"21 Questions" peaked at #1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart in May 2003, becoming the second consecutive chart-topping single for 50 Cent, following the album's lead single "In da Club", and the first for Nate Dogg.[1] Overall, the song spent four consecutive weeks atop the Hot 100 and twenty-three weeks on the chart. It was also successful internationally, reaching the top ten in the Netherlands, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, and the top five in Canada and Australia.
Background
When producer Dr. Dre worked with 50 Cent on his debut album, he objected to the song being included on the tracklist. According to 50 Cent;
"Dre was, like, 'How you goin' to be gangsta this and that and then put this sappy love song on?'"
.
50 Cent responded saying;
"I'm two people. I've always had to be two people since I was a kid, to get by. To me that's not diversity, it's necessity."[2]
Music video
Directed by Damon Johnson, Dr. Dre and Phillip Atwell in March 2003,[3] the music video for "21 Questions" depicts 50 Cent being arrested and confined to prison, where he tries to keep in touch with his girlfriend, played by Meagan Good. In prison, he is constantly harassed by a rival inmate (Tyson Beckford). The video ends with a continuation of the beginning, showing 50 Cent and his girlfriend watching from their home as the police arrest Beckford instead; the prison scenes are revealed to be a hypothetical scenario imagined by a worried 50 Cent. The video has cameo appearances by Nate Dogg (who provides vocals on the chorus and the outro)[3] and fellow G-Unit members Lloyd Banks and Young Buck as other inmates.
On April 15, 2003, the video debuted on MTV's Total Request Live at number six, reached number one two days later, and stayed on the chart for 50 days.[3][4] It also reached number two on the MuchMusic video charts.[5]
Remixes
Official remixes of the single includes featured artists among the likes of Nate Dogg, Monica, Free and Lil' Mo, all of whom have either rapped or sung their own verses over the song's instrumentals.
"21 Answers" is remix recorded by American singer and rapper Lil' Mo and former 106 & Park co-host Free, as an answer song to "21 Questions." Kevin "Dirty Swift" Risto, one-half of Midi Mafia, originally conceived the idea of creating a female response record; he immediately got in touch with Lil' Mo and added Free as a collaborator.[6] The song subsequently premiered on New York's Hot 97 radio station—resulting in numerous rotations on various radio stations across the United States—and later debuted on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs at number 77.[7] Although the song went on to spend 11 weeks on the chart based solely on airplay,[8] it failed to be included on Lil' Mo's second studio album Meet the Girl Next Door (2003), due to the song not being finalized in time to meet the album's deadline.[7][9] However, because of Elektra Records' 2004 merging with Atlantic, the song appeared on the 2011 re-release of Meet the Girl Next Door.[10]
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
In 2020, Puerto Rican rapper/singer Myke Towers released a Spanish version of the song titled Girl for his album Easy Money Baby.[59] His version is all in the same rhythm as the original but the message of the lyrics is different.[60] His version entered the charts in the Hispanic market and was certified quintuple platinum in the United States.
