Christina Aguilera - Can't Hold Us Down ft. Lil' Kim - Stripped

Song of Christina Aguilera from album Stripped

Can't Hold Us Down
Christina Aguilera ft. Lil' Kim

So what am I not supposed to have an opinion
Should I be quiet just because I'm a woman
Call me a bitch cause I speak what's on my mind
Guess it's easier for you to swallow if I sat and smiled

When a female fires back
Suddenly big talker don't know how to act
So he does what any little boy will do
Making up a few false rumors or two

That for sure is not a man to me
Slanderin' names for popularity
It's sad you only get your fame through controversy
But now it's time for me to come and give you more to say

This is for my girls all around the world
Who've come across a man who don't respect your worth
Thinking all women should be seen, not heard
So what do we do girls?
Shout louder!
Letting them know we're gonna stand our ground
Lift your hands high and wave them proud
Take a deep breath and say it loud
Never can, never will, can't hold us down

Nobody can hold us down
Nobody can hold us down
Nobody can hold us down
Never can, never will

So what am I not supposed to say what I'm saying
Are you offended by the message I'm bringing
Call me whatever cos your words don't mean a thing
Guess you ain't even a man enough to handle what I sing

If you look back in history
It's a common double standard of society
The guy gets all the glory the more he can score
While the girl can do the same and yet you call her a whore

I don't understand why it's okay
The guy can get away with it & the girl gets named
All my ladies come together and make a change
Start a new beginning for us everybody sing

This is for my girls all around the world
Who've come across a man who don't respect your worth
Thinking all women should be seen, not heard
What do we do girls?
Shout louder!
Letting them know we're gonna stand our ground
Lift your hands high and wave 'em proud
Take a deep breath and say it loud
Never can, never will, can't hold us down

[Lil' Kim:]
Check it - Here's something I just can't understand
If the guy have three girls then he's the man
He can either give us some head, sex her off
If the girl do the same, then she's a whore
But the table's about to turn
I'll bet my fame on it
Cats take my ideas and put their name on it
It's aiight though, you can't hold me down
I got to keep on movin'
To all my girls with a man who be tryin to mack
Do it right back to him and let that be that
You need to let him know that his game is whack
And Lil' Kim and Christina Aguilera got your back

But you're just a little boy
Think you're so cute, so coy
You must talk so big
To make up for smaller things
So you're just a little boy
All you'll do is annoy
You must talk so big
To make up for smaller things

This is for my girls...
This is for my girls all around the world
Who've come across a man who don't respect your worth
Thinking all women should be seen, not heard
So what do we do girls?
Should out loud!
Letting them know we're gonna stand our ground
Lift your hands high and wave 'em proud
Take a deep breath and say it loud
Never can, never will, can't hold us down

This is for my girls all around the world
Who've come across a man who don't respect your worth
Thinking all women should be seen, not heard
So what do we do girls?
Shout louder!
Letting them know we're gonna stand our ground
Lift your hands high and wave 'em proud
Take a deep breath and say it loud
Never can, never will, can't hold us down
Spread the word, can't hold us down

[mamocha]

Women on top, well done Christina! it is about time! I love your voice & you speak your mind out! You are simply amazing! I love you babes ♡

[sayamoza]

clear message from christina aguilera.

[missangelpirateprincesspea]

[Christina Aguilera]: So what am I not supposed to have an opinion? Should I be blind to speak 'cause I'm a woman? Call me a b*tch 'cause I speak what's on my mind, guess it's easier for you to swallow if I sat and smiled When a female fires back, suddenly big talker don't know how to act, so he does what any little boy would do Making up a few false rumors or 2. That for sure is not a man to me slandering names for popularity it's sad you only get your fame through controversy (So sad) But now it's time for me to come and give you more to say!

This is for my girls all around the world (Around the world) who will come across a man who don't respect your worth (Ooh) Thinking a woman should be seen, not heard (Whoa) So what do we do girls? Shout louder! Letting them know we're gonna stand our ground Lift your hands high and wave them proud (Oh-ooh) Take a deep breath and say it loud (Whoa!) Never can, never will, can't hold us down Nobody can hold us down Nobody can hold us down Nobody can hold us down Never can, never will

So what am I not supposed to say what I'm saying? Are you offended with the message I'm bringing? Call me whatever 'cause your words don't mean a thing, guess you ain't even a man enough to handle what I sing. If you look back in history it's a common double standard of society the guy gets all the glory the more he can score while the girl can do the same and yet you call her a wh*re. I don't understand why it's OK, the guy can get away with it, the girl gets named, all my ladies come together and make a change, and start a new beginning for us everybody sing!

