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What You Know (T.I. song)

{{Infobox song

| name = What You Know

| cover = T.I. - What You Know.jpg

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = T.I.

| album = King

| released = January 28, 2006

| recorded = 2005

| studio =

| venue =

| genre = {{hlist|Southern hip hop|trap}}

| length = 4:34 (album version)
4:08 (radio version)

| label = {{hlist|Grand Hustle|Atlantic}}

| writer = {{hlist|Clifford Harris|Aldrin Davis|Curtis Mayfield|Donny Hathaway|Leroy Hutson}}

| producer = DJ Toomp

| prev_title = Front Back

| prev_year = 2005

| next_title = Why You Wanna

| next_year = 2006

}}

"What You Know" is a song by American rapper T.I., released as the lead single from his fourth studio album King (2006). The song peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified double platinum by the RIAA following shipment in excess of two million copies.

Background

The song is produced by T.I.'s frequent collaborator DJ Toomp, from Zone Boy Productions, with additional keys by Wonder Arillo. It utilizes an interpolation of Roberta Flack's version of The Impressions's "Gone Away" and of the song "Hey Joe", written by Billy Roberts but popularized by Jimi Hendrix.

Composition

The song is in E-flat minor.

Chart performance

"What You Know" peaked at number three on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/t-i/chart-history/hsi/|title= T.I. Chart History - Hot 100|magazine= Billboard|access-date=May 20, 2020}} It also peaked at number one on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot Rap Songs charts.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/t-i/chart-history/bsi/|title= T.I. Chart History - Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs|magazine= Billboard|access-date=May 20, 2020}}{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/t-i/chart-history/rap/|title= T.I. Chart History - Hot Rap Songs|magazine= Billboard|access-date=May 20, 2020}} It spent a total of 20 weeks on the Hot 100 chart. On December 14, 2006, the song was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for sales of over two million copies in the United States.{{cite web|url=https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&ar=t.+i.+&ti=&lab=&genre=&format=&date_option=release&from=&to=&award=&type=&category=&adv=SEARCH#search_section|title=RIAA Certifications - T.I.|website=Recording Industry Association of America |access-date=May 20, 2020}}

Remixes

American rappers Juelz Santana and J.R Writer, of Dipset, recorded a remix of this song entitled "What You Know (About That Crack)". American rapper Papoose recorded a freestyle over the song entitled "What You Know (About Pap)". American rapper Lil Wayne also recorded a remix of "What You Know", which can be found on his mixtape Dedication 2.

Accolades

  • "What You Know" won for "Best Rap Solo Performance" and was nominated for "Best Rap Song" at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards.
  • "What You Know" was performed at the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards, where its music video was nominated for two awards.
  • VIBE named T.I.'s "What You Know" as the Top Song of 2006. It was also ranked fourth on a similar list by Rolling Stone [https://web.archive.org/web/20061214083350/http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/12769472/the_100_best_songs_of_2006/1], and was number 1 in Muchmusic's Top HipHop 2006 List.{{cite web|url=http://www.muchmusic.com/tv/specials/holidaywrap/2006/tophiphop2006.asp|title=Holiday Wrap 2006|website=muchmusic.com|access-date=6 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090114075018/http://www.muchmusic.com/tv/specials/holidaywrap/2006/tophiphop2006.asp|archive-date=14 January 2009|url-status=dead}}
  • Pitchfork Media ranked "What You Know" number 3 on their "Top Tracks of 2006" list, while T.I.'s collaboration on Justin Timberlake's song "My Love" was ranked number 1.{{cite web|url=http://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/6508-the-top-100-tracks-of-2006/10/|title=The Top 100 Tracks of 2006 - Pitchfork|website=pitchfork.com|access-date=6 November 2018}}
  • The song is one of the most critically acclaimed of 2006, and is one of T.I.'s most successful.{{CN|date=December 2023}} It has garnered a 5-star rating from Pitchfork Media.{{cite web|url=http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/track_review/31054|title=What You Know - Pitchfork|website=pitchforkmedia.com|access-date=6 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090113205404/http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/track_review/31054|archive-date=13 January 2009|url-status=dead}} The song peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100, and it also topped the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
  • In 2008, it was ranked number 68 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop.
  • In 2007, "What You Know" was named the second-best single of 2006 on The Village Voice{{'}}s Pazz & Jop annual critics' poll, after Gnarls Barkley{{'}}s "Crazy".

