I Gotta Make It | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | July 26, 2005 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 57:58 | |||
Label | Atlantic | |||
Producer |
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Trey Songz chronology | ||||
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Singles from I Gotta Make It | ||||
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I Gotta Make It is the debut studio album by American R&B recording artist Trey Songz. It was released on July 26, 2005, by Atlantic Records. Recording sessions for the album took place from 2004 to 2005, with Songz' then mentor Troy Taylor overseeing most of the production. Additional producers include Warryn Campbell, Scott Storch, J.R. Rotem, Bei Maejor, and Organized Noize. Guest vocalists include American rappers Twista, Juvenile and T.I. as well as R&B singer Aretha Franklin.
The album earned generally positive reviews from music critics who praised its production and Songz' vocal performance. I Gotta Make It debuted and peaked at number 20 on US Billboard 200, with first week sales of 40,000 copies, and eventually sold 400,000 units in the United States. The album was preceded by the release of its lead single "Gotta Make It" which reached the top 30 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. Follow-up "Gotta Go," released in July 2005, peaked at number 11 on the same chart.
Record producer Troy Taylor was introduced to Songz through Songz's stepfather with whom Taylor attended high school, ultimately leading to Songz signing a recording contract with Atlantic Records in 2003. [4] After graduating from Petersburg High School in 2002, Songz moved to New Jersey to begin recording his debut album, though recording did not actually begin until 2003. [5] While recording his debut album in 2004, Songz released multiple mixtapes under the alias Prince of Virginia. [5] One of the mixtapes featured an "answer track" to R. Kelly's "Trapped in the Closet", entitled "Open the Closet". The song gave Songz some notoriety. [6] When asked about the direction of his debut album, Songz said in 2005: "I had hip-hop instilled in me before R&B and then R. Kelly. I mixed rap into my singing so it flows R&B with hip-hop urgency. Its R&B but it feels like hip-hop. It's good R&B." [7]
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Entertainment Weekly | A− [2] |
Gigwise | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
HipHopDX | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Vibe | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Margeaux Watson from Entertainment Weekly described the album as "a sexy collection of eleven slow jams and thumping grooves that pay homage to Motown's golden era. The disc not only bridges the stylistic gap between Marvin Gaye and R. Kelly, it warmly introduces hip-hop soul's finest new voice." [2] HipHopDX called the album "a unique blend of R&B soul and funk with a mix of Trey Songz' spicy creativity and originality; A combination of hot production, smooth flowing vocals, and strong lyrics makes this a tight album [...] I Gotta Make It is a CD that eschews a breath of fresh air." [1]
Andy Kellman of AllMusic said found that "while Songz is hopefully shaking off his obvious indebtedness to [R.] Kelly here, I Gotta Make It is both very enjoyable and full of promise, carrying a fine balance between throwback and modern hip-hop soul. You can always sense that Songz is excited to be making an album; he doesn't even bother to affect a distant sense of cool, unlike so many of his youthful contemporaries, which is a definite asset." [3] Vibe editor Letisha Marrero Songz's wrote that Songz' "11-track offering is cohesive but missing that mind-blowing club joint. Perhaps the understatement is by design, as it allows for particular attention to the singer's versatile writing." [9] Will Lavin, writing for Gigwise , felt that Songz' vocal performance on I Gotta Make It "showcases the rise of an artist destined for big things." [8]
I Gotta Make It debuted and peaked at number 20 on US Billboard 200 chart in the week August 13, 2005, selling 40,000 copies. [10] In September 2010, Billboard reported that the album had sold 396,000 units in the United States by then. [11]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "A Message from Aretha" | Troy Taylor |
| 0:31 |
2. | "Gotta Make It" (featuring Twista) |
|
| 4:03 |
3. | "Cheat on You" |
|
| 3:46 |
4. | "Gotta Go" |
|
| 4:07 |
5. | "Ooo" |
| 3:38 | |
6. | "All the Ifs" |
|
| 5:05 |
7. | "Ur Behind" |
|
| 3:19 |
8. | "From a Woman's Hand" |
| 3:44 | |
9. | "Kinda Lovin'" |
|
| 3:39 |
10. | "Comin' for You" |
|
| 3:55 |
11. | "Just Wanna Cut (Prelude)" | Taylor |
| 0:46 |
12. | "Just Wanna Cut" |
|
| 3:57 |
13. | "In the Middle" |
|
| 4:00 |
14. | "Make Love Tonight" |
|
| 4:16 |
15. | "Hatin' Love" |
| 3:3 | |
16. | "Gotta Go (Reprise)" |
|
| 2:29 |
17. | "Gotta Make It (Remix)" (featuring Aretha Franklin and Juvenile) |
|
| 4:13 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
18. | "Set of Wings" | 3:23 | ||
19. | "Open the Closet" |
|
| 3:20 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
18. | "You Can Get It" (featuring T.I.) |
|
| 4:05 |
Notes
Sample credits
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
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Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
United States | July 26, 2005 | [3] |
Tremaine Aldon Neverson, known professionally as Trey Songz, is an American R&B singer. He was discovered by record producer Troy Taylor in 2003, and signed to his label, Songbook Entertainment, in a joint venture with Atlantic Records shortly after. His debut studio album, I Gotta Make It (2005), entered the Billboard 200 at number 20, while his second album, Trey Day (2007) peaked at number 11. The latter was supported by the single "Can't Help but Wait", which peaked at number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was nominated for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards. His third album, Ready (2009), peaked at number three on the Billboard 200, spawned the Billboard Hot 100-top ten single "Say Aah", and earned a nomination for Best Contemporary R&B Album at the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards.
