What Would You Do?

City High

About What Would You Do?

"What Would You Do?" is a song recorded by American R&B/hip hop trio City High. It was released in February 2001 as the lead single from their self-titled debut album. The track was originally included on the 1999 soundtrack of the film Life, starring Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence. It peaked at number 8 on the U. S. Billboard Hot 100, number one on Billboard Hot Rap Singles, number 13 on Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks and number three in the United Kingdom. The version of the song on their debut album differs from that included on the Life soundtrack as it features a sample of Dr. Dre's hit song, "The Next Episode". 


Year:
2015
2:41
98 
#1

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Boys and girls wanna hear a true story?
Saturday night was at this real wild party
They had the liquor overflowin' the cup, about
Five or six strippers tryin to work for a buck
And I took one girl outside wit me, her name 
Was Loni, she went to Junior High with me
I said, why you up in there dancin' for cash?
I guess a whole lots changed since I seen you last
She said

What would you do if your son was at home
Crying all alone on the bedroom floor, 'cause he's hungry
And the only way to feed him is ta sleep with a man
For a little bit of money, and his daddy's gone
Somewhere smokin' rock now, in and out of lock down
I ain't gotta job now, so for you this is just a good time
But for me this is what I call life

Girl you ain't the only one with a baby
That's no excuse to be livin' all crazy
Then she looked me right square in the eye
And said everyday I wake up hopin' to die
She said nigga I know about pain 'cause
Me and my sister ran away, so my daddy
Couldn't rape us, before I was a teenager
I done been through more shit, you can't even
Relate to

What would you do if your son was at home
Crying all alone on the bedroom floor, 'cause he's hungry
And the only way to feed him is to sleep with a man
For a little bit of money, and his daddy's gone
Somewhere smokin' rock now, in and out of lock down
I ain't gotta job now, so for you this is just a good time
But for me this is what I call life

Ooh
Wait, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, stop the record, yo, stop the record
Yo shawty you ain't gotta be going out like this, man?
Hold up, what would you do
Get up on my feet and let go of every excuse
What would you do
'Cause I wouldn't want my baby, to go through what
I went through
Come on, what would you do 
Get up on my feet, stop makin' tired excuses
What would you do 
Girl I know if my mother can do it, baby you can do it

What would you do if your son was at home
Crying all alone on the bedroom floor, 'cause he's hungry
And the only way to feed him is to sleep with a man
For a little bit of money, and his daddy's gone
Somewhere smokin' rock now, in and out of lock down
I ain't gotta job now, so for you this is just a good time
But for me this is what I call life

What would you do if your son was at home
Crying all alone on the bedroom floor, 'cause he's hungry
And the only way to feed him is to sleep with a man 
For a little bit of money, and his daddy's gone
Somewhere smokin' rock now, in and out of lock down
I ain't gotta job now, so for you this is just a good time
But for me this is what I call life (come on)

What would you do if your son was at home
Crying all alone on the bedroom floor, 'cause he's hungry
And the only way to feed him is to sleep with a man
For a little bit of money, and his daddy's gone
Somewhere smokin' rock now, in and out of lock down
I ain't gotta job now, so for you this is just a good time
But for me this is what I call life

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City High

City High was an American R&B/hip hop trio consisting of rappers/singers Ryan Toby, Robbie Pardlo and Claudette Ortiz. City High is best known for their song, "What Would You Do?", which earned a Grammy nomination. more »

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Written by: Calvin Broadus, Delmer Drew Arnaud, Dwight Williams, Jewell Caples, Ricardo Brown, Keith Blair, Paul Crossdale

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


12 facts about this song

Genre Classification
“What Would You Do?” is primarily classified under the R&B and Hip-Hop genre. It also has elements of soul music embedded in it.
Release Date
The song was first released in the year 2001, making it a major hit during the early 2000s.
Chart Success
“What Would You Do?” reached number 8 on the US Billboard Hot 100, peaked at number 3 on the UK Singles Chart, and number 2 on the Australian ARIA charts.
Album Information
This hit single is part of City High's self-titled debut album, which added greatly to the album's commercial success.
Band Formation
City High consisted of three members: Ryan Toby, Robbie Pardlo, and Claudette Ortiz. The song "What Would You Do?" highlighted their versatile vocal abilities.
Inspiration for Lyrics
The song is based on a real-life experience. It delivers a narrative about a woman who resorts to stripping in order to support her young child.
Song Operations
The song is known for merging singing with rapping. This allows the artists to deliver the potent narrative in an engaging manner.
Pop Culture
Part of the song's chorus was inspired by Dr. Dre’s hit single “The Next Episode”.
Certifications
The song was certified Gold by RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America), indicating over 500,000 copies sold.
Music Video
The music video for the song, directed by “Little “X” acquaints us with the harsh realities of an urban landscape, where a woman is forced to make choices that she may not want to, due to circumstances.
Awards and Recognition
In 2002, City High were nominated for a Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for "What Would You Do?".
Remakes and Covers
Numerous artists from various genres have performed covers of this song, proving its popularity and impact in the music industry.

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    What Would You Do?

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    Top Hot 100 Songs 2001

    Billboard #8


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