- What's up everybody, my name is Eric Bellinger,
AKA the writer of your favorite songs.
And these right here are some of my favorite songs
that helped me shape who I am, not only as a man,
but also as an artist.
You have to know where you can take it.
But in order to know that you first must know your history.
So I chose to take it back for my videos,
just so we could do a little history lesson slash education
for the young whippersnappers, you dig?
(upbeat hip hop music)
My musical taste.
Oh man, I grew up in church.
So soul is at the forefront
of, you know, my cup of tea,
but I also grew up in the hood, rapping, freestyling,
and, you know, I love rap.
So I merged rap and soulful R and B together
in this gumbo of just euphoria.
So I think that tends to be my favorite
to try and listen to, to look for.
And if I can't find it, I'm going to just make it.
I feel like a song isn't fully a song
until there's a visual attached to it.
Once you can see it, now you open up two senses
instead of one, your ears and your eyes
is a part of the party.
So "Are You That Somebody?" by Aaliyah,
this was, like, one of my favorite videos growing up,
in high school, I actually did a talent show
where I did the video.
We had this thing called lip sync,
and it was students lip singing their favorite songs,
favorite videos, recreating the videos.
And I actually did "Are You That Somebody?"
There's a baby crying, "Ah!"
In the video.
(beatboxing)
You know, it was just, it was just a movie, you know,
from Timbaland's production to the songwriting
to Aaliyah's swag, woo!
Swag was out of this world.
You know, she was so ahead of her time,
even the tomboy swag,
and then she could still turn up and be super sexy
and super beautiful and super pretty.
It was just so many layers to Aaliyah
that we hadn't seen yet.
And it's just unfortunate that she was gone so soon.
♪ Dirty South, uh-huh ♪
♪ Can y'all really feel me, feel us ♪
♪ East Coast feel me, feel us ♪
♪ West Coast feel me, say what ♪
♪ Dirty South, uh, here we go ♪
♪ Can y'all really feel me, baby girl ♪
♪ East Coast feel me, uh-huh ♪
♪ West Coast feel me, can you feel us ♪
♪ Dirty South, dirty, dirty ♪
♪ Can y'all really feel me, feel it ♪
♪ East Coast feel me, say what ♪
♪ West Coast feel me, uh-huh ♪
♪ Dirty South, dirty, dirty ♪
♪ Can y'all really feel me ♪
♪ East Coast feel me ♪
♪ West Coast feel me, ha ♪
♪ Boy, I've been watching you like the hawk in the sky ♪
♪ That fly, but you were my prey ♪
♪ Boy, I promise you if we keep bumpin' heads ♪
♪ I know that one of these days ♪
♪ We gon' hook it up probably we talk on the phone ♪
♪ But see, I don't know if that's good ♪
♪ I've been holdin' back this secret from you ♪
♪ I probably shouldn't tell it, but ♪
♪ If I, if I let you know ♪
♪ You can't tell nobody ♪
♪ I'm talkin' 'bout nobody ♪
♪ Are you responsible ♪
♪ Boy, I gotta watch my back ♪
♪ 'Cause I'm not just anybody ♪
♪ Is it my go, is it your go ♪
♪ Sometimes I'm goody-goody ♪
♪ Right now I'm naughty-naughty ♪
♪ Say yes or say no ♪
♪ 'Cause I really need somebody ♪
♪ Tell me you're that somebody ♪
♪ Boy, won't you pick me up at the park right now ♪
♪ Up the block, while everyone's sleep ♪
♪ I'll be waiting there with my trench, my locs, my hat ♪
♪ Just so I'm low-key ♪
♪ If you tell the world ♪
♪ Don't speak, you know that would be weak ♪
♪ Oh, boy, see I'm trusting you with my heart, my soul ♪
♪ I probably shouldn't let you but ♪
♪ If I, if I let this go ♪
♪ You can't tell nobody ♪
♪ I'm talkin' 'bout nobody ♪
♪ I hope you're responsible ♪
♪ Boy I gotta watch my back ♪
♪ 'Cause I'm not just anybody ♪
♪ Is it my go, is it your go ♪
♪ Sometimes I'm goody-goody ♪
♪ Right now naughty-naughty ♪
♪ Say yes or say no ♪
♪ 'Cause I really need somebody ♪
♪ Tell me you're that somebody ♪
- That's right, I told y'all, you know what I'm saying?
