Turnin Me On
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"Turnin Me On" is a song by American singer-songwriter
Keri Hilson Keri Lynn Hilson (born December 5, 1982) is an American singer and songwriter. Born and raised in Decatur, Georgia, she began her musical career as a songwriter and backing vocalist for other artists under the wing of record producer Anthony De ...
, from her debut album, '' In a Perfect World...'' The song features American rapper
Lil Wayne Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper. He is often regarded as one of the most influential hip hop artists of his generation, as well as one of the greatest rappers of all ...
who co-wrote the song alongside Hilson and Zachary Anson Wallace. Production credits are shared between Danja and
Polow da Don Jamal Fincher Jones (born October 15, 1977 or 1978), known professionally as Polow da Don, is an American record producer from Atlanta, Georgia. He began his career as a recording artist in the late 1990s, leaving college to pursue a career with ...
, who also co-wrote the song. Following the minimal chart success of Hilson's worldwide
lead single A lead single (or first single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date. A similar term, "debut ...
"
Energy Energy () is the physical quantity, quantitative physical property, property that is transferred to a physical body, body or to a physical system, recognizable in the performance of Work (thermodynamics), work and in the form of heat and l ...
" in the United States, international markets received " Return the Favor", while "Turnin Me On" was released as the third single in the US. After experimenting with more pop-oriented music in her previous mentioned songs, Hilson opted for a more
urban Urban means "related to a city". In that sense, the term may refer to: * Urban area, geographical area distinct from rural areas * Urban culture, the culture of towns and cities Urban may also refer to: General * Urban (name), a list of people ...
,
hip-hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hi ...
flavored sound for the song, due to her wanting to keep to her roots. While noting her less than stellar vocals on the track, critics praised Hilson's sassiness and attitude on the track and complimented Lil Wayne's verse, which has been called the best surprise rap since
Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes Lisa Nicole Lopes (May 27, 1971 – April 25, 2002), also known by her stage name Left Eye, was an American singer and rapper. She was a member of the R&B girl group TLC, alongside Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins and Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas. Besides ...
on
TLC TLC may refer to: Arts and entertainment Television * ''TLC'' (TV series), a 2002 British situational comedy television series that aired on BBC2 * TLC (TV network), formerly the Learning Channel, an American cable TV network ** TLC (Asia), an A ...
's "
Waterfalls A waterfall is any point in a river or stream where water flows over a vertical drop or a series of steep drops. Waterfalls also occur where meltwater drops over the edge of a tabular iceberg or ice shelf. Waterfalls can be formed in several ...
." The song's accompanying music video features intricate
Aaliyah Aaliyah Dana Haughton ( ; January 16, 1979 â€“ August 25, 2001) was an American singer, actress, dancer, and model. Known as the " Princess of R&B" and "Queen of Urban Pop", she is credited with helping to redefine contemporary R&B, p ...
and "
Soldier A soldier is a person who is a member of an army. A soldier can be a Conscription, conscripted or volunteer Enlisted rank, enlisted person, a non-commissioned officer, a warrant officer, or an Officer (armed forces), officer. Etymology The wo ...
"-esque choreography, dance scenes such as the
Bird Walk "Bird Walk" is the first single from Soulja Boy's 2008 album '' iSouljaBoyTellem''. Song information The song was performed on the first '' YouTube Live'' on November 22, 2008, with an introduction from MC Hammer Stanley Kirk Burrell (bo ...
, and Hilson being flaunted by men. The scenes are intercut with
mirror A mirror, also known as a looking glass, is an object that Reflection (physics), reflects an image. Light that bounces off a mirror forms an image of whatever is in front of it, which is then focused through the lens of the eye or a camera ...
scenes with younger kids. The song was a commercial success in the United States, reaching number fifteen on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, whilst reaching two on the
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by '' Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 ...
chart. "Turnin Me On" received two nominations at the 2009
BET Awards The BET Awards are an American award show that was established in 2001 by the BET, Black Entertainment Television network to celebrate Black person, Black entertainers and other minorities in music, film, sports and philanthropy. The awards, which ...
, and a "Song of the Year" nomination at the 2009
Soul Train Music Awards The Soul Train Music Awards is an annual music awards ceremony which honors the best in African-American culture, music and entertainment. It is produced by the production company of '' Soul Train'', the program from which it takes its name, and ...
. A leaked remix of the song caused controversy, with rumors that Hilson was taking shots at fellow female R&B singers
Beyoncé Knowles Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and businesswoman. With a career spanning over three decades, she has established herself as one of the most culturally significant figu ...
and
Ciara Ciara Princess Wilson ( ; Harris; born October 25, 1985) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer and actress. She was discovered by record producer Jazze Pha in the early 2000s, and rose to prominence with her debut studio album, ''Goodies ...
; however, Hilson has fervently denied the rumors that it was a diss. Hilson performed the song as a part of a medley at the 2009 Soul Train Music Awards and BET Awards.


