I Wanna Be Down

"I Wanna Be Down" is a song by American recording artist Brandy Norwood. It served as Norwood's debut single, the first from her self-titled debut album, released in 1994. Written by musicians Keith Crouch and Kipper Jones, with production helmed by the former, it was released on September 6, 1994 by Atlantic Records. A blend of soft hip hop soul and contemporary mid–1990s R&B, the song is a mid–tempo track that features a thunderous beat and light synth riffs. Lyrically, "I Wanna Be Down" describes a flirt with a boy, who Norwood tries to convince of her charms.

The song's original music video was filmed by Keith Ward and released in October 1994. It features Norwood in her tomboy image, dancing in front of a jeep near a forest, flanked by several dancers. "I Wann Be Down" was performed on several television and award show ceremonies, such as The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and the 1996 Soul Train Music Awards. It has been performed on almost every one of Norwood's concerts and tours, and is featured on her compilation albums, The Best of Brandy (2005).

"I Wanna Be Down" was released to positive reaction by contemporary music critics. Its impact on the charts was comparatively large for a debut single: While it spent four weeks on top of the US Billboard Hot R&B Singles chart, it reached number six on the Billboard Hot 100, and the top 20 in Australia and New Zealand. In 1995, a hip hop remix with new vocals from American rappers MC Lyte, Queen Latifah, and Yo-Yo was released.