She special, she different, that was Aaliyah
with "Are You That Somebody?"
I wish I was, damn.
Next song, Usher, "Yeah!"
This song was a monumental time in history,
in R and B, in music, so shout out to Usher
for not only being one of the greatest of our time,
but also just being fly and just making music
that the world could party and dance to.
Oh man, I feel like I got to go find my suit coat now.
Usher had me and the world in jean jackets and blazers.
(laughs) That is not flagging.
When you think of that, you like,
"A jean jacket and a suit coat?"
I mean some jeans and a suit coat, make up your mind, bro.
Then you're going to throw the button up and the tie.
So up top you could be a news anchor.
I think that's where he got the fit from.
He was probably at the Channel 11 newscast
and noticed that down below they had the jeans
and the Air Force 1s on, like, making a look!
♪ Peace up, A-Town down ♪
♪ Yeah, yeah ♪
♪ Okay, okay ♪
♪ Usher, Usher, Usher, Usher ♪
♪ Lil' Jon ♪
♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah ♪
♪ Let's go ♪
♪ Up in the club with my homies, trying to get a lil' V-I ♪
♪ Keep it down on the low-key ♪
♪ You should know how it feels ♪
♪ I saw this shorty, she was checking up on me ♪
♪ From the game she was spitting in my ear ♪
♪ You would think that she know me ♪
♪ I decided to chill ♪
♪ Conversation got heavy ♪
♪ She had me feeling like she's ready to blow ♪
♪ Oh ♪
♪ She's saying "come get me" ♪
♪ So I got up and followed her to the floor ♪
♪ She said, "baby, let's go" ♪
♪ When I told her, I said ♪
♪ Yeah ♪
♪ Shorty got down low and said "come and get me" ♪
♪ Yeah, yeah ♪
♪ I got so caught up, I forgot she told me ♪
♪ Yeah, yeah ♪
♪ Her and my girl, used to be the best of homies ♪
♪ Yeah, yeah ♪
♪ Next thing I knew, she was all up on me screaming ♪
♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah ♪
♪ So she's all up in my head now ♪
♪ Got me thinking that it might be a good idea ♪
♪ To take her with me ♪
♪ 'Cause she's ready to leave ♪
♪ And I gotta keep it real now ♪
♪ 'Cause on a one to ten, she's a certified twenty ♪
♪ But that just ain't me, hey ♪
♪ 'Cause I don't know, if I take that chance ♪
♪ Just where's it gonna lead ♪
♪ But what I do know is the way she dance ♪
♪ Makes shorty alright with me ♪
♪ The way she get low ♪
♪ I'm like "yeah", just work that out for me ♪
♪ She asks for one more dance, and I'm like "yeah" ♪
♪ How the hell am I supposed to leave? ♪
♪ And I say, yeah ♪
♪ Shorty got down low and said "come and get me" ♪
♪ Yeah, yeah ♪
♪ I got so caught up, I forgot she told me ♪
♪ Yeah, yeah ♪
♪ Her and my girl, used to be the best of homies ♪
♪ Yeah, yeah ♪
♪ Next thing I knew, she was all up on me screaming ♪
♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah ♪
♪ Watch out, my outfit's ridiculous ♪
♪ In the club looking so conspicuous ♪
♪ And rraww, these women all on the prowl ♪
♪ If you hold the steady, I'ma the cow ♪
♪ And forget about game, I'ma spit the truth ♪
All right, that was my guy, big bro Usher, baby.
So that was just an iconic moment, you know,
like, when you can do something
and the whole world wants to emulate it,
we got the hat, you know what I'm saying?
We got the up top, and then we doing the A-Town stomp.
You know what I mean, it was that simple.
All right, next song.
"The Boy Is Mine", Brandy and Monica.
Listen, this is a cultural battle
that's been going on for so many years.
And I think we don't got too many of those rivalries
that are friendly competition and, you know,
shout out to Brandy and Monica just for being good sports
about it and, you know, not letting it ever get too crazy.
What did y'all have, did y'all have Brandy or Monica?
Did you have Brandy or Monica?