Background

In June 2008,
Rap-Up ''Rap-Up'' is a magazine launched in 2001 by founder Devin Lazerine. The publication was originally a website devoted to hip hop, until Lazerine decided to pitch the possibility of a magazine to several publishers. The magazine is focused on the ...
originally reported the song as "Turn Off", while Hilson was playing it at
Interscope-Geffen-A&M Interscope Geffen A&M Records (IGA) is an American umbrella label operating as a unit of Interscope Capitol Labels Group, owned by Universal Music Group. It currently consists of record labels Interscope Records (with its subsidiary, A&M Records) ...
Records' second annual "Creme of the Crop" post-
BET Awards The BET Awards are an American award show that was established in 2001 by the BET, Black Entertainment Television network to celebrate Black person, Black entertainers and other minorities in music, film, sports and philanthropy. The awards, which ...
dinner on June 25, 2008. Then an unmastered version of "Turn Off" was leaked online in September 2008. After selecting the predominantly pop-sounding "
Energy Energy () is the physical quantity, quantitative physical property, property that is transferred to a physical body, body or to a physical system, recognizable in the performance of Work (thermodynamics), work and in the form of heat and l ...
" and " Return the Favor", Hilson selected "Turnin Me On" as '' In a Perfect World...'''s third single. When asked in an interview with ''That Grape Juice'' if choosing the song was a conscious effort, since the song had a different sound than the previous singles, Hilson responded,
"Absolutely! I mean, there’s another side of me. I’m from Decatur, Georgia and that is a predominantly black neighbourhood with a lot of lower-class and some middle-class neighbourhoods. I guess that is the song that probably properly describes the type of girl I am, in relation to where I’m from. So yeah, it was definitely a conscious effort to make sure that I stay close to home on some records."


