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On October 30, 2001, a group of popular recording artists under the name "Artists Against AIDS Worldwide" released an album containing multiple versions of "What's Going On" to benefit AIDS programs in Africa and other impoverished regions. The album contains the single, along with eight additional remixes. The song was recorded shortly before the September 11, 2001 attacks, and it was decided afterward that a portion of the song's proceeds would benefit the American Red Cross' September 11 fund as well.

Jermaine Dupri and Bono produced the radio single version, whose performers included Destiny's Child, Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, NSYNC, Darren Hayes of Savage Garden, Jennifer Lopez, Ja Rule, Nas, Lil' Kim, Sean Combs, Mary J Blige, Alicia Keys, Eve, Gwen Stefani, Nelly Furtado, Fred Durst, Aaron Lewis of Staind, Michael Stipe of R.E.M., Wyclef Jean and Gaye's own daughter Nona, among other artists.

The collaboration was a success worldwide, peaking within the top ten charts of Denmark, Ireland, and the United Kingdom and the top twenty on the charts of Flanders, Ireland, New Zealand, Sweden, and Switzerland. In New Zealand, it went Gold for selling over 5,000 units. On the US Billboard Hot 100, the cover peaked at number 27 and reached number 24 on the Billboard Mainstream Top 40 and Rhythmic charts. Jake Scott directed a music video.

Lyrics[]

[Intro: Diddy & Jermaine Dupri]
What's going on? (Tell me)
People dying (Yeah)
People crying (Uh-huh)
Lord, help us (C'mon)

[Verse 1: Bono, Gwen Stefani, Jermaine Dupri, Aaron Lewis, (Backstreet Boys)]
Mother, mother
There's too many of you crying
Oh, brother, brother, brother
There's far too many of you dying (That's right)
You know we've got to find a way (Aah, ah, ah, ahh)
To bring some lovin', lovin' here today, yeah

[Verse 2: Nona Gaye, Brian Littrell, Nona Gaye & Backstreet Boys, Christina Aguilera, (Destiny's Child)]
Oh, my father, father (Father)
We don't need to escalate
You see, war is not the answer
For only love can conquer hate
You know we've got to find a way (Aah, ah, ah, ahh)
To bring some lovin' here today
Eee-ee

[Chorus: Britney Spears, Destiny's Child, Jennifer Lopez, Beyoncé]
Barricades can't block our way (Sister, sister)
Don't punish me with brutality (Sister, sister)
Talk to me (Sister)
So, you can see (Sister)
Oh, what's going on (What's going on)
What's going on (What's going on)
Yeah, what's going on (What's going on)
What's going on (What's going on)

[Verse 3: Ja Rule, Destiny's Child, Britney Spears, Beyonce, (Britney Spears & Beyoncé)]
(Ooh, ooh, ooh) What's going on in a world filled with pain (Ah-ya-ya-ya-ya-ya)
Where's the love for which we pray
What's going on
When our children can't play (Ah-ya-ya-ya-ya-ya)
Homeless can't eat
There's got to be a better way (Ooh, ooh, ooh)
What's going on
When we politically blind (Ah-ya-ya-ya-ya-ya)
Can't see the signs of endangered times
What's going on

[Verse 4: Nelly Furtado, Destiny's Child, Beyoncé]
Ah, ah
Tell me (Ooh, ooh, ooh)
What's goin' on in the world today (Oh, oh, ooh)
I'd rather be dead
Than turn my head away (Oh, oh, oh)
We got a first world vision
Too comfy to lift up our hands in the air (Oh, oh, oh)
And cry for a switch

[Verse 5: Michael Stipe, Alicia Keys, JC Chasez & *NSYNC, Mary J. Blige, (Diddy)]
Father, father (Father, help us, come on)
Everybody thinks we're wrong, oh, ooh
Oh, but who are they to judge us
(Who are they to judge us?)
Together we can all be strong, yeah, yes
(United we stand, divided we fall)
Oh, you know we've got to find a way (Ooh, ooh)
To bring some understanding here today, oh (Ooh, ooh)

[Chorus: Justin Timberlake, *NSYNC, Darren Hayes, Mary J. Blige]
Barricades can't block our way (Brother, brother)
Don't punish me with brutality (Brother, brother)
Baby, talk to me (Brother)
So, you can see (Oh, oh)
Yeah, what's going on (Oh, ooh)
(What's going on)
Hey, what's going on (Somebody tell me)
What's going on (Somebody tell me)
What's goin' on, yeah, yeah

