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Are You That Somebody?

January 01, 1970

"Are You That Somebody?" is a song recorded by American singer Aaliyah for the Dr. Dolittle soundtrack (1998). It was written by Static Major and Timbaland, with the latter producing it, in addition to performing a guest rap. It was sent to urban contemporary radio stations in the United States on May 26, 1998, by Blackground Records and Atlantic Records. Musically, it is an R&B, pop, and avant-funk song with hip hop influences. Its production also incorporates other instrumentals such as staccato guitars, beatboxing, and drum and bass. Lyrically, it is about the narrator (Aaliyah) keeping an intimate relationship a secret due to her celebrity status.

"Are You That Somebody?"
Single by Aaliyah
from the album Dr. Dolittle
ReleasedMay 26, 1998 (1998-05-26)
Recorded1998
StudioCapitol (Los Angeles)
Genre
Length4:26
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Timbaland
Aaliyah singles chronology
"Journey to the Past"
(1998) 		"Are You That Somebody?"
(1998) 		"I Don't Wanna"
(2000)
Timbaland singles chronology
"Hot Like Fire"
(1997) 		"Are You That Somebody?"
(1998) 		"Get on the Bus"
(1998)
Audio sample

Upon its release, the song received critical acclaim from music critics, with them praising its off-beat innovative production. In 1999, Aaliyah earned a Grammy Award nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for the song. Initially, it was ineligible to chart on the Billboard Hot 100, mainly because it was an airplay single not commercially released to retail stores. In December 1998, Billboard changed its policy to allow airplay-only songs to chart on the Hot 100, and the song eventually peaked at number 21. Internationally, the song achieved even greater commercial success, peaking at number one in New Zealand and number three in the Netherlands. It also peaked at number 11 in Canada and the United Kingdom.

An accompanying music video for "Are You That Somebody?" was directed by Mark Gerard. It is a dance-heavy video that depicts Aaliyah and other dancers all dancing in a cave before a backdrop that features clips of the Dr. Dolittle motion picture. The video received acclaim from the music industry, receiving Best R&B Video and Best Video from a Film nominations at the 1999 MTV Video Music Awards. The video also earned a nomination for Outstanding Music Video at the NAACP Image Awards. Throughout the years, critics have praised the video for its choreography, with many highlighting the flamenco routine depicted in the final scene.

Recording and production edit

"Are You That Somebody?" was recorded at Capitol Studios in Los Angeles.[1] Engineer Jimmy Douglass, explained that the recording session for the song was "a soup-to-nuts session", meaning that the entire song was recorded and mixed in one session.[1] The group worked on the song from 11:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m. with last additions of the song being the baby noises and Timbaland's ad-libs.[1] While creating the beat for "Are You That Somebody?", Timbaland was inspired by the 'Oompa Loompa' song from the Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory film (1971). According to him, "I took that rhythm and I listened back to it and I was like, 'Man. that's a dope addition.' That's what I was trying to attempt but in a hip-hop way. … I gotta thank Willy Wonka for that".[2][3]

Timbaland got the idea to include realistic noises in the songs production due to his beliefs that "life is full of music".[4] "As soon as you wake up, hearing the trees, that's music. Hearing the crickets, that's music. I feel like everything that we do is music. When you come outside, listen to the trees, the birds, the crickets, the animals, they all make music", says Timabaland.[4] The baby sample used in the song came from him listening to a '60s compilation featuring various sound effects.[3] He stated: "So I was going through my effects sounds, and I heard this baby. Was it a baby, was it a chicken, there was a cow, there was Godzilla, this whole row. And this baby came across, and it was laughing, and that [one sound] wasn't the whole thing. It was like [imitates four consecutive baby giggles]. I got to that one part, and as soon as the beat came on, I just hit the button".[3] Initially, he didn't think that the baby sound effect would fit into the production. After having a conversation with Aaliyah, he decided to include it. She herself commented on the addition of the baby sound bite saying, "Oh that's so cute!".[3]

Music and lyrics edit

Musically, "Are You That Somebody?" is an R&B, pop, avant-funk, and soul song.[5][6][7][8] BET labeled the record as R&B/pop and said its production was trip-hop inspired.[9] Journalist Larry Flick from Billboard, felt that Aaliyah had returned to her funk/hip hop roots on the record.[10] Shaheem Reid from MTV News described the song as "funked-out" and "bounce-infused".[11] Its production features a variety of sounds, such as frenetic staccato guitars, beatboxing, and drum and bass courtesy of drum programming.[12] Flick described the guitar riff as, "jiggly", and thought that it gives "the track the feel good vibe of a '70s-era throw down".[10] Other sounds that are utilized within the instrumental is a sample of a baby crying and laughing, taken from producer Jac Holzman's 1964 track "Happy Baby" from Authentic Sound Effects Volume 8.[12][13] In addition, the song has a neotango rhythm with Aaliyah displaying "coy vocals".[14] She also has a "no-nonsense delivery" and sings the opening line 'boy', "like she's creating a perfectly round bubble of sound, drawing out the vowel and vibrating it.[15][16] According to Musicnotes, the record is composed in the key of F major and is set in time signature of common time with a tempo of 66 beats per minute, while Aaliyah's vocal range spans from F♯3 to Bb♯4.[17]

Lyrically, "Are You That Somebody?" is about a "late-night rendezvous with a special someone that needed to be kept on the hush".[18] According to Billboard, the lyrics "describe love like a secret, and if this boy is let in on it, he can't tell nobody".[16] On the song, Aaliyah issues a "will you still love me tomorrow sentiment".[19] Quentin B. Huff from PopMatters, said her "sweet but street" persona is in full effect, as she declares: "Sometimes I'm goody-goody / Right now I'm naughty naughty."[20] Huff also noted, there's also a sense of longing in the appearance of the song's title ("'Cause I really need somebody / Tell me are you that somebody") and in the way Aaliyah performed it, stretching out the syllables to the point of desperation and then keeping up with the beat with "hurried, jumbled phrasings".[20]