Composition and critical reception

The song is a futuristic-esque R&B,
synth A synthesizer (also synthesiser or synth) is an electronic musical instrument that generates audio signals. Synthesizers typically create sounds by generating waveforms through methods including subtractive synthesis, additive synthesis a ...
-driven,
bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Wood * Bass or basswood, the wood of the tilia americana tree Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in th ...
-heavy
urban Urban means "related to a city". In that sense, the term may refer to: * Urban area, geographical area distinct from rural areas * Urban culture, the culture of towns and cities Urban may also refer to: General * Urban (name), a list of people ...
song, featuring "bouncy" horn samples. Written in the key of
C minor C minor is a minor scale based on C, consisting of the pitches C, D, E, F, G, A, and B. Its key signature consists of three flats. Its relative major is E major and its parallel major is C major. The C natural minor scale is: Cha ...
the song is in a "moderate R&B groove". It is set in
common time A time signature (also known as meter signature, metre signature, and measure signature) is an indication in music notation that specifies how many note values of a particular type fit into each measure ( bar). The time signature indicates the ...
and Hilson's vocals span from the low note of G3 to the high note of C5 " "Turnin Me On" is lyrically about physical attraction and composed in a hard-edged tone." ''
MTV Buzzworthy MTV (an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable television channel and the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group sub-division of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. Launched on August 1, 1981, th ...
'' described the song "as one-part
Rihanna Robyn Rihanna Fenty ( ; born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, businesswoman, and actress. One of the List of music artists by net worth, wealthiest musicians in the world, List of awards and nominations received by Rihanna, her vario ...
'
Umbrella An umbrella or parasol is a folding canopy supported by wooden or metal ribs that is mounted on a wooden, metal, or plastic pole. It is usually designed to protect a person against rain. The term ''umbrella'' is traditionally used when protec ...
' and two parts
Beyoncé Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and businesswoman. With a career spanning over three decades, she has established herself as one of the most Cultural impact of Beyoncé, ...
'
Ring the Alarm "Ring the Alarm" is a song recorded by American singer Beyoncé for her second studio album, '' B'Day'' (2006). It was written by Beyoncé, Kasseem "Swizz Beatz" Dean, and Sean Garrett. Columbia Records released "Ring the Alarm" as the second sin ...
'" Naming it a standout track from ''In a Perfect World...'' Andy Kellman of
AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
called the song a "coquettish trunk rattler." Barry Walters of ''
Spin Spin or spinning most often refers to: * Spin (physics) or particle spin, a fundamental property of elementary particles * Spin quantum number, a number which defines the value of a particle's spin * Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thr ...
'' complimented Hilson's "sassiness" on the song which she "wore well." ''
MTV Buzzworthy MTV (an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable television channel and the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group sub-division of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. Launched on August 1, 1981, th ...
'' called the Wayne's verse "the best surprise rap since Lisa 'Left Eye' Lopes' verse in
TLC TLC may refer to: Arts and entertainment Television * ''TLC'' (TV series), a 2002 British situational comedy television series that aired on BBC2 * TLC (TV network), formerly the Learning Channel, an American cable TV network ** TLC (Asia), an A ...
's '
Waterfalls A waterfall is any point in a river or stream where water flows over a vertical drop or a series of steep drops. Waterfalls also occur where meltwater drops over the edge of a tabular iceberg or ice shelf. Waterfalls can be formed in several ...
.'" J.K. Glei of ''Cincinnati Metromix'' called the track "playful" and said the track was easily the album's standout, commenting that Lil Wayne's cameo "steals the show." Sal Cinquemani of ''
Slant Magazine ''Slant Magazine'' is an American online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New Yor ...
'' commended the song, calling it "tight." Jon Caramanica of ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' said called the song "slinky" and said, "the busyness coheres, with Ms. Hilson neatly gliding among the song’s many layers. And she may need the crutch; she is a careful, slight singer." Mikael Wood of ''
The Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper in the U.S. and the larges ...
'' called the song "impeccably arranged." After watching the video, a writer for BET Sound Off said after it seemed Hilson and her label were losing faith, that "out of nowhere, Keri got her ish together", and said, "I’m sure she’ll regain the steam she lost during her first two singles." ''
Rap-Up ''Rap-Up'' is a magazine launched in 2001 by founder Devin Lazerine. The publication was originally a website devoted to hip hop, until Lazerine decided to pitch the possibility of a magazine to several publishers. The magazine is focused on the ...
'' called "Turnin Me On" a standout track from ''In a Perfect World...''. The song received several accolades, as it was nominated for "Viewers' Choice" and "Best Collaboration" at the 2009
BET Awards The BET Awards are an American award show that was established in 2001 by the BET, Black Entertainment Television network to celebrate Black person, Black entertainers and other minorities in music, film, sports and philanthropy. The awards, which ...
. Additionally it was nominated for "Song of the Year" at the 2009
Soul Train Music Awards The Soul Train Music Awards is an annual music awards ceremony which honors the best in African-American culture, music and entertainment. It is produced by the production company of '' Soul Train'', the program from which it takes its name, and ...
.