"Gotta Make It" is the debut single by singer Trey Songz from his debut album I Gotta Make It. The song features rapper Twista and reached number 87 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
"Gotta Go" is an R&B song written by Trey Songz, Troy Taylor and Marvin Eugene Smith and performed by American R&B singer-songwriter Trey Songz released as the second single from his debut album I Gotta Make It. Released on July 23, 2005 in North America. The song peaked at number 67 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and on the R&B charts at number 11, becoming his second Top 40 R&B hit.
Trey Day is the second studio album by American R&B recording artist Trey Songz. It was released on October 1, 2007, by Atlantic Records. Recording for the album began in mid-2006, with Songz again reteaming with longtime collaborator Troy Taylor. With the singer aiming for the album to be more mainstream-oriented than his debut album I Gotta Make It (2005), he also consulted a wider range of producers to work with him, including Bryan-Michael Cox, Danja, Stargate and R. Kelly.
American R&B singer Trey Songz has released nine studio albums, two extended plays (EPs), seven mixtapes and fifty-nine singles. His music has sold an overall 25 million records worldwide in singles and albums.
My Turn to Eat is the debut solo studio album by American rapper Big Kuntry King. It was released on September 30, 2008 through Grand Hustle/Atlantic Records. Recording sessions took place at Echo Studios in Atlanta. Production was handled by Shawty Redd, Keith Mack, Marvelous J, Nard & B, J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, Kane Beatz and Tony Galvin, with Jason Geter and T.I. serving as executive producers. It features guest appearances from Lil Duval, Lloyd, Ricco Barrino, Trey Songz, Young Dro, Yung L.A., and his P$C groupmates T.I. and Mac Boney. The album debuted at number 98 on the Billboard 200 and number 13 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts with 6,000 copies sold in the United States in the first week of its release.
Ready is the third studio album by American R&B recording artist Trey Songz. It was released on August 31, 2009, by Troy Taylor's record label Songbook, distributed by Atlantic Records. The album serves as the sequel to Trey Day (2007). Production for the album took place from 2008 to 2009, which was contributed by Songz's longtime collaborator and his mentor Troy Taylor, along with Bryan-Michael Cox, StarGate and Los da Mystro, among others.
"I Need a Girl" is a song by American recording artist Trey Songz. The track was written by Johntá Austin and Joshua J. Jackson, along with the song's production team, Stargate, who also produced his breakthrough hit, "Can't Help But Wait." The song served as the lead single for Songz's third studio album Ready. "I Need a Girl" received positive to mixed reviews from critics, some of which noted it as generic, and other naming it as a top track from the album. It reached fifty-nine on the Billboard Hot 100 and six on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The accompanying music video shot in Malibu features Songz and love interests on the beach, as they turn out to be mirages.
"LOL Smiley Face" ") is a song by American recording artist Trey Songz. It features rappers Gucci Mane and Soulja Boy and serves as the second single from Songz' third studio album, Ready. The artists co-wrote the song with its producers Troy Taylor and Tony Scales. "LOL Smiley Face" is an R&B song featuring bouncy, poppy synths, and lyrically refers to sexting and other electronic multimedia messaging. The song was released as the second single from Songz's third album Ready on August 24, 2009.
