This Ain't a Game

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.

This Ain't a Game
Studio album by Ray J
Released	June 19, 2001
Genre	R&B[1]
Length	64:36
Label	Atlantic Knockout
Producer	Ray J (exec.) Hutson Miller (exec.) Darrell "Delite" Allamby DJ Clue Duro Brycyn Evans Rodney Jerkins The Neptunes DeVante Swing Chris Taylor
Ray J chronology
Everything You Want (1997) This Ain't a Game (2001) Raydiation (2005)
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, 2001

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
Entertainment Weekly	B+[2]

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]

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.[3] 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.[3]

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 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

Charts

Chart (2001)	Peak position
UK R&B Albums (OCC)[4]	39
US Billboard 200[5]	21
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[3]	9

References

1. This Ain't a Game at AllMusic. Retrieved January 20, 2020.
2. Seymour, Craig. "Review". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved January 20, 2020.
3. "Ray J Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved January 20, 2020.
4. "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
5. "Ray J Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved January 20, 2020.