This Is Me... Then

In June 2002, Lopez split from her former back-up dancer Cris Judd to pursue a relationship with Academy Award winning actor and director, Ben Affleck, "Hollywood's Golden Boy". That November, Affleck proposed, resulting in a higher amount of attention towards the couple. The public and media began to refer to them as "Bennifer" and they became a prominent supercouple in the media and popular culture. "Bennifer" became a popular term, which was eventually entered into urban dictionaries and neologism dictionaries as notable, and the name blend started the trend of other celebrity couples being referred to by the combination of each other's first names. Speaking of the publicity, Lopez told MTV News: "We try [to keep things private]." "I'm not saying there's not times that we wish [we] could just be going to the movies and come out and there's not a crowd there waiting. You just want to spend your Sunday afternoon not working, but at the same time we both love what we do. If that's something that's part of it, then that's fine. We feel the love and we're very happy about it," she stated. While speaking of the damage that could be caused, Lopez said: "I think [the media can cause damage] if it's not a real thing. I've been in relationships where they were kind of unstable, and so the media messed with it a lot." The overexposure from the media and public interest in their relationship resulted in less admiration for their work and negatively affected their careers. == Writing and recording ==

Affleck became Lopez's muse when writing and recording the album. "I wrote a lot of songs inspired, in a way, by what I was going through at the time that this album was being made, and he was definitely a big part of that," she told MTV News. The album was titled This Is Me... Then, as it was something she wanted to look back on in retrospection. Lopez explained, "Who you are at that time, what kind of music you like, what kind of beats you're into, what kind of state of mind you're in, what you're attracted to ... it's all very telling of where you are in your life at that point. ... Twenty years from now, if I give this [album] to one of my kids, I'll be like, 'This was me then, at that moment.'" Lopez dedicated the album to Affleck, with the words "You are my life ... my sole inspiration for every lyric, every emotion, every bit of feeling on this record" written on the disc jacket. She had previously collaborated with Oliver and Shea on J.Lo (2001). Lopez has cited this album as her favorite album she has ever done many times over the years. Saying in part: "At that time I truly realized that being an artist meant you have to be vulnerable and bare your heart and soul...it takes courage to do that...to really show who you are at any given moment in time." == Composition ==

This Is Me... Then was considered a departure from Lopez's previous work, with more of an adult-oriented contemporary R&B sound, which included multiple ballads. Boston Globes Steve Morse wrote, "[the] love affair has fired up Hollywood and now pop listeners can now share the vibe. This is one hot album, as [Lopez] sings to lovers everywhere with a soulful passion that will quicken pulses and libidos." Entertainment Weekly described it as having a Minnie Riperton sound, The album evokes 1970s soul music, and blends "streetwise" hip hop with "old-school soul". In "I'm Glad", Lopez discusses finding true love, and declares "I think I'm in love/Damn, finally!" and has been described as the album's "glowing centerpiece". "All I Have", a duet with LL Cool J which samples Debra Law's "Very Special", is a breakup song, and has been noted to conjure up her publicized split with Combs. The Age wrote that the song intones Lopez's "modest childhood roots, vowing she wishes to remain simple despite her diamonds", that includes a "haunting" interpolation from the theme of the film Midnight Cowboy (1969). The song, described as "cheesy" and "blissful", has Lopez singing about being a hopeless romantic ("Can you love me for a lifetime/ In just one night?"). The album closes with a second version of "The One"; this version contains a slightly different production and a new verse was written in place of the original. The lyrical content remains the same. Both the album and song end with Lopez singing "I can be anything you need", like in the original, except silence is heard after that line is said. == Singles ==