"I Invented Sex" is a song by American R&B singer Trey Songz, and features Canadian recording artist Drake. Together, they wrote the song alongside Tony "Chef Tone" Scales and its producer, Los Da Mystro. It was released to urban airplay as the third single from Songz's third studio album Ready on October 13, 2009. The song features a sensual message, accompanied by heavy percussion. "I Invented Sex" received positive reviews, and reached number forty-two on the Billboard Hot 100, and became Songz's first song to top the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. Its official remix features fellow R&B singers Keri Hilson and Usher. The accompanying music video, containing a parental advisory warning, is the lead-up to the "Say Aah" video.
"Neighbors Know My Name" is a song by American R&B singer Trey Songz. It was written by Songz with Patrick Hayes and Troy Taylor, who produced the song with John "$K" McGee. It was released to rhythmic and urban airplay as the fifth and final single from his third studio album, Ready on February 16, 2010. The song, described as being hook-heavy and having a powerful bassline, received generally positive reviews from critics. The song reached forty-three on the Billboard Hot 100 and four on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, becoming Songz's third consecutive top five R&B hit.
Trigga is the sixth studio album by American singer Trey Songz. It was released on July 1, 2014, by Songbook and Atlantic Records. The album serves as the follow-up to the singer's fifth studio album Chapter V (2012). Trey Songz enlisted a variety of record producers such as DJ Mustard, Mike Will Made It, Da Internz, Soundz, Dun Deal, The Featherstones, D'Mile and The Insomniakz, among others.
Passion, Pain & Pleasure is the fourth studio album by American R&B recording artist Trey Songz; it was released on September 14, 2010. The album serves as a follow-up to his commercial breakthrough Ready (2009). Production for the album took place from March 2010 to July 2010 and was handled by several record producers, including his mentor Troy Taylor, Bryan-Michael Cox, Stargate and Mario Winans, among others.
"Love Faces" is a song by American recording artist Trey Songz. It was released on January 11, 2011, as the third single from his fourth studio album, Passion, Pain & Pleasure (2010). Written by Songz with Tony Scales, Troy Taylor and Edrick Miles, and produced by the latter two, "Love Faces" is a mid-tempo ballad and uses the piano as its foundation. Beginning with a spoken introduction, the song discusses facial expressions during sexual intercourse.
"Unusual" is a song by American recording artist Trey Songz, released as the fourth official single from his fourth studio album, Passion, Pain & Pleasure (2010). featuring Drake. It is produced by Pop & Oak, Dexter Wansel, Ezekiel Lewis and Drake.
Chapter V is the fifth studio album by American R&B recording artist Trey Songz. It was released on August 21, 2012, by Atlantic Records. It was produced by several record producers, including Troy Taylor, Eric Hudson, Rico Love, and Benny Blanco, among others. Recording sessions for the album took place at several recording studios in Miami—Circle House Studios and Songbook Miami Studios—and New York City—Downtown Music Studios, Engine Room Audio, Icon Studio, Lotzah Matzah Studios, and Premier Digital—as well as Stanley House Studios in London.
Inevitable is the debut extended play by R&B singer Trey Songz. It was released on November 28, 2011, his 27th birthday. It features five songs that were originally supposed to appear on his studio album, Chapter V, but didn't make the final cut. It has two promotional singles, "Top of the World" and "What I Be On" which features rapper and longtime collaborator Fabolous, but the only official single on Inevitable is "Sex Ain't Better Than Love". The album cover has a white background version of his debut, I Gotta Make It, the only difference being he has a low cut instead of his at the time signature cornrows.
"Na Na" is a song by American singer Trey Songz, released on January 21, 2014 as the lead single from his sixth studio album, Trigga (2014) which was released on July 1, 2014. The song features production from West Coast hip hop producer DJ Mustard, and the chorus interpolates the Fugees' hit "Fu-Gee-La" (1996).
Tremaine the Album is the seventh studio album by American singer and songwriter Trey Songz. It was released on March 24, 2017, by Troy Taylor's Songbook label, with distribution from Atlantic Records. The album follows suit to Songz' sixth studio album, Trigga (2014).
Back Home is the eighth studio album by American singer Trey Songz. It was released on October 9, 2020, by Atlantic Records.