"Boy You Knock Me Out" is a song by American actress and singer

Tatyana Ali Tatyana Marisol Ali (born January 24, 1979) is an American actress and singer best known for her role as Ashley Banks on the NBC sitcom '' The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air'' from 1990 to 1996. She starred as Tyana Jones on the TV One original ser ...

from her only studio album, '' Kiss the Sky'' (1998). Written by

Kelly Price Kelly Cherelle Price (born April 4, 1973) is an American R&B and gospel singer. Beginning her career in 1992, Price originally performed backing vocals for Mariah Carey on multiple songs, including Carey's ''Billboard'' Hot 100-number one sin ...

, StoneBridge, and Nick Nice, the track samples " Summer Madness" by

Kool & the Gang Kool & the Gang is an American Rhythm and blues, R&B, soul music, soul, and funk band formed in Jersey City, New Jersey, in 1964. Its founding members include brothers Robert "Kool" Bell and Ronald Bell (musician), Ronald Bell (also known as " ...

and " What You Won't Do for Love" by

Bobby Caldwell Robert Hunter Caldwell (August 15, 1951 – March 14, 2023) was an American singer and songwriter. He released several albums spanning R&B, soul, jazz, and adult contemporary. He is known for his soulful and versatile vocals. Caldwell release ...

. Released via MJJ Music and

Epic Records Epic Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the American division of Japanese conglomerate Sony is a Japanese multinational conglomerate (company), cong ...

on February 1, 1999, the song reached number three on the UK Singles Chart and entered the top 40 of the charts in France, Iceland, Ireland, and New Zealand. The single version of the song, known as the "Big Willie Style" edit, features

Will Smith Willard Carroll Smith II (born September 25, 1968) is an American actor, rapper, and film producer. Known for his work in both Will Smith filmography, the screen and Will Smith discography, music industries, List of awards and nominations re ...

performing a rap.

Background

was recruited by her co-star on ''

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air ''The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air'' is an American television sitcom created by Andy and Susan Borowitz that aired on NBC from September 10, 1990, to May 20, 1996. The series stars Will Smith as a fictionalized version of himself, a street-smart ...

'',

, to launch her own music career, and she postponed attending

Harvard University Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...

so she could record '' Kiss the Sky''. "Boy You Knock Me Out" was written by

, Nick Nice, and StoneBridge, who also produced the song. The track samples elements from

's 1974 instrumental " Summer Madness"—written by the band, Alton Taylor, and Robert Mickens—and interpolates

's 1978 song " What You Won't Do for Love"—written by Caldwell and Alfons Kettner. Ali recorded the track at StoneBridge Productions in Stockholm, Sweden, and at Titan Recording Studio in

Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles Sherman Oaks (founded in 1927) is a neighborhood of the city of Los Angeles, California within the San Fernando Valley region. The neighborhood includes a portion of the Santa Monica Mountains, which gives Sherman Oaks a lower population density ...

. Smith performs a rap verse on the "Big Willie Style" single version.

Release and reception

Although MJJ Music and

Work Group The Work Label (stylized as The WORK Group) was an American record label. Its major album releases included ''Tidal (album), Tidal'' (1996) by Fiona Apple and ''On the 6'' (1999) by Jennifer Lopez. History In July 1999, founders Jeff Ayeroff ...

serviced "Boy You Knock Me Out" to US radio in October 1998, it did not chart on the ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...