On September 26, 2002, a song entitled "Jenny from the Block" by Lopez featuring Styles P and Jadakiss of The LOX was leaked online. A pop radio station in Hartford, Connecticut, later picked up the song from the internet. "Jenny from the Block" was then immediately distributed to other stations owned by Infinity Broadcasting as the album's lead single. "Jenny from the Block" went on to experience international commercial success, peaking within the top ten in the United States as well as over twelve other countries. An accompanying music video for the song, directed by Francis Lawrence and featuring Affleck, was released. According to The Spectator, "Before celebrities become stars, they dream about gaining fame, fortune, and being in the spotlight [...] The video is basically about how she cannot find privacy with her fiance Ben Affleck. A lot of glamour is associated with fame and fortune; however, along with that glamour comes the loss of privacy". The music video became one of the most controversial ones in pop culture at the time. Considered "the video that killed Ben Affleck's career", the actor stated, years after his engagement to Lopez ended, that he regretted filming it. On December 14, 2002; "All I Have" featuring rapper LL Cool J was released as the second single from This Is Me... Then. Not only did it become the album's second consecutive top-ten single in the United States, "All I Have" became Lopez's fourth song to top the Billboard Hot 100. The song samples the 1981 track "Very Special" by Debra Laws. Laws later filed a lawsuit in 2003 against Lopez, LL Cool J and Sony Music Entertainment for "misappropriating her voice and name" in the song. More than three years later, the district court discovered that Law's music label had given Sony permission to use a 10-second sample of Law's song. The lawsuit was dropped, and Laws was advised to sue her own label and publisher for "breach of contract for entering a license agreement without her authorization". According to Lopez, she initially didn't want "Jenny from the Block" or "All I Have" to be released as singles from the album. She felt that the tracks were too similar to her previous singles such as "Ain't It Funny" and "I'm Real"; she felt like she was "visiting old territory". "Those tracks were like a different era for me, and I didn't want people to perceive it like I'm just trying to capitalize on the same thing. But the record company was like, 'Who cares what they think, those are hits mama!'". Lopez, who stated she "calls the shots", eventually agreed. On April 8, 2003, "I'm Glad" was released as the album's third single. Unlike its predecessors, "I'm Glad" failed to enter the top ten in the United States, while performing moderately in the international market. Marder also filed a lawsuit against Sony and Lopez which was quickly dismissed by the courts. That August, "Baby I Love U" was released as the album's fourth and final single, but failed to gain notable chart recognition. == Promotion ==

Upon its initial release, 200,000 copies of This Is Me... Then included a four-panel insert that featured information about her fragrance Glow by JLo, and a peel-off fragrance label that allowed those who purchased the CD to test the scent. On September 27, 2002, a spokesperson for Lopez revealed that she planned to take a break from acting to launch a tour in support of This Is Me... Then in April 2003. == Critical reception ==

According to the reviewer aggregator Metacritic, which sampled nine reviews of This Is Me... Then, the album garnered mostly "mixed or average" reviews from music critics. Writing for Billboard magazine, Michael Paoletta gave This Is Me... Then a favorable review, stating that "even naysayers will have to serve props to Lopez for the considerable growth she reveals as both a performer and tune-smith". Allmusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine gave the album a positive review, calling the feel of it "sexy, stylish, and fun, and there are numerous highlights, all feeling effortless". While Erlewine thought the title was "nonsensical and bewildering", he opined that this was the "strongest, sultriest, best music [Lopez] has recorded". Tom Sinclair of Entertainment Weekly stated "the girl has a way with hooks, even if they're often borrowed", and audiences are "seduced by the breezy pleasure of her new music". Arion Berger of Rolling Stone, however, was not positive. Berger criticized the songs as being "pitched too high for her register", while calling the production "cheap". Berger also observed that "love has dulled whatever street edge she might have had". Similarly, The Village Voices Jon Caramanica was unfavorable, writing: "This Is Me is like the gift you get from your grandmother—awkward, unwanted, and blindly self-righteous. Used to have a little, and still does." Slant Magazine's Sal Cinquemani on the other hand gave the album a favorable review stating that "This Is Me...Then manages to find the right formula for Lopez's slinky vocal and is more unified than its predecessors". Cinquemani felt that "Lopez will no doubt earn a grain of respect from critics". Yahoo! Music's James Poletti was also positive, stating that while Lopez's voice "frequently sounds a trifle thin accompanied by the sort of sounds that we're better used to hearing behind a Creative Source or Gwen McCrae vocal", the "honeyed backing massages any real concerns from your mind". == Commercial performance ==

