonce-and-jay-z-on-for-new-single-switch/|title=Ashanti, Nelly Get Their Beyonce-And-Jay-Z on for New Single 'Switch'|last=Reid|first=Shaheem|date=June 29, 2007|publisher=[[MTV News]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170915070103/http://www.mtv.com/news/1563789/ashanti-nelly-get-their-beyonce-and-jay-z-on-for-new-single-switch/|archive-date=September 15, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> Ashanti said that she had more artistic freedom with the album.<ref name="OriginalSingle2" /> Hutton and Ashanti wrote and produced "The Way That I Love".<ref name="Source0">{{cite AV media notes|title=[[The Declaration]]|date=June 3, 2008|others=[[Ashanti (singer)|Ashanti]]|type=Inlay cover|work=[[Murder Inc Records|Murder Inc.]], [[Universal Motown Records|Universal Motown]]}}</ref> Ashanti said that she "just started jotting down words, and it just kind of poured out" upon hearing the opening instrumental.<ref name="Source23">{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1582080/ashanti-snaps-in-tv-inspired-the-way-that-i-love-you-video/|title=Ashanti Snaps in TV-Inspired 'The Way That I Love You' Video|last=Rodriguez|first=Jayson|date=February 21, 2008|publisher=[[MTV News]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170915023738/http://www.mtv.com/news/1582080/ashanti-snaps-in-tv-inspired-the-way-that-i-love-you-video/|archive-date=September 15, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> She produced the lead and background vocals, and Hutton programmed the song and played the instruments. The final version was [[Audio mixing (recorded music)|mixed]] at Brandons Way Recording Studios in Los Angeles, California.<ref name="Source0" />
For her fourth studio album ''[[The Declaration]]'' (2008), [[Ashanti (singer)|Ashanti]] collaborated with songwriters and producers outside of her record label [[Murder Inc Records|Murder Inc]]. Her previous album ''[[Concrete Rose]]'' (2004) had been overshadowed by negative news regarding the label, including a feud with [[G-Unit Records|G-Unit]] and an [[Federal Bureau of Investigation|FBI]] investigation.<ref name="Source1">{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/ashanti-mn0000933898/biography|title=Artist Biography by Jason Birchmeier|last=Birchmeier|first=Jason|publisher=[[AllMusic]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170317015042/http://www.allmusic.com/artist/ashanti-mn0000933898/biography|archive-date=March 17, 2017|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> [[L.T. Hutton]] produced a majority of ''The Declaration'', instead of Ashanti's longtime producer [[Irv Gotti]].<ref name="Source2">{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-declaration-mw0000787561|title=AllMusic Review by Andy Kellman|last=Kellman|first=Andy|publisher=[[AllMusic]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171002163228/http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-declaration-mw0000787561|archive-date=October 2, 2017|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref name="OriginalSingle2">{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1563789/ashanti-nelly-get-their-beyonce-and-jay-z-on-for-new-single-switch/|title=Ashanti, Nelly Get Their Beyonce-And-Jay-Z on for New Single 'Switch'|last=Reid|first=Shaheem|date=June 29, 2007|publisher=[[MTV News]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170915070103/http://www.mtv.com/news/1563789/ashanti-nelly-get-their-beyonce-and-jay-z-on-for-new-single-switch/|archive-date=September 15, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> Ashanti said that she had more artistic freedom with the album.<ref name="OriginalSingle2" /> Hutton and Ashanti wrote and produced "The Way That I Love".<ref name="Source0">{{cite AV media notes|title=[[The Declaration]]|date=June 3, 2008|others=[[Ashanti (singer)|Ashanti]]|type=Inlay cover|work=[[Murder Inc Records|Murder Inc.]], [[Universal Motown Records|Universal Motown]]}}</ref> Ashanti said that she "just started jotting down words, and it just kind of poured out" upon hearing the opening instrumental.<ref name="Source23">{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1582080/ashanti-snaps-in-tv-inspired-the-way-that-i-love-you-video/|title=Ashanti Snaps in TV-Inspired 'The Way That I Love You' Video|last=Rodriguez|first=Jayson|date=February 21, 2008|publisher=[[MTV News]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170915023738/http://www.mtv.com/news/1582080/ashanti-snaps-in-tv-inspired-the-way-that-i-love-you-video/|archive-date=September 15, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> She produced the lead and background vocals, and Hutton programmed the song and played the instruments. The final version was [[Audio mixing (recorded music)|mixed]] at Brandons Way Recording Studios in Los Angeles, California.<ref name="Source0" />


