Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip-Hop)

"Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip-Hop)" is a song recorded by American singer Erykah Badu for the Brown Sugar soundtrack (2002). It features American rapper Common, who co-wrote the song alongside Badu, Madukwu Chinwah, Robert Ozuma, James Poyser, Rashad Smith, Glen Standridge and the song's sole producer Raphael Saadiq. The song follows the film and its soundtrack's common lyrical theme of personifying hip hop. It was released as the lead single from Brown Sugar on August 5, 2002, by MCA Records.

A commercial success, "Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip-Hop)" spent four weeks atop the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and reached number nine on the Billboard Hot 100. Critically acclaimed, the song won the Soul Train Lady of Soul Award for Best Solo R&B/Soul Single and the Grammy Award for Best R&B Song. A year after its release, it was included on international editions of Badu's third studio album Worldwide Underground (2003).

Remix

The official remix of "Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip-Hop)", entitled "Love of My Life Worldwide" appeared on Badu's third studio album Worldwide Underground (2003). The remix featured guest raps by Queen Latifah, Bahamadia and Angie Stone, and sampled "Funk You Up" by the rap group the Sequence, of which Stone was a member. Another version of the remix, titled "Funk You Up! (Love Of My Life Remix)", features Badu rapping different lyrics.

Track listings and formats

US 12-inch vinyl

"Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip Hop)" (radio edit) – 3:50
"Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip Hop)" (instrumental) – 4:28
"Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip Hop)" (album version) – 3:50
"Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip Hop)" (a cappella) – 4:25

European CD single

"Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip Hop)" (radio edit) – 3:50
"Danger" (Mercury Remix) – 3:59

European maxi CD single

"Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip Hop)" (radio edit) – 3:50
"Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip Hop)" (album version) – 3:50
"Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip Hop)" (instrumental) – 4:28
"Danger" (Mercury Remix) – 3:59

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2002)	Peak position
US Billboard Hot 100	9
US Adult R&B Songs (Billboard)	4
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)	1

Year-end charts

Chart (2002)	Position
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)	67

Chart (2003)	Position
US Billboard Hot 100	78
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)	19

Release history

Release dates and formats for "Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip-Hop)"
Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
United States	August 5, 2002	Urban contemporary radio	MCA
United States	August 20, 2002	12-inch vinyl	MCA

References

Badu, Erykah (2002). Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip-Hop) (12-inch vinyl). MCA Records.
Badu, Erykah (2003). Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip-Hop) (CD single). Universal Music Group. 0602498136850.
Badu, Erykah (2003). Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip-Hop) (CD single). Universal Music Group. 0602498136843.
"Erykah Badu Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved October 29, 2022.
"Erykah Badu Chart History (Adult R&B Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved October 29, 2022.
"Erykah Badu Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved October 29, 2022.
"Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 2002". Billboard. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
"Billboard Top 100 – 2003". billboardtop100of.com. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
"Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 2003". Billboard. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
"Going For Adds: Week Of 8/5/02" (PDF). Radio & Records. August 2, 2002. p. 31. Retrieved October 29, 2022.
"Love Of My Life – Erykah Badu". MCA Records. August 20, 2002. Retrieved October 29, 2022.

v t e Erykah Badu
Studio albums	Baduizm Mama's Gun Worldwide Underground New Amerykah Part One (4th World War) New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh)
Other albums	Live Icon: The Best of Erykah Badu But You Caint Use My Phone
Singles	"On & On" "Next Lifetime" "Otherside of the Game" "Tyrone" "Appletree" "All Night Long" "One" "You Got Me" "Southern Gul" "Bag Lady" "Didn't Cha Know? "Cleva" "Sweet Baby" "Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip-Hop)" "Danger" "Back in the Day (Puff)" "Honey" "Soldier" "Window Seat" "Turn Me Away (Get MuNNY)"
Tours	Mama's Gun World Tour Frustrated Artist Tour Worldwide Underground Tour Sugar Water Festival Summer Tour The Vortex World Tour Jam Tour Out My Mind, Just in Time World Tour
Related articles	Discography Awards and nominations Soulquarians
Category

v t e Common singles
Discography Awards and nominations Songs
Can I Borrow a Dollar?	"Take It EZ" "Breaker 1/9" "Soul by the Pound"
Resurrection	"I Used to Love H.E.R." "Resurrection"
One Day It'll All Make Sense	"Retrospect for Life" "Reminding Me (Of Sef)" "All Night Long"
Like Water for Chocolate	"The 6th Sense" "The Light" "Geto Heaven Remix T.S.O.I. (The Sound of Illadelph)"
Electric Circus	"Come Close"
Be	"The Food" "The Corner" "Go!" "Testify"
Finding Forever	"The People" "Drivin' Me Wild" "I Want You"
Universal Mind Control	"Universal Mind Control" "Announcement"
The Dreamer/The Believer	"Ghetto Dreams"
Other singles	"The Bitch in Yoo" "One-Nine-Nine-Nine" "Car Horn" "While I'm Dancin'" "A Dream" "Glory" "Stand Up for Something"
Featured singles	"Respiration" "Full Moon" "Dance for Me" "Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip-Hop)" "Tell Me What We're Gonna Do Now" "Make Her Say" "Wake Up Everybody" "Favorite Song" "Switch Up"
Other songs	"Who Tells Your Story"
Category:Common (rapper) songs

Awards for "Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip-Hop)"

v t e BET Award for Video of the Year
2000s	"Ms. Jackson" – OutKast (2001) "Pass the Courvoisier, Part II" – Busta Rhymes (2002) "Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip-Hop)" – Erykah Badu (2003) "Hey Ya!" – OutKast (2004) "Jesus Walks" – Kanye West (2005) "Be Without You" – Mary J. Blige / "Gold Digger" – Kanye West featuring Jamie Foxx (2006) "Irreplaceable" – Beyoncé (2007) "International Players Anthem (I Choose You)" – UGK (2008) "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" – Beyoncé (2009)
2010s	"Video Phone" – Beyoncé featuring Lady Gaga (2010) "Look at Me Now" – Chris Brown (2011) "Otis" – Jay-Z and Kanye West featuring Otis Redding (2012) "Started from the Bottom" – Drake (2013) "Happy" – Pharrell Williams (2014) "7/11" – Beyoncé (2015) "Formation" – Beyoncé (2016) "Sorry" – Beyoncé / "24K Magic" – Bruno Mars (2017) "God's Plan" – Drake (2018) "This Is America" – Childish Gambino (2019)
2020s	"Higher" – DJ Khaled featuring Nipsey Hussle and John Legend (2020) "WAP" – Cardi B featuring Megan Thee Stallion (2021) "Family Ties" – Baby Keem and Kendrick Lamar / "Smokin out the Window" – Silk Sonic (2022) "Kill Bill" – SZA (2023) "On My Mama" – Victoria Monét (2024)

Black Reel Award for Outstanding Original Song

"Fool of Me" (2001)
"Love Don't Love Me" (2002)
"Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip-Hop)" (2003)
"He Still Loves Me" (2004)
"And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" (2007)
"Almost There" (2010)
"Shine" (2011)
"The Living Proof" (2012)
"Who Did That to You?" (2013)
"Desperation" (2014)
"Glory" (2015)
"See You Again" (2016)
"I'm Still Here" (2017)
"Mighty River" (2018)
"All the Stars" (2019)
"Collide" (2020)
"Speak Now" (2021)
"Automatic Woman" (2022)
"Lift Me Up" (2023)
"Keep It Movin'" (2024)

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