• Release Date: September 4, 2001
• Production: Irv Gotti, 7 Aurelius
• Label: Epic Records / Murder Inc.
• Chart Success: Peaked at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 / #4 on the UK Singles Chart

In September 2001, Epic Records released the “Murder Inc. Remix” of Jennifer Lopez’s “I’m Real,” featuring rapper Ja Rule. Produced by Irv Gotti and 7 Aurelius of Murder Inc., the track marked a defining moment in early 2000s music culture, as rather than adding a guest rap verse to the pre-existing pop track from Lopez’s sophomore album J. Lo, the production team constructed an entirely new song from scratch. The result? A *major* hit, spending five non-consecutive weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100.

“I’m Real (“Murder Inc. Remix)” is the next file entry in our library.

RELATED: [THE FILES] 155 : Jennifer Lopez – J.Lo (2001)

The History

• The #1 Dominance: The track captured the number-one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for five non-consecutive weeks beginning September 8, 2001, anchoring itself as the fifth best-selling single of the year.
• The Policy Rewrite: Because the remix featured entirely unique lyrics and a different musical structure from the pop-heavy original, its massive airplay split caused massive indexing issues. 
• The Ashanti Formula: Before finding stardom under her own name, a young Ashanti was working as an in-house writer for Murder Inc. Tasked with constructing a demo that radio could not refuse, Ashanti wrote the verses, mapped the structural melody and recorded the guide tracks. 

The Music Video

• The Tracksuit Impact: Ditching the high-glam gowns of her previous eras, J. Lo performed her choreography in a bright pink, plush velour Juicy Couture tracksuit. An outfit that is still remembered to this day.
• The Urban Contrast: The video juxtaposed a stylized, pastel-hued suburban neighborhood with the rough, concrete energy of Ja Rule and Irv Gotti hanging on a street corner.

Featured Photo: Epic Records

RELATED: [THE FILES] 155.1 : Jennifer Lopez – “Love Don’t Cost a Thing” (2000)

RELATED: [THE FILES] 155.2 : Jennifer Lopez: “Play” (2001) 

Author Bio

Jael Rucker is the founder of Decked Out Magazine. She has previously worked as the Associate Commerce Editor at PureWow, focusing on analytics and trends to pitch stories and optimize articles that build and engage their audience. Her work has also been seen in Footwear News and WWD. Prior to 2024, she was the style and pop culture editor at ONE37pm for over three years, contributing numerous product reviews, brand profiles and fashion trend reports, which included interviewing Steph Curry, Snoop Dogg and more.