Whatchulookinat

"Whatchulookinat"
Single by Whitney Houston
from the album Just Whitney
B-side"Love to Infinity Megamix"
ReleasedAugust 5, 2002 (2002-08-05)[1]
Recorded2002
Genre
Length3:35
LabelArista
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Whitney Houston singles chronology
"The Star Spangled Banner"
(2001) 		"Whatchulookinat"
(2002) 		"One of Those Days"
(2002)
Music video
"Whatchulookinat" on YouTube

"Whatchulookinat" is a song by American singer Whitney Houston. One of the few songs she co-wrote, co-writers include Michael Andre Lewis, Tammie Harris, and Jerry Muhammad. The track was produced by Houston's husband Bobby Brown and Muhammad 2G. Lyrically the song was aimed at critics that were attacking her image at the time.[2] It was serviced to radio on August 5, 2002, via Arista Records, as the lead single to her fifth studio album Just Whitney (2002). Multiple remixes were also made from producers such as Thunderpuss, Full Intention, and Junior Vasquez.

The track received mostly negative reviews from music critics and was an underwhelming success, only hitting number 96 on the Billboard Hot 100 while cracking the top ten in five countries.

Composition

"Whatchulookinat"
The lead single "Whatchulookinat"'s lyrics were Houston's reply to media for its negative attraction to her personal life.
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"Whatchulookinat" was produced by Bobby Brown and Muhammad 2G and written by Whitney Houston, Andre Lewis, Tammie Harris, Jerry Muhammad.

The song was Houston's response to what she felt was intense and sometimes unfair and inaccurate media criticism at the time. "My following is real strong/ Try so hard to show the whole world what I do/ Now I'm turnin' the cameras back on you/ Same spotlights that once gave me fame/ Tryin' to dirty up Whitney's name," Houston sings.[3] She then laments about people who've been "messing with [her] reputation" and "concentration" and don't "even have no education" on the chorus, singing, "I feel your eyes on me/ You been telling lies on me".[3]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Entertainment WeeklyF[4]

"Whatchulookinat" received generally negative reviews. Chuck Taylor of Billboard magazine said, "This song co-produced by Bobby Brown and co-authored by Houston herself - comes across like a poor little rich girl whining. That's just boring.."[5] Rolling Stone said that the song was "creaky and unconvincing."[6] The Guardian wrote that on the song Houston "puts on in a bravura performance" while "sounding feisty".[7] Gerrick Kennedy, author of the book Didn't We Almost Have it All: In Defense of Whitney Houston, called the track a "grossly miscalculated" move as it opened more criticism to her personal life.[8] Vladimir Bogdanov of the book All Music Guide to Soul called out Houston for "playing the victim" and saying the track sounded like "she had something to hide."[9]

Chart performance

The single became a moderate success worldwide, peaking inside the top forty in most countries. The single performed strongly in some international markets; reaching number 3 in Canada, number 6 in both Belgium and Spain, number 7 in Italy and number 13 in the United Kingdom. In the US, it became her tenth Hot Dance Club Play topper.[10] The single debuted and peaked at number 96 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming her lowest debut since her first chart entry "Hold Me".[11] It is also her lowest-peaking lead single to date.

Music video

The corresponding music video directed by Kevin Bray was also considered as Houston's answer to the media for getting too deep into her personal life. During the introduction, actor/comedian Mike Epps plays an overzealous paparazzi photographers/fan who harasses Whitney as she exits the studio with Faith Evans. The inside of Epps' camera served as the fictional location of the video. The video showed a white set with cameras all over, following Houston's every move. The set was also full with old movie cameras and people dressed as reporters and photographers. Houston is shown dancing in front of them. Future Migos member Offset appears as a background dancer.[12]

Track listings and formats

Personnel

  • Written by Whitney Houston, Andre Lewis, Tammie Harris and Jerry Muhammad
  • Produced by Bobby Brown and Muhammad 2G
  • Mixed by Kevin "KD" Davis at Zac Digital, Atlanta, GA
  • Lead vocals by Whitney Houston
  • Background vocals by Whitney Houston & Gary Houston
  • Vocal arrangement by Whitney Houston

