It transitions from a standard crush to full-on devotion, featuring lines about making his partner his wife. 🎹 The Production: Subtle and Soulful
by Tyrese is a masterclass in early 2000s R&B. Released in 2001 as the second single from his sophomore album 2000 Watts , the track perfectly captures the era's shift from raw '90s soul to polished, emotive bedroom ballads. 💡 The Premise: Surrendering to Love
While many R&B tracks of the time focused on the pain of heartbreak or the thrill of the chase, "What Am I Gonna Do" explores a different, more vulnerable space: the terrifying realization that you have completely fallen for someone. Tyrese - What Am I Gonna Do
Tyrese eschews over-the-top vocal gymnastics in favor of a rich, grounded, and intensely emotional delivery.
It utilizes a smooth, slow-tempo arrangement driven by a steady bassline and atmospheric synths. It transitions from a standard crush to full-on
Tyrese plays the role of a former player or skeptic who was not planning on settling down.
For a brief period, an unreleased TrackMasters remix featuring Bad Boy Records rapper G-Dep circulated, providing a much heavier, hip-hop-driven bounce compared to the downtempo original. 📈 Chart Performance & Legacy 💡 The Premise: Surrendering to Love While many
The song was written by Gibson, Scott Carter, and Trevor Jobs, with the latter two handling production under their moniker Jake & Trey .