What About Us? (Total song)

"What About Us" is a song by American R&B group, Total. The song features guest vocals by Missy Elliott and Timbaland. The song served as the lead single for the soundtrack of the 1997 film, Soul Food. The song also became a smash hit in the United States, where it peaked at #16 on Billboard Hot 100 and #4 on Billboard Hot R&B—scoring them their fifth top ten hit single on the R&B chart and their fourth gold certification.

"What About Us"
Single by Total featuring Missy Elliott and Timbaland
from the album Soul Food (soundtrack)
ReleasedAugust 12, 1997 (1997-08-12)[1]
Genre
Length4:26
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Timbaland
Total singles chronology
"Loungin"
(1996)
"What About Us"
(1997)
"What You Want"
(1997)
Missy Elliott singles chronology
"Up Jumps da Boogie"
(1997)
"What About Us?"
(1997)
"Sock It 2 Me"
(1997)
Timbaland singles chronology
"What About Us?"
(1997)
"Hot Like Fire"
(1997)

Music video

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The official music video for the song was directed by Christopher Erskin.[2]

Track listings and formats

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European remix single[3]
  1. "What About Us" (Album Version with Rap) (featuring Missy Elliott) — 4:46
  2. "What About Us" (Album Version without Rap) — 4:23
  3. "What About Us" (Lil Jon Remix) (featuring Sean Paul of YoungBloodZ) — 5:48
  4. "What About Us" (Album Instrumental) — 4:18
  5. "What About Us" (Lil Jon Remix Instrumental) — 5:48
US 12" vinyl[4]
  1. "What About Us" (Album Version w/ Rap) — 4:46
  2. "What About Us" (Album Version without Rap) — 4:23
  3. "What About Us" (Beat Box) — 4:29
  4. "What About Us" (Acappella) — 4:22
  5. "What About Us" (Instrumental) — 4:18
US CD single[5]
  1. "What About Us" — 4:06
  2. "What About Us" (Instrumental) — 4:11
US remix single[6]
  1. "What About Us" (Lil Jon Remix Radio Edit) (featuring Missy Elliott) — 4:06
  2. "What About Us" (Lil Jon Remix without Rap) (featuring Missy Elliott) — 4:11
  3. "What About Us" (Lil Jon Remix Instrumental) — 5:47

Charts

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Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[15] Gold 700,000[14]

References

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  1. ^ "What About Us [#1] > Total". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved April 5, 2013.
  2. ^ Garcia, Alex S. "mvdbase.com - Total - "What about us?"". Music Video DataBase. Retrieved February 19, 2015.
  3. ^ "Total - What About Us (The Remix) (CD) at Discogs". Discogs. Discogs.com. Retrieved July 3, 2013.
  4. ^ "Total - What About Us (Vinyl) at Discogs". Discogs. Discogs.com. Retrieved July 3, 2013.
  5. ^ "Total - What About Us (CD) at Discogs". Discogs. Discogs.com. Retrieved July 3, 2013.
  6. ^ "Total - What About Us (The Remix) (CD) at Discogs". Discogs. Discogs.com. Retrieved July 3, 2013.
  7. ^ "Total – What About Us". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
  8. ^ "Total, HSI". Billboard. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  9. ^ "Total, BSI". Billboard. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  10. ^ "Total, TFC". Billboard. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  11. ^ "The Urban Top 40 Tracks Of 1997" (PDF). Music Week. January 10, 1998. p. 6. Retrieved August 6, 2023.
  12. ^ "Billboard Top 100 – 1997". Billboardtop100of.com. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  13. ^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 1997". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 3, 2015. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  14. ^ "Best-Selling Records of 1997". Billboard. Vol. 110, no. 5. BPI Communications Inc. January 31, 1998. p. 76. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
  15. ^ "American single certifications – Total – What About Us?". Recording Industry Association of America.