"Switch", which featured [[Nelly]], and "[[Hey Baby (After the Club)]]" were both announced as the album's [[lead single]] in 2007.<ref name="OriginalSingle2" /><ref name="OriginalSingle1">{{cite web|url=http://www.rap-up.com/2007/09/17/new-music-ashanti-f-mario-winans-hey-baby-after-the-club/|title=New Music: Ashanti F/ Mario Winans - 'Hey Baby (After The Club'|date=September 17, 2007|work=[[Rap-Up]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304205725/http://www.rap-up.com/2007/09/17/new-music-ashanti-f-mario-winans-hey-baby-after-the-club/|archive-date=March 4, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> They were replaced by "The Way That I Love You",<ref name="Source3">{{cite web|url=https://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/out-of-step/Content?oid=1109657|title=Out of Step|last=Berlatsky|first=Noah|date=June 12, 2008|work=[[Chicago Reader]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090725053437/http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/out-of-step/Content?oid=1109657|archive-date=July 25, 2009|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> which was released to [[urban radio]] on February 26, 2008, and [[Rhythmic adult contemporary|rhythmic radio]] on April 1, 2008.<ref name="Single2">{{cite web|url=http://gfa.radioandrecords.com/publishGFA/GFANextPage.asp?sDate=02/26/2008&Format=5|title=Urban|date=February 26, 2008|publisher=[[Radio & Records]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120529103205/http://gfa.radioandrecords.com/publishGFA/GFANextPage.asp?sDate=02%2F26%2F2008&Format=5|archive-date=May 29, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="Single3">{{cite web|url=http://gfa.radioandrecords.com/publishGFA/GFANextPage.asp?sDate=04/01/2008&Format=9|title=Rhythmic|date=April 1, 2008|publisher=[[Radio & Records]]|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130201024417/http://gfa.radioandrecords.com/publishGFA/GFANextPage.asp?sDate=04/01/2008&Format=9|archive-date=February 1, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> It was the number one most-added song on urban radio in the week of its release.<ref name="SourceRadio">{{cite web|url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20080310005961/en/America-Loves-Love-Brand-New-ASHANTI-Smash|title=America Loves 'The Way That I Love You,' Brand-New Ashanti Smash|date=March 10, 2008|publisher=[[Business Wire]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181130134029/https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20080310005961/en/America-Loves-Love-Brand-New-ASHANTI-Smash|archive-date=November 30, 2018|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> The single was included on a July 2008 [[Cartier (jeweler)|Cartier]] charity playlist created to support the [[Boys & Girls Clubs of America]] organization.<ref name="Source7">{{cite web|url=http://www.rap-up.com/2008/07/08/ashanti-janet-jackson-spread-love-with-cartier-bracelets/|title=Ashanti, Janet Jackson Spread Love with Cartier Bracelets|date=July 8, 2008|work=[[Rap-Up]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140321094422/http://www.rap-up.com/2008/07/08/ashanti-janet-jackson-spread-love-with-cartier-bracelets/|archive-date=March 21, 2014|url-status=live}}</ref>
"Switch", which featured [[Nelly]], and "[[Hey Baby (After the Club)]]" were both announced as the album's [[lead single]] in 2007.<ref name="OriginalSingle2" /><ref name="OriginalSingle1">{{cite web|url=http://www.rap-up.com/2007/09/17/new-music-ashanti-f-mario-winans-hey-baby-after-the-club/|title=New Music: Ashanti F/ Mario Winans - 'Hey Baby (After The Club'|date=September 17, 2007|work=[[Rap-Up]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304205725/http://www.rap-up.com/2007/09/17/new-music-ashanti-f-mario-winans-hey-baby-after-the-club/|archive-date=March 4, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> They were replaced by "The Way That I Love You",<ref name="Source3">{{cite web|url=https://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/out-of-step/Content?oid=1109657|title=Out of Step|last=Berlatsky|first=Noah|date=June 12, 2008|work=[[Chicago Reader]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090725053437/http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/out-of-step/Content?oid=1109657|archive-date=July 25, 2009|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> which was released to [[urban radio]] on December 11, 2007, and [[Rhythmic adult contemporary|rhythmic radio]] on April 1, 2008.<ref name="Single2">{{cite web|url=http://gfa.radioandrecords.com/publishGFA/GFANextPage.asp?sDate=12/11/2007&Format=5|title=Urban|date=December 11, 2007|publisher=[[Radio & Records]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120529103205/http://gfa.radioandrecords.com/publishGFA/GFANextPage.asp?sDate=12%2F11%2F2007&Format=5|archive-date=May 29, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="Single3">{{cite web|url=http://gfa.radioandrecords.com/publishGFA/GFANextPage.asp?sDate=04/01/2008&Format=9|title=Rhythmic|date=April 1, 2008|publisher=[[Radio & Records]]|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130201024417/http://gfa.radioandrecords.com/publishGFA/GFANextPage.asp?sDate=04/01/2008&Format=9|archive-date=February 1, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> It was the number one most-added song on urban radio in the week of its release.<ref name="SourceRadio">{{cite web|url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20080310005961/en/America-Loves-Love-Brand-New-ASHANTI-Smash|title=America Loves 'The Way That I Love You,' Brand-New Ashanti Smash|date=March 10, 2008|publisher=[[Business Wire]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181130134029/https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20080310005961/en/America-Loves-Love-Brand-New-ASHANTI-Smash|archive-date=November 30, 2018|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> The single was included on a July 2008 [[Cartier (jeweler)|Cartier]] charity playlist created to support the [[Boys & Girls Clubs of America]] organization.<ref name="Source7">{{cite web|url=http://www.rap-up.com/2008/07/08/ashanti-janet-jackson-spread-love-with-cartier-bracelets/|title=Ashanti, Janet Jackson Spread Love with Cartier Bracelets|date=July 8, 2008|work=[[Rap-Up]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140321094422/http://www.rap-up.com/2008/07/08/ashanti-janet-jackson-spread-love-with-cartier-bracelets/|archive-date=March 21, 2014|url-status=live}}</ref>


