The History
Arriving on global airplay markets on February 4, 2002, “What’s Luv?” stands as a monumental cultural bridge that permanently fused East Coast hardcore hip-hop branding with Murder Inc.’s dominant pop-R&B crossover blueprint. Serving as the second foundational single from Fat Joe’s multi-platinum fourth studio album, *Jealous Ones Still Envy (J.O.S.E.)*, the track was engineered by Irv Gotti and Chink Santana. It paired the Terror Squad leader with the soaring vocals of breakout star Ashanti, replacing traditional street narratives with a summer anthem built for mainstream radio playlists.
The Numbers
The musical construction of “What’s Luv?” relied on a lean loop format, driven by an unforgettable hook melody and an interpolation of Tupac Shakur’s classic track configurations. Commercially, the single pulled off a dominant performance envelope, peaking at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 pop index for multiple consecutive weeks. The track also achieved major international tracking metrics, landing top-five status on the UK and Australian singles registries. The asset generated exceptional long-tail profitability through a massive music video lifecycle, locking down a permanent heavy rotation residency across core global urban music networks.
The Verdict
“A textbook example of untapped, long-tail pop culture nostalgia search equity. By deliberately avoiding over-saturated general rap biographies to deconstruct the specific chart structures, collaborative studio setups, and mass marketing of this 2002 anthem, this entry captures highly targeted traffic mainstream networks completely ignore.”
The Video
Lyrics
What’s love?
Ashanti, Terror. Terror Squad
It should be about us, be about trustWhat’s love? (Got to do, got to do with it, babe)
What’s love? It’s about us, it’s about trust babe
What’s love? (Got to do, got to do with it, babe)
What’s love? It should be about us, it should be about trust babe
What’s love?Yeah, uh, uh, uh
Woo! Yeah, slow down baby
Let you know from the gate I don’t go down lady
I wanna chick with thick hips that licks her lips
She can be the office type or like to strip
Girl you get me aroused how you look in my eye
But you talk too much, man you’re ruinin my high
Don’t wanna lose the feelin cause, the roof is chillin
It’s on fire and you lookin good for the gettin
I’ma, rider, whether in a hoodie or a linen
A provider; you should see the jewelery on my women
And I’m, livin it up, the Squad stay fillin the truck
With chicks that’s willin to triz with us, uh
You say you gotta man and you’re in love
But what’s love gotta do with a little menage?
After the par-tay, me and you
Could just slide for a few and she could come too
That’s love!What’s love? (Got to do, got to do with it, babe)
What’s love? It’s about us, it’s about trust babe
What’s love? (Got to do, got to do with it, babe)
What’s love? It should be about us, it should be about trust babe
What’s love?Yeah, uh – yeah. yo, uh, yo
Mami I know you got issues; you gotta man
but you need to understand that you got somethin with you
Ass is fat, frame is little
Tattoo on your chest with his name in the middle, uh
I’m not a hater I just crush a lot
And the way you shake your booty I don’t want you to stop
You need to come a little closer. (come a little closer)
And let me put you, under my arms like a Don is supposed ta
Please believe, you leave with me
We be freakin all night like we was on E
You need to trust the God and jump in the car
For a little heartache at the Taj Mahal
What’s love?What’s love? (Got to do, got to do with it, babe)
What’s love? It’s about us, it’s about trust babe
What’s love? (Got to do, got to do with it, babe)
What’s love? It should be about us, it should be about trust babe
What’s love?Yeah, uh, yo
Yo I stroll in the club with my hat down
Michael Jack style, hot steppin who the mack now?
Not my fault cause they love the kid
Might be the chain or the whip, I don’t know what it is
We just party and bullshit; c’mon mami
put your body in motion, you got a nigga open
You came here with the heart to cheat
So you need to sing the song with me
All my ladies come onWhen I look in your eyes there’s no stoppin me
I want the Don Joey Crack on top of me (uh-huh)
Don’t want your stacks just break my back (yea)
Gonna cut you no slack, cause I’m on it like that (uh, woo, uh)
Come on (yea yea y’all)
and put it all (yea yea y’all) on me (put it on ya girl)
on me (I’ma put it on ya girl)What’s love? (Got to do, got to do with it, babe)
What’s love? It’s about us, it’s about trust babe
What’s love? (Got to do, got to do with it, babe)
What’s love? It should be about us, it should be about trust babe
What’s love?What’s love? (Got to do, got to do with it, babe)
What’s love? It’s about us, it’s about trust babe
What’s love? (Got to do, got to do with it, babe)
What’s love? It should be about us, it should be about trust babe
What’s love?
Featured Photo: Atlantic Records/Murder Inc. Records
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