Yeah!
by Usher (featuring Lil Jon & Ludacris)

Album: Confessions (2004)
Charted: 1 1
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Like many club bangers, this one is set in the club, where Usher is spending some time with his homies. He has a girlfriend, but she's not there, so a lady steps in to seduce him. Throughout the song, Usher is trying to decide just how far to let this go. Every time he tries to take the moral high ground and behave himself, he's overruled by a much louder voice that says "yeah!"

    We're not sure how the night ends, but we know they get hot and heavy on the dancefloor. Usher may have some confessions for later.
  • This was produced by Lil Jon, who also added the "yeah!" vocals. Most of his productions, including this one, feature a crunk sound with lots of heavy beats.

    Thanks to Dave Chappelle, that "yeah!" became forever linked to Lil Jon. In various Chappelle's Show bits, Dave portrays the producer all blinged-out, having conversations where he'll inevitably yell out, "yeah!"
  • Ludacris did the rap. The Atlanta MC was piping hot at this time, with a number of solo hits and also a spate of successful features. He also appeared on Missy Elliott's "Gossip Folks" and Chingy's "Holidae In."
  • "Yeah!" was the biggest hit of 2004. It went to #1 in the US on February 28, 2004 and stayed there for 12 weeks, bowing out on May 22 when it was replaced by Usher's next single, "Burn," which held the top spot another eight weeks. This was the first time a song with a four-letter title replaced another at #1.
  • The song was used in the 2005 movie Hitch when Will Smith tries to teach Kevin James how to dance. It also appears in The Interview (2014), Joyful Noise (2012) and The Hangover (2009).
  • Sean Garrett, a songwriter and producer who has had a hand in many hit songs, including Chris Brown's "Run It!," Destiny's Child's "Soldier" and Ciara's "Goodies," helped write the lyrics and turn the song into a story. Garrett worked for LA Reid's publishing company, which is how he ended up on the track - Reid was also in charge of Usher's label, Arista Records.

    Said Garrett: "I knew that Usher was almost finished with his album. LA Reid called me and said, 'We need a first single.' We spoke a little bit about it, and I went to the studio. Since all the other songs on the album were very hot and R&B-ish, I wanted to give him something out-of-the-box that was more creative and dynamic. So we went in and cut a demo and took it to LA, and we sat and talked about it for quite a while. He thought it was very interesting, but he asked me a lot of questions in reference to how it worked for Usher and said he wanted a change or two. So I went in, and the rest is history - and the beginning of this beautiful run."
  • "Yeah!" hit #1 in the US three weeks before the Confessions album was even released. The album sold over a million copies the first week and eventually went Diamond for sales of over 10 million in America.

    The first week of June 2004, Usher placed three singles in the Top 10 ("Yeah!," "Burn," and "Confessions, Pt. 2"), making him only the third artist, after The Beatles and Bee Gees, to do this.

    Usher was only 25 but had been in the industry half his life. Raised in Chattanooga, Tennessee, he was 12 when he moved to Atlanta and 14 when he released his first single, "Call Me A Mack," in 1993. He spent time in New York City under the tutelage of Puff Daddy, who helped out with his first album, released in 1994 when Usher was 15. His next two albums, My Way in 1997 and 8701 in 2001, were monsters, but Confessions was even bigger. Usher was rivaled only by Beyoncé and Eminem in popularity at this time.
  • This song almost didn't make the Confessions album. Usher explained to MTV News that once he and Lil Jon "finished the record, we did a little research on the record only to find out that 'Freek-A-Leek' by Petey Pablo had the same beat. At times I wonder if it would have made a difference if the beat was never changed. Nobody knew it was going to be that huge of a record."
  • Director X transformed an empty Los Angeles art gallery into a nightclub for the music video, which features cameos from rappers Lil Jon and Ludacris, dancer Destiny Lightsy, and Canadian model Melyssa Ford. Hundreds of rotating blue and green lasers accompany Usher on the dance floor, an idea X had from the first moment he heard the song: "I just felt real strongly about the laser beams when I heard it," he told MTV.

    The budget didn't provide much in the way of food for the dancers. So how did they sustain themselves into the wee hours of the morning? Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with a side of CRUNK!!!, an energy drink created by Lil Jon.
  • "Yeah!" won the Grammy for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration at the 2005 ceremony. Confessions also took the award for Best Contemporary R&B Album, but lost Album Of The Year to the far less popular Genius Loves Company by Ray Charles.
  • According to an Amazon commercial that aired during the 2020 Super Bowl, this is Ellen DeGeneres' favorite song. In the spot, Ellen and her partner, Portia De Rossi, wonder what people did before Alexa. We go back in time to see real people charged with tasks like "tell me a joke" and "lower the temperature one degree" before returning to present day, where Ellen asks Alexa to play her favorite song. The digital assistant complies by playing "Yeah!"
  • Usher closed out his performance at the 2024 Super Bowl in Las Vegas with "Yeah!" joined by Lil Jon and Ludacris. Usher managed a few costume changes during his set, and by the end he looked like something from the Marvel universe. Luda's costume was even more outlandish. The Sonic Boom Of The South marching band from Jackson State University also joined in, spelling out USHER during this finale.

    In the week following Usher's Super Bowl performance, "Yeah!" re-entered the Hot 100 at #20.

Comments: 22

  • Cheyenne from GeorgiaHe probably already know but peace up a town means peace Atlanta
  • Stef from Topeka, KsWhat does the beginning of the song mean when he says: PEace up, A town down?
  • Mary from Kewaunee, WiUsher You Song Yeah Is Sounding Good. Do You Have A girlfriend or A Wife or a Ingadged Woman. You Are so hot and you are so cute. LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • Andreiyah from Newawlins', LaUsher is VERY talented && extra SEXII!!!All these other hip-hop artist better make their money RIGHT NOW before Usher gets back in with his new album!!!!!!!
  • Mandie from Port Royal, Pabuilt cups like dd's yup i like this song they talking bout my size now
  • Tony from Topeka, KsThis song needs to go the F*** away.
  • Caitlin from Upper Township, NjThis song is okay, when i came out it was a good dance song. but now its pretty much so what?
  • Jimmy from Birmingham, Mithis song is...okay. even though its not the best, you have to admit usher has an amazing voice.
  • Cody from Oklahoma City, OkAnother piece of pop, hip-hop crap that has nothing to do with the word "music". I actually bought the album, got home, walked out into the street with a propane torch and melted it.
  • Rebka from Crapville, WyThis is really wierd. I wrote this long, dark, freaky story about my great grandma acting sorta like a hooker. And it dissapeared. I also wrote about how usher is as ugly as a dirty pig. He is a egghead, just like ben said.
  • Ben from Nyc, MsJustin You Hate rap or just the egghead??
  • Casie from Denver, CoI dont believe anything about this crap that he was cheating on his girlfriend. He personaly said that he has nothing to do with the word "LOVE" yet.
  • Casie from Denver, CoUsher always said tha he was gonna have the 2004 memorable album that year and that song I first heard it on the radio and I was like,damn! That has a great beat to it. Then I heard it on the radio and started dancing to it and then finally I saw it on tv and I was like this Usher dude is really good. They use to tell me that Usher was famous b4 that album but I was still little and i was learning alot of my music so i didnt know but now I do. He is great and he sure won alot of awards,in the grammys in everything! He is a great dancer and he still doesnt have anything to do with the word "LOVE" even though I think he makes a cute couple with Alicia Keys.
  • Chandler from Rumson, NjHe really rocks. I want to meet him so bad.
  • Alex from Gatineau, Canada#1 for 12 weeks in America. Why? God knows.
  • Kristy from Saco, Meok, now do u all really think that if he really WAS cheating that he'd announce it to the world and ruin his life??? I think not. These songs are nothing but words...lyrics...hello!!!! U are all idiots if you think he'd really announce his personal life through his music. DUH!
  • James from Sarasota, FlI swear i must've been the first person to hear this song because when it stared getting heavy radio play i was already sick and tired of it.
  • Anthony from Fishers, Inthis is the best d*** song i have ever heard! it is a hit !!
  • Crazy from Charlotte, NcBest song to dance to or listen to before you go play sports
  • Victoria from Nogales, AzUsher!!! You are burnin' hot.And so are all of your songs.Keep doin those hotty songs of yours and dont stop being hot!!!
  • Billy from Pittsburgh, PaWho knows if Usher actually did all the stuff he talks about in his songs? (a) It's not up to us to criticize his personal life. (b) He's a talented writer, even if it's all true...he takes very personal situations and crafts them into legitimately good songs. Rock on.
  • Amanda from Mineral Ridge, Ohok this song along with usher confessions part 1 and 2 makes me not like him does he really cheat on all his girlfriends as done in the song. it just gives me a bad immpression
see more comments

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