Control Myself

"Control Myself"
Single by LL Cool J featuring Jennifer Lopez
from the album Todd Smith
Released	February 1, 2006 (U.S.) May 8, 2006 (UK)
Format	CD single, digital download, digital maxi single, 12" maxi single
Recorded	2005
Genre	Electro hop
Length	3:53
Label	Def Jam (U.S.) Mercury (UK)
Writer(s)	James Todd Smith, Jermaine Dupri, James Phillips, Ryan Toby, Arthur Baker, John Robie, Afrika Bambaataa, John Miller
Producer	Jermaine Dupri
LL Cool J singles chronology "It's LL and Santana" (2006) "Control Myself" (2006) "Freeze" (2006) Jennifer Lopez singles chronology "Hold You Down" (2005) "Control Myself" (2006) "Qué Hiciste" (2007) Audio sample file info · help

"Control Myself" is a song by American rapper LL Cool J from his twelfth album, Todd Smith (2006). It was produced by Jermaine Dupri and features fellow American singer Jennifer Lopez (the song also has spoken parts by Dupri, but he is not credited). The track contains a sample of Afrika Bambaataa & Soulsonic Force's 1982 song "Looking for the Perfect Beat", while the vocals interpolate Grandmaster Flash & Melle Mel's 1983 song "White Lines (Don't Don't Do It)" and Afrika Bambaataa & Soulsonic Force's 1982 song "Planet Rock".

It was released as the album's lead single in February 2006 and remained on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart for three weeks, peaking at number 4. After being released as a digital download in April 2006, the song debuted at number two on the Billboard Hot Digital Songs chart and made a strong Hot 100 re-entry at number four. This broke a record previously held by Jay-Z's 1998 song "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)", which had re-entered the chart in March 1999 at number twenty.

The song debuted at number fifteen on the UK Singles Chart on downloads only but then it rose and peaked at number two, one of his highest-charting and biggest hits to date. It was also another top five hit for Lopez there.

Music video

The single's video was directed by Hype Williams and was filmed at Sony Studios in New York City on January 2, 2006. It debuted in the U.S. on February 13, 2006 and in Europe on February 19. Like some of Williams' other videos, video footage is displayed where black bars would appear on a 4:3 TV for a widescreen production. The video peaked at number two on MTV's Total Request Live, number three on BET's 106 & Park, and number eighteen on VH1's VSpot Top 20 Countdown.

Track listings and formats

European CD single

1. "Control Myself" – 3:56
2. "Control Myself" (Jason Nevins Funktek Edit) – 4:02

European CD maxi single

1. "Control Myself" – 3:56
2. "Control Myself" (Jason Nevins Funktek Edit) – 4:02
3. "Control Myself" (Instrumental) – 3:54
4. "Control Myself" (Video)

European promo CD single

1. "Control Myself" (Radio) – 3:54

European promo CD maxi single

1. "Control Myself" (Radio) – 3:54
2. "Control Myself" (Instrumental) – 3:54

U.S. promo CD maxi single

1. "Control Myself" (Nevins Electrotek Edit) – 4:05
2. "Control Myself" (Joe Bermudez Radio Edit) – 3:51
3. "Control Myself" (Nevins Electrotek Club Mix) – 8:55
4. "Control Myself" (Joe Bermudez Tantric Experience) – 8:18

U.S. 12" single

• Side A:

1. "Control Myself" (Radio) – 3:54
2. "Control Myself" (Instrumental) – 3:54

• Side B:

1. "Control Myself" (Radio) – 3:54
2. "Control Myself" (Instrumental) – 3:54

U.S. promo 12" single

• Side A:

1. "Control Myself" (Nevins Electrotek Club Mix) – 8:55

• Side B:

1. "Control Myself" (Joe Bermudez Tantric Experience) – 8:18

UK 12" single

• Side A:

1. "Control Myself" (Album Version) – 3:54
2. "Control Myself" (Instrumental) – 3:54

• Side B:

1. "Control Myself" (Jason Nevins Electrotex Club Mix) – 8:53

German 12" single

• Side A:

1. "Control Myself" (Explicit Version) – 3:58

• Side B:

1. "Control Myself" (Instrumental) – 3:54

European 12" promo single

• Side A:

1. "Control Myself" (Radio) – 3:54
2. "Control Myself" (Instrumental) – 3:54

• Side B:

1. "What You Want" (Radio)
2. "What You Want" (Instrumental)

Charts

Chart (2006)[1][2] Peak position Australian ARIA Singles Chart 17 Ö3 Austria Top 40 70 Belgian Ultratop 50 Singles (Flanders) 14 Canadian Singles Chart 4 Dutch Top 40 13 European Hot 100 Singles[3] 7 Finnish Singles Chart 11 German Singles Chart 25 Global Dance Tracks[4] 18 Irish Singles Chart 5 New Zealand RIANZ Singles Chart 7 UK Singles Chart 2 U.S. Billboard Hot 100 4 U.S. Billboard Hot Rap Tracks 9 U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs 28 U.S. Billboard Pop 100 5 U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play 1 14

• ¹ Jason Nevins/Joe Bermudez mixes

References

1. ^ "Todd Smith > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/album/r823098. Retrieved 2009-04-30. 
2. ^ "LL Cool J and Jennifer Lopez – Control Myself – Music Charts". αCharts.us. http://acharts.us/song/7936. Retrieved 2009-04-30. 
3. ^ "European Hot 100 Singles". Billboard. http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/esearch/chart_display.jsp?cfi=349&cfgn=Singles&cfn=European+Hot+100+Singles&ci=3066476&cdi=8619637&cid=05%2F27%2F2006. Retrieved 2009-04-30. ^{[dead link]}
4. ^ "Global Dance Tracks". Billboard. http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/esearch/chart_display.jsp?cfi=417&cfgn=Singles&cfn=Global+Dance+Tracks&ci=3067037&cdi=8638686&cid=06%2F24%2F2006. Retrieved 2009-04-30. ^{[dead link]}