Critical reception edit

Oliver VanDervoort from AXS said it was the "absolute catchiest of all of her songs", and that the "lyrics are simple enough, as it's a girl looking for the right love but the song is done in a way that makes you want to get up and dance."[21] Larry Flick from Billboard felt that Aaliyah was on her way towards becoming "the New Queen of soundtrack hits" because of "Are You That Somebody?". Flick also praised the song for its smooth melody and clever lyrics, saying: "At the same time it has a smooth melody and clever lyrics that will connect with folks who require traditional structure in their pop music."[10] Damien Scott from Complex felt that "Are You That Somebody?" perfectly captured multiple traits found on Aaliyah's first two albums, Age Ain't Nothing but a Number (1994) and One in a Million (1996).[22] According to Scott, "Aaliyah's oeuvre was an exercise in self-awareness. Her first two albums carefully toed the line between adolescence and adulthood, displaying a woman exploring the terrain of love, trust, and lust; one who exuded a playful innocence while hinting at a more sultry side. Her crowning achievement, a collaboration between her, Timbaland, and Static Major, 'Are You That Somebody,' would capture all of that perfectly".[22] The Gavin Report labeled the song as a "booty-movin' jam" and wrote that,"the angel-voiced Aaliyah lays down the law to a potential lover". Ultimately, the publication predicted the song would "hit big".[23]

Music Week described the songs production as "syncopated" and "jerky", ultimately they felt that it "showcases Aaliyah's deceptively simple R&B vocal."[24] Quentin B. Huff from PopMatters feels that the song "is just too good to be relegated to soundtrack status". He continued praising the song by saying: "It's a fantastic track, with a stomping rhythm alternatingly accented by the strangest bundle of noise. It sounds like someone shaking dice or cracking their knuckles or twisting a Rubik's Cube really fast -- I can never decide which".[20] In its Album Guide, Rolling Stone commented that the song "remains one of '90s R&B's most astounding moments."[5] In 1999, Spin included the song on their top 20 singles list and they felt that Aaliyah's vocals and Timbaland's production on the song was like "an R&B singin in the rain".[25]

In 2021, Billboard and Complex ranked the song at number two and number one, respectively, on their lists of the greatest Aaliyah songs.[26][27] In a retrospective review, Billboard felt that "The goofy AF 1998 Eddie Murphy remake of the 1967 box office bomb Dr. Dolittle did not deserve one of the absolute greatest R&B jams of the '90s".[15] Overall, they declared the song as defining the late '90s, and continuing "to chart a course for the future".[15] Variety writers declared that "Are You That Somebody?" was an "ultimate Aaliyah song" and that it's a 1998 "classic".[28] They also highlighted how, "Aaliyah brings this record to life with her soft-song chorus as she lays down the laws for a secret rendezvous; it's also one of the more sexually forthright tracks from Aaliyah's catalog, and lyrics like "sometimes I'm goody-goody, right now I'm naughty-naughty".[28]

Accolades edit

Commercial performance edit

"Are You That Somebody?" wasn't released commercially to retail stores in the United States, therefore the song's chart success depended solely on radio airplay.[44][45][46] During its chart run, Billboard changed its policy to allow airplay-only singles to chart on the Billboard Hot 100, starting with the chart issued December 5, 1998.[47] Prior to this, "Are You That Somebody?" was eligible to enter only airplay charts in the US, peaking at number four on the Radio Songs chart on October 10.[48] In August, the song peaked atop both the Hot R&B Airplay and Rhythmic Top 40 charts,[49] [50] while in November, it peaked at number six on the Mainstream Top 40 chart.[51] On December 5, the song debuted and peaked at number 21 on the Billboard Hot 100.[52] In Canada, the song peaked at number 11,[53] as well as reaching number two on the urban chart on August 31, 1998.[54] Following its 2021 digital release, "Are You That Somebody?" debuted and peaked at number 50 on the US Digital Song Sales chart for the week of September 25, 2021.[55]

Internationally, "Are You That Somebody?" peaked at number 40 on the Ultratop 50 Wallonia chart in Belgium. [56] In Germany, the song entered the singles chart at number 91 on November 9, 1998 and peaked at number 31 on January 25, 1999.[57] In the Netherlands, the song entered the Single Top 100 chart at number 65 on October 17 and peaked at number three on November 14, 1998, the position in which it remained at for a total of three weeks;[58] it also peaked at number three on the Dutch Top 40 for a total of three weeks.[59] In the United Kingdom, the song peaked at number 11 on the UK Singles Chart on September 12, 1998.[60] The song also peaked within the top five on the UK R&B and dance charts at numbers two and four, respectively.[61][62] According to the Official Charts Company (OCC), "Are You That Somebody?" is Aaliyah's third best-selling single in the country.[63] In New Zealand, the song debuted at number 43 on October 4, 1998 and peaked atop the singles chart the following week.[64]

Music video edit

Background and synopsis edit

Originally, Hype Williams was to direct the Music Video for "Are You That Somebody?" while choreography was orchestrated by Fatima Robinson.[65] Williams, however, pulled out of the project due to other commitments, and Mark Gerard jumped on board.[65][66] Gerard decided to film the video inside a cave after seeing the choreography done by Robinson.[65] According to Robinson, "when the next director came in and saw what we had done, he was like, The dance is so strong, why don't I just put it inside beautiful architectural pieces and build some pieces inside of a cave and stuff like that? Let me just focus on the dance."[65] The videos filming location took place in a cave at Griffith Park in Los Angeles.[67] The cave in which it was filmed in was the same cave used as the Batcave in the original Batman series (1966).[68]

The video begins with Timbaland and a crew of men riding motorcycles to a cave where Aaliyah and other women are waiting in. As Timbaland and his crew arrive, a hologram of a metal door seals the opening of the cave. The men notice that the seal is a hologram and drive through it. Inside the cave, clips of Dr. Dolittle are projected on several walls in the background. As Aaliyah's first verse starts, she holds a large bird on her arm and everyone begins to perform the choreography. There are scenes with just the women dancing, just the men dancing, both the women and men dancing, and Aaliyah performing alone. The group Playa makes an appearance in the background. The video ends with Aaliyah and the dancers performing a flamenco dance.

