Transparency (song)

"Transparency"
"Transparency"
Single by 2 Chainz and Lil Wayne featuring Usher
from the album Welcome 2 Collegrove
Released	November 17, 2023
Genre	Hip hop; R&B;
Length	3:15
Label	Gamebread; Def Jam;
Songwriter(s)	Carter; Epps; Christian Ward; Dean; Lerron Carson; Francis LeBlanc; Altariq Crapps; Melvin Moore;
Producer(s)	Fridayy; Hitmaka; Dean; Paul Cabbin; Tarik Beats;
2 Chainz singles chronology
Lil Wayne singles chronology
Usher singles chronology
Music video
	"Transparency" on YouTube

"Transparency" is a song by American rappers 2 Chainz and Lil Wayne, featuring R&B singer Usher. It was released on November 17, 2023, as the third single from their collaborative studio album Welcome 2 Collegrove (2023).^[2]^[3]

Background

"Transparency" was originally a Chris Brown song featuring 2 Chainz, that was supposed to be included on his tenth studio album Breezy (2022), and sampled Michael Jackson's 1982 song "The Lady In My Life".^[4] However, the song wasn't released, with Brown stating in 2022: "We couldn't clear the sample and we felt it took away from the song if that music wasn't there", unofficially releasing a solo version of it on his Instagram account.^[4]

The track was later taken by 2 Chainz and Lil Wayne for their 2023 collaborative studio album Welcome 2 Collegrove, enlisting Fridayy, Hitmaka, Mike Dean, Paul Cabbin and Tarik Beats to rearrange its instrumental, and Usher to perform the song's chorus.

Critical reception

Slant commented the song saying that it's "a repurposing of a previously leaked Chris Brown song. It’s supposedly a somewhat serious song about integrity, but the two rappers groaningly take the titular concept literally, making cracks about, among other things, see-through garments".^[5] HipHopDX stated that the song "feel[s] dated and slapdash", adding that it "rips lyrics from the chorus of a 2021 Chris Brown song of the same name, sounds like a lazy reach for radio play".^[6]

Music video

The music video for "Transparency" was released alongside the song.^[7]

Charts

Chart performance for "Transparency"
Chart (2023–2024)	Peak position
US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (Billboard)^[8]	3
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)^[9]	35
US Rhythmic (Billboard)^[10]	12

References

^ "2 Chainz, Lil Wayne - Welcome 2 Collegrove Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic". Archived from the original on 2023-12-16. Retrieved 2023-12-29 – via www.allmusic.com.
^ "2 Chainz & Lil Wayne Drop Highly Anticipated New Album, Welcome 2 Collegrove, Available Today". Umusic. Retrieved 2024-02-12.
^ "2 Chainz & Lil Wayne Release Their Joint Album Welcome 2 Collegrove". iHeart. Retrieved 2024-02-12.
^ ^a ^b Hynes, Hayley (December 4, 2022). "Chris Brown Leaks Michael Jackson-Sampled Song, "Transparency" On IG: Listen". HotNewHipHop. Archived from the original on December 16, 2023. Retrieved December 29, 2023.
^ Lyons-Burt, Charles (November 20, 2023). "2 Chainz and Lil Wayne 'Welcome 2 Collegrove' Review". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on November 20, 2023. Retrieved November 21, 2023.
^ "Lil Wayne & 2 Chainz Make Up For Their Recent Poor Solo Albums On 'Welcome 2 Collegrove'". HipHopDX. November 19, 2023. Archived from the original on December 28, 2023. Retrieved December 29, 2023.
^ "New Video: 2 Chainz, Lil Wayne, & Usher - 'Transparency' - That Grape Juice". thatgrapejuice.net. Archived from the original on 2023-11-19. Retrieved 2023-12-29.
^ "2 Chainz Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
^ "2 Chainz Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 23, 2023.
^ "2 Chainz Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved February 18, 2024.

[1] "2 Chainz, Lil Wayne - Welcome 2 Collegrove Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic". Archived from the original on 2023-12-16. Retrieved 2023-12-29 – via www.allmusic.com.

[2] "2 Chainz & Lil Wayne Drop Highly Anticipated New Album, Welcome 2 Collegrove, Available Today". Umusic. Retrieved 2024-02-12.

[3] "2 Chainz & Lil Wayne Release Their Joint Album Welcome 2 Collegrove". iHeart. Retrieved 2024-02-12.

[CB-4] Hynes, Hayley (December 4, 2022). "Chris Brown Leaks Michael Jackson-Sampled Song, "Transparency" On IG: Listen". HotNewHipHop. Archived from the original on December 16, 2023. Retrieved December 29, 2023.