This Is Me... Then was a commercial success, although not as successful as J.Lo. Released on November 26, 2002, the album debuted on the Billboard 200 at number six, with first-week sales of 314,132 in the United States. This marked the highest opening sales week of Lopez's career. Rolling Stone noted that despite this, "unlike her previous releases, the field wasn't empty for this album to dominate". In its second week, it dropped to number seven with 171,000 copies sold. Throughout December, the album remained in the chart's top ten, and was later ranked by the magazine as the twelfth most successful album of 2003. For the chart issue January 4, 2003, This Is Me... Then sold 345,150 copies, moving from number eight to number five as a result of holiday season gains. For the issue of January 11, 2003, the album remained at number five of the Billboard 200, selling 233,275 copies. For the issue of January 25, 2003, This Is Me... Then made its biggest jump on the Billboard 200, climbing from number six to number two, with sales of 88,625 units, blocked from reaching the top spot by Norah Jones' Come Away With Me (2002) which sold 108,000 copies. Throughout February 2003, the album continued to perform strongly, averaging close to 80,000 copies sold each week, while remaining in the top ten. Additionally, the album peaked at number five on Billboards Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. Internationally, the album entered the top ten of most countries. In Australia, the album debuted and peaked at number 14 on the ARIA Charts for the week ending December 8, 2002. Commercially, it became one of her lowest-charting albums there. However, This Is Me... Then remained on the ARIA Charts until July 6, 2003, allowing it to be certified platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association for shipments of over 70,000 units. This was eleven positions lower than her previous album, J.Lo. It was eventually certified double platinum by the British Phonographic Industry in July 2013, marking shipments of over 600,000 copies. In total, the album has sold over 200,000 copies in Canada, earning a double platinum status in March 2006. The Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique certified This Is Me... Then 2x gold for shipments of 220,000 units. The album peaked at number four in Germany and was certified Gold by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry for shipments of 150,000 units. In Greece, the album peaked at number one and was certified Gold there for sales of 15,000 copies in 2003. Additionally, it peaked at number 10 in Finland, and has sold 19,998 copies there. == Track listing ==

