Background and Composition
After the success of the single "Get Right", the song was chosen as the second single from the album. Many critics and fans criticized the fact that the song was released as single.
"Hold You Down" was written by Gregory Christopher, Gregory Bruno, Makeba Riddick, Joseph Cartagena, Cory Rooney, Larry Troutman, Billy Beck and produced by Nyce Boy, Gregory Bruno, Cory Rooney. "Hold You Down" is a mellow R&B produced song, which samples Shirley Murdock's "As We Lay". The track was a "last minute" add to Rebirth; Lopez said "So I'm listening to the song and there's nobody I can do this song with except Fat Joe. So I give him a call right away. I'm like, 'What's up? Can you come down? I've got something for us ... and it's hot.' And he's like, 'I'll be there tomorrow.'" Fat Joe said "It's more like a friendship record, you know what I mean? Growing up in the Bronx and how we became who we are, but we still keep it real with each other. We don't talk every day, but we got mad love for each other whenever we see each other. It's always crazy love." Lopez recalled the day when she was to record the song with Fat Joe, and that he had shown up late; she was worried that his enthusiasm to hear the song was clearly gone. Fat Joe heard the song, and said "Yo, that's hot, Ma, I love that" and wrote and recorded his verses the next day.
The song is also available on Joe's album "All or Nothing" (2005).
Lyrically, the song talks about how true she's been to her hood. The song has a flat beat and some tinkling chimes, which according to Sam Shepherd from musicOMH, "wouldn't be out of place on a Christmas single."
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