Funk This

For the album by George Porter Jr., see Funk This (George Porter Jr. album).

Funk This is the eleventh studio album by American singer Chaka Khan. It was first released by Burgundy Records on September 25, 2007, in the United States. On October 13, 2007, the album entered at its peak position of number fifteen on the Billboard 200 and number five on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. On December 6, 2007, the album was nominated for Best R&B Album at the 2008 Grammy Awards, while "Disrespectful" was nominated for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. Both nominations resulted in wins for Khan.

Funk This
Studio album by Chaka Khan
Released	September 25, 2007
Length	59:07
Label	Burgundy
Producer	The Avila Brothers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis Jesse Johnson Ira Schick James "Big Jim" Wright
Chaka Khan chronology
The Platinum Collection (2006) Funk This (2007) Hello Happiness (2019)

The double A-side singles "Disrespectful" (featuring Mary J. Blige) and "Angel" were released to radio and made digitally available on iTunes in advance of the album release. Following the success of the initial double A-side single, the duet with Michael McDonald, "You Belong to Me", was released to radio, eventually peaking at number eighteen on the Hot Contemporary Jazz Songs chart.^[1] The contemporary R&B ballad "One for All Time" reached number fifty-five on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.^[2]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[3]
Rolling Stone	[4]

Robert Christgau rated the album three out of five stars in his review for Rolling Stone. He found that "Khan has never bothered with great albums because she has such a great voice – juicy, airy, spunky, transported. Though she's fifty-four, it's also unfrayed, one reason this committed if never classic comeback makes its mark. Another is hot-no-more producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, who add bite while discreetly leaving the songwriting to the likes of Hendrix, Prince, Sly Stone and the indelible Ed Townsend. Respect as well to Mary J. Blige's New York raspberry."^[4]

AllMusic editor Andy Kellman felt that Funk This "sounds like much of it was recorded live, giving it a loose, not-fussed-over sound, though there are some questionable moves. [...] The covers do work more often than not, highlighted by Prince's 'Sign 'O' the Times' and Joni Mitchell's 'Ladies Man' (an unlikely but very smart choice). [...] Chaka sounds mostly excellent from track to track, especially during the more relaxed moments."^[3]

Commercial performance

Funk This debuted and peaked at number 15 on the US Billboard 200 in the week of October 4, 2007,^[5] selling 39,000 in its first week of release.^[6] The album became Khan's highest-charting album since I Feel for You (1984).^[5] It also reached number five on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.^[7] By February 2008, Funk This had sold 160,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.^[8]

Track listing

Funk This track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Back in the Day"	Chaka Khan Bobby Ross Avila Iz Avila James "Big Jim" Wright James Harris III Terry Lewis, Tony Maiden	Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis Wright The Avila Brothers[a]	4:30
2.	"Foolish Fool"	Ed Townsend	Jam Lewis Wright I. Avila[a]	3:47
3.	"One for All Time"	Khan B. Avila Wright Harris Lewis Johny Najera	Jam Lewis Wright	4:45
4.	"Angel"	Khan Wright	Jam Lewis Wright	4:27
5.	"Will You Love Me?"	Khan B. Avila I. Avila Harris Lewis Doug Rasheed	Jam Lewis The Avila Brothers[a]	4:59
6.	"Castles Made of Sand"	Jimi Hendrix	Jam Lewis Jesse Johnson	4:01
7.	"Disrespectful" (featuring Mary J. Blige)	Khan B. Avila I. Avila Harris Lewis Blige Dave Young	Jam Lewis The Avila Brothers[a]	4:46
8.	"Sign 'O' the Times"	Prince	Jam Lewis The Avila Brothers[a]	5:24
9.	"Pack'd My Bags"/"You Got the Love" (featuring Tony Maiden)	Khan Maiden Ray Parker Jr.	Jam Lewis	5:55
10.	"Ladies' Man"	Joni Mitchell	Jam Lewis Wright	3:52
11.	"You Belong to Me" (featuring Michael McDonald)	Carly Simon McDonald	Jam Lewis Wright The Avila Brothers[a]	3:59
12.	"Hail to the Wrong"	Khan B. Avila I. Avila Wright Harris Lewis	Jam Lewis Wright The Avila Brothers[a]	3:43
13.	"Super Life"	Khan Ricardo Rouse	Jam Lewis	5:03
Total length:				59:07

Circuit City/Napster bonus track

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
14.	"Let Go"	Gary Brown Ira Schick	Schick	3:30

iTunes bonus track

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
14.	"Angel" (Mr. Mig Radio Remix)	Khan Wright	Jam Lewis Wright Mr. Mig[b]	4:17

Walmart bonus tracks

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
14.	"Once You Get Started" (featuring Tony Maiden)	Gavin Christopher	Jam Lewis	3:15
15.	"Shining Star"	Maurice White Larry Dunn Philip Bailey	Schick	4:04

Notes

• ^{^[a]} signifies co-producer(s)
• ^{^[b]} signifies remix co-producer(s)

Singles

• "Disrespectful" (featuring Mary J. Blige) (2007) – No. 1 US Dance
• "Angel" (2007) – No. 29 US R&B
• "You Belong to Me" (featuring Michael McDonald) (2007) – No. 18 US Hot Contemporary Jazz Songs
• "One for All Time" (2008) – No. 35 US R&B
• "Disrespectful" (featuring Mary J. Blige) (2009) – No. 1 UK Music Week Commercial Pop

Charts

Weekly charts Weekly chart performance for Funk This Chart (2007) Peak position US Billboard 200[5] 15 US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[7] 5

Year-end charts Year-end chart performance for Funk This Chart (2008) Position US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[9] 95

References

1. "You Belong To Me" Hot Contemporary Jazz Songs Chart Positions - Feb 9, 2008
2. "One For All Time" Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Chart Positions - Feb 9, 2008
3. https://www.allmusic.com/album/r1206183
4. Christgau, Robert (October 4, 2007). "Funk This review". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on October 15, 2007. Retrieved June 27, 2024.
5. "Chaka Khan Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved August 20, 2018.
6. Hasty, Katie (October 4, 2007). "A familiar feeling for Flatts". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 27, 2024.
7. "Chaka Khan Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved August 20, 2018.
8. Caulfield, Keith (February 29, 2008). "Ask Billboard". Billboard.com. Retrieved June 27, 2024.
9. "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2008". Billboard. Retrieved October 12, 2020.