Charts

See also

References

  1. ^ "Going for Adds". Radio & Records. No. 1464. August 2, 2002. p. 31.
  2. ^ Billboard Magazine 10 August 2002. Billboard. 2002. p. 21. Retrieved September 26, 2010.
  3. ^ a b Shaheem Reid, Curtis Waller (July 11, 2002). "Whitney Houston 'Back To Goose-Bump Time' On New LP". MTV News. Archived from the original on August 5, 2011. Retrieved August 18, 2011.
  4. ^ Seymour, Craig (August 9, 2002). "Music Review: Whatchulookinat". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on January 10, 2014. Retrieved February 15, 2023.
  5. ^ "Billboard Magazine - Reviews & Previews - p.21". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. August 10, 2002. Retrieved August 20, 2011. (Transcription of original review at Classic Whitney.com)
  6. ^ Rolling Stone. "Just Whitney by Whitney Houston". Rollingstone.com. Archived from the original on September 10, 2012. Retrieved October 2, 2010.
  7. ^ Petridis, Alexis (22 November 2002). "Whitney Houston: Just Whitney (Arista)". The Guardian. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
  8. ^ Kennedy, Gerrick (May 3, 2022). Didn't We Almost Have it All: In Defense of Whitney Houston. Abrams Books. ISBN 9781647000479.
  9. ^ Bogdanov, Vladimir (2003). All Music Guide to Soul: The Definitive Guide to R&B and Soul. Backbeat Books. p. 323. ISBN 9780879307448.
  10. ^ Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart listing for the week ending October 12, 2002. Billboard. October 12, 2002. Retrieved October 30, 2010.
  11. ^ Bronson, Fred (August 24, 2002). "Chart Beat: What, Indeed". Billboard. Vol. 114, no. 34. Nielsen Business Media. p. 8. ISSN 0006-2510.
  12. ^ Saponara, Michael (8 March 2024). "Offset Recalls Meeting 'Nice, Sweet Soul' Whitney Houston & Dancing in One of Her Videos". Billboard. Archived from the original on 8 March 2024. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  13. ^ "Issue 672" ARIA Top 40 Urban Singles. National Library of Australia. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
  14. ^ a b c d e f g h "Austriancharts.at - Whitney Houston - Whatchulookinat". Hung Medien. Retrieved August 19, 2011.
  15. ^ "Ultratop.be - Whitney Houston - Whatchulookinat" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved August 19, 2011.
  16. ^ "Whitney Houston Billboard Singles". AllMusic. Archived from the original on March 30, 2013. Retrieved July 3, 2022.
  17. ^ "Single Chartverfolgung - Whitney Houston" (in German). Musicline.de. Archived from the original on October 3, 2012. Retrieved August 19, 2011.
  18. ^ "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. October 19, 2002. p. 11. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
  19. ^ "Tipparade-lijst van week 44, 2002". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
  20. ^ "Whitney Houston – dorobek wykonawcy na LP3" (in Polish). LP3. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  21. ^ "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. October 19, 2002. p. 11. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
  22. ^ "Romanian Top 100 - arhiva". www.rt100.ro. Archived from the original on 16 February 2005. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  23. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  24. ^ "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. October 19, 2002. p. 11. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
  25. ^ "Whitney Houston: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  26. ^ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company.
  27. ^ "Whitney Houston Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  28. ^ "Whitney Houston Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.
  29. ^ "Whitney Houston Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard.
  30. ^ "R&R CHR/Pop Top 50". Radio & Records. No. 1468. August 30, 2002. p. 31.
  31. ^ "R&R CHR/Rhythmic Top 50". Radio & Records. No. 1468. August 30, 2002. p. 37.
  32. ^ "Canada's Top 200 Singles of 2002". Jam!. January 14, 2003. Archived from the original on September 6, 2004. Retrieved March 22, 2022.
  33. ^ "Top 40 Urban Tracks Of 2002" (PDF). Music Week. January 18, 2003. p. 32. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  34. ^ "2002 The Year in Music: Hot Dance Club-Play Singles". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. December 28, 2002. Retrieved July 24, 2011.