"I Cry" is the fourth and final single from
Ja Rule's second studio album, ''
Rule 3:36''. The song samples "Cry Together" by
The O'Jays
The O'Jays are an American Rhythm and blues, R&B group from Canton, Ohio, formed in summer 1958 and originally consisting of Eddie Levert, Walter Lee Williams, William Powell, Bobby Massey, and Bill Isles. The O'Jays made their first chart appea ...
. This was also the final collaborative single by Ja Rule and former associate,
Lil' Mo
Cynthia Karen Loving (born November 19, 1978), known professionally as Lil' Mo, is an American singer and songwriter. She is best known for her 2001 single "Superwoman Pt. II" (featuring Fabolous), which peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Hot ...
. It was after this release that
Irv Gotti
Irving Domingo Lorenzo Jr. (June 26, 1970 – February 5, 2025), professionally known as Irv Gotti or DJ Irv, was an American record producer and music executive. Gotti started off as a New York hip-hop DJ in the 1980s, then becoming an A&R t ...
decided that Ja Rule should work with
Ashanti.
This song became an urban hit during the late spring of 2001, peaking at number 40 on the
''Billboard'' Hot 100, number 25 on the
Rap Charts, and number 11 on the
''Billboard'' Hot R&B charts.
In 2008, the song was used as a sample in
LL Cool J
James Todd Smith (born January 14, 1968), known professionally as LL Cool J (short for Ladies Love Cool James), is an American rapper and actor. He is one of the earliest rappers to achieve commercial success, alongside fellow new school hip ho ...
's record, "
Cry", which also happened to feature Lil' Mo.
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
References
2000 songs
2001 singles
Ja Rule songs
Lil' Mo songs
Song recordings produced by Irv Gotti
Songs written by Irv Gotti
Songs written by Kenny Gamble
Songs written by Leon Huff
Songs written by Lil' Mo
Songs written by Ja Rule
Def Jam Recordings singles
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