Fashion edit

In the video Aaliyah wore a Gucci bathing suit according to her former stylist Derek Lee.[69] Lee spoke on her choice of clothing for the video with Complex saying, "No. It wasn't a lot for them because it was $4,000 Gucci bathing suit. It was expensive so yeah, she wanted to show it. And that green look that she was wearing was all Girbaud. The skirt was a Gucci knockoff. I had someone make that and then just add a bit of flair to it".[69] In an interview with Nylon, Lee further explained that the bathing suit was embedded with hand done blood-red Swarovski crystals.[70] In the final scene of the video Aaliyah wears a custom made high-slit skirt.[70] Lee wanted her final look for the big dance scene to have a push in terms of her style.[70] "I had it custom-done for her, too. It kind of bit off of the Gucci design and added some other stuff to it. [Choreographer] Fatima was like, 'You have to do that. You have to do the heels, you have to do this. It's time. It would be hot at the end, for you to flip [your outfit] because no one's ever seen you do this", says Lee.[70]

Release and reception edit

During its chart run, the music video for "Are You That Somebody?" received heavy television airplay on multiple music oriented network channels. For the week ending July 5, 1998, the video was the second most-played video on BET.[71] For the week ending July 25, 1998, the video was the most played video on The Box.[72] Between September 20–27, 1998, the video was the most played video on MTV.[73][74] The video was featured on Complex's "The Best R&B Videos of the '90s" list; editor Ernest Baker praised the video by saying Aaliyah's clothing and choreography in the video were "revolutionary and groundbreaking".[75] VH1 recognized "Are You That Somebody?" in their list of Best R&B Music Video Choreography of the 1990s and 2000s.[76] Grace Stansci from Yahoo! thought, "One of the sexiest sequences in this clip comes at the end when Aaliyah dons a skirt with high slits on both sides and heels and dances the flamenco, which was something her choreographer came up with".[68] BET said that "Fatima Robinson got behind the scenes for this video and managed to work in the energetic Flamenco dance with Aaliyah's laid-back hip hop moves, perfectly complementing Timbaland's production."[77] Nylon writer Steffanee Wang praised the video as she felt that "Aaliyah's dancing — fluid and sensual — takes center stage in this futuristic visual that remains one of the best and concise displays of her sheer talent and magnitude."[78]

Legacy edit

Music critic Simon Reynolds cited "Are You That Somebody?" as "the most radical pop single" of 1998.[79] Kelefah Sanneh of The New York Times wrote that the twitchy, beat-driven songs of Destiny's Child owe a clear debt to 'Are You That Somebody'."[80] BET labeled "Are You That Somebody?" as "one of the '90s R&B's most innovative, unforgettable songs".[81] Adam Levine, the lead vocalist of the pop rock group Maroon 5, remembers that listening to "Are You That Somebody?" convinced him to pursue a more soulful sound than that of his then-band Kara's Flowers.[82] Levine, also said that the song "is one of the most revolutionary-sounding songs ever recorded".[82]

In March 2007, American indie rock band, Gossip, covered the song on BBC 6 Music.[83] A full studio version was leaked in 2009 and later released on the Ministry of Sound Volume 2 compilation in 2010. In 2009, Canadian rapper Drake interpolated a portion of the song's chorus in his verse on Young Money Entertainment's "BedRock": "Girl I gotta watch my back, 'cause I'm not just anybody."[84] In 2011, a cover with a rap verse by Wax was recorded by The Red Ribbon Army.[85] Samples from the song have been used in numerous electronic, and, most recently, dubstep tracks. A prominent use of the sample was by James Blake on the track "CMYK" from his 2010 EP of the same name.[86] In 2014, singer Banks performed an acoustic version of this song on BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge.[87] In 2018, American a cappella group Pentatonix recorded the song as a medley combined with "New Rules" by Dua Lipa for their album PTX Presents: Top Pop, Vol. I.[88]

In August 2021, it was reported that Aaliyah's recorded work for Blackground (since rebranded as Blackground Records 2.0) would be re-released on physical, digital, and, for the first time ever, streaming services in a deal between the label and Empire Distribution.[89] "Are You That Somebody?" was re-released in October 2021 on both of Aaliyah's compilation albums I Care 4 U (2002) and Ultimate Aaliyah (2005).[90] In 2023, American saxophonist Sam Gendel covered "Are You That Somebody?" on his ninth studio album Cookup.[91]

Track listings and formats edit

UK CD, 12-inch, and cassette single[92][93][94]

  1. "Are You That Somebody?" (album version) – 4:27
  2. "Are You That Somebody?" (instrumental) – 4:26
  3. "Are You That Somebody?" (a cappella) – 4:26

European CD single[95]

  1. "Are You That Somebody?" (album version) – 4:27
  2. "Are You That Somebody?" (a cappella) – 4:27

Charts edit

Certifications edit

Certifications for "Are You That Somebody?"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Netherlands (NVPI)[126] Gold 50,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[127] Gold 5,000*
United Kingdom (BPI)[128] Silver 200,000‡
United States (RIAA)[129] Gold 500,000‡

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

Release history edit

Release dates and formats for "Are You That Somebody?"
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States May 26, 1998 Urban contemporary radio
[130]
June 9, 1998 Rhythmic contemporary radio
[131]
United Kingdom August 24, 1998
Atlantic
[132]
Germany October 26, 1998 Maxi CD Warner Music
[100]
Various September 3, 2021
[133]

