Born in McComb, Mississippi, Norwood was raised in Carson, California, beginning her career as a backing vocalist for teen groups. After signing with Atlantic Records in 1993, she released her self-titled debut album, Brandy, the following year, which sold six million copies worldwide. Norwood ventured into acting with the UPN sitcom Moesha (1996–2001), which won her an NAACP Image Award, and resulted in numerous other roles, such as the titular character in the television film Cinderella (1997) and Karla Wilson in the slasher film I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998). Her musical breakthrough came with the wildly successful single "The Boy Is Mine" (1998), a duet with fellow R&B contemporary Monica, which went on to become one of the best selling female duets of all time. Her second album, Never Say Never, won Norwood her first Grammy Award. In 2002, Norwood starred in the reality series Brandy: Special Delivery, documenting the birth of her daughter. Her third and fourth albums, Full Moon (2002) and Afrodisiac (2004), were released to critical success.
Norwood served as a judge on the first season of America's Got Talent before being involved in a heavily publicized car accident in 2006. Norwood's fifth album, Human (2008), was released to positive reviews, although it was a commercial failure. In 2010, she returned to television as a contestant on the eleventh season of Dancing with the Stars and starred in the reality series Brandy & Ray J: A Family Business. She was a series regular in the BET series The Game (2012–2015) and released her sixth album Two Eleven (2012) thereafter, both earning her critical praise. In April 2015, Norwood made her Broadway debut as Roxie Hart in the musical Chicago. She starred in and executive produced a sitcom titled Zoe Ever After on BET which premiered in January 2016. In July 2020, Norwood released her seventh studio album, B7, also her first project as an independent artist, to critical acclaim. In 2021, Norwood starred alongside Naturi Naughton, Eve and Nadine Velazquez in American Broadcasting Company's music drama series Queens to critical acclaim.
In June 2022, Norwood announced her major label return after signing with Motown Records under which she is expected to preprare her eighth studio album.
List
Brandy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All of this happened
I used to be
Your number one hit
First you put me
Second after trappin'
U made a little dough
Then I was 5th
I couldn't help
But to laugh when
Your heart
Started to lose
All of its strength
You used to be
The only one
On my list
And now
You're wonderin' why
You're 10th
I tryna get thru
You too confused
I've only
Ever been the main
I was finna be
A little pissed
You can count on
All of them
Other chicks
You can count on me
To just quit
I don't wanna be
On that list, no more
I don't wanna be
On that
I don't wanna be
On that list
Said I'm cool
I don't wanna be
On that list
Number 1
Not number 3 on that
Number 1 cuz
I'm the best thing
In your life
Boy
You got me mixed up
Better rip
That list up
Me on that list
No list
Got me no more
I'm cool
First off all
I'm the bomb
Boy look around
Is ya dumb
And second
I'm the one
You get
Everythin from
Third of all know
Your mom told you
That I'm the one
What you
Runnin around
Lookin 4?
Must be drunk
Put down the 5th
And I can think
Of almost 6 times
7 digits almost 8
Up your chance
You actin
Like your love
Got 9 lives
If it did, so what?
You killed it more
Than 10
The song List by Brandy is a confrontational and assertive track where the singer addresses her partner's mistreatment and neglect of their relationship. She begins by asking how everything changed, as they used to have an intimate and fulfilling relationship where she was his priority. However, as he started making more money, she started to fall lower and lower on his "list" of priorities. She finds it amusing that he only realised his feelings for her when he's dropped to the 10th position on the list. Brandy demands to be seen as the number one priority in his life and doesn't want to be a random option on his list. She threatens to quit him if he can't make her his top priority.
The lyrics are delivered in a powerful, confident tone, with Brandy not afraid to challenge her partner's behaviour. By using the metaphor of the "list," she shows that their relationship has become a business transaction where she's just a commodity. The lyrics also highlight the partner's immature behaviour and their disregard for Brandy's feelings. The phrase "rip that list up" represents the idea that Brandy wants to start afresh and have a genuine connection with her partner.
Overall, List is a persuasive and energetic song that expresses Brandy's frustration and exasperation towards her partner's mistreatment of their relationship. It is a bold and inspiring track that reminds listeners to demand respect and show self-worth.
