Locked Up (song)

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"Locked Up"
Akon - Locked Up - CD cover.jpg
Single by Akon featuring Styles P
from the album Trouble
ReleasedApril 5, 2004 (2004-04-05)
RecordedOctober 2003
Genre
  • Conscious hip hop
  • R&B
Length3:56
Label
Songwriter(s)Akon
Producer(s)Akon
Akon featuring Styles P singles chronology
"Operations of Nature"
(1996) 		"Locked Up"
(2004) 		"Find Us"
(2004)
Music video
"Locked Up ft. Styles P" on YouTube

"Locked Up" is a song by American singer Akon, taken as the lead single from his debut album, Trouble. The single was released in the United States on April 5, 2004, peaking at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100. Outside of the United States, "Locked Up" peaked within the top 10 of the charts in the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom and the top 20 of the charts in France, Germany, Spain, and Switzerland.

Background[]

Although it was widely regarded that "Lonely" offered the album's best option in terms of commercial breakthrough and lead single as well as first single, SRC A&R and producer Knobody chose "Locked Up" as the first and lead single because he wanted to break Akon in the streets first, and then cross-over. In an interview for HitQuarters, he claimed: "Locked Up" is a street record. I thought that was the place for us to start to get a fan-base, knowing that weight. We thought really carefully about the record, what touches people and will get people's attention – so we added references of his kin and kith sending him magazines, money-orders, to visit him, ask where his lawyer is, accept his phone calls and ask "where're my niggaz on lockdown." The song was designed a breakout hit for Akon, something that could shape the future of his personal life and widely successful musical career. I worked on what I call "drops" – points in the record where it feels different, to break the monotony and make it a little more interesting."[1]

Remixes and other versions[]

Knobody produced an alternate of the song, featuring Styles P, which appears as both a B-side on the single and as a bonus track on the UK version of the album. In 2004, T-Pain sampled the song in a parody recording "I'm Fucked Up", which became a main factor in him getting signed to Konvict Kartel. In 2005, the song was sampled in the track "Won't Let Me Out" by C-Murder. A music video was produced to promote the single. The video was directed by FlyyKai, and was edited to both the album version and the remix featuring Styles P. The French CD single also has a remix featuring French rapper Booba, which is also Akon's favorite "Locked Up" remix.[2] Another remix featuring Styles and British rapper Taz was included on the UK version of Trouble. A remixed version of the song was released on 4th September 2020 by American rapper and songwriter 6ix9ine titled "Locked Up, Pt. 2" appears on his second studio album, TattleTales (2020).[3]

Track listings[]

UK CD single

  1. "Locked Up" – 3:56
  2. "Locked Up" (featuring Styles P) – 3:50
  3. "Locked Up" (featuring Taz and Styles P) – 3:54
  4. "Locked Up" (Video) (featuring Taz and Styles P) – 3:54

UK 12-inch vinyl

  1. "Locked Up" – 3:56
  2. "Locked Up" (featuring Styles P) – 3:50
  3. "Locked Up" (featuring Taz and Styles P) – 3:54
  4. "Locked Up" (Instrumental) – 3:56

German CD single

  1. "Locked Up" (featuring Azad) – 3:50
  2. "Locked Up" (Without Rap) – 3:33
  3. "Locked Up" (featuring Styles P) – 3:50
  4. "Gunshot" – 2:56

UK promo single – The Global Remixes[4]

  1. "Locked Up" – 3:56
  2. "Locked Up" (featuring Styles P) – 3:50
  3. "Locked Up" (featuring Taz and Styles P) – 3:56
  4. "Locked Up" (featuring Azad) – 3:50
  5. "Locked Up" (featuring Savage) – 3:50
  6. "Locked Up" (featuring Booba) – 3:50
  7. "Locked Up" (featuring Mayhem) – 4:22
  8. "Locked Up" (featuring Julio Voltio) – 3:50

Charts[]

Certifications[]

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[29] Platinum 60,000*
United Kingdom (BPI)[30] Gold 400,000double-dagger
United States (RIAA)[31] Gold 500,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
double-dagger Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history[]

Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States April 5, 2004 (2004-04-05)
[32]
September 14, 2004 (2004-09-14) Contemporary hit radio [33]
United Kingdom February 21, 2005 (2005-02-21) CD [34]
Australia May 16, 2005 (2005-05-16) [35]

References[]

  1. ^ "Interview With Knobody". HitQuarters. September 27, 2005. Archived from the original on April 19, 2012. Retrieved July 1, 2010.
  2. ^ DH.be. ""Je représente le Sénégal aux Etats-Unis"". DH.be (in French). Retrieved October 19, 2017. Ma version préférée est celle avec Booba. (My favorite version is the one with Booba)
  3. ^ TattleTales, Spotify, retrieved September 5, 2020
  4. ^ http://www.discogs.com/Akon-Locked-Up-Global-Remixes/release/555209
  5. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Akon – Locked Up" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  6. ^ "Ultratop.be – Akon – Locked Up" (in French). Ultratop 50.
  7. ^ "R&R Canada CHR/Pop Top 30" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1576. October 8, 2004. p. 44. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
  8. ^ "Hits of the World – Eurocharts" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 117 no. 12. March 19, 2005. p. 41. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  9. ^ "Lescharts.com – Akon – Locked Up" (in French). Les classement single.
  10. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Akon – Locked Up" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts.
  11. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Locked Up". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved January 23, 2020.
  12. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Akon – Locked Up" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  13. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 23, 2020.
  14. ^ "Spanishcharts.com – Akon – Locked Up" Canciones Top 50.
  15. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Akon – Locked Up". Swiss Singles Chart.
  16. ^ "Akon: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  17. ^ "Official R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 23, 2020.
  18. ^ "Akon Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  19. ^ "Akon Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.
  20. ^ "Akon Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard.
  21. ^ "Akon Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  22. ^ "Billboard Top 100 – 2004". Billboard. Retrieved December 2, 2019.
  23. ^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 2004". Billboard. Retrieved December 2, 2019.
  24. ^ "Rapports Annuels 2005" (in French). Ultratop. Retrieved December 2, 2019.
  25. ^ "Tops de L'année | Top Singles 2005" (in French). SNEP. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
  26. ^ "Top 100 Single–Jahrescharts 2005" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved December 2, 2019.
  27. ^ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2005" (in German). Retrieved December 2, 2019.
  28. ^ "End of Year Singles Chart Top 100 – 2005". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 2, 2019.
  29. ^ "Brazilian single certifications – Akon – Locked Up" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil.
  30. ^ "British single certifications – Akon – Locked Up". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved May 28, 2021.
  31. ^ "American single certifications – Akon – Locked Up". Recording Industry Association of America.
  32. ^ "Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1549. April 2, 2004. p. 22. Retrieved May 21, 2021.
  33. ^ "Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1572. September 10, 2004. p. 22. Retrieved May 21, 2021.
  34. ^ "Locked Up". Amazon. Retrieved June 24, 2021.
  35. ^ "The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 16/05/2005" (PDF). ARIA. May 16, 2005. p. 29. Retrieved May 21, 2021.

External links[]

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