Chart performance

On the issue date of January 3, 2009, "Turnin Me On" entered the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 at number ninety. In its sixth week on the chart, it reached number thirty-five, giving Hilson her second top forty hit at a solo or featured artist. It later reached number fifteen, where it spent two weeks, becoming Hilson's biggest hit until the top five hit, " Knock You Down." Overall, the song had a twenty-two-week stint on the Hot 100. Additionally it charted at twenty-eight on the now defunct
Pop 100 The Pop 100 was a songs chart that debuted in February 2005 and was released weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine in the United States until its discontinuation in 2009. It ranked songs based on airplay on Mainstream Top 40 radio stations, singles ...
, and twenty-five on the
Pop Songs Pop Airplay (also called Mainstream Top 40, Pop Songs, and Top 40/ CHR) is a 40-song music chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' Magazine that ranks the most popular songs of pop music being played on a panel of Top 40 radio stations in the U ...
chart, reaching the peak after seven weeks. On the week of February 28, 2009, in its eighteenth week on the chart, it peaked at two on the
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by '' Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 ...
chart. It debuted at number eighty in Canada, where it peaked, spending a total of four weeks on the
Canadian Hot 100 The Canadian Hot 100 is a music industry record chart in Canada for songs, published weekly by ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' magazine. It was launched on the issue dated March 31, 2007 as the standard record chart in Canada; a new chart ...
. The song peaked and debuted at twenty-nine on the
New Zealand Singles Chart The Official Aotearoa Music Charts, formerly the Official New Zealand Music Chart (), is the weekly New Zealand top 40 singles and albums charts, issued weekly by Recorded Music NZ (formerly Recording Industry Association of New Zealand). The M ...
. It fell to thirty-three the following week, and falling off the next week, completing a two-week stint on the chart.


Music video

The music video for the single was directed by
Erik White Erik White is an American music video director. In 2010, he made his feature film directorial debut with the comedy film ''Lottery Ticket'', starring rappers Bow Wow and Ice Cube. He appeared on the reality show competition '' The Glee Project' ...
and shot in
Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...
, Georgia. It premiered on November 19, 2008, two weeks before the single was released for airplay or download. It was featured on
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on December 15, 2008.
Rich Boy Marece Benjamin Richards (born April 19, 1983), better known by his stage name Rich Boy, is an American rapper known for his 2006 single " Throw Some D's" (featuring Polow da Don), which peaked at number six on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. It serv ...
,
Polow da Don Jamal Fincher Jones (born October 15, 1977 or 1978), known professionally as Polow da Don, is an American record producer from Atlanta, Georgia. He began his career as a recording artist in the late 1990s, leaving college to pursue a career with ...
, and
Leah LaBelle Leah LaBelle Vladowski (September 8, 1986 – January 31, 2018) was an American singer. She rose to prominence in 2004 as a contestant on the third season of ''American Idol'', placing twelfth in the season finals. In 2007, LaBelle began reco ...
make cameos in the clip. While it was reported that
T.I. Clifford Joseph Harris Jr. (born September 25, 1980), known professionally as T.I. or Tip, is an American rapper and singer raised in Atlanta, Georgia. Harris is credited as a pioneer of the hip hop subgenre trap music, along with fellow Georgi ...
would appear in the video, a doppelgänger does instead. The video is set almost entirely behind white and black backdrops, besides one club scene. Hilson performs choreography such as the
Bird Walk "Bird Walk" is the first single from Soulja Boy's 2008 album '' iSouljaBoyTellem''. Song information The song was performed on the first '' YouTube Live'' on November 22, 2008, with an introduction from MC Hammer Stanley Kirk Burrell (bo ...
, which according to ''
MTV Buzzworthy MTV (an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable television channel and the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group sub-division of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. Launched on August 1, 1981, th ...
'' is
Aaliyah Aaliyah Dana Haughton ( ; January 16, 1979 â€“ August 25, 2001) was an American singer, actress, dancer, and model. Known as the " Princess of R&B" and "Queen of Urban Pop", she is credited with helping to redefine contemporary R&B, p ...
-style choreography, while being flaunted by shirtless, muscular men and donning "on" and "off" finger rings. BET Sound Off noted that some of the choreography was similar to
Destiny's Child Destiny's Child was an American girl group whose final lineup comprised Beyoncé, Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Rowland, and Michelle Williams (singer), Michelle Williams. The group began their musical career as Girl's Tyme, formed in 1990 in Hou ...
's "
Soldier A soldier is a person who is a member of an army. A soldier can be a Conscription, conscripted or volunteer Enlisted rank, enlisted person, a non-commissioned officer, a warrant officer, or an Officer (armed forces), officer. Etymology The wo ...
." As Hilson continues to be flaunted and performs additional choreography, which includes crumping-like moves, the scenes are interspersed with younger kids re-enacting the same scenes. Hilson appears alongside a speaker and a group of men dancing before the video cuts to Wayne. In this scene the rapper delivers his verse alongside Hilson in front of a black backdrop and on a couch. Near the end the younger girls and boys are shown performing Hilson and her dancers' moves, as the latter also continue to be flaunted by men. The video ends with Hilson being turned off by men at a club, with women in the club wearing "off" earrings like on Hilson's fingers. ''MTV Buzzworthy'' said, "give it up for her sleek biker chick-meets-Park-Slope wardrobe and feel free to ogle/drool over the parade of shirtless dudes who look like they jumped off the cover of Abs Weekly magazine." The review also complimented "rapper/pants-dropper extraodinaire Lil Wayne" who helped "push her chest-bumpin' vid into must-see territory." Although calling it a "Soldier" knock-off, BET Sound Off blog said, "the visual is pretty entertaining." Tracey Ford of AOL Boombox said, "the diva makes it perfectly clear how easy it is to turn a woman on and off." The video ranked at number two on '' BET: Notarized Top 100 Videos of 2009'' countdown.


