Wikipedia

Run It!

For the song from Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, see Run It (DJ Snake song).

"Run It!" is the debut single by American singer Chris Brown featuring American rapper Juelz Santana. It was produced by Scott Storch, who wrote the song alongside Sean Garrett and Santana. The song appeared on Brown's self-titled debut album (2005), and was released as a single on June 30, 2005. The remix features fellow American 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 Santana
from the album Chris Brown
ReleasedJune 30, 2005 (2005-06-30)
StudioThe Hit Factory Criteria (Miami)
Battery Studios (New York City)
Length3:50 (album), 3:14 (radio), 4:04 (remix)
LabelJive
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Storch
Chris Brown singles chronology
"Run It!"
(2005) 		"Yo (Excuse Me Miss)"
(2005)
Juelz Santana singles chronology
"Oh Yes"
(2005) 		"Run It!"
(2005) 		"Clockwork"
(2005)
Music video
"Run It!" on YouTube

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

Background and composition

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The song was recorded at The Hit Factory Criteria, in Miami, during the sessions for Brown's self-titled first studio album. Scott Storch talked about the making of the track in a 2020 interview: "At that moment in my life, I was literally on fire (..) And [Chris Brown] came in, he was just about to turn 16, and I didn’t know how to do anything except make you a hit record, like that’s the only thing I could do. I was in there every day, every minute, every hour in the studio. And it was me, Sean Garrett, and we literally, immediately, made something so effortlessly. And I had told him right before we started making it, I was like, ‘I’m about to make you a number one song and you’ll be a superstar.’"[1] In a 2023 interview, Brown recalled that he felt "insecure" about releasing "Run It!" as his first single: "I [didn't] know if I liked the song, because I was too nervous in my head (..) but I knew I wanted to dance in it".[2]

"Run It" was released as Brown's debut single on June 30, 2005, through digital distribution, as a solo version. On July 19, 2005, Jive and Zomba Records serviced the song to rhythmic crossover radio in the United States, with Juelz Santana being added as a featuring artist to it. They later solicited the song to contemporary hit radio on October 3, 2005.[3] "Run It" was written and produced by Scott Storch and Sean Garrett, and features vocals by Juelz Santana.[4] Santana's introduction on the song interpolates The Waitresses' 1980 single "I Know What Boys Like", written by Christopher Butler. The track is composed in the key of C♯ Phrygian as a Crunk&B song, that was described for having "slinky synth beats", a "catchy chorus", and an "ominous, creepy background".[5][4] Christian Hoard of Rolling Stone compared the song's musicality to the 2004 single "Yeah!" by Usher, stating that it features a "mix of smooth seduction and cunning come-ons in Brown's baby-mack vocals."[5]

Critical reception

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Lyana Robertson of Vibe, praised "Run It!" as a "prelude to what Brown would continue to do for the next decade: relentlessly disrupt the constructs of rhythm and blues", noting that with the song "the young singer began an evolution of the genre."[6] 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."[7] 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."[4] Christian Hoard of Rolling Stone commended the song calling it a "hot single".[5] HotNewHipHop listed "Run It!" among the singer's best singles, stating that it "laid the foundation for his future hits, establishing him as a fresh and dynamic force in the music industry".[8][9]

Chart performance

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"Run It!" debuted at number 92 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the issue dated August 27, 2005.[10] After eight weeks on the chart, the song entered the top ten at number eight on October 22, 2005, receiving the airplay gainer title.[11] It gained the airplay title again in the following week, climbing to number two on the chart, where it stalled for a month.[12] 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.[13] 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.[14] It was certified 3x multi-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipments of three million copies.[15]

"Run It!" debuted and peaked at number one on the Australian Singles Chart in the issue dated January 29, 2006.[16] The song remained at the top of the chart for three non-consecutive weeks and exited after fifteen weeks.[16] It earned a gold certification from the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), denoting shipments of 35,000 copies.[17] In New Zealand, the song entered the singles chart at number 39 on the week ending January 2, 2006.[18] Six weeks later, the song peaked at the top of the chart, where it remained for one month.[18] "Run It!" entered the Swiss Singles Chart at number twelve on the week ending February 12, 2006.[19] In the next week, it peaked at number five and remained in the top ten for six consecutive weeks.[19]

Music video

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A music video for "Run It!" was released on August 8, 2005.[20] Directed by Erik White, it portrays an underground dance inside a school gym, where Brown meets a girl (portrayed by 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.[21] The music video on YouTube has received over 200 million views as of July 2024.[22]

Credits

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Credits adapted from Chris Brown liner notes, Columbia Records.[23]

  • Scott Storch – songwriting, production
  • Sean Garrett – songwriting, production
  • Brian Stanley – mix engineer
  • Val Braithwaite – assistant mix engineer
  • Mike Tschupp – assistant mix engineer
  • Herb Powers Jr. – mastering engineer
  • Charles McCrorey – recording engineer
  • Conrad Golding – recording engineer
  • Alonzo Vargas - recording engineer
  • Wayne Allison – recording engineer

Track listings

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Charts

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Certifications

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Certifications for "Run It!"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[78] 3× Platinum 210,000^
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[79] Platinum 60,000*
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[80]
Jason Nevins Extended Mix 		Platinum 60,000*
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[81] Gold 45,000‡
Germany (BVMI)[82] Gold 150,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ)[83] Gold 5,000*
Norway (IFPI Norway)[84] Gold 5,000*
United Kingdom (BPI)[85] Platinum 600,000‡
United States (RIAA)[86] 3× Platinum 3,000,000‡
Ringtone
Canada (Music Canada)[87] Gold 20,000*
United States (RIAA)[88] Platinum 1,000,000*

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Radio and release history

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Release dates and formats for "Run It!"
Country Date Format Label
Various[89] June 30, 2005 Digital download Zomba Records
United States July 19, 2005 Rhythmic crossover
October 3, 2005 Contemporary hit radio
Australia[90] January 30, 2006 EP Zomba Records
New Zealand[91]
Austria[92] Single (featuring Juelz Santana)
Belgium[93]
Brazil[94]
Denmark[95]
Finland[96]
France[97]
Germany[98]
Ireland[99]
Italy[100]
Mexico[101]
Netherlands[102]
New Zealand[103]
Norway[104]
Spain[105]
Sweden[106]
Switzerland[107]
United Kingdom[108]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Scott Storch says he told Chris Brown "Run It!" would make him a "superstar"".
  2. ^ "Chris Brown Joins Shannon Sharpe on Club Shay Shay Podcast", therewxndz.com, September 13, 2023
  3. ^ "Airplay Archive". FMQB. Friday Morning Quarterback Album Report, Inc. and Mediaspan Online Services. Archived from the original on February 20, 2017. Retrieved November 30, 2011.
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  5. ^ a b c Hoard, Christian (November 28, 2005). "Chris Brown". Rolling Stone. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
  6. ^ "In 10 Years, Chris Brown Single-Handedly Transformed R&B". Vibe. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
  7. ^ Lamb, Bill. "Run It! - Chris Brown". About.com. The New York Times Company. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
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  90. ^ "Run It! – EP". iTunes Store (Australia). Apple. January 28, 2006. Retrieved December 16, 2011.
  91. ^ "Run It! – EP". iTunes Store (New Zealand). Apple. January 28, 2006. Retrieved December 16, 2011.
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