• Shelton • Veney • Hill • Cory Rooney }} • Troy Oliver • Rooney • James Mtume • Michael Garvin • Tom C. Shapiro }} • T. Oliver • Rooney }} • Lopez • T. Oliver • Rooney • Mr. Deyo • Jesse Weaver Jr. }} • T. Oliver • Rooney }} • Lopez • Rooney • Davy Deluge • Linda Creed • Thom Bell }} • Rooney • Deluge • Dan Shea }} • Lopez • Rooney • Bernard Edwards Jr. }} • Focus... • Rooney }} • Lopez • Makeba Riddick • Curtis Richardson • Ron G • Lisa Peters • William Jeffrey }} • Rooney • Ron G • Dave McPherson }} • Lopez • T. Oliver • Mr. Deyo • Samuel Barnes • Jean Claude Olivier • Jose Fernando Arbex Miro • Lawrence Parker • Scott Sterling • Michael Oliver • David Styles • Jason Phillips }} • T. Oliver • Rooney • Poke and Tone }} • Lopez • Rooney • T. Oliver • Reggie Hamlet }} • T. Oliver • Hamlet • Rooney }} • Carly Simon • Michael McDonald }} • Rooney • Shea }} • Lopez • Rooney • Shea }} • Rooney • Shea }} • Lopez • Rooney • Shea • John Barry }} • Rooney • Shea }} • Lopez • Rooney • Creed • Deluge • Bell }} • Rooney • Deluge • Shea }} }} • Rooney • T. Oliver • Poke and Tone }} }} • T. Oliver • Rooney • Poke and Tone }} }} • T. Oliver • Rooney • Paul Oakenfold }} • Lopez • T. Oliver • Mr. Deyo • Barnes • Olivier • Miro • Parker • Sterling • M. Oliver }} • T. Oliver • Rooney • Poke and Toke • Everbots }} • Lopez • Rooney • Deluge • Creed • Bell }} • Rooney • Deluge • Shea • Freddy Bastone • Jeffrey Bernstein }} • Lopez • Smith • Riddick • Richardson • Ron G • McPherson • Peters • Jeffrey }} • Rooney • Ron G • McPherson • Ignorants • Marshall & Trell }} }} • T. Oliver • Rooney • Poke and Toke • Seismic Crew }} • Lopez • Smith • Riddick • Richardson • Ron G • McPherson • Peters • Jeffrey }} • Rooney • Ron G • McPherson • Ignorants • Marshall & Trell }} • Lopez • T. Oliver • Rooney • Mr. Deyo }} • T. Oliver • Rooney • Paul Oakenfold }} • Lopez • Rooney • Deluge • Creed • Bell }} • Rooney • Deluge • Shea • Freddy Bastone • Jeffrey Bernstein }} • Lopez • Rooney • Shea • Barry • R. Kelly }} • Rooney • Shea • Kelly }} }} Notes • signifies a remixer. • signifies an additional producer. • The main album version of "Jenny from the Block" is subtitled as the "Track Masters remix" on digital platforms. • "Still" contains elements of "Set Me Free", written by LeRoy Bell and Casey James and performed by Teddy Pendergrass. • "Loving You" contains: • a portion of "Juicy Fruit", written by James Mtume and performed by Mtume. • an interpolation of "Never Give Up on a Good Thing", written by Michael Garvin and Tom C. Shapiro and performed by George Benson. • "I'm Glad" contains a sample of "P.S.K. What Does It Mean?", written and performed by Jesse "Schoolly D" Weaver Jr. • "The One" and "The One (Version 2)" contain an interpolation of "You Are Everything", written by Thom Bell and Linda Creed and performed by The Stylistics. • "All I Have" contains a sample and interpolation of "Very Special", written by Lisa Peters and William Jeffrey and performed by Debra Laws. • "Jenny from the Block" contains: • an interpolation of "Hi-Jack" (1975), written by Jose Fernando Arbex Miro. • a portion of "South Bronx" (1987), written by Lawrence Parker and Scott Sterling. • portions of "Heaven and Hell Is on Earth" (1975), written by Michael Oliver. • "You Belong to Me" contains a sample of "Catch the Beat", written by G. Andrews, K. Nix, Brad Osborne, T. Ski Valley and performed by T. Ski Valley. • "Baby I Love U!" contains an interpolation of "Midnight Cowboy" (1969), written and performed by John Barry. ==Personnel==

Musicians • Jennifer Lopez – vocals • Omar Hakim – drums (tracks 1, 4, 9–12) • Verdine White – bass guitar (tracks 1, 4, 10–12) • Larry Gold – conductor, performance arrangement (tracks 1, 4, 5, 10) • LaKindra Pierce – vocals (track 1) • One Up Entertainment – programming (track 1) • Natasha Ramos – vocals (tracks 2–4, 7, 11) • Troy Oliver – drum programming, programming (tracks 2, 7, 8) • Dan Shea – programming (tracks 4, 10–12), keyboards (4, 10, 11); acoustic guitar, guitar (11) • Shelene Thomas – vocals (tracks 4, 10–12) • René Toledo – guitar (tracks 4, 10, 12) • Cory Rooney – vocals (tracks 4, 11, 12) • Billy Lawrence – vocals (track 4) • Davy Deluge – keyboards, programming (track 4) • Focus... – all instruments (track 5) • Makeba Riddick – vocals (track 6) • B-Money – scratches (track 7) • Reggie Hamlet – acoustic guitar, bass guitar (track 8) • Tavia Ivey – vocals (track 9) • Reggie Hamilton – bass guitar (track 9) • Kamil Rustam – electric guitar (track 9) Technical • Bruce Swedien – mixing (all tracks), engineering (tracks 1–6, 8–12) • Peter Wade Keusch – mixing (all tracks), engineering (tracks 1–6, 8–12) • Jean Marie Horvat – mixing (tracks 2, 3, 7) • Jeff Chestek – engineering (tracks 1, 5) • Rob Williams – engineering (track 6) • Jon Kaplan – engineering (track 7) ==Charts==

Weekly charts Year-end charts Decade-end charts == Certifications and sales ==