== Composition and lyrics ==
== Composition and lyrics ==
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"The Way That I Love You" was praised by critics who identified it as a highlight of ''The Declaration''.<ref name="Source2" /><ref name="“SourcesonSourcesonSources4&quot;">{{cite web|url=https://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/music/reviews/2008-06-02-listen-up_N.htm|title=Going It Alone|last=Jones|first=Steve|date=June 2, 2008|work=[[USA Today]]|access-date=May 25, 2018}}</ref><ref name="Source18">{{cite web|url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-16822126.html|title=R&B Ashanti|date=July 4, 2008|work=[[Dayton Daily News]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180521232615/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-16822126.html|archive-date=May 21, 2018|url-status=dead}} {{subscription required}}</ref> The ''[[New York Daily News]]''{{'}} Jim Farber felt Ashanti's collaboration with Hutton was her best work, and described "The Way That I Love You" as a "strut of a song."<ref name="“SourcesonSourcesonSources1&quot;">{{cite web|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/ashanti-declares-confidence-declaration-article-1.292299|title=Ashanti declares her confidence with 'The Declaration'|last=Farber|first=Jim|date=June 2, 2008|work=[[New York Daily News]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160118212110/http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/ashanti-declares-confidence-declaration-article-1.292299|archive-date=January 18, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> Noah Berlatsky of the ''[[Chicago Reader]]'' noted the song's piano loop as one of the few standouts from the album.<ref name="Source3" /> A ''[[Dayton Daily News]]'' reviewer summed up the single as "cliche but effective."<ref name="Source18" />
"The Way That I Love You" was praised by critics who identified it as a highlight of ''The Declaration''.<ref name="Source2" /><ref name="“SourcesonSourcesonSources4&quot;">{{cite web|url=https://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/music/reviews/2008-06-02-listen-up_N.htm|title=Going It Alone|last=Jones|first=Steve|date=June 2, 2008|work=[[USA Today]]|access-date=May 25, 2018}}</ref><ref name="Source18">{{cite web|url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-16822126.html|title=R&B Ashanti|date=July 4, 2008|work=[[Dayton Daily News]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180521232615/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-16822126.html|archive-date=May 21, 2018|url-status=dead}} {{subscription required}}</ref> The ''[[New York Daily News]]''{{'}} Jim Farber felt Ashanti's collaboration with Hutton was her best work, and described "The Way That I Love You" as a "strut of a song."<ref name="“SourcesonSourcesonSources1&quot;">{{cite web|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/ashanti-declares-confidence-declaration-article-1.292299|title=Ashanti declares her confidence with 'The Declaration'|last=Farber|first=Jim|date=June 2, 2008|work=[[New York Daily News]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160118212110/http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/ashanti-declares-confidence-declaration-article-1.292299|archive-date=January 18, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> Noah Berlatsky of the ''[[Chicago Reader]]'' noted the song's piano loop as one of the few standouts from the album.<ref name="Source3" /> A ''[[Dayton Daily News]]'' reviewer summed up the single as "cliche but effective."<ref name="Source18" />


