You Can't See Me
You Can't See Me is the debut studio album by WWE's wrestler John Cena and his cousin, Tha Trademarc, billed together as John Cena & Tha Trademarc. It was released on May 10, 2005, by WWE Music Group and Columbia Records. The album features sole guest appearances from Esoteric and Bumpy Knuckles, who are featured on several songs throughout the album. The album production was handled by James McEwan and Todd Spadafore, with the duo serving as the executive producers on the album. The album's cover art is based on Cena's customized WWE Championship belt, while the title comes from his popular catchphrase coined on WWE television.
You Can't See Me | |
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Studio album by | |
Released | May 10, 2005 |
Recorded | 2004–05 |
Genre | Hip hop |
Length | 65:27 |
Label | WWE, Columbia |
Producer | James McEwan (exec.), Todd Spadafore Julian Williams ,(exec.), Jake Dutton (co-exec.), Eli Nachowitz, Hidden Agenda |
Singles from You Can't See Me | |
|
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [1] |
RapReviews | [2] |
Stylus Magazine | (D+)[3] |
You Can't See Me debuted at number 15 on the Billboard 200 charts, with over 40,000 copies sold in the first week of its release.[4][5] In the United Kingdom, the album peaked at number 103 on the UK Albums Chart,[6] and has since become a certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), selling 1,346,000 units, as of October 8, 2010.
Track listing
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "The Time is Now" | John Cena, Marc Predka | Jake One | 2:57 |
2. | "Don't F*ck with us" | Cena, Predka | Eligh | 3:25 |
3. | "Flow Easy" (featuring Bumpy Knuckles) | Cena, Predka, James Campbell | Hidden Agenda | 3:49 |
4. | "Right Now" | Cena, Predka | Chaos & Order | 3:47 |
5. | "Make it Loud" | Cena, Predka | Chaos & Order | 4:20 |
6. | "Just Another Day" | Cena, Predka | Jake One | 3:58 |
7. | "Summer Flings" (featuring Rue DeBona) | Cena, Predka, R. Debona | Chaos & Order | 3:35 |
8. | "Keep Frontin'" (featuring Bumpy Knuckles & Big L) | Cena, Predka, Campbell | Hidden Agenda | 4:15 |
9. | "We Didn't Want You to Know" | Cena, Predka | Jake One | 4:16 |
10. | "Bad, Bad Man" (featuring Bumpy Knuckles) | Cena, Predka, Campbell | Chaos & Order | 3:31 |
11. | "Running Game" | Cena, Predka | Chaos & Order | 4:12 |
12. | "Beantown" (featuring Esoteric) | Cena, Predka, Seamus Ryan | Chaos & Order | 3:48 |
13. | "This is How We Roll" | Cena, Predka | Chaos & Order | 4:10 |
14. | "What Now?" (featuring Kristin Ezbicki) | Cena, Predka | Chaos & Order | 5:10 |
15. | "Know the Rep" (featuring Bumpy Knuckles) | Cena, Predka, Campbell | Jake One | 3:00 |
16. | "Chain Gang is the Clique" | Cena, Predka | Jake One | 3:52 |
17. | "If It All Ended Tomorrow" | Cena, Predka | Chaos & Order | 4:31 |
Notes
- The album went through several titles including Underground, Basic Thuganomics, before being released as You Can't See Me.
- The first track, "The Time is Now", has been used by Cena as his entrance music since 2005.
- "The Time is Now" contains samples from "Ante Up" by M.O.P. and "The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia" by Bobby Russell.[7] In 2008, M.O.P. filed a lawsuit in a New York Federal Court against Sony BMG, WWE and Cena, alleging copyright infringement. M.O.P. sought the destruction of the song and asked for $150,000 in damages. They dropped the lawsuit two months later.[8][9]
- "Right Now" contains samples from "Now" by L.T.D..[10]
- "Just Another Day" contains samples from "As Long as You Are There" by Carolyn Franklin.[11]
- "Summer Flings" contains samples from "Dance the Kung-Fu" by Carl Douglas.[12]
- "Keep Frontin'" contains samples from "On the Mic" by Big L.[13]
- "Beantown" contains samples from "Cocaine" by Eric Clapton.[14]
- Cena originally stated on WWE.com that his previous entrance theme song, "Basic Thuganomics", would appear on the album.[15] However, it did not make it onto the album. It was, however, released on the WWE Originals soundtrack album in January 2004.
