Ms. Jackson

Template:Short description Template:About Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox song "Ms. Jackson" is a song by the American hip-hop duo Outkast, consisting of André 3000 and Big Boi. It was released on October 24, 2000, as the second single from Outkast's fourth album, Stankonia. It topped the US Billboard Hot 100 chart for one week on February 17, 2001, and reached number one in Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden. Rolling Stone ranked it 55th on its "100 Best Songs of the 2000s" list in June 2011 and at number 145 on its "Top 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" list in 2021.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> In October 2011, NME placed it at number 81 on its list of the "150 Best Tracks of the Past 15 Years".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

"Ms. Jackson" won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group at the 44th Annual Grammy Awards. The music video, directed by F. Gary Gray, which features animals nodding along to the song, won the BET Award for Video of the Year and MTV Video Music Award for Best Hip-Hop Video. The single helped sell the album following the commercial underperformance of the lead single, "B.O.B", which, despite near universal acclaim from critics, failed to chart on the Hot 100 and only reached number 69 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Background and writing

In Vibe magazine, a few years after the song was released, André Benjamin (André 3000) recalled creating the song, "'Ms. Jackson' was an acoustic guitar song that I was doing at home. Then I just converted it over into something people could understand a little bit more."<ref>Vibe Magazine, October 2006, p. 128</ref> The song was inspired, in part, by Benjamin's relationship with Erykah Badu and her mother.<ref> {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In November 2016, Badu described her initial reaction to the song, stating that, "It hit kind of a sore spot. I didn't wanna hear that, especially when I heard Big Boi's verse. When I heard André's verse, I felt very good because his verse was really, really inspiring. He just said how he felt and it was his honest feelings and I always respected that and listened to what he felt and appreciated it." Badu also noted that her mother loved the song, saying, "Baby, she bought herself a 'Ms. Jackson' license plate. She had the mug, she had the ink pen, she had the headband, everything."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Content

Lyrically, the song is a love profession to the mother of the narrator's romantic partner that examines the issues that arise from having a child out of wedlock.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref name="taylor">Template:Cite magazine</ref> In the song, the narrator promises to support his child regardless of what happens.<ref name="taylor"/> The instrumentation samples the Brothers Johnson's version (with various audio effects, prominently reversing) of "Strawberry Letter 23", by Shuggie Otis.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>Template:Better source needed

Critical reception

Billboard magazine wrote that song's message is genuine, noting its 1980s hip-hop sound and Outkast's "frantic" lyrics that emphasize the track's storyline.<ref name="taylor"/> Reviewing the parent album, the same publication compared the track to an "old-school hip-hop love song" and called it "oh-so-radio-ready".<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Marci Kenon of Billboard called the "babies' mommas' mommas" hook memorable and later referred to the track as "infectious".<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

In 2020, The Ringer ranked the song number five on its list of the 50 greatest Outkast songs,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and in 2021, The Guardian ranked the song number six on its list of the 20 greatest Outkast songs.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Music video

The song's music video, directed by F. Gary Gray and produced by Earthtone III,<ref name="usdvd"/> works as a possible metaphor for the duo's "stormy" relationships with the mothers of their children and their families.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>Template:Better source needed In the United States, a DVD single featuring the videos for "B.O.B" and "Ms. Jackson" was released in 2000, before the other physical formats. Along with Toni Braxton's "Just Be a Man About It", this single was the first to bear only a DVD credit on the Billboard Hot 100 until the other formats were issued. Because "Ms. Jackson" was the only Outkast song that was present on the Hot 100 at the time, sales points were added to this song instead of "B.O.B".<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Track listings

Template:Col-begin Template:Col-2 US maxi-CD and 12-inch single, Australian CD single<ref name="aus"/><ref>Template:Cite AV media notes</ref><ref>Template:Cite AV media notes</ref>

1. "Ms. Jackson" (radio mix) – 4:03
2. "Ms. Jackson" (instrumental) – 4:34
3. "Sole Sunday" feat. Goodie Mob (radio mix) – 4:41
4. "Sole Sunday" feat. Goodie Mob (instrumental) – 4:41

US DVD single<ref name="usdvd">Template:Cite AV media notes</ref>

1. "B.O.B" (video)
2. "Ms. Jackson" (video)
3. "What Is Stankonia? An Exclusive Interview with Big Boi & Dre"

European CD single<ref name="aus"/><ref>Template:Cite AV media notes</ref>

1. "Ms. Jackson" (radio mix) – 4:03
2. "Ms. Jackson" (instrumental) – 4:34

Template:Col-2 UK CD single<ref name="ukcd">Template:Cite AV media notes</ref>

1. "Ms. Jackson" (radio edit) – 3:36
2. "Elevators (Me & You)" – 4:56
3. "Ms. Jackson" (video) – 4:58

UK 12-inch and cassette single<ref>Template:Cite AV media notes</ref><ref>Template:Cite AV media notes</ref>

1. "Ms. Jackson" (album version) – 4:30
2. "Elevators (Me & You)" – 4:56

Credits and personnel

Credits are lifted from the UK CD single liner notes.<ref name="ukcd"/>

Studio

• Recorded and mixed at Stankonia Recording (Atlanta, Georgia)

Personnel Template:Div col

• André 3000 – writing (as André Benjamin), vocals, background vocals, guitar
• Big Boi – writing (as Antwan Patton), vocals
• David Sheats – writing
• Earthtone III – keyboards, programming, production, arrangement
• Rajinder Kala – backwards congas
• Marvin "Chanz" Parkman – piano
• Aaron Mills of Cameo – bass
• John Frye – recording
• Malik Albert – recording assistant
• Vincent Alexander – recording assistant
• Warren Bletcher – recording assistant, mixing assistant
• Neal H. Pogue – mixing

Charts

Weekly charts

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Chart (2000–2001)	Peak position
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Canada (Nielsen SoundScan)<ref name="CANsin">Template:Cite magazine</ref>	9
Canada CHR (Nielsen BDS)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	12
Croatia (HRT)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	6
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Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	1
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Poland (Music & Media)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	3
Romania (Romanian Top 100)<ref name="rt100">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	6
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Year-end charts

Chart (2001)	Position
Australia (ARIA)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	17
Australian Urban (ARIA)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	7
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	21
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	21
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	28
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	11
France (SNEP)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	45
Germany (Media Control)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	12
Ireland (IRMA)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	52
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	34
Netherlands (Single Top 100)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	50
Romania (Romanian Top 100)<ref name="rt100"/>	79
Sweden (Hitlistan)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	15
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	24
UK Singles (OCC)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	43
UK Urban (Music Week)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	24
US Billboard Hot 100<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	25
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks (Billboard)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	18
US Hot Rap Singles (Billboard)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	3
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	56
US Rhythmic Top 40 (Billboard)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	10

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Template:Abbr
United States	October 24, 2000	Template:Hlist	Template:Hlist	<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
	December 12, 2000	Contemporary hit radio		<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Sweden	January 22, 2001	CD		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
United Kingdom	February 19, 2001	Template:Hlist		<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Australia	February 26, 2001	CD		citation	CitationClass=web }}Template:Cbignore</ref>