On the other hand, some commentators negatively compared "The Way That I Love You" to music released by other singers.<ref name="“SourcesonSourcesonSources2&quot;">{{cite magazine|url=http://ew.com/article/2008/06/13/declaration/|title=The Declaration|last=Greenblatt|first=Leah|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151108075719/http://www.ew.com/article/2008/06/13/declaration|archive-date=November 8, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="“SourcesonSourcesonSources5&quot;">{{cite web|url=http://www.vibe.com/music/revolutions/2008/06/ashanti_the_declaration/|title=Ashanti, "The Declaration"|last=Odum|first=Shanel|date=June 5, 2008|work=[[Vibe (magazine)|Vibe]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080608051428/http://www.vibe.com/music/revolutions/2008/06/ashanti_the_declaration/|archive-date=June 8, 2008}}</ref> Despite praising Ashanti's performance as emotional, Leah Greenblatt of ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' found the single to be inferior to those by [[Beyoncé]] and [[Mary J. Blige]].<ref name="“SourcesonSourcesonSources2&quot;" /> [[Vibe (magazine)|''Vibe'']]'s Shanel Odum dismissed the song as "barely set[ting] off a smoke detector, let alone ring[ing] any alarms", in a reference to Beyoncé's 2006 single "[[Ring the Alarm]]".<ref name="“SourcesonSourcesonSources5&quot;" />
On the other hand, some commentators negatively compared "The Way That I Love You" to music released by other singers.<ref name="“SourcesonSourcesonSources2&quot;">{{cite magazine|url=http://ew.com/article/2008/06/13/declaration/|title=The Declaration|last=Greenblatt|first=Leah|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151108075719/http://www.ew.com/article/2008/06/13/declaration|archive-date=November 8, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="“SourcesonSourcesonSources5&quot;">{{cite web|url=http://www.vibe.com/music/revolutions/2008/06/ashanti_the_declaration/|title=Ashanti, "The Declaration"|last=Odum|first=Shanel|date=June 5, 2008|work=[[Vibe (magazine)|Vibe]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080608051428/http://www.vibe.com/music/revolutions/2008/06/ashanti_the_declaration/|archive-date=June 8, 2008}}</ref> Despite praising Ashanti's performance as emotional, Leah Greenblatt of ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' found the single to be inferior to those by [[Kanye West]] and [[Paul Wall]].<ref name="“SourcesonSourcesonSources2&quot;" /> [[Vibe (magazine)|''Vibe'']]'s Shanel Odum dismissed the song as "barely set[ting] off a smoke detector, let alone ring[ing] any alarms", in a reference to Kanye West's 2007 single "[[Can't Tell Me Nothing]]".<ref name="“SourcesonSourcesonSources5&quot;" />


Commercially, "The Way That I Love You" peaked at number 37 on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]] chart on May 17, 2008, and remained on the chart for 18 weeks.<ref name="Charts1">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/ashanti/chart-history/hsi/|title=Hot 100|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180526025452/https://www.billboard.com/music/ashanti/chart-history/hot-100/song/560606|archive-date=May 26, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> It reached number two on the [[Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs]] and [[R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay]] chart,<ref name="Charts3">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/ashanti/chart-history/bsi/|title=Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180526025452/https://www.billboard.com/music/ashanti/chart-history/r-b-hip-hop-songs|archive-date=May 26, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |title=R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay - Week of May 17, 2008 |url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-r-and-b-hip-hop-airplay/2008-05-17 |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]}}</ref> and number 18 on the [[Adult R&B Songs]] component charts compiled by the same publication.<ref name="Charts2">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/ashanti/chart-history/rba/|title=Adult R&B|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180526025453/https://www.billboard.com/music/ashanti/chart-history/hot-adult-r-and-b-airplay|archive-date=May 26, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>
Commercially, "The Way That I Love You" peaked at number 37 on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]] chart on May 17, 2008, and remained on the chart for 18 weeks.<ref name="Charts1">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/ashanti/chart-history/hsi/|title=Hot 100|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180526025452/https://www.billboard.com/music/ashanti/chart-history/hot-100/song/560606|archive-date=May 26, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> It reached number two on the [[Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs]] and [[R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay]] chart,<ref name="Charts3">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/ashanti/chart-history/bsi/|title=Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180526025452/https://www.billboard.com/music/ashanti/chart-history/r-b-hip-hop-songs|archive-date=May 26, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |title=R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay - Week of May 17, 2008 |url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-r-and-b-hip-hop-airplay/2008-05-17 |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]}}</ref> and number 18 on the [[Adult R&B Songs]] component charts compiled by the same publication.<ref name="Charts2">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/ashanti/chart-history/rba/|title=Adult R&B|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180526025453/https://www.billboard.com/music/ashanti/chart-history/hot-adult-r-and-b-airplay|archive-date=May 26, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>


