Hilson has been writing music for other artists since 2001, including Britney Spears, Ciara, Usher, and Ludacris. Despite having made a name for herself as an arranger and background vocalist, lending her vocal talents to many of the songs she wrote on, Hilson remained behind the scenes for the most part until 2004, when she was featured on Xzibit's single, "Hey Now (Mean Muggin)" and made her performing debut singing the track live at the 2004 MTV Europe Awards.
In 2006, Hilson reappeared on the music scene in the video for Nelly Furtado's single "Promiscuous". Meanwhile, she signed as an artist with Timbaland's newly formed Interscope associated label Mosley Music Group and the pair started work on her debut album '"In A Perfect World...". The same year, she was featured on "After Love" from Diddy's album Press Play which was originally written for Danity Kane. She also wrote "Right Now" for Danity Kane as well as "Help", the second single from Lloyd Banks' Rotten Apple.
In 2007, Hilson made several appearances on Timbaland's solo effort, Shock Value where she featured heavily on the singles "The Way I Are" and "Scream" and the tracks "Miscommunication" and "Hello". Furthermore, she was featured on the track "Lost Girls" on Rich Boy's debut album and its second single "Good Things" and was credited as a writer and backing vocalist on Britney Spears' album Blackout. She also worked on Spears' follow-up "Circus", but the tracks didn't appear on the album.
A promotional video for her song "Where Did He Go" was released in 2008 and she went on to further promote herself as a solo artist on "Get It Girl", a track produced by Timbaland & Danja and recorded for a Verizon ringtone promotion and available also through iTunes.
She also played the lead role in Usher's music video for "Love in This Club", (as well as co-writing its "Pt. II" remix) appeared as one of the "independent women" in Ne-Yo's music video for "Miss Independent" and appeared briefly on Nelly's "Party People" music video wearing a T-Shirt with the slogan 'Hip Hop aint dead'. She soon after featured on Nas' debut single from his controversial album Untitled, "Hero".
After many pushbacks, Hilson's debut solo album In a Perfect World... has now been set for an early 2009 release. The album's first single was "Energy" and its music video was released July 14, 2008. "Energy" has peaked at a low #78 on the Billboard Hot 100.
A second single "Return The Favor" features Timbaland was released officially as a digital download on October 7, 2008 and the video, directed by Melina, premiered on October 23, 2008. In the meantime, she also featured on Chris Brown's single "Superhuman" and Kardinal Offishall's 2008 single "Numba 1 (Tide Is High)", which was originally featured Rihanna. This single failed to chart on the Hot 100.
The track "Turnin Me On" features rapper Lil' Wayne and was released as the third official single as a digital download on November 25. The video, which was directed by Erik White after he and Hilson met on the set of the "Superhuman" video, premiered on November 20, 2008. "Turnin Me On" has so far peaked at #16 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and recently hit #2 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, becoming Hilson's most successful single as well as her first Top 50 single in the U.S.. It also peaked as the #1 Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop track. "Turnin Me On" also stood as the #1 video on BET's 106 & Park for about a week and currently is the #5 video request on that show, flucuating between the Top 5.
Recently, Keri Hilson's track "Alienated" was played exclusively on UK radio station Kiss 100 after winning the Fresh 40 mixtape deck battle with 51% against Maino's "All The Above".
It was announced on March 10th that the video for "Knock You Down"(featuring Ne-Yo & Kayne West) was in production and would be released as the fourth single.
Hilson's music has been favorably received, appearing on list of "Top Year Singles" with the songs, "Energy" and "Turnin Me On". The first was on Blender magazine list of the "The Top 144 Songs of 2008", at #61, and the latter was on Vibe magazine's "The 80 Best Songs of '08" at #67. Vibe also praised her voice and called her "ridiculously hot".
In 2010 saw the birth of No Boys Allowed and comes out on the 21st of December 2010. The First Single was Breaking Points and received positive and negative reviews, however failed to chart well. The second single Pretty Girl Rock saw more success and went on to chart respectably well. The song got that much attention that a official remix was made featuring Kanye West, which made the album too. The Suspected third Single is The Way You Love Me and a full length video (short film) appeared on Vevo. The video got mixed reviews, one side saying the video was a side to Keri that had never saw before (a more seductive side). However, some said that this side was too out there and was a bit too much.
DISCOGRAPHY:
ALBUMS:
2009: In A Perfect World...
2010:No Boys Allowed
SINGLES:
2004: Hey Now (Mean Muggin) [Xzibit feat. Keri]
2006: Help [Lloyd Banks feat. Keri]
2007: The Way I Are [Timbaland feat. Keri & D.O.E.]
