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Wonderful (Ja Rule song)

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"Wonderful"
Single by Ja Rule featuring R. Kelly and Ashanti
from the album R.U.L.E. and Concrete Rose
ReleasedSeptember 27, 2004 (2004-09-27)
StudioC.H. (New York City)
Length4:26
LabelThe INC
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Jimi Kendrix
  • Irv Gotti
Ja Rule singles chronology
"Clap Back"
(2003) 		"Wonderful"
(2004) 		"New York"
(2004)
R. Kelly singles chronology
"Happy People"
(2004) 		"Wonderful"
(2004) 		"In the Kitchen"
(2005)
Ashanti singles chronology
"Southside"
(2004) 		"Wonderful"
(2004) 		"Only U"
(2004)

"Wonderful" is a song by American rapper Ja Rule. It was released on September 27, 2004, as the lead single from his sixth studio album, R.U.L.E. (2004), through Irv Gotti's The INC record label. The song features American pop-R&B singers R. Kelly and Ashanti. "Wonderful" topped the UK Singles Chart, reached number five on the US Billboard Hot 100, peaked at number six in both Australia and New Zealand, and became a top-20 hit in Denmark, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Switzerland.

A remix was made available on Ashanti's fourth studio album, Concrete Rose (2004), featuring an extended verse from the singer and omitting Kelly's verse.[1] A video directed by Hype Williams was made for this single.[2]

Commercial performance

[edit]

In the United States, "Wonderful" peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100 in November 2004, making it Ja Rule's fourth top-five hit on the chart.[3] In the United Kingdom, it topped the UK Singles Chart, making it his first number-one hit in Britain,[4] though it was the country's lowest-selling number-one debut at the time, selling 23,706 copies during its release week.[5] The song has been certified gold in the United States by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[6] It is also notable for being the last top-10 hit on the Hot 100 for all three artists involved as of 2025. The song ended 2005 at number 94 on Billboard's year-end chart.[7]

Track listings

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UK CD single[8]

  1. "Wonderful" (featuring R. Kelly and Ashanti) – 4:32
  2. "Livin' It Up" (featuring Case) – 4:17
  3. "Always on Time" (featuring Ashanti) – 4:03

European CD single[9]

  1. "Wonderful" (featuring R. Kelly and Ashanti) – 4:32
  2. "Caught Up" (featuring Lloyd) – 4:29

Australian maxi-CD single[10]

  1. "Wonderful" (featuring R. Kelly and Ashanti) – 4:33
  2. "Caught Up" (featuring Lloyd) – 4:29
  3. "Wonderful" (instrumental) – 4:33
  4. "Always on Time" (featuring Ashanti) – 4:03

Credits and personnel

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Credits are taken from the R.U.L.E. album booklet.[11]

Studios

  • Recorded at C.H. Studios (New York City)
  • Mixed at Circle House Studios (Miami, Florida) and Right Track Studios (New York City)
  • Mastered at Sterling Sound (New York City)

Personnel

  • Ja Rule – writing (as Jeffrey Atkins)
  • Irv Gotti – writing (as Irving Lorenzo), production
  • Kendred Smith – writing
  • R. Kelly – writing (as Robert Kelly), featured vocals
  • Ashanti – featured vocals
  • Demetrius "Demi-Doc" McGhee – bass guitar, organ, strings, additional keyboards
  • Jimi Kendrix – production
  • Milwaukee "Protools King" Buck – recording
  • Supa Engineer DURO – mixing
  • Terry "T-Mac" Herbert – assistant engineering
  • Tom Coyne – mastering

Charts

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Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[42] 2× Platinum 120,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[43] Silver 200,000‡
United States (RIAA)[6] Gold 500,000*

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

[edit]
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States September 27, 2004
The Inc. [44]
October 25, 2004 Contemporary hit radio [45]
United Kingdom CD [46]