== Music video ==
== Music video ==
Ashanti debuted the [[Kevin Bray (director)|Kevin Bray]]-directed music video on ''[[106 & Park]]''<ref name="Source23" /><ref name="SourceRadio" /> and it was played on [[BET]], [[NickMusic|MTV Hits]], and [[MTV Jams]].<ref name="SourceRadio" /> It was uploaded on Ashanti's [[YouTube]] account on December 22, 2009.<ref name="Source9">{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reThAD8TXN4|title=Ashanti - The Way That I Love You|date=November 22, 2009|publisher=[[YouTube]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171215152917/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reThAD8TXN4|archive-date=December 15, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> A rough cut had leaked a few weeks before its premiere in February 2008.<ref name="Source14">{{cite web|url=http://www.rap-up.com/2008/02/27/video-ashanti-the-way-that-i-love-you-official-version/|title=Video: Ashanti - 'The Way That I Love You' (Official Version)|date=February 27, 2008|work=[[Rap-Up]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080607125023/http://www.rap-up.com/2008/02/27/video-ashanti-the-way-that-i-love-you-official-version/|archive-date=June 7, 2008|url-status=live}}</ref> Another version of the video, with the subtitle "Access Denied", was released on Ashanti's YouTube account on November 22, 2009.<ref name="Source10">{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjOQiCbQuIc|title=Ashanti - The Way That I Love You (Access Denied)|date=November 22, 2009|publisher=[[YouTube]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111009115348/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjOQiCbQuIc&gl=US&hl=en&amp;has_verified=1|archive-date=October 9, 2011|url-status=live}}</ref> Ashanti used the true crime TV shows ''[[Snapped]]'' and ''[[Forensic Files]]'' as the primary inspiration for the video.<ref name="Source23" /> She felt that the storyline of a woman driven to murder fit the single's dramatic, painful, and emotional lyrics.<ref name="Source23" /> She said that she wanted the video to be "very cinematic as opposed to a regular music video" to make a larger impact after her absence from the music industry.<ref name="Source4">{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1589090/ashantis-bloody-online-promotion-sparks-anti-violence-protest-in-la/|title=Ashanti's Bloody Online Promotion Sparks Anti-Violence Protest in L.A.|last=Kaufman|first=Gil|date=June 10, 2008|publisher=[[MTV News]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171215152926/http://www.mtv.com/news/1589090/ashantis-bloody-online-promotion-sparks-anti-violence-protest-in-la/|archive-date=December 15, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="SourceJet" /> When discussing the overall message, Ashanti said: "Don't cheat."<ref name="Source4" />
Ashanti debuted the [[Kevin Bray (director)|Kevin Bray]]-directed music video on ''[[106 & Park]]''<ref name="Source23" /><ref name="SourceRadio" /> and it was played on [[BET]].<ref name="SourceRadio" /> It was uploaded on Ashanti's [[YouTube]] account on December 22, 2009.<ref name="Source9">{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reThAD8TXN4|title=Ashanti - The Way That I Love You|date=November 22, 2009|publisher=[[YouTube]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171215152917/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reThAD8TXN4|archive-date=December 15, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> A rough cut had leaked a few weeks before its premiere in February 2008.<ref name="Source14">{{cite web|url=http://www.rap-up.com/2008/02/27/video-ashanti-the-way-that-i-love-you-official-version/|title=Video: Ashanti - 'The Way That I Love You' (Official Version)|date=February 27, 2008|work=[[Rap-Up]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080607125023/http://www.rap-up.com/2008/02/27/video-ashanti-the-way-that-i-love-you-official-version/|archive-date=June 7, 2008|url-status=live}}</ref> Another version of the video, with the subtitle "Access Denied", was released on Ashanti's YouTube account on November 22, 2009.<ref name="Source10">{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjOQiCbQuIc|title=Ashanti - The Way That I Love You (Access Denied)|date=November 22, 2009|publisher=[[YouTube]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111009115348/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjOQiCbQuIc&gl=US&hl=en&amp;has_verified=1|archive-date=October 9, 2011|url-status=live}}</ref> Ashanti used the true crime TV shows ''[[Snapped]]'' and ''[[Forensic Files]]'' as the primary inspiration for the video.<ref name="Source23" /> She felt that the storyline of a woman driven to murder fit the single's dramatic, painful, and emotional lyrics.<ref name="Source23" /> She said that she wanted the video to be "very cinematic as opposed to a regular music video" to make a larger impact after her absence from the music industry.<ref name="Source4">{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1589090/ashantis-bloody-online-promotion-sparks-anti-violence-protest-in-la/|title=Ashanti's Bloody Online Promotion Sparks Anti-Violence Protest in L.A.|last=Kaufman|first=Gil|date=June 10, 2008|publisher=[[MTV News]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171215152926/http://www.mtv.com/news/1589090/ashantis-bloody-online-promotion-sparks-anti-violence-protest-in-la/|archive-date=December 15, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="SourceJet" /> When discussing the overall message, Ashanti said: "Don't cheat."<ref name="Source4" />


