Control Myself

"Control Myself" is a song by American rapper LL Cool J from his twelfth album, Todd Smith (2006). It was produced by Jermaine Dupri and features fellow American singer Jennifer Lopez (the song also has spoken parts by Dupri, but he is not credited). The track contains a sample of Afrika Bambaataa & Soulsonic Force's 1983 song "Looking for the Perfect Beat", while the vocals interpolate Grandmaster Flash & Melle Mel's 1983 song "White Lines (Don't Don't Do It)" and Afrika Bambaataa & Soulsonic Force's 1982 song "Planet Rock".

"Control Myself"
Single by LL Cool J featuring Jennifer Lopez
from the album Todd Smith
Released	February 5, 2006[1]
Genre	Hip hop, dance, electro
Length	3:53
Label	Def Jam
Songwriter(s)	James Todd Smith Jermaine Dupri James Phillips Ryan Toby Arthur Baker John Robie Afrika Bambaataa John Miller
Producer(s)	Jermaine Dupri
LL Cool J singles chronology
"It's LL and Santana" (2005) "Control Myself" (2006) "Freeze" (2006)
Jennifer Lopez singles chronology
"Hold You Down" (2005) "Control Myself" (2006) "Qué Hiciste" (2007)
Audio sample
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Commercial Performance

It was released as the album's lead single in February 2006 and remained on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart for eleven weeks, peaking at number four. After being released as a digital download in April 2006, the song debuted at number two on the Billboard Hot Digital Songs chart and made a strong Hot 100 re-entry at number four. This broke a record previously held by Jay-Z's 1998 song "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)", which had re-entered the chart in March 1999 at number twenty.

The song also peaked at number two in the United Kingdom, where Smith and Lopez's previous collaboration, "All I Have", had achieved the same feat in March 2003.

Music video

The music video was directed by Hype Williams and was filmed at Sony Studios in New York City on January 2, 2006. It debuted in the U.S. on February 13, 2006 and in Europe on February 19, 2006. Like some of Williams' other videos, video footage is displayed where black bars would appear on a 4:3 TV for a widescreen production. The video peaked at number two on MTV's Total Request Live, number three on BET's 106 & Park, and number eighteen on VH1's VSpot Top 20 Countdown.

Track listings and formats

European CD single

1. "Control Myself" – 3:56
2. "Control Myself" (Jason Nevins Funktek Edit) – 4:02

European CD maxi single

1. "Control Myself" – 3:56
2. "Control Myself" (Jason Nevins Funktek Edit) – 4:02
3. "Control Myself" (Instrumental) – 3:54
4. "Control Myself" (Video)

European promo CD single

1. "Control Myself" (Radio) – 3:54

European promo CD maxi single

1. "Control Myself" (Radio) – 3:54
2. "Control Myself" (Instrumental) – 3:54

U.S. promo CD maxi single

1. "Control Myself" (Nevins Electrotek Edit) – 4:05
2. "Control Myself" (Joe Bermudez Radio Edit) – 3:51
3. "Control Myself" (Nevins Electrotek Club Mix) – 8:55
4. "Control Myself" (Joe Bermudez Tantric Experience) – 8:18

U.S. 12-inch single

• Side A:

1. "Control Myself" (Radio) – 3:54
2. "Control Myself" (Instrumental) – 3:54

• Side B:

1. "Control Myself" (Radio) – 3:54
2. "Control Myself" (Instrumental) – 3:54

U.S. promo 12-inch single

• Side A:

1. "Control Myself" (Nevins Electrotek Club Mix) – 8:55

• Side B:

1. "Control Myself" (Joe Bermudez Tantric Experience) – 8:18

UK 12-inch single

• Side A:

1. "Control Myself" (Album Version) – 3:54
2. "Control Myself" (Instrumental) – 3:54

• Side B:

1. "Control Myself" (Jason Nevins Electrotex Club Mix) – 8:53

German 12-inch single

• Side A:

1. "Control Myself" (Explicit Version) – 3:58

• Side B:

1. "Control Myself" (Instrumental) – 3:54

European 12-inch promo single

• Side A:

1. "Control Myself" (Radio) – 3:54
2. "Control Myself" (Instrumental) – 3:54

• Side B:

1. "What You Want" (Radio)
2. "What You Want" (Instrumental)

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2006) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[2] 17 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[3] 70 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[4] 14 Belgium (Ultratip Wallonia)[5] 1 Canada (Nielsen SoundScan)[6] 4 Denmark (Tracklisten)[7] 25 European Hot 100 Singles (Billboard)[8] 7 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[9] 11 Germany (Official German Charts)[10] 25 Greece (IFPI)[11] 12 Ireland (IRMA)[12] 5 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[13] 13 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[14] 19 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[15] 7 Russia (Tophit Weekly General Airplay)[16] 57 Scotland (Official Charts Company)[17] 3 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[18] 2 UK R&B (Official Charts Company)[19] 2 US Billboard Hot 100[20] 4 US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[21] 14 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[22] 28 US Hot Rap Songs (Billboard)[23] 9

Year-end charts Chart (2006) Position Australia Urban (ARIA)[24] 31 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[25] 66 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[26] 48

Sales

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United Kingdom	—	188,000[27]

References

1. http://gfa.radioandrecords.com/publishGFA/GFANextPage.asp?sDate=02/05/2006&Format=9%5B%5D
2. "Australian-charts.com – LL Cool J feat. Jennifer Lopez – Control Myself". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
3. "Austriancharts.at – LL Cool J feat. Jennifer Lopez – Control Myself" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
4. "Ultratop.be – LL Cool J feat. Jennifer Lopez – Control Myself" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
5. "Ultratop.be – LL Cool J feat. Jennifer Lopez – Control Myself" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
6. "LL Cool J Chart History (Canadian Digital Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
7. "Danishcharts.com – LL Cool J feat. Jennifer Lopez – Control Myself". Tracklisten. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
8. "LL Cool J – Chart Search" Billboard European Hot 100 Singles for LL Cool J. Retrieved March 17, 2014. (subscription required)
9. "LL Cool J feat. Jennifer Lopez: Control Myself" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
10. "Offiziellecharts.de – LL Cool J feat. Jennifer Lopez – Control Myself". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved March 2, 2020.
11. "IFPI archive". Archived from the original on July 7, 2006. Retrieved July 7, 2006.
12. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Control Myself". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
13. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 21, 2006" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 Retrieved July 25, 2020.
14. "Dutchcharts.nl – LL Cool J feat. Jennifer Lopez – Control Myself" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
15. "Charts.nz – LL Cool J feat. Jennifer Lopez – Control Myself". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
16. "Weekly General Airplay TopHit100 22.05-28.05, 2006". TopHit.ru. Retrieved August 5, 2014.
17. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
18. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
19. "Official R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
20. "LL Cool J Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
21. "LL Cool J Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
22. "LL Cool J Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
23. "LL Cool J Chart History (Hot Rap Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
24. "ARIA Charts – End of Year Charts – Top 50 Urban Singles 2006". ARIA. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
25. "Jaaroverzichten 2006" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
26. "End of Year Singles Chart Top 100 – 2006". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
27. "Watch Jennifer Lopez and Shakira's dazzling Super Bowl Halftime show". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved April 17, 2020.