Not Today (Mary J. Blige song)

"Not Today" is a song by American R&B singer Mary J. Blige, featuring guest vocals by rapper Eve. It was written by Blige, Eve, Mike Elizondo, Theron Feemster, Bruce Miller, and Dr. Dre for Blige's sixth studio album Love & Life (2003), while production was helmed by the latter.^[1] Built upon a "plinking beat," "Not Today" emphasizes the theme of broken promises and has Blige singing about how her partner told her promises every day, but never followed through, prompting her to walk away from the relationship.

"Not Today"
Single by Mary J. Blige featuring Eve
from the album Love & Life
Released	March 3, 2004
Length	4:13
Label	Geffen
Songwriter(s)	Mary J. Blige Eve Jeffers Andre Young Mike Elizondo Theron Feemster Bruce Miller
Producer(s)	Dr. Dre
Mary J. Blige singles chronology
"Ooh!" (2003) "Not Today" (2004) "Whenever I Say Your Name" (2003)
Eve singles chronology
"Satisfaction" (2003) "Not Today" (2004) "Rich Girl" (2004)

The song earned largely positive reviews from music critics who ranked it among the highlights on Love & Life. It was released as the album's third single in the first quarter of 2003, also serving as the lead single to the soundtrack of the motion picture Barbershop 2: Back in Business (2003). While it was commercially less successful on the main charts, "Not Today" peaked at number 12 on the UK R&B Singles and number 21 on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.

Background

"Not Today" was written by Blige and rapper Eve along with Dr. Dre, Mike Elizondo, Theron Feemster, and Bruce Miller, while production was helmed by Dr. Dre.^[2] In a 2003 interview with MTV News, Blige elaborated on the track: "The first day Dre gave us the track, we went and laid it down in a studio. We didn't even know the song was going to make the album, because Dre was trying to do something else. We brought the song back and played it for him, and he was bugging out off the fact that we did it the same night. So a couple of weeks later he sends it back to us, mastered with Eve on it, killing it."^[3] She further commented on Eve's contribution: "She's just destroying somebody. I don't know who, but she sounds really pissed off. The good thing is she really murdered the track."^[3]

Critical reception

Evan McGarey from The Michigan Daily described the song as a "big-budget [...] radio-ready anchor." He further wrote: "Fittingly, Dre’s plinking beats mold well with Mary J. Blige’s robust voice. It’s Eve, however, who steals the track. Instead of the subdued Eve we’ve seen in UPN sitcoms and Vin Diesel movies, we get a riled-up version who hurls fiery indictments to a former lover. It’s a shockingly welcome return to form."^[4] New York Post critic Dan Aquilante noted that "on "Not Today," Eve and Blige abuse a lying, cheating 'waste of time' boy who will never be a real man. Dre’s production surges with waves of orchestral power as Blige’s soul-flavored hip-hop cuts heads with Eve’s rap. From start to finish, it’s a terrific tune."^[5] Dotmusic's Sharon O'Connell called the a "sleek, TLC-tastic treat."^[6] New York Times critic Jessica Willis that "on "Not Today," she lets Eve run away with all of the put-downs, and they're crass and flat compared to the nuanced "Where I've Been," their duet from No More Drama."^[7] In his review of parent album Love & Life, Sal Cinquemani from Slant Magazine noted: "The flawless, sample-free “Not Today,” produced by Dr. Dre and featuring Eve, stands out here like a shiny penny on a dirty city street."^[8]

Music video

A music video for "Not Today" was directed by Chris Robinson.^[9] According to MTV News, the "clip features a sexy Mary visiting a local social hot spot – the barbershop – and witnessing the flirtatious actions of a man who seems to be too distracted by several women to ever stick to just one. Eve and Mary watch the shenanigans amusedly." In addition, the visuals feature cameos from Barbershop 2: Back in Business co-stars Eve and Cedric the Entertainer as well as scenes from the film itself.^[9]

Track listings

CD single^[10]

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Not Today" (radio edit featuring Eve)	Mary J. Blige Eve Jeffers Andre Young Mike Elizondo Theron Feemster Bruce Miller	Dr. Dre	3:50
2.	"Ooh!" (G-Unit remix radio edit)	Blige Sean Combs Mechalie Jamison Dimitri Christo Hamilton Bohannon	Combs D-Nat^[a]	3:48
3.	"Love @ 1st Sight" (Rishi Rich vocal remix featuring Juggy D)	Blige Combs Jamison Mario Winans Clifford Smith Steven Jordan Kamaal Fareed Ali Jones-Muhammed Malik Taylor	Combs Winans Stevie J Rishi Rich^[a]	5:23

Notes

• ^{^[a]} denotes remix producer

Sample credits

• "Ooh!" contains a sample from "Singing a Song for My Mother", performed by Bohannon.
• "Love @ 1st Sight" contains a sample from "Hot Sex", performed by A Tribe Called Quest.

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Love & Life.^[2]

Mary J. Blige – vocals, vocal recording, writer Dr. Dre – mixing engineer, producer, writer Mike Elizondo – bass, keyboards, writer Theron Feemster – keyboards, writer Mauricio Iragorri – recording engineer

Kendu Isaacs – vocal recording Eve Jefferse – vocals, writer Rouble Kapoor – recording assistance James McCrone – recording assistance Jason Merrit – recording assistance

Charts

Weekly chart performance for "Not Today"

Chart (2003)	Peak position
France (SNEP)^[11]	57
Scotland (OCC)^[12]	64
UK Singles (OCC)^[13]	40
UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC)^[14]	12
US Billboard Hot 100^[15]	41
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)^[16]	21
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)^[17]	35
US Rhythmic (Billboard)^[18]	24

Certifications

Video single certifications for Not Today

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)^[19]	Platinum	50,000^^
^^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

1. Barbershop 2: Back in Business (2004) - Soundtracks - IMDb, retrieved 2023-10-10
2. Love & Life (Media notes). Mary J. Blige. Geffen Records. 2003.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
3. Reid, Shaheem (August 6, 2003). "Mary Gets Giddy On 'Ooh!,' States The Facts While Eve Attacks On 'Not Today'". MTV News. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
4. McGarey, Evan (February 4, 2004). "Originality shaved off new 'Shop 2' record". The Michigan Daily. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
5. Aquilante, Dan (August 24, 2003). "KICK IN THE DUFF". New York Post. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
6. O'Connell, Sharon (September 1, 2003). "Mary J. Blige, Love & Life". Dotmusic. Archived from the original on October 11, 2003. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
7. Willis, Jessica (August 24, 2003). "MUSIC; Sadly, Mary J. Blige Is Happy at Last". New York Times. Archived from the original on September 19, 2015. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
8. Cinquemani, Sal (September 3, 2003). "Review: Mary J. Blige, Love & Life". Slant Magazine. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
9. Patel, Joseph (October 21, 2003). "Mary J. Blige, Eve Head To The Barbershop For 'Not Today' Clip". MTV News. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
10. "Not Today – CD Single". Discogs. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
11. "Mary J. Blige feat. Eve – Not Today" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved March 15, 2012.
12. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 15, 2012.
13. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 15, 2012.
14. "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 15, 2012.
15. "Mary J. Blige Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved March 15, 2012.
16. "Mary J. Blige Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 15, 2012.
17. "Mary J. Blige Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 15, 2012.
18. "Mary J. Blige Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved April 30, 2022.
19. "American videosingle certifications – Mary J. Blige – Not Today". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved August 9, 2020.