See also edit

References edit

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Bibliography edit

External links edit

  • "Are You That Somebody?" at Discogs (list of releases)
  • Official website

January 01, 1970
that, somebody, song, recorded, american, singer, aaliyah, dolittle, soundtrack, 1998, written, static, major, timbaland, with, latter, producing, addition, performing, guest, sent, urban, contemporary, radio, stations, united, states, 1998, blackground, recor. Are You That Somebody is a song recorded by American singer Aaliyah for the Dr Dolittle soundtrack 1998 It was written by Static Major and Timbaland with the latter producing it in addition to performing a guest rap It was sent to urban contemporary radio stations in the United States on May 26 1998 by Blackground Records and Atlantic Records Musically it is an R amp B pop and avant funk song with hip hop influences Its production also incorporates other instrumentals such as staccato guitars beatboxing and drum and bass Lyrically it is about the narrator Aaliyah keeping an intimate relationship a secret due to her celebrity status Are You That Somebody Single by Aaliyahfrom the album Dr DolittleReleasedMay 26 1998 1998 05 26 Recorded1998StudioCapitol Los Angeles GenreR amp B pop avant funk soulLength4 26LabelBlackground AtlanticSongwriter s Stephen Garrett Tim MosleyProducer s TimbalandAaliyah singles chronology Journey to the Past 1998 Are You That Somebody 1998 I Don t Wanna 2000 Timbaland singles chronology Hot Like Fire 1997 Are You That Somebody 1998 Get on the Bus 1998 Audio sample source source track filehelp Upon its release the song received critical acclaim from music critics with them praising its off beat innovative production In 1999 Aaliyah earned a Grammy Award nomination for Best Female R amp B Vocal Performance for the song Initially it was ineligible to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 mainly because it was an airplay single not commercially released to retail stores In December 1998 Billboard changed its policy to allow airplay only songs to chart on the Hot 100 and the song eventually peaked at number 21 Internationally the song achieved even greater commercial success peaking at number one in New Zealand and number three in the Netherlands It also peaked at number 11 in Canada and the United Kingdom An accompanying music video for Are You That Somebody was directed by Mark Gerard It is a dance heavy video that depicts Aaliyah and other dancers all dancing in a cave before a backdrop that features clips of the Dr Dolittle motion picture The video received acclaim from the music industry receiving Best R amp B Video and Best Video from a Film nominations at the 1999 MTV Video Music Awards The video also earned a nomination for Outstanding Music Video at the NAACP Image Awards Throughout the years critics have praised the video for its choreography with many highlighting the flamenco routine depicted in the final scene Contents 1 Recording and production 2 Music and lyrics 3 Critical reception 4 Accolades 5 Commercial performance 6 Music video 6 1 Background and synopsis 6 2 Fashion 6 3 Release and reception 7 Legacy 8 Track listings and formats 9 Charts 9 1 Weekly charts 9 2 Year end charts 10 Certifications 11 Release history 12 See also 13 References 14 Bibliography 15 External linksRecording and production edit Are You That Somebody was recorded at Capitol Studios in Los Angeles 1 Engineer Jimmy Douglass explained that the recording session for the song was a soup to nuts session meaning that the entire song was recorded and mixed in one session 1 The group worked on the song from 11 00 p m to 9 00 a m with last additions of the song being the baby noises and Timbaland s ad libs 1 While creating the beat for Are You That Somebody Timbaland was inspired by the Oompa Loompa song from the Willy Wonka amp the Chocolate Factory film 1971 According to him I took that rhythm and I listened back to it and I was like Man that s a dope addition That s what I was trying to attempt but in a hip hop way I gotta thank Willy Wonka for that 2 3 Timbaland got the idea to include realistic noises in the songs production due to his beliefs that life is full of music 4 As soon as you wake up hearing the trees that s music Hearing the crickets that s music I feel like everything that we do is music When you come outside listen to the trees the birds the crickets the animals they all make music says Timabaland 4 The baby sample used in the song came from him listening to a 60s compilation featuring various sound effects 3 He stated So I was going through my effects sounds and I heard this baby Was it a baby was it a chicken there was a cow there was Godzilla this whole row And this baby came across and it was laughing and that one sound wasn t the whole thing It was like imitates four consecutive baby giggles I got to that one part and as soon as the beat came on I just hit the button 3 Initially he didn t think that the baby sound effect would fit into the production After having a conversation with Aaliyah he decided to include it She herself commented on the addition of the baby sound bite saying Oh that s so cute 3 Music and lyrics editMusically Are You That Somebody is an R amp B pop avant funk and soul song 5 6 7 8 BET labeled the record as R amp B pop and said its production was trip hop inspired 9 Journalist Larry Flick from Billboard felt that Aaliyah had returned to her funk hip hop roots on the record 10 Shaheem Reid from MTV News described the song as funked out and bounce infused 11 Its production features a variety of sounds such as frenetic staccato guitars beatboxing and drum and bass courtesy of drum programming 12 Flick described the guitar riff as jiggly and thought that it gives the track the feel good vibe of a 70s era throw down 10 Other sounds that are utilized within the instrumental is a sample of a baby crying and laughing taken from producer Jac Holzman s 1964 track Happy Baby from Authentic Sound Effects Volume 8 12 13 In addition the song has a neotango rhythm with Aaliyah displaying coy vocals 14 She also has a no nonsense delivery and sings the opening line boy like she s creating a perfectly round bubble of sound drawing out the vowel and vibrating it 15 16 According to Musicnotes the record is composed in the key of F major and is set in time signature of common time with a tempo of 