Live performances

In promoting her album, Hilson performed the song on February 2, 2009, on
106 & Park ''106 & Park'' is an American hip hop and R&B music video show, set up in a countdown format, that was broadcast on weekdays at 6:00 pm ET/5:00 pm CT on BET; it aired on a one-day delay on BET International. It was the network's highest- rated ...
. Hilson performed the song on March 17, 2009, on ''
Dogg After Dark ''Dogg After Dark'' is an American variety show starring rapper Snoop Dogg on MTV. The series debuted on February 17, 2009, and features celebrity interviews, sketch-comedy segments and musical performances by Snoop's own in-house band, the "Snoo ...
''.
Lil Wayne Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper. He is often regarded as one of the most influential hip hop artists of his generation, as well as one of the greatest rappers of all ...
joined her to perform the song with "
Energy Energy () is the physical quantity, quantitative physical property, property that is transferred to a physical body, body or to a physical system, recognizable in the performance of Work (thermodynamics), work and in the form of heat and l ...
" on ''
Jimmy Kimmel Live! ''Jimmy Kimmel Live!'', sometimes shortened to ''JKL'', is an American late-night talk show, created and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, and broadcast on ABC. The nightly hour-long show tapes and is based out of the Hollywood Masonic Temple in Hollywo ...
'' "Turnin Me On" was performed by Hilson at BET's Spring Bling 2009, and at BET's
Rip the Runway ''Rip the Runway'' is an annual fashion show and music show broadcast by BET, held at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City. 2005 The first ''Rip the Runway'' show was hosted by Fonzworth Bentley and Eva Pigford. 2006 The 2006 ''Rip the R ...
2009. She performed the song as part of medleys at the 2009
BET Awards The BET Awards are an American award show that was established in 2001 by the BET, Black Entertainment Television network to celebrate Black person, Black entertainers and other minorities in music, film, sports and philanthropy. The awards, which ...
as well as the 2009
Soul Train Music Awards The Soul Train Music Awards is an annual music awards ceremony which honors the best in African-American culture, music and entertainment. It is produced by the production company of '' Soul Train'', the program from which it takes its name, and ...
.


