This Ain't a Game

{{Music ratings

|rev1 = AllMusic

|rev1score = {{Rating|2|5}}{{AllMusic|class=album|id=mw0000005370|accessdate=January 20, 2020}}

|rev2 = Entertainment Weekly

|rev2Score = B+{{cite magazine |first=Craig |last=Seymour |date=June 22, 2001 |url=https://ew.com/article/2001/06/22/this-aint-game//|title=This Ain't a Game |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |accessdate=February 2, 2023}}

|rev3 = NME

|rev3Score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite web |title=Ray J : This Ain't A Game|url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/reviews-nme-5208-331355|work=NME |date=12 September 2005 |accessdate=August 13, 2021}}

| rev4 = Vibe

| rev4Score = {{Rating|2.5|5}}{{cite magazine|last=Anderson|first=Tomika|date=July 2001|title=Revolutions: Ray J – This Ain't A Game|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1CUEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA132|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220702103630/https://books.google.com/books/content?id=1CUEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA132&img=1&zoom=3&hl=en&sig=ACfU3U0EwlNAt0c6hBS10gD_KUocvz95_A&w=1280|archive-date=July 2, 2022|via=Google Books|magazine=Vibe|page=132|location=New York|access-date=June 2, 2024}}

}}

AllMusic editor Jon Azpiri found that the album "is full of macho posturing that is more than a little tedious. The best of the tracks on the album feature production from The Neptunes [...] Since This Ain't a Game has so little to offer, that line is what listeners will remember most about Ray J." In a positive review, Craig Seymour from Entertainment Weekly wrote: "Brandy’s little brother Ray-J matures nicely on this sophomore set, with production by R&B hotshots Rodney Jerkins and The Neptunes. The singing/acting biz kid, who evokes Bobby Brown and Off the Wall-era Jacko, sounds surprisingly credible on the hard-knock-life odes." NME found tha This Ain't a Game "is Ray J’s big chance. [He] might sound like he researched the role as "playa" following Jay-Z around and watching from behind a newspaper with two eye holes cut in it but the track smokes, and that’s that. [...] Again, Jerkins’ beats are what draw your attention. The stand-outs are few. The trademark Jerkins skittery beats are many."

In the United States, the album debuted and peaked at number 21 on the Billboard 200 and at number nine on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, with first week sales of 18,321 copies. This Ain't a Game produced the top 40 hit single "Wait a Minute", featuring rapper Lil' Kim. It peaked at number 30 on the Billboard Hot 100. Second single, "Formal Invite" peaked at number 54 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks.

{{Track listing

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| title1 = Intro

| note1 =

| writer1 = William Norwood II

| extra1 = Ray J

| length1 = 1:01

| title2 = Wait a Minute

| note2 = featuring Pharrell & Lil' Kim

| writer2 = {{hlist|Chad Hugo|Pharrell Williams|Kimberly Jones}}

| extra2 = The Neptunes

| length2 = 3:47

| title3 = Takin' Control

| note3 =

| writer3 = William Norwood II

| extra3 = Ray J

| length3 = 4:30

| title4 = Formal Invite

| note4 = featuring Pharrell

| writer4 = {{hlist|LaShawn Daniels|Fred Jerkins III|Rodney Jerkins|Nora Payne|Robert Smith}}|Kenny Flav

| extra4 = The Neptunes

| length4 = 5:06

| title5 = Keep Your Head Up

| note5 =

| writer5 = {{hlist|Daniels|R. Jerkins|F. Jerkins}}

| extra5 = Rodney Jerkins

| length5 = 5:34

| title6 = I Tried

| note6 =

| writer6 = {{hlist|Brycyn Evans|Cynthia Loving}}

| extra6 = Evans

| length6 = 3:58

| title7 = U Need It"/"U Don't

| note7 =

| writer7 = W. Norwood

| extra7 = Ray J

| length7 = 4:06

| title8 = Out of the Ghetto

| note8 = featuring Shorty Mack

| writer8 = {{hlist|Hugo|Owens|Williams}}

| extra8 = The Neptunes

| length8 = 4:27

| title9 = No More

| note9 =

| writer9 = {{hlist|Darrell Allamby|Kenny Dickerson|Antonio Mobley|Johnathen Rasboro}}

| extra9 = Allamby | Flav

| length9 = 4:47

| title10 = This Ain't a Game

| note10 =

| writer10 = Daniels; Jerkins; Jerkins III

| extra10 = Rodney Jerkins

| length10 = 4:18

| title11 = Interlude

| note11 =

| writer11 = W. Norwood

| extra11 = Ray J

| length11 = 1:39

| title12 = Wet Me

| note12 =

| writer12 = Dalvin DeGrate

| extra12 = DeVante Swing

| length12 = 4:30

| title13 = Crazy

| note13 =

| writer13 = {{hlist|Daniels|R. Jerkins|F. Jerkins|R. Smith}}

| extra13 = Rodney Jerkins

| length13 = 4:51

| title14 = I Got It All

| note14 =

| writer14 = {{hlist|Ken Ifill|Antonio Mobley|W. Norwood|E. Shaw}}

| extra14 = {{hlist|DJ Clue|Duro}}

| length14 = 4:04

| title15 = Airport

| note15 = Skit

| writer15 = {{hlist|Chris Taylor|Colin Wolfe}}

| extra15 = {{hlist|Taylor|Wolfe}}

| length15 = 0:55

| title16 = Where Do We Go From Here

| note16 =

| writer16 = {{hlist|Mobley|Oczavia Pittman}}

| extra16 = Ray J

| length16 = 7:10

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = UK bonus track

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| title17 = Formal Invite (Remix)

| note17 = featuring Busta Rhymes, Ludacris, Clipse, and Boobonic of Philly's Most Wanted

| writer17 = {{hlist|Daniels|F. Jerkins|R. Jerkins|Payne|R. Smith|Trevor Smith|Christopher Bridges|Gene Thornton|Terrence Thornton|Al Holly}}

| extra17 = The Neptunes

| length17 = 6:25

}}

{{Ray J}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:2001 albums

Category:Ray J albums

Category:Albums produced by Rodney Jerkins

Category:Albums produced by the Neptunes

Category:Albums produced by Chris "The Glove" Taylor

{{2000s-R&B-album-stub}}