Throughout the video, Ashanti is shown in a volatile relationship with her boyfriend, played by actor [[Christian Keyes]].<ref name="Source23" /><ref name="Source8">{{cite web|url=http://www.blackprwire.com/press-releases/3875-bprw_gmc_tv_presents__the_original_world_premiere_stage_play_love_will_find_a_way|title=(BPRW) GMC TV Presents the Original World Premiere Stage Play 'Love Will Find A Way'|date=May 15, 2013|publisher=Black PR Wire|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180521232616/http://www.blackprwire.com/press-releases/3875-bprw_gmc_tv_presents__the_original_world_premiere_stage_play_love_will_find_a_way|archive-date=May 21, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> After learning about his infidelity, the singer poses with a butcher's knife while dressed in an evening gown.<ref name="Source33" /> Images of evidence, including a bloody knife, footprints, and walls, intercut the video.<ref name="Source4" /><ref name="Source13">{{cite magazine|url=http://ew.com/article/2008/02/29/ashantis-snap-1/|title='Snapped' Judgment: Ashanti's 'The Way That I Love You' video|last=Day|first=Adrienne|date=February 29, 2008|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150613025811/http://www.ew.com/article/2008/02/29/ashantis-snap-1|archive-date=June 13, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> It ends when Ashanti leaves her partner<ref name="Source23" /> after killing him in a bathtub.<ref name="Source33" /><ref name="SourceJet">{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ozsDAAAAMBAJ&q=%22The+Declaration%22+%22Ashanti%22&pg=PA60|title=Ashanti Returns More Empowered With 'The Declaration'|last=Christian|first=Margena A.|date=June 9, 2008|work=[[Jet (magazine)|Jet]]|access-date=December 5, 2018}}</ref>
Throughout the video, Ashanti is shown in a volatile relationship with her boyfriend, played by actor [[Christian Keyes]].<ref name="Source23" /><ref name="Source8">{{cite web|url=http://www.blackprwire.com/press-releases/3875-bprw_gmc_tv_presents__the_original_world_premiere_stage_play_love_will_find_a_way|title=(BPRW) GMC TV Presents the Original World Premiere Stage Play 'Love Will Find A Way'|date=May 15, 2013|publisher=Black PR Wire|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180521232616/http://www.blackprwire.com/press-releases/3875-bprw_gmc_tv_presents__the_original_world_premiere_stage_play_love_will_find_a_way|archive-date=May 21, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> After learning about his infidelity, the singer poses with a butcher's knife while dressed in an evening gown.<ref name="Source33" /> Images of evidence, including a bloody knife, footprints, and walls, intercut the video.<ref name="Source4" /><ref name="Source13">{{cite magazine|url=http://ew.com/article/2008/02/29/ashantis-snap-1/|title='Snapped' Judgment: Ashanti's 'The Way That I Love You' video|last=Day|first=Adrienne|date=February 29, 2008|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150613025811/http://www.ew.com/article/2008/02/29/ashantis-snap-1|archive-date=June 13, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> It ends when Ashanti leaves her partner<ref name="Source23" /> after killing him in a bathtub.<ref name="Source33" /><ref name="SourceJet">{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ozsDAAAAMBAJ&q=%22The+Declaration%22+%22Ashanti%22&pg=PA60|title=Ashanti Returns More Empowered With 'The Declaration'|last=Christian|first=Margena A.|date=June 9, 2008|work=[[Jet (magazine)|Jet]]|access-date=December 5, 2018}}</ref>


The video received critical attention for its representation of violence.<ref name="Source6">{{cite web|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2015/10/hot-new-music-video-trend-murderous-women/408295/|title=A History of Violence (by Women in Music Videos)|last=Kornhaber|first=Spencer|date=October 1, 2015|work=[[The Atlantic]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180111165940/https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2015/10/hot-new-music-video-trend-murderous-women/408295/|archive-date=January 11, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Source16">{{cite web|url=http://theboombox.com/ashanti-the-way-that-i-love-you-new-video/|title=Ashanti, 'The Way That I Love You' — New Video|date=March 6, 2008|work=[[The Boombox]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923193245/http://theboombox.com/ashanti-the-way-that-i-love-you-new-video/|archive-date=September 23, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> In a 2015 article for ''[[The Atlantic]]'', Kornhaber said it was part of a trend in music videos of violent female [[Pop music|pop]] artists who want to avoid being presented as the victim.<ref name="Source6" /> A ''[[The Boombox]]'' contributor summarized the video as "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned."<ref name="Source16" /> The music video was popular on [[MTV.com]] and ''[[Total Request Live]]'' where it peaked at number one and two, respectively.<ref name="SourceRadio" />
The video received critical attention for its representation of violence.<ref name="Source6">{{cite web|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2015/10/hot-new-music-video-trend-murderous-women/408295/|title=A History of Violence (by Women in Music Videos)|last=Kornhaber|first=Spencer|date=October 1, 2015|work=[[The Atlantic]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180111165940/https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2015/10/hot-new-music-video-trend-murderous-women/408295/|archive-date=January 11, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Source16">{{cite web|url=http://theboombox.com/ashanti-the-way-that-i-love-you-new-video/|title=Ashanti, 'The Way That I Love You' — New Video|date=March 6, 2008|work=[[The Boombox]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923193245/http://theboombox.com/ashanti-the-way-that-i-love-you-new-video/|archive-date=September 23, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> In a 2015 article for ''[[The Atlantic]]'', Kornhaber said it was part of a trend in music videos of violent female [[Pop music|pop]] artists who want to avoid being presented as the victim.<ref name="Source6" /> A ''[[The Boombox]]'' contributor summarized the video as "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned."<ref name="Source16" /> The music video was popular on [[BET.com]] and ''[[Music Choice]]'' where it peaked at number one and two, respectively.<ref name="SourceRadio" />


== Promotion ==
== Promotion ==

Revision as of 16:55, 17 May 2024

"The Way That I Love You"
An image of a woman grabbing her forehead while. Mirrors at an angle behind her and under her chin reflect the front of her face and the side of her head.
Single by Ashanti
from the album The Declaration
ReleasedDecember 11, 2007 (2007-12-11)
GenreR&B
Length4:30
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Ashanti Douglas
  • L.T. Hutton
Ashanti singles chronology
"Put a Little Umph in It"
(2007) 		"The Way That I Love You"
(2007) 		"Body on Me"
(2008)

"The Way That I Love You" is a song recorded by American singer Ashanti from her fourth studio album, The Declaration (2008). It was released as the album's lead single on December 11, 2007, through Universal and The Inc. Ashanti wrote and produced the song with L.T. Hutton. Backed by piano, guitar, and horns, "The Way That I Love You" is a midtempo R&B ballad whose lyrics tell of betrayal.