Remixes

Several remixes for the song were released.
Busta Rhymes Trevor George Smith Jr. (born May 20, 1972), known professionally as Busta Rhymes, is an American rapper, singer and actor. Chuck D of Public Enemy gave him the moniker Busta Rhymes, after National Football League, NFL and Canadian Football Lea ...
is featured on one remix, to which BET Sound Off preferred to the original version, commenting, "Not that I don’t appreciate Keri and Weezy’s version because it’s actually a snazzy lil ditty, but Busta’s ambiance over Polow’s sound scape gives me a different vibe, that 'stand on your desk and mean mug everyone in your office who tells you to turn down your music' vibe." In January 2010, a remix featuring
T.I. Clifford Joseph Harris Jr. (born September 25, 1980), known professionally as T.I. or Tip, is an American rapper and singer raised in Atlanta, Georgia. Harris is credited as a pioneer of the hip hop subgenre trap music, along with fellow Georgi ...
was released. A MSTRKRFT remix of the original version was released on
iTunes iTunes is a media player, media library, and mobile device management (MDM) utility developed by Apple. It is used to purchase, play, download and organize digital multimedia on personal computers running the macOS and Windows operating s ...
.


Diss controversy

On March 3, 2009, a remix version of the song, entitled "Turnin' Me Off", featuring new verses from Hilson and Lil Wayne, and an additional verse by T-Pain, surfaced online. In the remix, Hilson takes jabs at two unnamed female entertainers. Referred to as "the remix heard round the industry", media rumored that Hilson was taking shots at
Beyoncé Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and businesswoman. With a career spanning over three decades, she has established herself as one of the most Cultural impact of Beyoncé, ...
and
Ciara Ciara Princess Wilson ( ; Harris; born October 25, 1985) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer and actress. She was discovered by record producer Jazze Pha in the early 2000s, and rose to prominence with her debut studio album, ''Goodies ...
, with lines like "You can dance, she can sing but need to move it to the left", possibly referencing Ciara's acclaimed dancing ability, and Beyoncé's hit "
Irreplaceable "Irreplaceable" is a song by American singer Beyoncé for her second studio album, ''B'Day'' (2006). The song was written by Ne-Yo, Shaffer "Ne-Yo" Smith, Tor Erik Hermansen, Mikkel S. Eriksen, Espionage (production team), Espen Lind, Amund Bjà ...
." The lyrics also point at other possible shots taken toward the artists, such as Hilson stating one needs to "go sit down and have babies" and points out several songs written for the other. A BET columnist wrote, "critics couldn't fathom the purpose or reasoning behind the malicious gesture", while a writer for BET Sound Off noted that if Hilson or her management intended to engage in this, that it would be "career suicide." However, in an interview with Hard Knock TV, Hilson denied the claims that the remix was directed at dissing Knowles or Ciara. According to Hilson, Polow da Don gave her the idea to do a "fiery" record. Although she said she was not retracting anything in the song, calling her response a "blanket statement" she said she was not going to feel some sort of way about how other people interpret, and that blatantly dissing anyone was not the energy behind the record. Hilson commented she wanted to address the haters, and all the media speculation about the remarks was something they did not intend to accomplish with the song. She also addressed that the release of the song was not an intentional leak, stating most remixes are meant to be done when a record is hot, and although admitting that while "Turnin Me On" was not "a number one record", the remix was done three months prior. While calling into
WVEE WVEE (103.3 FM broadcasting, FM) – branded as ''V-103'' – is a commercial American radio station in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. It is owned by Audacy, Inc. and airs an urban contemporary radio format. WVEE is one of the highest-r ...
during their interview with Ciara and Polow da Don, Hilson said,
