Key Takeaways
- These are the 10 best Donell Jones songs of all time—framing his evolution from teenage singer and songwriter to one of late-’90s/2000s R&B’s most versatile voices.
- The list features cuts like “Where I Wanna Be,” “U Know What’s Up” with Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes, and his Stevie Wonder cover “Knocks Me Off My Feet,” plus deep cuts like “Love Like This” and “You Know That I Love You.”
- This list is coming as he prepares to face off against Joe in the latest VERZUZ., R&B Nights.
When Donell Jones was 14, he received his first musical instrument: an electric guitar. At that point, he was already a singer and a songwriter. Part of it was in his lineage: he was the son of Roy Jones, a gospel singer.
And then Jones got his first break two years after he got that gift. He tried out to join the group was got in. However, by the mid-'90s, Porche would disband, but Jones didn't stop. In 1994, he experienced his first taste of success when he wrote Usher's first hit song "Think of You." This lead to him dropping his debut album My Heart, two years later. The album wasn't a hit, but did feature the Stevie Wonder cover "Knocks Me Off My Feet."
It wasn't until 1999 where he would find real success: he released his second album, Where I Wanna Be. The album was a smash, producing two all-time great R&B songs in the process.
Jones would stay consistent throughout the 2000s, even when going indie, balancing his image as a suave lover with party-centric energy while flirting with some harder-edged R&B, creating one of the more versatile R&B catalogues of the era.
He will now take on Joe in the latest VERZUZ on Thursday (Aug. 20) at 9 p.m. EDT/6 p.m. PDT. As always, fans can stream the event and related content live via Apple Music, Complex, and all official VERZUZ channels.
Here are the 10 best Donell Jones songs of all time.
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Big Pun feat. Donell Jones, "It's So Hard" (2000)
Album: Yeeeah Baby
Producer: Younglord
Similar to Joe, Donell Jones also played wingman for a Big Pun classic.
"It's So Hard" has a bittersweet feel, considering it came out after Pun died and it features the chilling line "I just lost a 100 pounds I'm trying to leave." Donell isn't as essential to the song—in fact you can still hear Tony Sunshine's background vocals—but it's still a classic.
"Love Like This" (2010)
Album: Lyrics
Producer: Donell Jones
Lyrics was Donell Jones' first album after departing LaFace Records and going indie. The album is almost entirely produced by Donell himself, and he embraces a more electronic, synth-heavy, FutureSex/LoveSounds palette.
The highlight is "Love Like This" with its herky-jerky synth line and handclaps—it's one of the more unorthodox singles of his career.
"I'll Go" (2000)
Album: Love & Basketball (Music From The Motion Picture)
Producer: Steve "Silk" Hurley and Rahsaan Patterson
Featured on the soundtrack for Love & Basketball, "I'll Go" was actually a Rahsaan Patterson song before Jones got his hands on it. (Somehow Patterson left it off his second studio album, Love in Stereo.) We're grateful Jones was able to get the track and add a level of coolness to this feel-good, warm-house-inspired banger.
"Where You Are, Pt. 2 (Is Where I Wanna Be)" (2002)
Album: Life Goes On
Producer: Kyle West & Donell Jones
The sequel to "Where I Wanna Be," "Where You Are, Pt. 2" finds Jones full of regret. He's no longer conflicted—he wants to be with his lady. The song does a good job of signaling to the classic original without fully just remaking the song beat by beat.
“Shorty (Got Her Eyes on Me)” (1999)
Album: Where I Wanna Be
Producer: Donell Jones, Eric Williams, Wesley Hogges
"Shorty (Got Her Eyes on Me)" is the perfect nightcap. The song is all about the moments where the club is clearing out and after party decisions are being made. It's not a vocal showcase for Jones—but a vibe, featuring a sexy guitar leading the way.
“This Luv” (1999)
Album: Where I Wanna Be
Producer: Donell Jones & Sheldon Goode
The song is called "This Luv" but really it's a track about lust. Donell Jones is on the hunt—this time for a lady who's already taken. Jones is straightforward with what he wants: "No relationship involved / Gotta keep it strictly physical," he sings. Somehow Donell makes cheating sound romantic.
"You Know That I Love You" (2002)
Album: Life Goes On
Producer: Richard Smith, Chris Absolam & Jamie Hawkins
After being the avoidant king on Where I Wanna Be, Donell Jones returned three years later with a much softer side. Life Goes On is more neo-soul-influenced than some of his best-known work, and it's best displayed in the first single "You Know That I Love You," which is a sweet ode to a lover.
"Knocks Me Off My Feet" (1996)
Album: My Heart
Producer: Darin Whittington
From Lauryn Hill's "Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You" to D'Angelo's "She's Always in My Hair," R&B singers of the '90s weren't afraid to take on the classics of the previous decades. One of the best and maybe most under-appreciated is Donell Jones' cover of the Stevie Wonder classic "Knocks Me Off My Feet," which is sweet and romantic—a good early example of his chops.
Donell Jones feat. Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, “U Know What's Up” (1999)
Album: Where I Wanna Be
Producer: DJ Eddie F & Darren Lighty
"U Know What's Up" is Donell Jones' biggest single and classic R&B and rap collabo, one of the few that features a male singing and a female rapper. Donell is cool and slick here as he tries to pick up a lover while Left Eye is all skill and lyrical finesse, making one of the best collabs of the ‘90s.
"Where I Wanna Be" (1999)
Album: Where I Wanna Be
Producer: DJ Eddie F & Darren Lighty
Donell Jones once said this song—where he sings the lyrics "I'd rather leave than to cheat"—was based on a real-life situation with the woman he was dealing with. "Where I Wanna Be" is an all-timer — a somber, beautifully performed song with devious intents.