Critical response was primarily positive; some reviewers said it was a highlight from The Declaration while others felt it was inferior to music released by Paul Wall and Kanye West. Commercially, the song peaked at number 37 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and appeared on the publication's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Adult R&B Songs component charts. Ashanti performed "The Way That I Love You" at Sessions@AOL and on tour.

Kevin Bray directed the music video which tells the story of Ashanti and her boyfriend—he cheats on her, she discovers it, and she murders him. The story for the video was inspired by the true crime TV shows Snapped and Forensic Files. The video's emphasis on violence attracted critical attention. As part of the song's promotion, Ashanti launched a website that allowed users to create and send a personalized news report and death threat to a contact. The campaign was received negatively and incited a protest in Los Angeles. The website was ultimately taken down.

Background and release

For her fourth studio album The Declaration (2008), Ashanti collaborated with songwriters and producers outside of her record label Murder Inc. Her previous album Concrete Rose (2004) had been overshadowed by negative news regarding the label, including a feud with G-Unit and an FBI investigation.[1] L.T. Hutton produced a majority of The Declaration, instead of Ashanti's longtime producer Irv Gotti.[2][3] Ashanti said that she had more artistic freedom with the album.[3] Hutton and Ashanti wrote and produced "The Way That I Love".[4] Ashanti said that she "just started jotting down words, and it just kind of poured out" upon hearing the opening instrumental.[5] She produced the lead and background vocals, and Hutton programmed the song and played the instruments. The final version was mixed at Brandons Way Recording Studios in Los Angeles, California.[4]

"Switch", which featured Nelly, and "Hey Baby (After the Club)" were both announced as the album's lead single in 2007.[3][6] They were replaced by "The Way That I Love You",[7] which was released to urban radio on December 11, 2007, and rhythmic radio on April 1, 2008.[8][9] It was the number one most-added song on urban radio in the week of its release.[10] The single was included on a July 2008 Cartier charity playlist created to support the Boys & Girls Clubs of America organization.[11]

Composition and lyrics

"The Way That I Love You"
Performed with a "moderate hip-hop" tempo,[12] the song features a "descending piano arpeggio and horn arrangement".[13]
Problems playing this file? See media help.

"The Way That I Love You" is a midtempo R&B ballad that lasts four minutes and thirty seconds.[4][13][14] It is composed in the key of E minor using common time and a "moderate hip-hop" tempo.[12] The instrumentation is provided by a piano, a guitar, and horns;[13][12] Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine wrote that the single is "driven by a distinct descending piano arpeggio and horn arrangement".[13]

Ashanti's vocal range spans from the low note of D4 to the high note of E5.[12] AllMusic's Andy Kellman compared her vocals to her 2003 single "Rain on Me" because of their similar "melodramatic flourishes" but said the lyrics of "The Way That I Love You" were "much more vengeful in nature than depressive."[2] Ashanti felt both men and women would relate to the single's theme of betrayal.[14][5]

Reception

"The Way That I Love You" was praised by critics who identified it as a highlight of The Declaration.[2][15][16] The New York Daily News' Jim Farber felt Ashanti's collaboration with Hutton was her best work, and described "The Way That I Love You" as a "strut of a song."[17] Noah Berlatsky of the Chicago Reader noted the song's piano loop as one of the few standouts from the album.[7] A Dayton Daily News reviewer summed up the single as "cliche but effective."[16]

On the other hand, some commentators negatively compared "The Way That I Love You" to music released by other singers.[18][19] Despite praising Ashanti's performance as emotional, Leah Greenblatt of Entertainment Weekly found the single to be inferior to those by Kanye West and Paul Wall.[18] Vibe's Shanel Odum dismissed the song as "barely set[ting] off a smoke detector, let alone ring[ing] any alarms", in a reference to Kanye West's 2007 single "Can't Tell Me Nothing".[19]

Commercially, "The Way That I Love You" peaked at number 37 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart on May 17, 2008, and remained on the chart for 18 weeks.[20] It reached number two on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart,[21][22] and number 18 on the Adult R&B Songs component charts compiled by the same publication.[23]