"I just want to tell Ciara it’s not about you. People are just reading way too far into it. People take things and make it what they want it to be. It wasn’t taking shots at nobody." I just want to let Atlanta know and Ciara know that this is a true leak. I did, and I don't know if Polow said this on the radio, but I did fight this coming out. I didn't want this coming out because we played it for people when I did it and that's what people said it was about; they started throwing out names. We were like 'No, it's not about that' and we tried to let them know what it was really about. But the fact that people brought back names, it was like ok, that wasn't the reaction we need, so I told Polow, 'let's not do this and he agreed".
Ciara happened to call in during the time period and said she was happy of where Hilson was at in her career, to which Hilson responded the same, saying how proud she was, and "watching her from ground zero." Hilson went on to state she was not jealous of anyone's career, noting how all female R&B artists are the same, pointing out that " Keyshia’s on my album. I’ve worked with Ciara many times. I’m a fan of Beyoncé’s." When asked exactly who the song is about, Hilson said the targets knew who they were, responding, "It's anybody that ever tried to take me down and didn't want to see me succeed. I’m not gonna call their names because I feel I’ve addressed it." She further clarified, commenting "I will say this, my journey has been 12 years long and there have been many people, specifically girls, and it really just isn't one person, it's been a lot of people." Rumors circulated once again when Ciara released a viral video " Basic Instinct (U Got Me)" to kick off promotion for her album of the same name. Ciara addressed claims that remarks in the song were referring to Hilson in an interview with ''
Rap-Up ''Rap-Up'' is a magazine launched in 2001 by founder Devin Lazerine. The publication was originally a website devoted to hip hop, until Lazerine decided to pitch the possibility of a magazine to several publishers. The magazine is focused on the ...
'', stating that the song was dedicated to her haters, gave her a chance to express herself, and was about trusting her first instinct on everything. In April 2025, when Hilson returned to the public eye to promote her then-upcoming album '' We Need to Talk'', she addressed the controversy; she said,
"
Polow da Don Jamal Fincher Jones (born October 15, 1977 or 1978), known professionally as Polow da Don, is an American record producer from Atlanta, Georgia. He began his career as a recording artist in the late 1990s, leaving college to pursue a career with ...
had another writer in our camp at the time
Ester Dean Esther Renay Dean (born April 15, 1982), known professionally as Ester Dean, is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. She rose to prominence as a pop songwriter in the late 2000s and wrote numerous hit songs for singers including R ...
… he had her write this. He played it for me — meanwhile I'm thinking I was coming in to write a remix to "Turnin' Me On". Automatically, I was like, "I'm not saying that." That was my position. I'm an athlete. I am competitive. But I'm not nasty, I'm a finesse player. I don't look at things like that ..My album wasn't out yet, I was told it's not coming out if you don't do this ..I was super young. I felt I had no choice. I'm still protecting everyone involved. I've been eating that for years".


Track listing

*Digital download #"Turnin Me On" (feat. Lil Wayne) – 4:08 lean or Explicit *Digital download – MSTRKRFT Remix #"Turnin Me On" (feat. Lil Wayne) – 4:04 xplicit


Personnel

Credits lifted from the liner notes of ''In a Perfect World...''. *Songwriting – Keri Hilson,
Dwayne Carter Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper. He is often regarded as one of the most influential hip hop artists of his generation, as well as one of the greatest rappers of all ...
, Jamal Jones, Zachary Anson Wallace *Production – Polow da Don, Danja (additional) *Vocal arrangement and production – Keri Hilson *Recording – Tony Terrebonne, Marcella Araica, Jason Schweitzer * Mixing – Marcella Araica


Charts


Weekly charts


Year-end charts


Certifications


Release history


References

{{good article 2009 singles Keri Hilson songs Lil Wayne songs Song recordings produced by Danja (record producer) Song recordings produced by Polow da Don Songs written by Keri Hilson Songs written by Polow da Don Songs written by Lil Wayne Music videos directed by Erik White 2009 songs