- "If it All Ended Tomorrow" was used in the ending credits of Cena's movie, The Marine.
- An additional track, "The Underground", was made available on Tha Trademarc's MySpace page.
- "Bad, Bad Man" was used in trailers for the fifth season of the FOX drama The Shield that focused on the Jon Kavanaugh character.
Videos
- The music video for "Bad, Bad Man" spoofs 1980s culture, and focusing on the television series The A-Team, with guest stars like Gary Coleman and impersonators of Michael Jackson, Madonna, among other popular celebrities. This video is featured on the DVD for WWE's 2005 edition of Judgment Day.
- The music video for "Right Now" was shot in West Newbury, Massachusetts and Hampton Beach, New Hampshire and features clips from Cena's family videos, circling in on his personal life and rise in WWE. This video was released on the DVD for WWE's 2005 edition of SummerSlam and on Cena's documentary, My Life.
Charts
Chart (2005) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Albums (ARIA)[16] | 32 |
Italian Albums (FIMI)[17] | 11 |
UK Albums (OCC)[18] | 63 |
US Billboard 200[19] | 15 |
US R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[20] | 10 |
US Rap Albums (Billboard)[21] | 3 |
US Internet Albums (Billboard)[21] | 47 |
See also
References
- AllMusic review
- "RapReviews review". Rapreviews.com. 2005-05-10. Retrieved 2012-05-21.
- "Stylus Magazine review". Stylusmagaine.com. Retrieved 2012-05-21.
- "John Cena - Artist Chart History". Billboard.com. Retrieved 2007-05-19.
- "John Cena - Artist Chart History". filmbug.com. Retrieved 2010-06-14.
- "Chart Log UK - 2005". Retrieved 2007-09-06.
- Yuke's (2007). WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008. THQ. Ending credits.
- "The Royalty Network vs. Sony BMG et al" (PDF). Retrieved 2012-05-21.
- AbduSalaam, Ismael (December 19, 2008). "M.O.P.'s Lawsuit Against John Cena Voluntarily Dismissed". All Hip Hop. Retrieved March 11, 2015.
- "John Cena and Tha Trademarc's Right Now sample of L.T.D.'s Now". Retrieved 2013-04-13.
- "John Cena's Just Another Day sample of Carolyn Franklin's As Long as You Are There". Retrieved 2013-04-13.
- "John Cena and Tha Trademarc's Summer Flings sample of Carl Douglas's Dance the Kung-Fu". Retrieved 2013-04-13.
- "John Cena, Freddie Foxxx and Tha Trademarc's Keep Frontin' sample of Big L's On the Mic". Retrieved 2013-04-13.
- "John Cena and Tha Trademarc feat. Esoteric's Beantown sample of Eric Clapton's Cocaine". Retrieved 2013-04-13.
- "Cena talks about his new belt, new album, and his first week as WWE Champion". WWE.com. Retrieved 2007-05-17.
the album also has my original theme music, “Basic Thuganomics.”
- "Australiancharts.com – John Cena & Tha Trademarc – You Can't See Me". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 22, 2015.
- "Italiancharts.com – John Cena & Tha Trademarc – You Can't See Me". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 22, 2015.
- "Chart Log UK – Chart Coverage and Record Sales 2005". zobbel.de. Retrieved October 22, 2015.
- "John Cena - Chart History - Billboard 200". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2012-10-29.
- "John Cena - Chart History - R&B/Hip-Hop Albums". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2012-10-29.
- "John Cena - Chart History - Rap Albums". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2012-10-29.