I'm like, I'm safe. (laughs)
("The Boy Is Mine")
♪ You need to give it up ♪
♪ Had about enough ♪
♪ It's not hard to see ♪
♪ The boy is mine ♪
♪ I'm sorry that you ♪
♪ Seem to be confused ♪
♪ He belongs to me ♪
♪ The boy is mine ♪
♪ Think it's time we got this straight ♪
♪ Sit and talk face to face ♪
♪ There is no way you could mistake ♪
♪ Him for your man, are you insane? ♪
♪ You see I know that you may be ♪
♪ Just a bit jealous of me ♪
♪ But you're blind if you can't see ♪
♪ That his love is all in me ♪
♪ See I tried to hesitate ♪
♪ I didn't want to say what he told me ♪
♪ He said without me he couldn't make it ♪
♪ Through the day, ain't that a shame? ♪
♪ But maybe you misunderstood ♪
♪ 'Cause I can't see how he could ♪
♪ Wanna change something that's so good ♪
♪ All my love was all it took ♪
♪ You need to give it up ♪
♪ Had about enough ♪
♪ It's not hard to see ♪
♪ The boy is mine ♪
♪ I'm sorry that you ♪
♪ Seem to be confused ♪
♪ He belongs to me ♪
♪ The boy is mine ♪
♪ Must you do the things you do ♪
♪ You keep on acting like a fool ♪
♪ You need to know it's me not you ♪
♪ And if you didn't know it, girl it's true ♪
♪ I think that you should realize ♪
♪ And try to understand why ♪
♪ He is a part of my life ♪
♪ I know it's killing you inside ♪
♪ You can say what you wanna say ♪
♪ What we have you can't take ♪
♪ From the truth you can't escape ♪
♪ I can tell the real from the fake ♪
♪ When will you get the picture ♪
♪ You're the past, I'm the future ♪
♪ Get away, it's my time to shine ♪
♪ If you didn't know, the boy is mine ♪
♪ You need to give it up ♪
Yes, that was "The Boy Is Mine", Brandy and Monica.
Now, we still don't quite know whose the boy is.
But we got an incredible record,
we got an even better video.
And I just had to put this video in my top list
because it just serves so many purposes,
not only did I love the song, I love Brandy, I love Monica,
but the music video, the way they had the wall
separating Brandy and Monica,
when they was like right back and forth to each other,
we actually did the same thing
for my "What About Us" video with Sevyn,
to where she was on one side of the wall.
And then I was on one side of the wall.
So it was just a big, another favorite of mine
that I just wanted to pay homage to
not only in the recreation of my own video,
but also making mention, just because they've inspired me
and so many others.
Our next song is Bruno Mars with "24K Magic".
Now, you in for a treat with this one,
you can just watch it and be entertained.
I'm talking about you can pause it at any moment.
It ain't too many videos you can just press pause
and it's fly.
Like, ooh, you press pause, ah.
Some movies you press pause, and like, "eh, eh".
Lot of gold, lots of shiny, shimmery,
a lot of just polished, on point,
visual, everything, I like the gold in the video.
You could take the video to the pawn shop.
And be like, you can catch me out here with the video,
because it's this shiny, shiny, shiny, shiny, yeah. (laughs)
♪ Tonight ♪
♪ I just want to take you higher ♪
♪ Throw your hands up in the sky ♪
♪ Let's set this party off right ♪
♪ Players, put yo' pinky rings up to the moon ♪
♪ Girls, what y'all trying to do ♪
♪ Twenty four karat magic in the air ♪
♪ Head to toe so player ♪
♪ Look out uh ♪
♪ Pop pop, it's show time ♪
♪ Show time ♪
♪ Guess who's back again ♪
♪ Oh they don't know, go on tell 'em ♪
♪ I bet they know soon as we walk in, showin' up ♪
♪ Wearing Cuban links, designer minks ♪
♪ Inglewood's finest shoes, whoop, whoop ♪
♪ Don't look too hard might hurt ya'self ♪
♪ Known to give the color red the blues ♪
♪ Oh, kill 'em ♪
♪ I'm a dangerous man with some money in my pocket, keep up ♪
♪ So many pretty girls around me ♪
♪ And they waking up the rocket, keep up ♪
♪ Why you mad, fix ya face ♪
♪ Ain't my fault y'all be jocking, keep up ♪
♪ Players only, come on ♪
♪ Put your pinky rings up to the moon ♪
♪ Girls, what y'all trying to do ♪
♪ Twenty four karat magic in the air ♪
♪ Head to toe so player ♪
♪ Uh, look out ♪
♪ Second verse for the hustlas, gangstas ♪
♪ Bad and ya ugly friends ♪
♪ Can I preach, can I preach ♪
♪ I gotta show 'em how a get it in ♪
♪ First, take your sip, do your dip ♪
♪ Spend your money like money ain't, whoop, whoop ♪
♪ We too fresh ♪
♪ Got to blame it on Jesus ♪
♪ Hashtag blessed, they ain't ready for me, uh ♪
♪ I'm a dangerous man with some money in my pocket, keep up ♪
♪ So many pretty girls around me ♪
♪ And they waking up the rocket, keep up ♪
♪ Why you mad, fix ya face ♪
♪ Ain't my fault y'all be jocking, keep up ♪
♪ Players only, come on ♪
♪ Put your pinky rings up to the moon ♪
♪ Hey girls ♪
♪ What y'all trying to do ♪
♪ Twenty four karat magic in the air ♪
- Okay, Bruno,
you smooth, dog, you smooth, dog, you smooth, he smooth.
