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What's It Gonna Be?!

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Wikipedia article




{{Infobox song

| name = What's It Gonna Be

| cover = Janet-Jackson-Whats-It-Gonna-Be-268823.jpg

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Busta Rhymes featuring Janet Jackson

| album = E.L.E. (Extinction Level Event): The Final World Front

| released =

| recorded = 1998; Larrabee North Studio


| studio =

| venue =

| genre =

| length = 5:24

| label = Elektra

| writer =

| producer = Darrell "Delite" Allamby

| chronology = Busta Rhymes

| prev_title = Gimme Some More

| prev_year = 1999

| next_title = Get Out!!

| next_year = 2000

| misc =

}}

"'What's It Gonna Be?!'" is the second single released by American rapper Busta Rhymes from his third studio album 'E.L.E. (Extinction Level Event): The Final World Front' (1998), featuring guest vocals from American singer Janet Jackson. The song was a commercial and critical success, reaching number three on the 'Billboard' Hot 100 and the top ten of various countries. It also hit number one on the 'Billboard' Hot Rap Tracks and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks charts, and was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group at the 2000 Grammy Awards.

The music video, directed by Rhymes & Hype Williams, was critically lauded, and received four MTV Video Music Awards nominations at the 1999 MTV Video Music Awards. It is one of the most expensive music videos ever made.

The song appears on Rhymes' compilation albums 'Total Devastation: The Best of Busta Rhymes' and 'Turn It Up! The Very Best of Busta Rhymes' as well as Jackson's 'Number Ones' greatest hits album.

Jackson included the song as an interlude on her Number Ones: Up Close and Personal tour and sang it for the first time on the second leg of her 2018 State of the World Tour.

Music video



The music video for the song was directed by Hype Williams on March 12, 1999. It is one of the most expensive videos ever made, costing upwards of $2 million, and focused largely on special effects. The video begins with a glass of a silver liquid moving toward the edge of its resting area, which spills and transforms into Busta Rhymes as a knight in shining armor and begins singing. Jackson is portrayed as a dominatrix, in a purple latex suit adorned with cock rings, nail piercings, and baring her cleavage.

The video contains frequent sexual innuendo, visually based on the song's lyrical themes, portraying imagery alluding to wet dreams and stimulated wetness. Jackson appears in a liquid tunnel as Rhymes morphs into a sperm-like creature and floats towards her. A marching band of miniature Rhymes passes through the tunnel's walls as Rhymes transforms into one himself, before morphing again to rise through the tunnel's ceiling. Electric sparks fly as miniature versions of himself pour like raindrops onto Jackson's breasts. Towards the finale, Rhymes and Jackson are united to perform together, as their bodies rub up on each other. The remaining scenery then combusts into little as they continue transforming into a silver liquid.

Track listings



US - 12" vinyl Maxi Single

*A1. What's It Gonna Be?! (LP Version - Dirty) (5:28)

*A2. What's It Gonna Be?! (Instrumental) (5:28)

*A3. What's It Gonna Be?! (LP Version Clean - Edit) (4:19)

*B1. What's It Gonna Be?! (LP Version - Clean) (5:28)

*B2. What's It Gonna Be?! (Instrumental) (5:28)

Germany 5" CD Single



*What's It Gonna Be?! (Soul Society Remix) (3:56)

*What's It Gonna Be?! (LP Version Clean-Edit) (4:04)

*What's It Gonna Be?! (Micky Finn D&B Remix) (5:59)

US 5" CD Single

*What's It Gonna Be?! (LP Version Clean - Edit) (4:09)

*What's It Gonna Be?! (LP Version Clean) (5:29)

UK - Cassette Single

*A1. What's It Gonna Be?! (LP Version Clean - Edit) (4:09)

*A2. What's It Gonna Be?! (Soul Society Remix) (3:53)

*B1. What's It Gonna Be?! (LP Version Clean - Edit) (4:09)

*B2. What's It Gonna Be?! (Soul Society Remix) (3:53)

Charts and certifications



The song peaked at number three on the 'Billboard' Hot 100 and reached number one on both the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks and Hot Rap Tracks charts. It also reached number five on the Rhythmic Top 40. It was a top ten hit in the United Kingdom, Australia, and South Africa. It was a moderate success in Europe, reaching the top forty in most countries. The song sold 800,000 copies in the United States and was certified Gold by the RIAA. The single entered at #1 on the UK R&B Singles chart.

Weekly charts



Year-end charts

{| class="wikitable sortable"

!align="left"|Chart (1999)

!align="center"|Position

|-

|Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)

|176

|-

|U.S. 'Billboard' Hot Rap Tracks

|align="center"|2

|-

|U.S. 'Billboard' Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs

|align="center"|8

|-

|U.S. 'Billboard' Hot 100

|align="center"|27

|-

|U.S. 'Billboard' Rhythmic

|align="center"|37

|}

Certifications



|}

See also

* R&B number-one hits of 1999 (USA)

* List of most expensive music videos

References



Category:1999 singles

Category:Busta Rhymes songs

Category:Dirty rap songs

Category:Janet Jackson songs

Category:Music videos directed by Hype Williams

Category:Songs written by Busta Rhymes

Category:Elektra Records singles

Category:1998 songs

Category:Songs written by Darrell "Delite" Allamby

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