References

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  1. ^ "Wonderful Remix". Spotify. January 1, 2004. Retrieved April 4, 2022.
  2. ^ "Ja Rule – Wonderful (2004)". IMVDb. Retrieved April 4, 2022.
  3. ^ a b "Ja Rule Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved January 2, 2020.
  4. ^ a b "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 8, 2019.
  5. ^ Jones, Alan (November 6, 2004). "The Market: Boost for Singles". Music Week. p. 17. ['Wonderful'] sold 23,706 sopies last week...
  6. ^ a b "American single certifications – Ja Rule – Wonderful". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved March 8, 2019.
  7. ^ a b "Billboard Top 100 – 2005". Billboardtop100of.com. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  8. ^ Wonderful (UK CD single liner notes). The INC Records. 2004. 9864605.
  9. ^ Wonderful (European CD single liner notes). The INC Records. 2004. 9864606.
  10. ^ Wonderful (Australian maxi-CD single liner notes). The INC Records. 2004. 9864889.
  11. ^ R.U.L.E. (US CD album booklet). The INC Records. 2004. B0002955-02.
  12. ^ "Ja Rule feat. R. Kelly & Ashanti – Wonderful". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  13. ^ "Issue 777" ARIA Top 40 Urban Singles. National Library of Australia. Retrieved September 25, 2020.
  14. ^ "Ja Rule feat. R. Kelly & Ashanti – Wonderful" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  15. ^ "Ja Rule feat. R. Kelly & Ashanti – Wonderful" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  16. ^ "Ja Rule feat. R. Kelly & Ashanti – Wonderful" (in French). Ultratip.
  17. ^ "Ja Rule feat. R. Kelly & Ashanti – Wonderful". Tracklisten.
  18. ^ "Hits of the World – Eurocharts" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 116, no. 46. November 13, 2004. p. 53. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
  19. ^ "Ja Rule feat. R. Kelly & Ashanti – Wonderful" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved March 8, 2019.
  20. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Wonderful". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved March 8, 2019.
  21. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 2, 2005" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved March 8, 2019.
  22. ^ "Ja Rule feat. R. Kelly & Ashanti – Wonderful" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  23. ^ "Ja Rule feat. R. Kelly & Ashanti – Wonderful". Top 40 Singles.
  24. ^ "Arhiva romanian top 100 – Editia 50, saptamina 13.12 – 19.12, 2004" (in Romanian). Romanian Top 100. Archived from the original on February 22, 2005. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  25. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 8, 2019.
  26. ^ "Ja Rule feat. R. Kelly & Ashanti – Wonderful". Swiss Singles Chart.
  27. ^ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 8, 2019.
  28. ^ "Ja Rule Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved January 2, 2020.
  29. ^ "Ja Rule Chart History (Hot Rap Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved January 2, 2020.
  30. ^ "Ja Rule Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved January 2, 2020.
  31. ^ "Ja Rule Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved January 2, 2020.
  32. ^ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
  33. ^ "The Official UK Singles Chart 2004" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. Retrieved March 8, 2019.
  34. ^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs: 2004". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2021.
  35. ^ "2004 The Year in Charts: Most-Played Rhythmic Top 40 Songs". Billboard Radio Monitor. Vol. 12, no. 51. December 17, 2004. p. 29.
  36. ^ "ARIA Top 100 Singles for 2005". ARIA. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  37. ^ "ARIA Charts – End of Year Charts – Urban Singles 2005". ARIA. Archived from the original on April 15, 2020. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  38. ^ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2005" (in German). Retrieved March 8, 2019.
  39. ^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs: 2005". Billboard. Retrieved February 20, 2020.
  40. ^ "2005 The Year in Charts: Top Mainstream Top 40 Songs". Billboard Radio Monitor. Vol. 13, no. 50. December 16, 2005. p. 26.
  41. ^ "2005 The Year in Charts: Top Rhythmic Top 40 Songs". Billboard Radio Monitor. Vol. 13, no. 50. December 16, 2005. p. 34.
  42. ^ "Brazilian single certifications – Ja Rule – Wonderful" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  43. ^ "British single certifications – Ja Rule ft R Kelly & Ashanti – Wonderful". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved May 28, 2021.
  44. ^ "Ja Rule: 'Wonderful'" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1573. September 17, 2004. p. 43. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
  45. ^ "Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1578. October 22, 2004. p. 19. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
  46. ^ "Reviews: Singles". Music Week. October 16, 2004. p. 29.
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