"Dilemma" is a hit single by the rapper Nelly, with Kelly Rowland from Destiny's Child, released in 2002, from the 2002 album Nellyville. "Dilemma" was Kelly Rowland's first international solo single away from Destiny's Child (she had previously appeared on Avant's "Separated", which was released in the U.S. only) and was the first single from her debut album Simply Deep.
The song lists at #64 on Billboard's Greatest Songs of all time. Background and writing
It is based melodically on and uses lyrical elements of Patti LaBelle's "Love, Need and Want You" from her 1983 album I'm In Love Again.
Patti also plays a part in the music video, as Kelly Rowland's mother.
Kelly Rowland's part in "Dilemma" was originally offered to Christina Aguilera, but Aguilera declined the offer. Two years later, Nelly approached Aguilera once again for the recording of Tilt Ya Head Back, a critically-acclaimed but less successful track (in terms of the Billboard Hot 100 chart) on Nelly's later album Sweat. Live performances by Kelly Rowland
When performing the song live, Kelly Rowland often sings the
majority of Nelly's first rap verse when Nelly is not present but she
always sings the hook and chorus to Patti Labelle's "Love, Need and Want You" which "Dilemma" is melodically based on.
She sang the song at T4 On The Beach 2008, a UK music event as part of her headlining set list. She added her own lyrics to the song. Music video
The music video for "Dilemma" was filmed on Colonial Street, part of Universal Studios backlot. The same location is used during filming of Desperate Housewives.
Nelly can actually be seen sitting on the stairs of the Johnson Home
(which is Susan's house in the series), while Kelly arrives to, and
sits at the stairs of, the Morrison Home. Delta House and Allison House
(accordingly, on the show as Ida Greenberg's and the Solis family's
houses) can be seen in the background during night shots of Kelly and
Nelly dancing together. Chicago Bulls' guard Larry Hughes makes a cameo in the video as Kelly's boyfriend. Nelly's track Nellyville from the same album is played as the intro to the video during the first seconds.
(Kelly)
I love you and I need you
Nelly, I love you, I do,
Need you
No matter what I do....
All I think about is you
Even when I’m with my Boo
Boy, you know I’m crazy over you
No matter what I do
All I think about is you
Even when I’m with my Boo
You know I’m crazy over you
(Nelly)
Uh-uh
I met this chick and she just moved right up the block from me
And she got the hots for me, the finest thing i'd ever seen
But oh, no, no, she got a man and a son doh-oh, but that’s okay
‘Cuz I wait for my cue and just listen, play my position
Like a shortstop, pick up e’rything mama hittin’
And in no time I better make this with her mine and that’s for sure
‘Cos I-I never been the type to break up a happy home
But uh there’s something ‘bout baby girl, I just can’t leave alone
So tell me, ma, what’s it gonna be
She said, “You don’t know what you mean to me,”
No matter what I do
All I think about is you
Even when I’m with my Boo
Boy, you know I’m crazy over you
No matter what I do
All I think about is you
Even when I’m with my Boo
You know I’m crazy over you
Uh-uh-uh-uh
I see a lot in your look and I never say a word
I know how niggas start actin trippin out here about they girl
And there’s no way-hey-hey Nelly gon' fight ova no dame as you could see
But I like your steeze, your style, your whole demeanor
The way you come through and holler, and swoop me in his two-seater
Now that’s gangsta and I got special ways to thank ya,
don’t you forget it
But uh it ain’t that easy for you to pack up and leave him
But uh you and dirty got ties for different reasons
I respect that and right before I turned to leave
She said, “You don’t know what you mean to me,” come on
No matter what I do
All I think about is you
Even when I’m with my Boo
Boy, you know I’m crazy over you
No matter what I do
All I think about is you
Even when I’m with my Boo
You know I’m crazy over you
Sing it for me, Kelly
I love you and I need you
Nelly, I love you, I do
And it’s more than you’ll ever know
Boy, it’s for sure
You can always count on my love
Forever more, yeah, yeah
East coast, I know you’re shakin’ right
Down south, I know you’re bouncin’ right
West coast, I know you’re walkin’ right
(‘Cos you don’t know what you mean to me)
Midwest, I see you swingin’ right
No matter what I do
All I think about is you
Even when I’m with my Boo
Boy, you know I’m crazy over you
No matter what I do
All I think about is you
Even when I’m with my Boo
You know I’m crazy over you
East coast, I know you’re shakin’ right
Down south, I know you’re bouncin’ right
West coast, I know you’re walkin’ right
(You don’t know what you mean to me)
Midwest, I see you swingin’ right
East coast, you’re still shakin’ right
Down south, I know you’re bouncin’ right
West coast, I know you’re walkin’ right
(You don’t know what you mean to me)
Midwest, you’re still swingin’ right
No matter what I do
All I think about is you
Even when I’m with my Boo
Boy, you know I’m crazy over you
No matter what I do
All I think about is you
Even when I’m with my Boo
You know I’m crazy over you
Yeah, yeah
East coast, I know you’re shakin’ right
Down south, I know you’re bouncin’ right
West coast, I know you’re walkin’ right
(You don’t know what you mean to me)
Midwest, I see you swingin’ right
East coast, you’re still shakin’ right
Down south, I see you’re bouncin’ right
West coast, I know you’re walkin’ right
(You don’t know what you mean to me)
Midwest, you’re still swingin’ rïght.
oh
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Chart performances and awards
"Dilemma" won Best Rap/Sung Collaboration at the Grammy Awards of 2003.
It is the most successful song of Nelly's career, giving him his first number-one single in many countries, such as Australia, Belgium, Germany, Ireland, The Netherlands, Switzerland, United Kingdom and the United States.
The single became a runaway hit in the late summer/early fall of 2002. Before "Hot In Herre"
had even peaked on the charts, radio stations already began playing
"Dilemma" in July of 2002. It quickly climbed up the charts and
replaced 'Hot In Herre' from #1 after 7 weeks. The song had already
reached #1 on the Hot 100 before a video was ever shot as Nelly's
record label did not expect the song to explode so fast and expected
they could take their time with the video. |