In popular culture

  • The song was used in promotion of the film ATL, in which T.I. stars.
  • Japanese professional wrestler KENTA used an instrumental of the song as his entrance theme.
  • The song was the at-bat music for MLB player Joe Mauer.
  • The song was used as the entrance song for Kendall Grove at UFC 101.
  • The song was used at Turner Field whenever Édgar Rentería came up to bat during the 2006 season.
  • The song was sampled in Pitbull's song "Que Tu Sabes D'eso" featuring Fat Joe and Sinful from the album El Mariel.
  • The song is used at the beginning of Rich Turpin's "Whatcha Know?" segment on BT Sports Radio.
  • The song is often used by members of the Theta Phi chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity at Troy University during parties and events.

Charts

{{col-start}}

{{col-2}}

=Weekly charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
scope="col"| Chart (2006)

!scope="col"| Peak
position

scope="row"{{singlechart|Billboardhot100|3|artist=T.I.|song=What You Know|artistid={{BillboardID|T.I.}}|access-date=May 24, 2013}}
scope="row"{{singlechart|Billboardrandbhiphop|1|artist=T.I.|song=What You Know|artistid={{BillboardID|T.I.}}|access-date=May 24, 2013}}
scope="row"{{singlechart|Billboardrapsongs|1|artist=T.I.|song=What You Know|artistid={{BillboardID|T.I.}}|access-date=May 24, 2013}}
scope="row"{{singlechart|Billboardpopsongs|39|artist=T.I.|song=What You Know|artistid={{BillboardID|T.I.}}|access-date=May 24, 2013}}
scope="row"{{singlechart|Billboardrhythmic|2|artist=T.I.|song=What You Know|artistid={{BillboardID|T.I.}}|access-date=January 22, 2020}}

{{col-2}}

=Year-end charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
scope="col"| Chart (2006)

!scope="col"| Position

scope="row"| US Billboard Hot 100{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2006/hot-100-songs|title=Hot 100 Songs – Year-End 2006|magazine=Billboard|access-date=January 22, 2020}}

|47

scope="row"| US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard){{cite web|url=http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/charts/yearendcharts/2006/hot-r-and-and-b-hip-hop-songs-titles|title=Year-End Charts – Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Titles – 2006|website=Billboard.biz|year=2006|access-date=October 2, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121003173555/http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/charts/yearendcharts/2006/hot-r-and-and-b-hip-hop-songs-titles|archive-date=October 3, 2012}}

|7

scope="row"| US Rhythmic (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2006/rhythmic-songs|title=Rhythmic Songs – Year-End 2006|magazine=Billboard|access-date=January 22, 2020}}

|25

{{col-end}}

Certifications

{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=ringtone|region=Canada|artist=T.I.|title=What You Know|award=Platinum|certyear=2007|relyear=2006|note=Ringtone|accessdate=28 April 2022}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=single|region=United States|artist=T.I.|title=What You Know|award=Gold|digital=true|certyear=2008|relyear=2006|accessdate=28 April 2022}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=single|region=United States|artist=T.I.|title=What You Know|award=Platinum|number=2|digital=true|certyear=2006|relyear=2006|note=Mastertone|accessdate=28 April 2022}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|noshipments=true}}

Release history

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

! scope="col"| Region

! scope="col"| Date

! scope="col"| Format(s)

! scope="col"| Label(s)

! scope="col"| {{abbr|Ref.|Reference}}

scope="row"| United States

| February 14, 2006

| Rhythmic contemporary radio

| Atlantic

| align="center"| {{Cite web |title=CHR – Available for Airplay |url=http://fmqb.com/Article.asp?id=69239 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090219164931/http://fmqb.com/Article.asp?id=69239 |archive-date=February 19, 2009 |access-date=December 29, 2023 |website=FMQB}}

References

{{Reflist}}

{{T.I. singles}}

{{Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:2006 singles

Category:T.I. songs

Category:Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance

Category:Grand Hustle Records singles

Category:Atlantic Records singles

Category:Music videos directed by Chris Robinson (director)

Category:Song recordings produced by DJ Toomp

Category:Songs written by T.I.

Category:Songs written by Curtis Mayfield

Category:Songs written by DJ Toomp

Category:Songs written by Leroy Hutson

Category:2006 songs