Line by Line Meaning
How do you suppose
Do you have any idea how this happened?
All of this happened
All that has happened between us.
I used to be
Once upon a time, I held a special place in your heart.
Your number one hit
I was your top priority.
First you put me
At first, you prioritized me over everything else.
Second after trappin'
However, after succeeding in some shady business, you changed.
U made a little dough
You made some money.
Then I was 5th or 6th then 7th
Then I became less important; gradually, I was no longer a priority.
I couldn't help
It was impossible for me to do anything else.
But to laugh when
I laughed at the situation when I realized what had happened.
Your heart
Your feelings.
Started to lose
Started fading away.
All of its strength
All the passion it once had.
You used to be
There was a time when you were everything to me.
The only one
The most important thing.
On my list
On my list of priorities.
And now
But now.
You're wonderin' why
You're wondering why things have changed.
You're 10th
You're no longer my top priority; in fact, you barely make the list anymore.
I tryna get thru
I'm trying to work things out.
You too confused
But you're too confused to understand.
I've only
I've always.
Ever been the main
Been the one you always counted on, through thick and thin.
I was finna be
I was about to become.
A little pissed
A little annoyed, frustrated.
You can count on
You can sleep with, date, whatever you like with.
All of them
Every other girl out there.
Other chicks
Other girls.
To just quit
To back out, to give up.
I don't wanna be
I don't want to be.
On that list, no more
On the list of your conquests anymore.
I don't wanna be
I don't want to be.
On that
On that list.
I don't wanna be
I don't want to be.
On that list
On the list of girls you've been with.
Said I'm cool
I'm over it.
Number 1
The most important, the priority.
Not number 3 on that
Definitely not below third on your list of priorities.
Number 1 cuz
Because I'm the best.
I'm the best thing
I'm the most valuable thing in your life.
In your life
Out of everything you have, I'm the most valuable.
Boy
You.
You got me mixed up
You're confused about how much I mean to you.
Better rip
I suggest you tear apart.
That list up
That list of yours.
Me on that list
Me being a part of your list of conquests.
No list
You don't need to keep a list of the girls you sleep with or date.
Got me no more
I am no longer part of any list that you keep.
I'm cool
I'm over it.
First of all
To begin with.
I'm the bomb
I'm amazing.
Boy look around
You can see it for yourself, everyone else knows it too.
Is ya dumb
Are you stupid?
And second
Also.
I'm the one
I'm the only one for you.
You get everything from
You've always had everything from me.
Third of all know
Also, know this.
Your mom told you
Your mother knows it too.
That I'm the one
That I'm the one for you.
What you runnin' around lookin' 4?
What are you looking for outside when you have me?
Must be drunk
You must be drunk.
Put down the 5th
Stop drinking alcohol.
And I can think of almost 6 times
I can come up with a lot of times.
7 digits almost 8
Your phone number.
Up your chance
Increase your chances with me.
You actin' like your love got 9 lives
You're acting as if your love for me can't die.
If it did, so what?
Even if that were true, so what?
You killed it more than 10
You've hurt it badly many times.
Contributed by Eli V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Koiwu86
Best times of my life was discovering Brandy’s unreleased songs
Christian -Joy
The beat. The way she rides the beat with the ad libs. The creative lyrics. My favorite unreleased Brandy track.
Jay Kay num5
How High is amazing also💯. Happy Born Day to Brandy 2 11 day 👑🌠💪🏾
Nici M
The vocal stacks are sooooo clean.
Reggie Lott
This song is still a bop! 3:00-3:05 🙌🏾
Lemme C.
I remember when this leaked! Can’t believe it’s been over 10 years
foxxd2000
Song is pretty dope and Brandy is certainly great in her own right. Im wishing she would have released this track out during Afrodisiac. Not only that, but I want her to release something so hot so she'll catch fire and blaze up them charts.
AffirmIsdoMs by C. F. Edwards
If Bran released this now! It would skyrocket to number 1 on iTunes! And radio! People are hungry for this. Can we get an unreleased album? Of all these unreleased gems!
WenNRome
Yessss the public has never seen this side of Brandy music
JK number5
Brandy is still #1 on my list