Let It Go (Keyshia Cole song)

"Let It Go"
Single by Keyshia Cole featuring Missy Elliott and Lil' Kim
from the album Just Like You
Released	June 19, 2007
Length	3:58 (album version/radio edit) 5:15 (single version)
Label	Imani Geffen
Songwriter(s)	Keyshia Cole Kimberly Jones Melissa Elliott Jack Knight Cainon Lamb James Mtume
Producer(s)	Missy Elliott
Keyshia Cole singles chronology
"Dreamin'" (2007) "Let It Go" (2007) "Shoulda Let You Go" (2007)
Lil' Kim singles chronology
"Whoa" (2006) "Let It Go" (2007) "Download" (2009)
Missy Elliott singles chronology
"Love Me or Hate Me (Remix)" (2006) "Let It Go" (2007) "Do It" (2007)

"Let It Go" is a song by American R&B singer Keyshia Cole featuring American rappers Missy Elliott and Lil' Kim. It was written by Cole, Jack Knight, Cainon Lamb, Lil' Kim, and Missy Elliott for her second album Just Like You (2007) and samples "Juicy Fruit" by Mtume, and "Don't Stop the Music" by Yarbrough and Peoples, while also interpolating "Juicy" by The Notorious B.I.G., who also sampled "Juicy Fruit." An uptempo song written by all three artists with Jack Knight, Cainon Lamb and James Mtume and produced by Lamb and Elliott, it marked the first collaboration between any of the three artists with one another.

Released as the album's lead single, it debuted at number 74 on the Billboard Hot 100 on the issue date of July 7, 2007, and peaked at number 7, becoming Cole's third top ten hit single altogether and first top ten Billboard Hot 100 single as a lead artist. It also became Cole's first number-one hit on the R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. It was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration at the 50th annual ceremony, held in February 2008. "Let It Go" was ranked 59th on Rolling Stone's list of the 100 Best Songs of 2007.^[1] The single sold over two million copies in the US and was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).^[2]

Background

"Let It Go" was written and produced by rapper Missy Elliott and originally intended for singer Fantasia Barrino's self-titled second album (2007).^[3] A song about female empowerment and failed relationships that talks about "letting go" of a relationship if one partner is not there for the other, and is not interested in showing love or respect,^[4] it failed to make the final tracklisting.^[4] After Elliott played the song to Cole she decided she wanted to record it for her sophomore album. On their collaboration, Elliott later said: "I tried to hurry up past it cause I felt Keyshia wouldn't want it. She said she wanted to work with me and I really didn't know what kind of direction she wanted to go in. But as soon as the chords came on she was like, 'Wait-wait-wait stop! Stop!' She was like all, who record is that? I was like, well [Fantasia] had too many records on her album so I couldn't take it. And she wanted it."^[4]

Rapper 50 Cent disclosed in an interview with radio station Hot 97 that "Let It Go" was also offered to R&B singer Olivia who picked "Cherry Pop", another track written by Elliotinstead.^[4] Lil' Kim appears on the record to pay homage to Biggie, as the song is similar to his 1994 hit single "Juicy" which also contains excerpts from Mtume's 1983 song "Juicy Fruit."^[5] Elliott also produced the official "Let It Go" remix that features vocals by rappers T.I. and Young Dro instead of Lil' Kim.^[3] It was also included on the Just Like You album as the final track.^[3] Another remix featuring rapper Busta Rhymes and extended verses by Lil' Kim leaked in 2011.^[6] An extended version of the song that runs for 5 minutes and 15 seconds which has Lil Kim's full verse was released on the single. This version was not used for the album or video.

Music video

Benny Boom directed the video for "Let It Go" which was largely filmed in Manhattan, New York City.^[7]

Cole reunited with director Benny Boom, director of several videos from her The Way It Is era, to produce a visual for "Let It Go."^[7] Filming took place at the Manhattan nightspots Guesthouse and Home in New York City on June 22, 2007.^[5][7] Rappers Angie Martinez and Fat Joe make cameo appearances in the video.^[7] When asked about the treatment of the video, Cole explained in an interview with MTV News that "the concept of the video was you know, I'm chillin' at home, I just want to go out, they want me to go out, so I go out. I go do my thing and have a good time, basically. It's a party concept: This is what you need to do when you hear this song come on at the club. That's what you need to do with this record: Let it go."^[7]