This is for my girls all around the world (Yeah) Who will come across a man who don't respect your worth Thinking a woman should be seen, not heard (You can't get rid of us) So what do we do girls? Shout louder! Letting them know we're gonna stand our ground (We standing our ground on this one) Lift your hands high and wave 'em proud Take a deep breath and say it loud Never can, never will, can't hold us down (Check it)

[Lil' Kim]: Here's something I just can't understand: If a guy have 3 girls then he's the man, he can even give her some head or s*x her raw if a girl do the same, then she's a wh*re, but the table's about to turn I bet my fame on it Cats take my ideas and put their name on it It's alright though, you can't hold me down (Oh no) I've got to keep on moving To all my girls with a man who be trying to mac, do it right back to him and let that be that, you need to let him know that his game is whack, and Lil' Kim and Christina Aguilera got your back

[Christina Aguilera]: You're just a little boy think you're so cute, so coy, you must talk so big to make up for smaller things, you're just a little boy all you'll do is annoy, you must talk so big to make up for smaller things This is for my girls

This is for my girls all around the world (Whoa) Who will come across a man who don't respect your worth (Respect your worth, ooh!) Thinking a woman should be seen, not heard So what do we do girls? Shout louder! Letting them know we're gonna stand our ground Lift your hands high and wave 'em proud Take a deep breath and say it loud Never can, never will, can't hold us down (Oh!) This is for my girls all around the world (This is for my girls) Who will come across a man who don't respect your worth (Around the world) Thinking a woman should be seen, not heard So what do we do girls? Shout louder! Letting them know we're gonna stand our ground Lift your hands high and wave 'em proud Take a deep breath and say it loud Never can, never will, can't hold us down

([Christina Aguilera]: Uh, oh-oh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh) [Spoken]: [Lil' Kim]: Spread the word ([Christina Aguilera]: Can't hold us down) [Lil' Kim]: [Spoken]: Yeah, we here, we back again, yeah. Lil' Kim and Christina Aguilera Yeah ([Christina Aguilera]: Can't hold us down, uh, uh)

"Can't Hold Us Down" is a song recorded by American singer Christina Aguilera and rapper Lil' Kim for the former's fourth studio album Stripped (2002). It was released by RCA Records on July 8, 2003, as the fourth single from the album. The track was written and produced by Scott Storch, with additional songwriting by Aguilera and Matt Morris. An R&B and hip hop song with a dancehall outro, "Can't Hold Us Down" criticizes gender-related double standards. "Can't Hold Us Down" received mixed reviews from music critics. It was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals at the 2004 ceremony, but lost to "Whenever I Say Your Name" by Sting and Mary J. Blige. A music video for "Can't Hold Us Down" was directed by David LaChapelle, inspired by the Lower East Side of New York City in the 1980s. The single has been widely recognized as a feminist anthem. "Can't Hold Us Down" lyrically discusses feminism; the song criticizes "common" gender-related double standards, in which men are applauded for their sexual behaviors, while women who behave in a similar fashion are disdained. Can't Hold Us Down" is a hip hop song that "encourages young women to be proud, strong, and empowered to be all that they can be". At the song's first verse, Christina sings "Call me a b*tch 'cause I speak what's on my mind Guess it's easier for you to swallow if I sat and smiled"; she later rejects that all women "should be seen, not heard" and encourages them to "shout louder" during the chorus. She comments on the double standard with the lyrics "The guy gets all the glory the more he can score, while the girl can do the same and yet you call her a wh*re". Lil' Kim shares a similar sentiment during her verse in the bridge, questioning why a man is able to give a woman "some sex or sex her raw" while "if the girl do the same and then she's a wh*re". Media outlets speculated that the lyrics of "Can't Hold Us Down" were directed towards rapper Eminem, who called out at Christina in his songs "Off the Wall" and "The Real Slim Shady". Spin magazine's Josh Kun wrote that Christina fired back at Eminem that he "Must talk so big to make up for smaller things". According to Kelefa Sanneh writing for The New York Times, Christina also fired back at Eminem in the lyrics by saying, "It's sad you only get your fame through controversy", and "Call me whatever 'cause your words don't mean a thing, guess you ain't even a man enough to handle what I sing. If you look back in history, it's a common double standard of society: "The guy gets all the glory, the more he can score, while the girl can do the same and yet you call her a wh*re I don't understand why it's okay, the guy can get away with it, the girl gets named." The music video for "Can't Hold Us Down" was directed by David LaChapelle, who previously directed the music video for Stripped's lead single "Dirrty" in 2002. It was filmed in a Los Angeles soundstage that depicted a 1980s Lower East Side neighborhood in Manhattan, New York City. David described the concept of the video as his "ode to the '80s". In the video, Christina wears a pink midriff shirt matching a sleeveless sports jacket and pair of shorts, a purple baseball cap embroidered with the words "Lady C", and white long socks. She is seen with dyed black hair and gold earrings. As the video starts with Christina is chatting with a group of women. When she leaves the conversation, a man suddenly touches her rear-end, making her stop and causing an argument between them. As she continues to sing, the nearby women in the neighborhood join her, while the male dancers are joined and form their respective sides in the street. They performed their own hip hop dance skills against each other. At the bridge, Lil' Kim appears in a bikini and a mesh black coat, and dances in her high heels. The argument ends with Christina spraying the men with a water hose, which she holds between her legs. At the end, she happily walks away from the riot. Though Lil' Kim and Christina never performed the song together, Christina performed "Can't Hold Us Down" on her Justified and Stripped Tour, which was held in support of Christina's Stripped and Justin Timberlake's album Justified, (2003) where Christina rides a "spark-shooting" motorcycle. In late 2003, the track was included on the setlist of the Stripped Tour. The performance at the Wembley Arena in London was recorded for the 2004 video release Stripped Live in the U.K..