[5] Lyons-Burt, Charles (November 20, 2023). "2 Chainz and Lil Wayne 'Welcome 2 Collegrove' Review". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on November 20, 2023. Retrieved November 21, 2023.

[6] "Lil Wayne & 2 Chainz Make Up For Their Recent Poor Solo Albums On 'Welcome 2 Collegrove'". HipHopDX. November 19, 2023. Archived from the original on December 28, 2023. Retrieved December 29, 2023.

[7] "New Video: 2 Chainz, Lil Wayne, & Usher - 'Transparency' - That Grape Juice". thatgrapejuice.net. Archived from the original on 2023-11-19. Retrieved 2023-12-29.

[sc_Billboardbubbling100_2_Chainz-8] "2 Chainz Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 28, 2023.

[sc_Billboardrandbhiphop_2_Chainz-9] "2 Chainz Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 23, 2023.

[sc_Billboardrhythmic_2_Chainz-10] "2 Chainz Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved February 18, 2024.

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v t e 2 Chainz songs
Discography
Based on a T.R.U. Story	"No Lie" "Birthday Song" "I'm Different" "Riot"
B.O.A.T.S. II: Me Time	"Feds Watching" "Where U Been?" "I Do It" "Used 2" "Netflix" "We Own It (Fast & Furious)"
ColleGrove	"Watch Out"
Pretty Girls Like Trap Music	"Big Amount" "Good Drank" "It's a Vibe" "4 AM"
Rap or Go to the League	"Rule the World"
Welcome 2 Collegrove	"Presha" "Long Story Short" "Transparency"
Other singles	"Mercy" "Champions" "Gang Up" "Proud" "Bigger Than You" "Baddest"
Featured singles	"Beez in the Trap" "Breakfast (Syrup)" "Sweat" "My Moment" "Do My Dance" "Bandz a Make Her Dance" "Fuckin' Problems" "Leggo" "R.I.P." "Rich As Fuck" "Headband" "Bubble Butt (Remix)" "When I Feel Like It" "My Story" "Talk Dirty" "Give It 2 U (Remix)" "Trampoline" "All Me" "Cut Her Off" "Only That Real" "24 Hours" "Burnin' Up" "Mama Ain't Proud" "Hood Go Crazy" "Double Tap" "3500" "No Problem" "Castro" "Accelerate" "Big Bank" "Nah Nah Nah (Remix)"
Other songs	"Ali Bomaye" "What They Want" "Chloraseptic"
Category

v t e Usher songs
Usher	"Can U Get wit It" "Think of You" "The Many Ways"
My Way	"You Make Me Wanna..." "Nice & Slow" "My Way"
8701	"Pop Ya Collar" "U Remind Me" "U Got It Bad" "U Don't Have to Call" "U-Turn"
Confessions	"Yeah!" "Confessions Part II" "Burn" "Caught Up" "My Boo"
Here I Stand	"Love in This Club" "Trading Places" "Moving Mountains" "What's Your Name" "Love in This Club Part II" "Here I Stand"
Raymond v. Raymond	"Papers" "Hey Daddy (Daddy's Home)" "Lil Freak" "OMG" "There Goes My Baby" "More"
Versus	"DJ Got Us Fallin' in Love" "Hot Tottie" "Lay You Down" "Somebody to Love" (Remix)
Looking 4 Myself	"Climax" "Scream" "Lemme See" "Dive" "Numb"
Hard II Love	"No Limit" "Crash" "Missin U" "Champions" "Rivals"
Coming Home	"Good Good" "Standing Next to You" (Remix)
Collaborations	"The Party Continues" "I Need a Girl (Part One)" "Lovers and Friends" "Same Girl" "Better on the Other Side" "Spotlight" "We Are the World 25 for Haiti" "Dirty Dancer" "The Christmas Song" "Promise" "Without You" "Touch'N You" "Rest of My Life" "Go Missin'" "New Flame" "Body Language" "The Matrimony" "Don't Look Down" "Back to Sleep" (Remix) "Crush" "Party" "Come Thru" "Too Much" "Peaches" (Remix) "Good Love" "Transparency"
Non-album songs	"Call Me a Mack" "What More Can I Give" "You'll Be in My Heart" "Good Kisser" "She Came to Give It to You" "I Don't Mind" "Chains" "Wait for It" "SexBeat" "California" "I Cry" "Don't Waste My Time" "Bad Habits" "Glu"