"Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip-Hop)"
Single by Erykah Badu featuring Common
from the album Brown Sugar and Worldwide Underground
ReleasedAugust 5, 2002
Recorded2001
Genre
Length
  • 3:50 (radio edit)
  • 5:37 (soundtrack version)
LabelMCA
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Raphael Saadiq
Erykah Badu singles chronology
"Sweet Baby"
(2001) 		"Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip-Hop)"
(2002) 		"Danger"
(2003)

"Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip-Hop)" is a song recorded by American singer Erykah Badu for the Brown Sugar soundtrack (2002). It features American rapper Common, who co-wrote the song alongside Badu, Madukwu Chinwah, Robert Ozuma, James Poyser, Rashad Smith, Glen Standridge and the song's sole producer Raphael Saadiq. The song follows the film and its soundtrack's common lyrical theme of personifying hip hop. It was released as the lead single from Brown Sugar on August 5, 2002, by MCA Records.

A commercial success, "Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip-Hop)" spent four weeks atop the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and reached number nine on the Billboard Hot 100. Critically acclaimed, the song won the Soul Train Lady of Soul Award for Best Solo R&B/Soul Single and the Grammy Award for Best R&B Song. A year after its release, it was included on international editions of Badu's third studio album Worldwide Underground (2003).

Remix

The official remix of "Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip-Hop)", entitled "Love of My Life Worldwide" appeared on Badu's third studio album Worldwide Underground (2003). The remix featured guest raps by Queen Latifah, Bahamadia and Angie Stone, and sampled "Funk You Up" by the rap group the Sequence, of which Stone was a member. Another version of the remix, titled "Funk You Up! (Love Of My Life Remix)", features Badu rapping different lyrics.

Track listings and formats

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2002) Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100[4] 9
US Adult R&B Songs (Billboard)[5] 4
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[6] 1

Year-end charts

Chart (2002) Position
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[7] 67
Chart (2003) Position
US Billboard Hot 100[8] 78
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[9] 19

Release history

Release dates and formats for "Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip-Hop)"
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States August 5, 2002 Urban contemporary radio MCA
[10]
August 20, 2002 12-inch vinyl
[11]

References

  1. ^ Badu, Erykah (2002). Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip-Hop) (12-inch vinyl). MCA Records.
  2. ^ Badu, Erykah (2003). Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip-Hop) (CD single). Universal Music Group. 0602498136850.
  3. ^ Badu, Erykah (2003). Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip-Hop) (CD single). Universal Music Group. 0602498136843.
  4. ^ "Erykah Badu Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved October 29, 2022.
  5. ^ "Erykah Badu Chart History (Adult R&B Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved October 29, 2022.
  6. ^ "Erykah Badu Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved October 29, 2022.
  7. ^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 2002". Billboard. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
  8. ^ "Billboard Top 100 – 2003". billboardtop100of.com. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
  9. ^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 2003". Billboard. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
  10. ^ "Going For Adds: Week Of 8/5/02" (PDF). Radio & Records. August 2, 2002. p. 31. Retrieved October 29, 2022.
  11. ^ "Love Of My Life – Erykah Badu". MCA Records. August 20, 2002. Retrieved October 29, 2022.
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