"I'm a Slave 4 U" is a song recorded by American singer Britney Spears for her third studio album, Britney (2001). Written and produced by Chad Hugo and Pharrell Williams of the Neptunes, it was released on September 25, 2001, by Jive Records as the lead single from the album. Marking a transition for Spears from the teen pop sounds of her previous singles, "I'm a Slave 4 U" is a dance-pop track with urban pop and R&B influences. The lyrics describes the plea of a young woman to be liberated and feel independent. Heralding a new, provocative image for Spears, "I'm a Slave 4 U" garnered a mixed reception from music critics at the time of its release. Some argued it was the singer's most mature sound at the time, compared to her previous singles, while others noticed the song's attempt to leave behind Spears' girl next door image and said her vocals were unnatural. The song achieved commercial success worldwide, peaking within the top ten in almost every country that it charted in. However, the song peaked only at number 27 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 85 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, both being the lowest chart positions of the single worldwide. Since its release, "I'm a Slave 4 U" has become one of Spears' signature hits as well as one of the defining songs of the 2000s and of the genre. Spears' 2001 MTV Video Music Awards performance of the song is considered amongst the greatest live performances in pop music history, as well as a career highlight for Spears. MTV summarized Spears' performance at the ceremony, saying, "draping herself in a Albino python and slithering around a steamy garden setting – surrounded by dancers in zebra and tiger outfits – Spears created one of the most striking visuals in the 27-year history of the show." In 2021, Billboard ranked "I'm a Slave 4 U" at number three in its list of "The 100 Greatest Songs of 2001". Background and composition "I'm a Slave 4 U" was written and produced by Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo of the Neptunes, who also collaborated with Spears on "Boys", another track from Britney. Both recordings were originally intended for Janet Jackson's seventh studio album All for You (2001) – Jackson's recording was an unreleased demo before the track was handed to Spears. "I'm a Slave 4 U"