The music, stylization that he does.
You can tell it's really, really curated
and studied from the past.
And he's trying to pretty much create
the evolution of classic.
That's something that I refer to in music
as when you pay homage to the past,
but you also bring in the futuristic sounds
and still making it a futuristic classic.
So I definitely feel Bruno, Bruno got it.
You know, from entertainment to his voice
and, you know, just him not being afraid to take risks
and do songs that are mainly just full out R and B
in a world where everybody feels like you need tempo
to be successful.
So this next song right here is called
"I Don't Want Her", featuring Problem.
And this is actually the first song that enabled me
to do my thing, to travel the world,
to do international tours, to have songs on the radio
and people like, "Hey, I hear you on the radio."
And I'll be like, "Yeah, you know what I'm saying?
"We out here, you know,
"the hard work is starting to pay off out of here,
"you know what I'm saying?"
And you know, it's just a good, feel good party record.
I feel like it never really reached its fullest potential.
So you never really got too tired of it.
Every time you hear the song, you always rooting for it.
And it's still your favorite song.
("I Don't Want Her")
♪ This gonna be your favorite song ♪
♪ I see 'em looking at my woman, oh ♪
♪ If they ain't lookin' I don't want that girl, oh ♪
♪ If they ain't lookin' I don't want her ♪
♪ If they ain't lookin' I don't want that girl, naw ♪
♪ Yeah she bad ain't she ♪
♪ Why would I wanna keep her to myself ♪
♪ I know you mad ain't ya ♪
♪ 'Cause she only want me and no one else ♪
♪ I tell her put her heels on ♪
♪ So she can show off them legs ♪
♪ But even with her clothes on, she turn heads ♪
♪ I see 'em lookin' at my woman, yeah ♪
♪ If they ain't lookin' I don't want that girl, oh ♪
♪ If they ain't lookin' I don't want her ♪
♪ If they ain't lookin' I don't want that girl, naw ♪
♪ Bad put your hand up, hand up ♪
♪ I need to see you ♪
♪ Twerk, twerk it for a real ♪
♪ If you nails done and your weave new ♪
♪ Never be raggedy kind you find in vanity mags ♪
♪ Hundred with everything on me rockin then shaggidy bags ♪
♪ PDA never shame when I kiss her ♪
♪ Step back like, "Look at that frame on that picture" ♪
♪ With yo bad, its her night no glad ass ♪
♪ Pretty face with a fat ♪
♪ In a dress straight from badass Tennessee ♪
♪ Who she going home with, you fittin' to see ♪
♪ At my woman, oh ♪
♪ If they ain't lookin' I don't want that girl, oh ♪
♪ If they ain't lookin' I don't want her ♪
♪ If they ain't lookin' I don't want ♪
- "I Don't Want Her", wow.
What an incredible record, don't you agree?
Wow. (laughs)
Yo, thank y'all so much for tuning in.
Thank you all for watching, giving me some of y'all time.
These are my favorite videos, my top playlist,
and I hope you learned something.
Take care, enjoy your day.
Listen to some Eric Bellinger, it's it!
(upbeat R&B music)