[Verse 6: Nelly, Mary J. Blige, Justin Timberlake]
What's going on 'cross seas (Ah, ah, ah)
Every minute a child dies by this disease (Oh, ooh)
In record numbers indeed
Got mommas crying out please
My baby hold on
My child ain't done nothing wrong
Still I want to holler (Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
Ask them why they don't bother
Oh no, oh no
Make me turn to my father (Ooh)
And ask him why they all got a trapped soul (Yeah, eh)

[Verse 7: Nas, Justin Timberlake, Alicia Keys]
I can feel what was bothering Marvin
Why his words forever remain (Do-do-do-do)
Dealing with these modern day problems
'Cause of ignorance surrounding me and my constituents (Yeah, eh)
Too many infected (Oh, oh)
Too many lives diminishing (Whee, Oh-la-la-la-la)
Nobody say Protestants, Jews, Blacks, and Whites, Latinos and
Asians
Pray together
Less fight
We better unite
As genocide chemical war
And the rich and the poor
Know that God delivers a cure
(Oh, la-la-la-la)

[Verse 8: Eve, Alicia Keys]
It's a shame our reality is devastating
People praying for a cure (Oh, la-la-la-la)
Dying while they're waiting
Ask the Lord for the comfort and strength to face it
(Ah-ya-ya-ya-ya)
All the kids with dreams
Won't get the chance to chase it
Makes me sad
Think about the lives they would've had (Do-do-do-do)
Think about the orphan babies got no moms and dads
How can we sit back and not try to make it right (Do-do-do-do, oh, ya-ya-ya)
We gotta come together
We gotta fight for life

[Verse 9: Fred Durst, Christina Aguilera]
Somebody tell me what's going on (what's going on)
We got human beings using humans for a bomb
(Yeah, ah, ah-ee)
But everybody wanna live
Don't nobody really want to die (Ooh-oh, ooh)
You feeling me right
I can't be watching people die
And watching people cry
Let me break it down for a minute (Ah-ah, ah ah)
If there's enough room here for you and for me
There's plenty of room for some humanity
You've got to show me, (show me)
(What's going on) What's going on?

Tracklistings[]

US maxi-CD single

  1. "What's Going On" (Dupri original mix)
  2. "What's Going On" (The London version)
  3. "What's Going On" (Moby's version)
  4. "What's Going On" (Fred Durst's Reality Check Mix)
  5. "What's Going On" (Michael Mangini|Mangini/Pop Rox Mix)
  6. "What's Going On" (Mick Guzauski's Pop Mix)
  7. "What's Going On" (Dupri R&B Mix)
  8. "What's Going On" (The Neptunes This One's for You Mix)
  9. "What's Going On" (Junior Vasquez's Club Mix)

UK CD single

  1. "What's Going On" (Dupri original mix) – 4:19
  2. "What's Going On" (Fred Durst's Reality Check Mix) – 5:14
  3. "What's Going On" (The London version) – 3:55

UK cassette single

  1. "What's Going On" (Dupri original mix) – 4:19
  2. "What's Going On" (Moby's version) – 4:36

European CD single

  1. "What's Going On" (Dupri original mix)
  2. "What's Going On" (Fred Durst's Reality Check Mix)

Charts[]

Weekly charts[]

Weekly chart performance for "What's Going On"
Chart (2001–02) Peak

position

ARIA) 38
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) 51
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) 18
Ultratip Bubbling Under Wallonia) 5
Tracklisten) 2
Eurochart Hot 100) 13
SNEP) 55
Official German Charts) 35
IRMA) 8
FIMI) 5
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) 24
Single Top 100) 26
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) 18
Scotland (Official Charts Company|OCC) 7
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) 19
Schweizer Hitparade) 16
OCC) 6
UK Hip Hop/R&B (Official Charts Company|OCC) 4
US Billboard Hot 100 27
US Dance Singles Sales (Billboard) 11
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard) 76
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard) 24
Rhythmic (Billboard) 24

Year-end charts[]

Year-end chart performance for "What's Going On"
Chart (2001) Position
Ireland (IRMA) 96
UK Singles (OCC) 161

Certifications[]

Certifications for "What's Going On"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
RMNZ) Gold 5,000*
* Sales figures based on certification alone.

Release history[]

Region Date Format(s) Label(s)
United States October 30, 2001 CD
  • Play-Tone
  • Columbia Records|Columbia
United Kingdom November 5, 2001
  • CD
  • cassette
Columbia
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