2007: Good Things [Rich Boy feat. Polow Da on & Keri]
2008: Scream [Timbaland feat. Keri & Nicole Scherzinger]
2008: Hero [Nas feat. Keri]
2008: Energy
2008: Superhuman [Chris Brown feat. Keri]
2008: Return The Favor [feat. Timbaland]
2008: Numba 1 (Tide Is High) [Kardinal Offishall feat. Keri]
2008: Turnin Me On [feat. Lil Wayne]
2009: Knock You Down [feat. Kanye West & Ne-Yo]
2009: Slow Dance
2010: I Like
2010:Got Your Back [T.I feat. Keri]
2010:Breaking Point
2010:Pretty Girl Rock
2010:The Way You Love Me
Gimme What I Want
Keri Hilson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Class is now in session
Lessons one through forever
Always give us what we want
This for my ladies who ain't gon' wait 'round for no man
I hope these fellas get it, I hope they understand
Understand the woman is the boss
Where my sexy, sexy fellas wit' that money in they pocket
Who can make me-make me holla, keep me screamin' like an opera
Yeah, I know you want this body, you like the way I flaunt
So boy, don't hesitate, gi-gi-gi-gimme what I want
I'm hollerin' boy, don't tease me
Gimme-gimme what I want
Gimme-gimme what I want
Gimme-gimme what I want
Yeah, yeah, yeah, boy, don't tease me
Gimme what I want
Gi-gi-gi-gimme what I want
Gi-gi-gi-gimme what I want
I want it up, down, round and round
Put it down on me now
Up, down, round and round
Put it down on me now
Boy, don't tease me
Gi-gimme what I want
Gimme-gimme what I want
Gimme-gimme what I want
This for my ladies who ain't gon' wait 'round for no nigga
Who know that when they want it,
They gon' shoot it, pull the trigger (Pow, pow, pow)
Pull the trigger, yeah ladies, shoot 'em up
Turn into Killa Keri wit' that drink up in my cup
Where my sexy, sexy fellas wit' that money in they pocket
Who can make-make-make me holla, keep me screamin' like an opera
Yeah, I know you want this body, you like the way I flaunt
So boy, don't hesitate, gi-gi-gi-gimme what I want
I'm hollerin' boy, don't tease me
Gimme-gimme what I want
Gimme-gimme what I want
Gimme-gimme what I want
Yeah, yeah, yeah, boy, don't tease me
Gimme what I want
Gi-gi-gi-gimme what I want
Gi-gi-gi-gimme what I want
I want it up, down, round and round
Put it down on me now
Up, down, round and round
Put it down on me now
Boy, don't tease me
Gi-gimme what I want
Gi-gi-gimme what I want
Gi-gi-gimme what I want
I want it all, all, all
I want it all, all, all
I want it a-a-all
Baby, gimme a-a-all
I want it a-a-all
Baby, gimme a-a-all
I want it all, all, all (You know what I want, you know what I want)
I want it all, all, all (You know what I want, you know what I want)
I want it a-a-all (What it is? What it ain't?)
Baby, gimme a-a-all (Shawty, what it gon' be?)
I want it a-a-all (Gimme what I want)
Baby, gimme a-a-all ('Cause I know you want me)
Boy, don't tease me
Gimme-gimme what I want
Gimme-gimme what I want
Gimme-gimme what I want
Yeah, yeah, yeah, boy, don't tease me
Gimme what I want
Gi-gi-gi-gimme what I want
Gi-gi-gi-gimme what I want
I want it up, down, round and round
Put it down on me now
Up, down, round and round
Put it down on me now
Boy, don't tease me
Gi-gimme what I want
Gi-gi-gimme what I want
Gi-gi-gimme what I want
The lyrics to Keri Hilson's song "Gimme What I Want" are pretty straightforward. She's telling men that women are in charge and should be given what they want. She describes the men she wants as sexy with money in their pocket, capable of making her scream like an opera. She's clear that she's not interested in waiting around for anyone and if men don't understand that they should "get lost." Throughout the song, she repeats "boy, don't tease me" and demands that men give her what she wants. She describes what she wants in detail - she wants it up, down, round and round, and all.
However, there is a deeper meaning to the lyrics. Hilson is empowering women to know their worth and to feel confident in expressing their desires. The song can be seen as a response to societal expectations that women should be submissive and passive when it comes to relationships and sex. By demanding what she wants, Hilson is challenging traditional gender roles and encouraging women to take control of their own lives and desires.
Overall, "Gimme What I Want" is a catchy and empowering song that celebrates female sexuality and independence.
Line by Line Meaning
Okay, boys
The class is starting now, and the boys need to pay attention.
Class is now in session
The lesson has started.
Lessons one through forever
The class is ongoing.
Always give us what we want
The women expect to get whatever they want, and the men should always be willing to give it to them.
This for my ladies who ain't gon' wait 'round for no man
This song is for the women who don't want to wait around for a man to give them what they want.
I hope these fellas get it, I hope they understand
The singer hopes that the men understand what the women want.
Understand the woman is the boss
Women are in charge and give the orders in the relationship.
And if they don't get get it, tell em' tell 'em to get lost
If the men don't understand, the women should tell them to leave.
Where my sexy, sexy fellas wit' that money in they pocket
The women are looking for attractive men with money.
Who can make me-make me holla, keep me screamin' like an opera
The women want men who can give them maximum pleasure and excitement.
Yeah, I know you want this body, you like the way I flaunt
The women are confident and know that the men are attracted to them.
So boy, don't hesitate, gi-gi-gi-gimme what I want
The women want the men to give them what they desire without any delay.
I'm hollerin' boy, don't tease me
The women are very clear that they want the men to give them what they want and not tease them.
I want it up, down, round and round
The women want the men to be creative and satisfy them in every way possible.
This for my ladies who ain't gon' wait 'round for no nigga
The women in the song do not want to wait around for a man who isn't going to give them what they want.
Who know that when they want it, they gon' shoot it, pull the trigger (Pow, pow, pow)
Women who know what they want will be assertive and take charge in getting it.
Turn into Killa Keri wit' that drink up in my cup
The women feel empowered and confident after having a drink.
I'm hollerin' boy, don't tease me
The women are very clear that they want the men to give them what they want and not tease them.
I want it all, all, all
The women want everything they desire.
Baby, gimme a-a-all
The women want everything that the men have to offer.
Boy, don't tease me
The women don't want to be teased by the men.
I want it up, down, round and round
The women want the men to be creative and satisfy them in every way possible.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: MATTHEW SAMUELS, KERI HILSON, MATTHEW BURNETTE, BRANDON GREEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind