Just Kickin' It

"Just Kickin' It"
Single by Xscape
from the album Hummin' Comin' at 'Cha
Released August 17, 1993
Format CD single, cassette single, 7" vinyl
Recorded 1992
Genre R&B, hip hop soul
Length 3:24
Label Sony
Writer(s) Jermaine Dupri
Manuel Seal
Producer(s) Jermaine Dupri
Certification Platinum (RIAA)
Xscape singles chronology
"Just Kickin' It"
(1993)		 "Understanding"
(1993)

"Just Kickin' It" is a song by American R&B group Xscape. Written by Jermaine Dupri and Manuel Seal,[1] the song was released as Xscape's first single from the group's 1993 debut album Hummin' Comin' at 'Cha. The single became the group's most commercially successful hit, peaking at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and spending four weeks at number one on the Hot R&B Singles chart.[2]

Composition

"Just Kickin' It" is an urban ballad in which vocals are the focus, and the instrumental foundation is otherwise sparse.[3] Jermaine Dupri, who according to Columbia Records executive Michael Mauldin, wanted Xscape to be "the ghetto En Vogue,"[4] originally wrote the song as a summary of what men wanted from women.[4] The lyrics were considered controversial by some female fans who believed the song's message was sexist.[4] Former group member LaTocha Scott, however, dismissed the critics. "I've heard some females say that the song is unreal and that they can tell it was written by a man, but I don't think it makes it sexist. Shoot, everybody knows a man wants a woman who can cook."[4]

Release and reception

Released in August 1993, "Just Kickin' It" entered the Billboard Hot 100 chart at number 90 and reached the top 10 in four weeks.[4] The song peaked at number two in October, and spent a total of 17 weeks in the top 40.[5] The single reached number one on the Hot R&B Singles chart, where it spent four weeks at the top.[2] The song also spent one week at number one on the Hot 100 Singles Sales chart.[5] In November, the single was certified platinum in the United States;[6] by the year's end, it had sold 900,000 copies.[7] "Just Kickin' It" also peaked at number 22 in New Zealand[8] and number 49 in the United Kingdom.[9] The song earned the band a Soul Train Music Awards nomination in 1994, though they lost to H-Town's single "Knockin' Da Boots" in the Best R&B New Artist category.[10]

Chart performance

Peak positions

Chart (1993-94) Peak
position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100[5] 2
U.S. Billboard Hot R&B Singles[5] 1
Australia (ARIA Singles Chart)[11] 54
New Zealand Singles Chart[8] 22
UK Singles Chart[9] 49

Year-end charts

Chart (1993) Position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100[12] 55
Chart (1994) Position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100[13] 69

See also

References

  1. ↑ Bronson, Fred (1994-05-07). "Write Stuff". Billboard (Nielsen Business Media, Inc.) 106 (19): 74. ISSN 0006-2510.
  2. 1 2 "Xscape Cultivates Mature Sound". Billboard (Nielsen Business Media, Inc.) 107 (22): 15. 1995-06-03. ISSN 0006-2510.
  3. ↑ Flick, Larry (1993-09-04). "Single Reviews". Billboard (Nielsen Business Media, Inc.) 105 (36): 63. ISSN 0006-2510.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Feldman, Christopher (2000). The Billboard Book of Number Two Singles. New York: Billboard Books. p. 253. ISBN 978-0-8230-7695-6.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits (8th ed.). New York: Billboard Books (Nielsen Business Media, Inc.). p. 691. ISBN 978-0-8230-7499-0.
  6. ↑ "Gold & Platinum Search Results - Xscape". RIAA. Retrieved 2009-11-09.
  7. ↑ "Best-Selling Records of 1993". Billboard (BPI Communications) 106 (3): 73. 1994-01-15. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 2015-05-04.
  8. 1 2 "Xscape - 'Just Kickin' It'". Ultratop. Retrieved 2009-11-09.
  9. 1 2 "'Just Kickin' It' - Chart history". Chart Stats. Retrieved 2009-10-22.
  10. ↑ "1994 Soul Train Music Awards - The Nominees". Jet (Johnson Publishing Company) 85 (19): 34. 1994-03-14. ISSN 0021-5996.
  11. ↑ "The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles Chart - Week Ending 20 Mar 1994". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 2016-02-16.
  12. ↑ "Billboard Top 100 - 1993". Retrieved 2010-08-27.
  13. ↑ "Billboard Top 100 - 1994". Retrieved 2010-08-27.

External links

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