Hot 100 The ''Billboard'' Hot 100, also known as simply the Hot 100, is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), o ...

like its predecessor, " Daydreamin'". The single did appear on the ''Billboard'' Hot R&B Singles & Tracks and

Rhythmic Top 40 The Rhythmic chart (also called Rhythmic Airplay, and previously named Rhythmic Songs, Rhythmic Top 40 and CHR/Rhythmic) is an airplay chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine. The chart tracks and measures the airplay of songs played on ...

charts, stalling at numbers 68 and 40, respectively, in January 1999. On February 1, 1999, the single was released in the United Kingdom and became Ali's highest-charting song, debuting and peaking at number three on the UK Singles Chart six days after its release. In Ireland, the single reached number 19. The song entered the top 10 in Iceland, peaking at number six in March 1999. That same month, the single peaked at number 12 in New Zealand and number 32 in France. "Boy You Knock Me Out" was

certified Certification is part of testing, inspection and certification and the provision by an independent body of written assurance (a certificate) that the product, service or system in question meets specific requirements. It is the formal attestatio ...

gold in New Zealand (5,000 sales) and silver in the UK (200,000 shipments).

Track listings

UK CD1 # "Boy You Knock Me Out" (Big Willie Style single edit) – 4:00 # "Boy You Knock Me Out" (Master Urban remix) – 4:08 # "Love the Way You Love Me" – 5:02 # "Boy You Knock Me Out" (video) UK CD2 # "Boy You Knock Me Out" (Big Willie Style extended single) – 4:21 # "Boy You Knock Me Out" ( Maurice's Xclusive club mix) – 9:00 # "Boy You Knock Me Out" (Stone's extended version) – 5:20 UK cassette single # "Boy You Knock Me Out" (Big Willie Style single edit) – 4:00 # "Love the Way You Love Me" – 5:02 # "Boy You Knock Me Out" (Master Urban remix) – 4:08 European CD1 # "Boy You Knock Me Out" (Big Willie Style single edit) – 4:00 # "Boy You Knock Me Out" (Maurice's radio mix) – 4:00 European CD2 # "Boy You Knock Me Out" (Big Willie Style single edit) – 4:00 # "Boy You Knock Me Out" (Maurice's radio mix) – 4:00 # "Boy You Knock Me Out" (Maurice's Xclusive club mix) – 9:00 # "Boy You Knock Me Out" (Maurice's Xclusive instrumental) – 9:00 # "Boy You Knock Me Out" (video) Australian CD single # "Boy You Knock Me Out" (single edit) # "Boy You Knock Me Out" (Master Urban remix) # "Boy You Knock Me Out" (Maurice's radio mix) # "Boy You Knock Me Out" (Maurice's Xclusive club mix)

Credits and personnel

Credits are taken from the ''Kiss the Sky'' album booklet. Studios * Recorded at StoneBridge Productions (Stockholm, Sweden) and Titan Recording Studio (Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles) * Mixed at Enterprise II Studio (

Burbank, California Burbank is a city in the southeastern end of the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Located northwest of downtown Los Angeles, Burbank had a Census-estimated population of 102,755 as of 2023. The city was ...

) Personnel * Kelly Price – writing, background vocals, vocal production and arrangement * StoneBridge – writing, production, vocal production and arrangement, engineering * Nick Nice – writing * Alfons Kettner – writing ("What You Won't Do for Love") * Bobby Caldwell – writing ("What You Won't Do for Love") * Alton Taylor – writing ("Summer Madness") * Robert Mickens – writing ("Summer Madness") * Robert "Kool" Bell – writing ("Summer Madness") * Dennis Thomas – writing ("Summer Madness") * Richard Westfield – writing ("Summer Madness") * George Brown – writing ("Summer Madness") *

Claydes Charles Smith Claydes "Charles" Smith (born Claydes Eugene Smith; September 6, 1948 – June 20, 2006) was an American musician best known as co-founder and lead guitarist of the group Kool & the Gang. Biography Early life Born in Jersey City, New Je ...

– writing ("Summer Madness") * Tatyana Ali – lead vocals, background vocals * Will Smith – rap (Big Willie Style version) * Rob Chiarelli – additional programming, mixing * Michael Blum – engineering

Charts

Certifications

Release history

References

{{Authority control 1998 songs 1999 singles Epic Records singles Songs written by Bobby Caldwell Songs written by Claydes Charles Smith Songs written by Kelly Price Songs written by Robert "Kool" Bell Tatyana Ali songs Will Smith songs