Music video

Ashanti debuted the Kevin Bray-directed music video on 106 & Park[5][10] and it was played on BET.[10] It was uploaded on Ashanti's YouTube account on December 22, 2009.[24] A rough cut had leaked a few weeks before its premiere in February 2008.[25] Another version of the video, with the subtitle "Access Denied", was released on Ashanti's YouTube account on November 22, 2009.[26] Ashanti used the true crime TV shows Snapped and Forensic Files as the primary inspiration for the video.[5] She felt that the storyline of a woman driven to murder fit the single's dramatic, painful, and emotional lyrics.[5] She said that she wanted the video to be "very cinematic as opposed to a regular music video" to make a larger impact after her absence from the music industry.[27][28] When discussing the overall message, Ashanti said: "Don't cheat."[27]

Throughout the video, Ashanti is shown in a volatile relationship with her boyfriend, played by actor Christian Keyes.[5][29] After learning about his infidelity, the singer poses with a butcher's knife while dressed in an evening gown.[14] Images of evidence, including a bloody knife, footprints, and walls, intercut the video.[27][30] It ends when Ashanti leaves her partner[5] after killing him in a bathtub.[14][28]

The video received critical attention for its representation of violence.[31][32] In a 2015 article for The Atlantic, Kornhaber said it was part of a trend in music videos of violent female pop artists who want to avoid being presented as the victim.[31] A The Boombox contributor summarized the video as "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned."[32] The music video was popular on BET.com and Music Choice where it peaked at number one and two, respectively.[10]

Promotion

Promotional campaign

A screenshot from a website. An image of Ashanti is shown next to a group of drop-down menus, where the user can customize their own messages.
TheWayThatILoveYou.com (pictured) and its gotcha-gram campaign received criticism for its violent content.

A publicity stunt was coordinated with the music video's release through Ashanti's website (TheWayThatILoveYou.com). The website allowed a user to create and send a personalized news report and a death threat to a contact.[14][27] The message, stylized as a "gotcha-gram",[14] featured a news report about a series of murders inspired by "The Way That I Love You" music video and the upcoming release of The Declaration.[27] The message could be customized to include the victim's name and crime, the murder weapon, and the sender's name and home state. The choices for crimes were sleeping around, suspected sleeping around, playing you like a fool, and breaking your heart. The weapons included a boot, knife, can, sledgehammer, rolling pin, and a guillotine. The news report ends with the disclaimer, "Ashanti and Universal Music Group do not encourage or condone violence of any kind. This is for parody purposes only."[27] Each message was attributed to the fictional Universal Crime Network.[14][27] An example of a gotcha-gram, sent to CNN's Lola Ogunnaike, was: "Do you know the person pictured in the following video. If so, please contact me immediately. Your life might be in danger."[14]

The campaign received a primarily negative response.[14][27] The civil rights organization Project Islamic Hope and the think tank Industry Ears led a protest that called for the website's removal. These groups felt that the project encouraged violence as a valid means to handle disputes.[27] Ogunnaike deemed the messages "disturbing", and felt that they damaged Ashanti's public image as a "good girl". Universal closed the site, but Ashanti defended it as "a better alternative to actual violence" and "an incredible online viral tool."[14] Ashanti's publicist, Michelle Huff, clarified that the video was intended to have a similar tone to a Saturday Night Live sketch and said that the singer had received primarily positive feedback for the site.[27] Shanti Das, Motown's vice president for urban marketing, referred to the campaign as a parody of the music video and said that Ashanti does not promote violence against women.[28]

Live performances

Ashanti promoted "The Way That I Love You" with a live performance at a 2008 Sessions@AOL.[33] In 2016, she sang it as part of the Natural Born Hitters Tour with rapper Ja Rule. The Boombox's Liz Ramanand said the performance was a highlight from the show.[34] Ashanti subsequently included the song on the setlist for a 2018 tour with Ja Rule. Victor D. Infante of Telegram & Gazette praised her for providing a "soulful rendition" of the single and her decision to provide "an air of vulnerability" by singing it without backup dancers.[35]

Track listing

Digital download[36]
No.TitleLength
1."The Way That I Love You"4:30
2."The Way That I Love You" (video)4:25

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of The Declaration:[4]

  • Arranged by (all lead and background vocals), backing Vocals, lead Vocals, lyrics by (all), producer (all lead and background vocals) – A. Douglas
  • Instruments (all), programmed by – L.T. Hutton
  • Producer, written by – A. Douglas, L.T. Hutton

Charts

Release history

Region Format Date Label
United States Urban radio[8] February 26, 2008
  • Universal
  • The Inc.
Rhythmic radio[9] April 1, 2008

References

  1. ^ Birchmeier, Jason. "Artist Biography by Jason Birchmeier". AllMusic. Archived from the original on March 17, 2017.
  2. ^ a b c Kellman, Andy. "AllMusic Review by Andy Kellman". AllMusic. Archived from the original on October 2, 2017.
  3. ^ a b c Reid, Shaheem (June 29, 2007). "Ashanti, Nelly Get Their Beyonce-And-Jay-Z on for New Single 'Switch'". MTV News. Archived from the original on September 15, 2017.
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External links

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