This Ain't a Game

This Ain't a Game
This Ain't a Game
Studio album by Ray J
Released	June 19, 2001
Recorded	2000–2001
Genre	R&B
Length	64:36
Label	Atlantic; Knockout;
Producer	Darrell "Delite" Allamby; DJ Clue; Duro; Brycyn Evans; Rodney Jerkins; The Neptunes; DeVante Swing; Chris Taylor;
Ray J chronology
Singles from This Ain't a Game
	"Wait a Minute"; Released: May 1, 2001; "Formal Invite"; Released: February 5, 2002; "Keep Your Head Up"; Released: December 4, 2002;

This Ain't a Game is the second studio album by American R&B singer Ray J. It was released on June 19, 2001, under Atlantic Records in the United States.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[1]
Entertainment Weekly	B+^[2]
NME	^[3]
Vibe	^[4]

AllMusic editor Jon Azpiri found that the album "is full of macho posturing that is more than a little tedious. The best of the tracks on the album feature production from The Neptunes [...] Since This Ain't a Game has so little to offer, that line is what listeners will remember most about Ray J."^[1] In a positive review, Craig Seymour from Entertainment Weekly wrote: "Brandy’s little brother Ray-J matures nicely on this sophomore set, with production by R&B hotshots Rodney Jerkins and The Neptunes. The singing/acting biz kid, who evokes Bobby Brown and Off the Wall-era Jacko, sounds surprisingly credible on the hard-knock-life odes."^[2] NME found tha This Ain't a Game "is Ray J’s big chance. [He] might sound like he researched the role as "playa" following Jay-Z around and watching from behind a newspaper with two eye holes cut in it but the track smokes, and that’s that. [...] Again, Jerkins’ beats are what draw your attention. The stand-outs are few. The trademark Jerkins skittery beats are many."^[3]

Chart performance

In the United States, the album debuted and peaked at number 21 on the Billboard 200 and at number nine on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, with first week sales of 18,321 copies.^[5] This Ain't a Game produced the top 40 hit single "Wait a Minute", featuring rapper Lil' Kim. It peaked at number 30 on the Billboard Hot 100. Second single, "Formal Invite" peaked at number 54 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks.^[5]

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Intro"	William Norwood II	Ray J	1:01
2.	"Wait a Minute" (featuring Pharrell & Lil' Kim)	Chad Hugo Pharrell Williams Kimberly Jones	The Neptunes	3:47
3.	"Takin' Control"	William Norwood II	Ray J	4:30
4.	"Formal Invite" (featuring Pharrell)	LaShawn Daniels Fred Jerkins III Rodney Jerkins Nora Payne Robert Smith	The Neptunes	5:06
5.	"Keep Your Head Up"	Daniels R. Jerkins F. Jerkins	Rodney Jerkins	5:34
6.	"I Tried"	Brycyn Evans Cynthia Loving	Evans	3:58
7.	"U Need It"/"U Don't"	W. Norwood	Ray J	4:06
8.	"Out of the Ghetto" (featuring Shorty Mack)	Hugo Owens Williams	The Neptunes	4:27
9.	"No More"	Darrell Allamby Kenny Dickerson Antonio Mobley Johnathen Rasboro	Allamby	4:47
10.	"This Ain't a Game"	Daniels; Jerkins; Jerkins III	Rodney Jerkins	4:18
11.	"Interlude"	W. Norwood	Ray J	1:39
12.	"Wet Me"	Dalvin DeGrate	DeVante Swing	4:30
13.	"Crazy"	Daniels R. Jerkins F. Jerkins R. Smith	Rodney Jerkins	4:51
14.	"I Got It All"	Ken Ifill Antonio Mobley W. Norwood E. Shaw	DJ Clue Duro	4:04
15.	"Airport" (Skit)	Chris Taylor Colin Wolfe	Taylor Wolfe	0:55
16.	"Where Do We Go From Here"	Mobley Oczavia Pittman	Ray J	7:10

UK bonus track
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
17.	"Formal Invite (Remix)" (featuring Busta Rhymes, Ludacris, Clipse, and Boobonic of Philly's Most Wanted)	Daniels F. Jerkins R. Jerkins Payne R. Smith Trevor Smith Christopher Bridges Gene Thornton Terrence Thornton Al Holly	The Neptunes	6:25

Charts

Chart (2001)	Peak position
Canadian R&B Albums (Nielsen SoundScan)^[6]	50
UK R&B Albums (OCC)^[7]	39
US Billboard 200^[8]	21
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)^[5]	9

References

^ ^a ^b ^c This Ain't a Game at AllMusic. Retrieved January 20, 2020.
^ ^a ^b Seymour, Craig (June 22, 2001). "This Ain't a Game". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved February 2, 2023.
^ ^a ^b "Ray J : This Ain't A Game". NME. 12 September 2005. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
^ Anderson, Tomika (July 2001). "Revolutions: Ray J – This Ain't A Game". Vibe. New York. p. 132. Archived from the original on July 2, 2022. Retrieved June 2, 2024 – via Google Books.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Ray J Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved January 20, 2020.
^ "R&B : Top 50". Jam!. July 18, 2001. Archived from the original on July 23, 2001. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
^ "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
^ "Ray J Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved January 20, 2020.

This 2000s R&B/soul album–related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

[allmusic-1] This Ain't a Game at AllMusic. Retrieved January 20, 2020.

[ewrev-2] Seymour, Craig (June 22, 2001). "This Ain't a Game". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved February 2, 2023.

[nmerev-3] "Ray J : This Ain't A Game". NME. 12 September 2005. Retrieved August 13, 2021.

[4] Anderson, Tomika (July 2001). "Revolutions: Ray J – This Ain't A Game". Vibe. New York. p. 132. Archived from the original on July 2, 2022. Retrieved June 2, 2024 – via Google Books.

[BillboardRandBHipHop-5] "Ray J Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved January 20, 2020.

[6] "R&B : Top 50". Jam!. July 18, 2001. Archived from the original on July 23, 2001. Retrieved January 27, 2023.

[ac_UKR&B_-7] "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 27, 2021.

[Billboard200-8] "Ray J Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved January 20, 2020.

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