Released: 2003
“In Love Wit Chu” by Da Brat featuring Cherish is an unabashed celebration of being deeply in love. The song captures the intense emotions and dedication that come with love, with a heavy emphasis on how consuming and exhilarating the experience is. Da Brat’s verses, combined with Cherish’s harmonious vocals, illustrate a powerful testament to love that knows no bounds.
Starting with a shout-out to “LT,” the song begins with Da Brat asserting her presence with her signature sound. She uses a playful repetition “the brat tat tat yall” and “phat phat phat yall” to hype up her entrance and establish a lively atmosphere, creating an inviting prelude to the love-centric narrative.
The chorus, beautifully performed by Cherish, captures the euphoric feeling of being in love. Repeated phrases like “Im in love” express a head-over-heels affection that overwhelms all other senses. The simplicity and repetition emphasize that this is not just an ordinary love, but an all-consuming devotion that defies any barriers.
As Da Brat delves into the verses, she paints vivid imagery of how her lover is omnipresent in her life. Phrases like “When I wake up in the morning it’s You” and “When my body yearnin it’s You” signify a constant longing and presence that love brings into her life. She equates her relationship to notable love stories in music, like Maxwell’s ballads or the fire between Tina Marie and Rick James, heightening the narrative with rich musical references.
Da Brat’s rap is seamless as she boasts about the authentic and unmatched connection she shares with her partner. She drops a metaphor “shot by cupid,” symbolizing how fate and love’s mysterious powers have taken over her life. She mentions “burn up the minutes on the cell” which shows her willingness to communicate endlessly, defying time constraints, indicating an unrelenting devotion to staying connected.
In the continuation of her verse, Da Brat introduces colloquial expressions like “making a move in my bones” and “popping me up to get through,” conveying the physical and emotional rush of her romantic entanglement. The line “turn off the 2-way,” an allusion to pager technology popular in the early 2000s, adds a personal touch of vulnerability and undistracted intimacy in the modern love context.
Her pride and confidence resonate as she speaks about the comfort and security this relationship provides. “You give me fire and desire,” alludes to the famous duet by Tina Marie and Rick James, embedding the song with nostalgic richness and a tribute to enduring, passionate relationships.
Da Brat’s expression “im in love with you more than my car” captures a modern love declaration that prioritizes the human connection over materialistic possessions. She also values her partner’s ability to see beyond the surface, indicating a depth of connection that resonates strongly, which surpasses superficial judgments based on looks or wealth.
Cherish’s melodic repetition throughout the song intensifies the love-centric atmosphere. Her vocals add a gentle touch, highlighting the sentiments Da Brat expresses in her rap verses, bringing balance between Da Brat’s fierce delivery and a softer emotional depth from Cherish’s contribution.
As the song closes, Da Brat makes it clear that nothing anyone says will affect the profound bond she shares with her partner. With a series of confirmations through repetition, both Da Brat and Cherish highlight an undying love and an unyielding belief in their shared future. The combination of upbeat tempo, engaging rhymes, and relatable storytelling makes “In Love Wit Chu” a timeless piece reflecting genuine love in the early 2000s hip-hop scene.