66 beats per minute while Aaliyah s vocal range spans from F 3 to Bb 4 17 Lyrically Are You That Somebody is about a late night rendezvous with a special someone that needed to be kept on the hush 18 According to Billboard the lyrics describe love like a secret and if this boy is let in on it he can t tell nobody 16 On the song Aaliyah issues a will you still love me tomorrow sentiment 19 Quentin B Huff from PopMatters said her sweet but street persona is in full effect as she declares Sometimes I m goody goody Right now I m naughty naughty 20 Huff also noted there s also a sense of longing in the appearance of the song s title Cause I really need somebody Tell me are you that somebody and in the way Aaliyah performed it stretching out the syllables to the point of desperation and then keeping up with the beat with hurried jumbled phrasings 20 Critical reception editOliver VanDervoort from AXS said it was the absolute catchiest of all of her songs and that the lyrics are simple enough as it s a girl looking for the right love but the song is done in a way that makes you want to get up and dance 21 Larry Flick from Billboard felt that Aaliyah was on her way towards becoming the New Queen of soundtrack hits because of Are You That Somebody Flick also praised the song for its smooth melody and clever lyrics saying At the same time it has a smooth melody and clever lyrics that will connect with folks who require traditional structure in their pop music 10 Damien Scott from Complex felt that Are You That Somebody perfectly captured multiple traits found on Aaliyah s first two albums Age Ain t Nothing but a Number 1994 and One in a Million 1996 22 According to Scott Aaliyah s oeuvre was an exercise in self awareness Her first two albums carefully toed the line between adolescence and adulthood displaying a woman exploring the terrain of love trust and lust one who exuded a playful innocence while hinting at a more sultry side Her crowning achievement a collaboration between her Timbaland and Static Major Are You That Somebody would capture all of that perfectly 22 The Gavin Report labeled the song as a booty movin jam and wrote that the angel voiced Aaliyah lays down the law to a potential lover Ultimately the publication predicted the song would hit big 23 Music Week described the songs production as syncopated and jerky ultimately they felt that it showcases Aaliyah s deceptively simple R amp B vocal 24 Quentin B Huff from PopMatters feels that the song is just too good to be relegated to soundtrack status He continued praising the song by saying It s a fantastic track with a stomping rhythm alternatingly accented by the strangest bundle of noise It sounds like someone shaking dice or cracking their knuckles or twisting a Rubik s Cube really fast I can never decide which 20 In its Album Guide Rolling Stone commented that the song remains one of 90s R amp B s most astounding moments 5 In 1999 Spin included the song on their top 20 singles list and they felt that Aaliyah s vocals and Timbaland s production on the song was like an R amp B singin in the rain 25 In 2021 Billboard and Complex ranked the song at number two and number one respectively on their lists of the greatest Aaliyah songs 26 27 In a retrospective review Billboard felt that The goofy AF 1998 Eddie Murphy remake of the 1967 box office bomb Dr Dolittle did not deserve one of the absolute greatest R amp B jams of the 90s 15 Overall they declared the song as defining the late 90s and continuing to chart a course for the future 15 Variety writers declared that Are You That Somebody was an ultimate Aaliyah song and that it s a 1998 classic 28 They also highlighted how Aaliyah brings this record to life with her soft song chorus as she lays down the laws for a secret rendezvous it s also one of the more sexually forthright tracks from Aaliyah s catalog and lyrics like sometimes I m goody goody right now I m naughty naughty 28 Accolades editAwards and nominations for Are You That Somebody Year Award Category Result Ref 1999 NAACP Image Award Outstanding Music Video Nominated 29 1999 Grammy Award Best Female R amp B Vocal Performance Nominated 30 1999 Nickelodeon Kids Choice Award Favorite Song Nominated 31 1999 MTV Movie Award Best Song from a Movie Nominated 32 1999 Soul Train Lady of Soul Award Best R amp B Soul Song Nominated 33 Best R amp B Soul or Rap Music Video Nominated 1999 MTV Video Music Award Best R amp B Video Nominated 34 Best Video from a Film Nominated Rankings for Are You That Somebody Year Publication Accolade Rank Ref 1999 Spin Top 20 Singles of the 1990s 18 35 2005 Blender The 500 Greatest Songs Since You Were Born 387 36 2010 Pitchfork The Top 200 Tracks of the 1990s 8 37 2011 Slant Magazine The 100 Best Singles of the 1990s 19 38 2017 Spin The 30 Best 90s R amp B Songs 1 39 2018 Billboard The 98 Greatest Songs of 1998 Critics Picks 1 16 Rolling Stone The 98 Best Songs of 1998 Pop s Weirdest Year 5 40 2019 50 Best Songs of the Nineties 24 6 2021 The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time 238 41 2022 Elle The 65 Best 90s Pop Songs 42 Pitchfork The 250 Best Songs of the 1990 s 3 43 Commercial performance edit Are You That Somebody wasn t released commercially to retail stores in the United States therefore the song s chart success depended solely on radio airplay 44 45 46 During its chart run Billboard changed its policy to allow airplay only singles to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 starting with the chart issued December 5 1998 47 Prior to this Are You That Somebody was eligible to enter only airplay charts in the US peaking at number four on the Radio Songs chart on October 10 48 In August the song peaked atop both the Hot R amp B Airplay and Rhythmic Top 40 charts 49 50 while in November it peaked at number six on the Mainstream Top 40 chart 51 On December 5 the song debuted and peaked at number 21 on the Billboard Hot 100 52 In Canada the song peaked at number 11 53 as well as reaching number two on the urban chart on August 31 1998 54 Following its 2021 digital release Are You That Somebody debuted and peaked at number 50 on the US Digital Song Sales chart for the week of September 25 2021 55 Internationally Are You That Somebody peaked at number 40 on the Ultratop 50 Wallonia chart in Belgium 56 In Germany the song entered the singles chart at number 91 on November 9 1998 and peaked at number 31 on January 25 1999 57 In the Netherlands the song entered the Single Top 100 chart at number 65 on October 17 and peaked at number three on November 14 1998 the position in which it remained at for a total of three weeks 58 it also peaked at number three on the Dutch Top 40 for a total of three weeks 59 In the United Kingdom the song peaked at number 11 on the UK Singles Chart on September 12 1998 60 The song also peaked within the top five on the UK R amp B and dance charts at numbers two and four respectively 61 62 According to the Official Charts Company OCC Are You That Somebody is Aaliyah s third best selling single in the country 63 In New Zealand the song debuted at number 43 on October 4 1998 and peaked atop the singles chart the following week 64 Music video editBackground and synopsis edit Originally Hype Williams was to direct the Music Video for Are You That Somebody while choreography was orchestrated by Fatima Robinson 65 Williams however pulled out of the project due to other commitments and Mark Gerard jumped on board 65 66 Gerard decided to film the video inside a cave after seeing the choreography done by Robinson 65 According to Robinson when the next director came in and saw what we had done he was like The dance is so strong why don t I just put it inside beautiful architectural pieces and build some pieces inside of a cave and stuff like that Let me just focus on the dance 65 The videos filming location took place in a cave at Griffith Park in Los Angeles 67 The cave in which it was filmed in was the same cave used as the Batcave in the original Batman series 1966 68 The video begins with Timbaland and a crew of men riding motorcycles to a cave where Aaliyah and other women are waiting in As Timbaland and his crew arrive a hologram of a metal door seals the opening of the cave The men notice that the seal is a hologram and drive through it Inside the cave clips of Dr Dolittle are projected on several walls in the background As Aaliyah s first verse starts she holds a large bird on her arm and everyone begins to perform the choreography There are scenes with just the women dancing just the men dancing both the women and men dancing and Aaliyah performing alone The group Playa makes an appearance in the background The video ends with Aaliyah and the dancers performing a flamenco dance Fashion edit In the video Aaliyah wore a Gucci bathing suit according to her former stylist Derek Lee 69 Lee spoke on her choice of clothing for the video with Complex saying No It wasn t a lot for them because it was 4 000 Gucci bathing suit It was expensive so yeah she wanted to show it And that green look that she was wearing was all Girbaud The skirt was a Gucci knockoff I had someone make that and then just add a bit of flair to it 69 In an interview with Nylon Lee further explained that the bathing suit was embedded with hand done blood red Swarovski crystals 70 In the final scene of the video Aaliyah wears a custom made high slit skirt 70 Lee wanted her final look for the big dance scene to have a push in terms of her style 70 I had it custom done for her too It kind of bit off of the Gucci design and added some other stuff to it Choreographer Fatima was like You have to do that You have to do the heels you have to do this It s time It would be hot at the end for you to flip your outfit because no one s ever seen you do this says Lee 70 Release and reception edit During its chart run the music video for Are You That Somebody received heavy television airplay on multiple music oriented network channels For the week ending July 5 1998 the video was the second most played video on BET 71 For the week ending July 25 1998 the video was the most played video on The Box 72 Between September 20 27 1998 the video was the most played video on MTV 73 74 The video was featured on Complex s The Best R amp B Videos of the 90s list editor Ernest Baker praised the video by saying Aaliyah s clothing and choreography in the video were revolutionary and groundbreaking 75 VH1 recognized Are You That Somebody in their list of Best R amp B Music Video Choreography of the 1990s and 2000s 76 Grace Stansci from Yahoo thought One of the sexiest sequences in this clip comes at the end when Aaliyah dons a skirt with high slits on both sides and heels and dances the flamenco which was something her choreographer came up with 68 BET said that Fatima Robinson got behind the scenes for this video and managed to work in the energetic Flamenco dance with Aaliyah s laid back hip hop moves perfectly complementing Timbaland s production 77 Nylon writer Steffanee Wang praised the video as she felt that Aaliyah s dancing fluid and sensual takes center stage in this futuristic visual that remains one of the best and concise displays of her sheer talent and magnitude 78 Legacy editMusic critic Simon Reynolds cited Are You That Somebody as the most radical pop single of 1998 79 Kelefah Sanneh of The New York Times wrote that the twitchy beat driven songs of Destiny s Child owe a clear debt to Are You That Somebody 80 BET labeled Are You That Somebody as one of the 90s R amp B s most innovative unforgettable songs 81 Adam Levine the lead vocalist of the pop rock group Maroon 5 remembers that listening to Are You That Somebody convinced him to pursue a more soulful sound than that of his then band Kara s Flowers 82 Levine also said that the song is one of the most revolutionary sounding songs ever recorded 82 In March 2007 American indie rock band Gossip covered the song on BBC 6 Music 83 A full studio version was leaked in 2009 and later released on the Ministry of Sound Volume 2 compilation in 2010 In 2009 Canadian rapper Drake interpolated a portion of the song s chorus in his verse on Young Money Entertainment s BedRock Girl I gotta watch my back cause I m not just anybody 84 In 2011 a cover with a rap verse by Wax was recorded by The Red Ribbon Army 85 Samples from the song have been used in numerous electronic and most recently dubstep tracks A prominent use of the sample was by James Blake on the track CMYK from his 2010 EP of the same name 86 In 2014 singer Banks performed an acoustic version of this song on BBC Radio 1 s Live Lounge 87 In 2018 American a cappella group Pentatonix recorded the song as a medley combined with New Rules by Dua Lipa for their album PTX Presents Top Pop Vol I 88 In August 2021 it was reported that Aaliyah s recorded work for Blackground since rebranded as Blackground Records 2 0 would be re released on physical digital and for the first time ever streaming services in a deal between the label and Empire Distribution 89 Are You That Somebody was re released in October 2021 on both of Aaliyah s compilation albums I Care 4 U 2002 and Ultimate Aaliyah 2005 90 In 2023 American saxophonist Sam Gendel covered Are You That Somebody on his ninth studio album Cookup 91 Track listings and formats editUK CD 12 inch and cassette single 92 93 94 Are You That Somebody album version 4 27 Are You That Somebody instrumental 4 26 Are You That Somebody a cappella 4 26 European CD single 95 Are You That Somebody album version 4 27 Are You That Somebody a cappella 4 27Charts editWeekly charts edit Weekly chart performance for Are You That Somebody Chart 1998 1999 Peakposition Belgium Ultratop 50 Flanders 96 42 Belgium Ultratop 50 Wallonia 97 40 Canada Nielsen SoundScan 53 11 Canada Dance Urban RPM 98 2 Europe European Hot 100 Singles 99 60 Germany Official German Charts 100 31 Netherlands Dutch Top 40 101 3 Netherlands Single Top 100 102 3 New Zealand Recorded Music NZ 103 1 Scotland OCC 104 56 Switzerland Schweizer Hitparade 105 41 UK Singles OCC 106 11 UK Dance OCC 107 4 UK Hip Hop R amp B OCC 108 2 US Billboard Hot 100 109 21 US Mainstream Top 40 Billboard 110 6 US R amp B Hip Hop Airplay Billboard 111 1 US Rhythmic Billboard 112 1 US Top 40 Tracks Billboard 113 9 Year end charts edit 1998 year end chart performance for Are You That Somebody Chart 1998 Position Canada Top Singles RPM 114 66 Canada Urban RPM 115 17 Netherlands Dutch Top 40 116 40 Netherlands Single Top 100 117 28 New Zealand Recorded Music NZ 118 26 US Hot R amp B Airplay Billboard 119 7 US Mainstream Top 40 Billboard 120 38 US Rhythmic Top 40 Billboard 121 6 1999 year end chart performance for Are You That Somebody Chart 1999 Position Netherlands Dutch Top 40 122 122 Netherlands Single Top 100 123 97 US Mainstream Top 40 Billboard 124 75 US Rhythmic Top 40 Billboard 125 63Certifications editCertifications for Are You That Somebody Region Certification Certified units sales Netherlands NVPI 126 Gold 50 000 New Zealand RMNZ 127 Gold 5 000 United Kingdom BPI 128 Silver 200 000 United States RIAA 129 Gold 500 000 Sales figures based on certification alone Shipments figures based on certification alone Sales streaming figures based on certification alone Release history editRelease dates and formats for Are You That Somebody Region Date Format s Label s Ref United States May 26 1998 Urban contemporary radio BlackgroundAtlantic 130 June 9 1998 Rhythmic contemporary radio 131 United Kingdom August 24 1998 12 inch vinylcassetteCD Atlantic 132 Germany October 26 1998 Maxi CD Warner Music 100 Various September 3 2021 Digital downloadstreaming BlackgroundEmpire 133 See also editList of number one singles from the 1990s New Zealand List of artists who reached number one on the U S Rhythmic chart Rolling Stone s 500 Greatest Songs of All TimeReferences edit a b c A look back 20 years to the debut album of Aaliyah the R Kelly scandal and her Timbaland produced follow up that set the R amp B format on fire Wax Poetics Archived from the original on July 31 2018 Retrieved August 2 2018 Williams Kyann Sian May 4 2023 Timbaland was inspired by an Oompa Loompa beat for Aaliyah s Are You That Somebody NME Archived from the original on May 4 2023 Retrieved May 8 2023 a b c d Price Joe May 1 2023 Timbaland Explains How Willy Wonka Inspired Aaliyah s Are You That Somebody Complex Archived from the original on May 3 2023 Retrieved September 6 2023 a b Minsker Evan April 30 2023 Timbaland Reveals Oompa Loompa Beat Inspiration Behind Aaliyah s Are You That Somebody Pitchfork Archived from the original on May 13 2023 Retrieved September 5 2023 a b Brackett amp Hoard 2004 a b Sheffield Rob August 8 2016 50 Best Songs of the Nineties Rolling Stone Archived from the original on July 24 2018 Retrieved December 30 2022 One of Timbaland s most extreme avant garde statements yet Aaliyah turns it into bona fide pop with her cool as ice vocals Masley Ed Remembering Aaliyah in five career defining hits The Arizona Republic Retrieved June 23 2018 It s such a Timbaland production in all the best possible ways a masterstroke of cartoonishly avant garde funk Billboard Staff October 19 2023 The 500 Best Pop Songs Staff List Billboard Retrieved February 24 2024 Aaliyah s honeyed tones over the tangled soul beat of Are You That Somebody make the song as unforgettable as the Princess of R amp B herself BET Staff June 15 2023 Black Music Month 10 Songs That Defined The 1990 BET Archived from the original on October 25 2023 Retrieved October 25 2023 a b c Flick Larry May 30 1998 Reviews amp Previews Singles Billboard Vol 110 no 22 p 27 Retrieved January 15 2023 Reid Shaheem June 26 2001 Aaliyah Makes Love And War On New Album MTV News Archived from the original on March 26 2023 Retrieved April 9 2024 a b The 50 Best Timbaland Beats Complex April 11 2013 Retrieved December 10 2018 Who Was the Baby on Aaliyah s Are You That Somebody Red Bull Music Academy Daily July 2016 Caramanica Jon November 1 2001 Aaliyah 1979 2001 Spin p 36 Retrieved May 26 2022 a b c Aaliyah s 20 Best Songs Staff List Billboard August 25 2021 Retrieved May 21 2022 a b c Billboard Staff May 29 2018 The 98 Greatest Songs of 1998 Critics Picks Billboard Archived from the original on November 21 2021 Retrieved August 26 2023 Aaliyah Are You That Somebody Digital Sheet Music Musicnotes com Archived from the original on April 8 2023 10 Best Songs From Aaliyah Songs The Boombox Retrieved December 14 2018 Seymour Craig August 31 2001 Aaliyah A Tribute The Buffalo News Archived from the original on May 24 2022 Retrieved May 24 2022 a b c My Favorite Aaliyah Things PopMatters Retrieved January 6 2018 VanDervoort Oliver March 16 2016 The top 10 best Aaliyah songs AXS Archived from the original on May 25 2019 Retrieved September 9 2023 a b The 25 Best Aaliyah Songs Complex May 19 2016 Retrieved July 20 2018 Gavin Report Staff May 15 1998 Urban Reviews PDF Gavin Report p 23 Retrieved August 30 2023 Single Reviews PDF Music Week August 15 1998 p 8 Retrieved August 27 2023 LLC SPIN Media September 1 1999 SPIN SPIN Media LLC via Google Books Aaliyah s 20 Best Songs Staff List Billboard August 25 2021 Retrieved March 30 2022 The 25 Best Aaliyah Songs Complex