Chart performance

Upon its release, "Let It Go" became Cole's highest-charting single as a lead artist.^[8] Her only solo top ten hit on the US Billboard Hot 100, it peaked at number 7.^[8] "Let It Go" also reached number one the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, becoming Cole's first song to do so, and entered the top three of the Rhythmic Songs chart.^[8] Billboard ranked the song 65th on the Billboard Hot 100 year-end chart and twelfth on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs year-end chart in 2007.^[9][10] On December 6, 2007, "Let It Go" was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).^[2]

Track listings

UK CD single

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Let It Go" (UK remix featuring Missy Elliott & Lil Kim)	Keyshia Cole Kimberly Jones Melissa Elliott Jack Knight Cainon Lamb James Mtume	Elliott Lamb^[a]	3:13
2.	"Let It Go" (instrumental)	Cole Jones Elliott Knight Lamb Mtume	Elliott Lamb^[a]	5:03
3.	"Let It Go" (house mix)	Cole Jones Elliott Knight Lamb Mtume	Curtis Elliott^[a] K-Klass^[b]	6:25

Sample credits

• "Let It Go" contains excerpts from "Juicy Fruit" as performed by Mtume.

Notes

• ^{^[a]} signifies co-producer
• ^{^[b]} signifies additional producer

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Just like You.^[3]

• Scott Berger-Felder – assistant engineer
• Keyshia Cole – vocals, writer
• Melissa Elliott – producer, vocals, writer
• Paul Falcone – engineer
• Jack Knight – writer
• Cainon Lamb – co-producer, writer
• Lil' Kim – vocals, writer
• Prince Maestro – keys
• James Mtume – writer (sample)
• Taurian Osborne – keys
• Soul Diggaz – DJ scratches

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2007) Peak position Canada CHR/Top 40 (Billboard)[11] 39 Germany (GfK)[12] 72 Germany (Deutsche Black Charts)[13] 12 Netherlands Urban (MegaCharts)[14] 11 US Billboard Hot 100[8] 7 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[15] 1 US Pop Airplay (Billboard)[16] 29 US Rhythmic (Billboard)[17] 3

Year-end charts Chart (2007) Position US Billboard Hot 100[9] 65 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[10] 12 US Rhythmic (Billboard)[18] 16 Chart (2008) Position Germany (Deutsche Black Charts)[13] 157 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[19] 85

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[20]	Silver	200,000^‡
United States (RIAA)[21]	Platinum	1,000,000^^
^^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ^‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

See also

• List of number-one R&B singles of 2007 (U.S.)

References

1. No byline (December 11, 2007). "The 100 Best Songs of 2007" Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2007-12-21
2. "Recording Industry Association of America". RIAA. Retrieved 2012-02-25.
3. Just like You (Media notes). Keyshia Cole. A&M Records. 2007.
4. Thimpson, Gayle (7 May 2012). "Music News: Let It Go". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 5, 2021.
5. Shepherd, Julianne. ""The Making of Keyshia Cole's "Let It Go""". Vibe. Archived from the original on 2007-06-28. Retrieved 2007-06-25.
6. "Keysha Cole ft Missy Elliott,Lil'kim & Busta Rhymes - Let it Go(Remix)". YouTube. January 10, 2011. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved March 22, 2013.
7. Rodriguez, Jayson. "Missy Elliott, Lil' Kim Bring Back Biggie Memories Via Keyshia Cole Collabo". MTV News. Archived from the original on 2018-12-16. Retrieved August 5, 2021.
8. "Keyshia Cole Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved October 8, 2019.
9. "Hot 100 Songs – Year-End 2007". Billboard. Retrieved December 1, 2019.
10. "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 2007". Billboard. Retrieved December 1, 2019.
11. "Keyshia Cole Chart History (Canada CHR/Top 40)". Billboard. Retrieved January 28, 2020.
12. "Keyshia Cole – Let It Go" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved October 8, 2019.
13. "Jahrescharts 2008". Deutsche Black Charts. Retrieved January 28, 2020.
14. "The Urban Chart Top 100 - Urban Top 100". urbantop100.nl. Archived from the original on August 11, 2007. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
15. "Keyshia Cole Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved October 8, 2019.
16. "Keyshia Cole Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved October 8, 2019.
17. "Keyshia Cole Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved September 16, 2019.
18. "Rhythmic Songs – Year-End 2007". Billboard. Retrieved December 1, 2019.
19. "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 2008". Billboard. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
20. "British single certifications – Keyshia Cole Ft Missy Elliott – Let It Go". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved September 29, 2024.
21. "American single certifications – Keyshia Cole – Let It Go". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved January 2, 2014.