 " Boys " is a song that combines R & B with hip hop . According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by EMI Music Publishing , it is set in the time signature of common time and has a tempo of 108 beats per minute . While the original Britney version features Spears solely , " The Co @-@ ed Remix " which was released as a single , sees the singer and the song 's co @-@ producer , rapper Pharrell Williams trading lines . The remix version of the track contains a slower tempo then that of the original . According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel , Williams and Spears put on a " rap @-@ lite teen @-@ pop tease . " The song also includes influences of funk music . During the time of the album 's release , her official site stated that the song had aspects of 70 's soul music and influences of Prince 's music . According to Alex Needham of New Musical Express , the track takes influence from Janet Jackson . David Browne of Entertainment Weekly said the song was " cut @-@ rate ' 80s Janet Jackson . " Lyrical content sees Spears eying a guy with an intent to " get nasty . " 