August 27 2021 Retrieved March 30 2022 a b Alex Gonzalez Jem Aswad August 20 2021 Aaliyah s Catalog Finally Hits Streaming Services 10 Essential Songs Variety Archived from the original on August 21 2021 Retrieved September 1 2023 The Crisis The New Crisis The Crisis Publishing Company Inc 25 December 1998 ISSN 0011 1422 Retrieved December 27 2018 CNN 41st annual Grammy nominees January 5 1999 CNN Kid Power tribunedigital sunsentinel articles sun sentinel com Archived from the original on December 10 2019 Retrieved December 27 2018 Ryan Joal April 20 1999 There s Something About MTV Movie Awards E News Retrieved December 27 2018 Lauryn Hill Monica Top Lady Of Soul Nominees MTV mtv com Archived from the original on July 27 2014 Retrieved December 27 2018 Hay Carla August 7 1999 Retail MTV Awards Will Boost Martin Billboard Retrieved December 27 2018 Aaron Charles September 1999 Top 20 Singles of the 1990s Spin Vol 15 no 9 Spin Media p 137 ISSN 0886 3032 Retrieved March 14 2022 via Google Books The 500 Greatest Songs Since You Were Born 351 400 Article on Blender The Ultimate Guide to Music and More March 22 2009 Archived from the original on March 22 2009 The Top 200 Tracks of the 1990s 20 01 Pitchfork Pitchfork Archived from the original on April 16 2019 The 100 Best Singles of the 1990s Feature Slant Magazine Slant Magazine Johnston Maura Reeves Mosi August 8 2017 The 30 Best 90s R amp B Songs Spin Archived from the original on January 21 2023 Retrieved January 21 2023 Sheffield Rob June 4 2018 The 98 Best Songs of 1998 Pop s Weirdest Year Rolling Stone Retrieved June 28 2022 Are You That Somebody Ranked 238 on Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs List Rolling Stone Archived from the original on November 13 2021 Retrieved September 29 2021 The 65 Best 90s Pop Songs Elle April 29 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Archived from the original on March 27 2023 Retrieved September 25 2023 Aaliyah 1998 Are You That Somebody UK CD single liner notes Blackground Records Atlantic Records AT0047CD Aaliyah 1998 Are You That Somebody UK 12 inch single sleeve Blackground Records Atlantic Records AT 0047 T Aaliyah 1998 Are You That Somebody UK cassette single sleeve Blackground Records Atlantic Records AT0047C Aaliyah 1998 Are You That Somebody European CD single liner notes Blackground Records Atlantic Records 7567 84172 9 Aaliyah Are You That Somebody in Dutch Ultratop 50 Retrieved November 27 2017 Aaliyah Are You That Somebody in French Ultratop 50 Retrieved November 27 2017 Top RPM Dance Urban Issue 7895 RPM Library and Archives Canada Retrieved November 27 2018 Euro Chart Hot 100 PDF Music amp Media September 19 1998 p 11 Retrieved March 11 2018 a b Aaliyah Are You That Somebody in German GfK Entertainment charts Retrieved October 9 2018 Nederlandse Top 40 week 48 1998 in Dutch Dutch Top 40 Retrieved December 8 2017 Aaliyah Are You That Somebody in Dutch Single Top 100 Aaliyah Are You That Somebody Top 40 Singles Retrieved November 27 2017 Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100 Official Charts Company Aaliyah Are You That Somebody Swiss Singles Chart Retrieved November 27 2017 Aaliyah Artist Chart History Official Charts Company Retrieved August 16 2019 Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40 Official Charts Company Retrieved November 28 2017 Official Hip Hop and R amp B Singles Chart Top 40 Official Charts Company Retrieved March 4 2016 Aaliyah Chart History Hot 100 Billboard Aaliyah Chart History Pop Songs Billboard Retrieved November 29 2017 Aaliyah Chart History Hot R amp B Hip Hop Airplay Billboard Retrieved May 26 2017 Aaliyah Chart History Rhythmic Billboard Retrieved November 29 2017 Top 40 Tracks Billboard Vol 110 no 49 December 5 1998 p 114 Retrieved May 19 2022 RPM s Top 100 Hit Tracks of 98 PDF RPM Vol 63 no 12 December 14 1998 p 20 Retrieved March 23 2019 RPM s Top 50 Urban Tracks of 98 RPM Library and Archives Canada Retrieved March 3 2019 Jaarlijsten 1998 in Dutch Stichting Nederlandse Top 40 Retrieved December 13 2017 Jaaroverzichten 1998 in Dutch MegaCharts Retrieved December 13 2017 End of Year Charts 1998 Recorded Music NZ Retrieved July 7 2019 The Year in Music 1998 PDF Billboard Vol 110 no 52 December 26 1998 p YE 52 Retrieved March 28 2020 Most Played Mainstream Top 40 Songs of 1998 PDF Airplay Monitor Vol 6 no 52 December 25 1998 p 45 Retrieved March 28 2020 Most Played Rhythmic Top 40 Songs of 1998 PDF Airplay Monitor Vol 6 no 52 December 25 1998 p 46 Retrieved March 28 2020 Jaarlijsten 1999 in Dutch Stichting Nederlandse Top 40 Retrieved February 13 2020 Jaaroverzichten 1999 in Dutch MegaCharts Retrieved July 7 2019 Most Played Mainstream Top 40 Songs of 1999 PDF Airplay Monitor Vol 7 no 52 December 24 1999 p 54 Retrieved March 28 2020 Most Played Rhythmic Top 40 Songs of 1999 PDF Airplay Monitor Vol 7 no 52 December 24 1999 p 53 Retrieved March 28 2020 Dutch single certifications Aaliyah Are You That Somebody in Dutch Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld en geluidsdragers Retrieved August 23 2018 EnterAre You That Somebody in the Artiest of titel box Select 1998 in the drop down menu saying Alle jaargangen New Zealand single certifications Aaliyah Are You That Somebody Recorded Music NZ British single certifications Aaliyah Are You That Somebody British Phonographic Industry Retrieved February 16 2024 American single certifications Aaliyah Are You That Somebody Recording Industry Association of America Retrieved August 8 2023 ADDvance Notice PDF Radio amp Records May 22 1998 p 50 Retrieved March 13 2022 via World Radio History New Releases Radio amp Records No 1251 June 5 1998 p 45 Singles Releases for 24 Aug 30 Aug 1998 142 PDF Music Week August 22 1998 p 35 Retrieved March 13 2022 via World Radio History Are You That Somebody Single by Aaliyah United States Apple Music Retrieved March 13 2022 Bibliography editBrackett Nathan Hoard Christian David 2004 The Rolling Stone Album Guide Rolling Stone ISBN 978 0 7432 0169 8 Retrieved October 20 2010 Warner Jennifer 2014 Aaliyah A Biography BookCap Study Guides ISBN 9781629173597 External links edit Are You That Somebody at Discogs list of releases Official website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Are You That Somebody 3F amp oldid 1220543859, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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