It was 2013. You couldn't walk into a CVS, a nightclub, or a wedding reception without hearing that high-pitched falsetto. Robin Thicke was everywhere. But while everyone remembers the massive, controversial juggernaut that was "Blurred Lines," there was a second, weirder chapter to that summer. Give It 2 U Robin Thicke was supposed to be the victory lap. It was the high-octane, Kendrick Lamar-assisted follow-up that aimed to prove Thicke wasn't just a one-hit wonder in the pop mainstream.
Honestly, looking back at it now is like looking at a time capsule of an era where pop music was trying desperately to merge with "EDM-trap" influences. It’s loud. It’s fast. It’s got a whistle hook that either gets stuck in your head for days or makes you want to throw your radio out the window.
The Dr. Luke Influence and the Will.i.am Sound
When you listen to "Give It 2 U," you aren't just hearing a Robin Thicke song. You’re hearing the peak of the Dr. Luke production era. Thicke had spent most of his career as a soulful, blue-eyed R&B crooner, heavily influenced by Marvin Gaye and Al Green. Then, suddenly, he was paired with Will.i.am and Dr. Luke. The result was a jarring shift. Gone were the live drums and the Fender Rhodes pianos of his The Evolution of Robin Thicke days. In their place? Synthesizers that sounded like a swarm of angry bees and a drum pattern that felt like it was designed specifically for a frat party.
The song was a massive departure. Many fans who had followed him since "Lost Without U" were confused. It didn't feel like R&B. It felt like "Nu-Disco" on steroids. The track relies on a heavy, pulsating bassline and a repetitive lyrical structure that prioritized "the vibe" over the songwriting depth Thicke was previously known for.
It worked, though. At least for a while. It hit the Top 40. It moved units. But it also signaled the beginning of a very specific kind of overexposure.
Kendrick Lamar: The Surprising Guest Verse
One of the most fascinating things about Give It 2 U Robin Thicke is the presence of Kendrick Lamar. This wasn't "To Pimp a Butterfly" Kendrick. This was Kendrick just after good kid, m.A.A.d city had blown up, and he was appearing on everything from Imagine Dragons remixes to, well, this.
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His verse is actually pretty technical. He brings a rhythmic complexity to a song that is otherwise quite straightforward. If you listen closely to his cadence, he's playing with the beat in a way that Thicke—who is mostly just hitting high notes—isn't. Kendrick’s involvement was a strategic move. It gave the song "urban" credibility while the production was aimed squarely at Top 40 radio. It’s a classic example of the "feature for hire" era, where a rising rapper is used to bridge the gap between different radio formats.
The Music Video and the 2013 VMA Performance
You can't talk about this song without talking about the visuals. Directed by Diane Martel—the same woman behind the "Blurred Lines" video—the "Give It 2 U" video is a chaotic explosion of Americana and college football tropes. We’re talking about gold-plated SUVs, marching bands, and dance teams. It was maximalist to the point of being exhausting.
Then came the VMAs.
Most people remember that night for Miley Cyrus and the "twerk heard 'round the world." But Robin Thicke was the other half of that performance. He performed "Give It 2 U" amidst a sea of giant teddy bears and blurred lines (literally). It was a moment of peak cultural saturation. Thicke was dressed in a Beetlejuice-style striped suit, and the energy was frantic. In hindsight, it felt like the industry was trying to squeeze every possible ounce of "viral potential" out of him. It was the zenith of his commercial career, but it also felt like a tipping point.
Why the Song Didn't Reach "Blurred Lines" Heights
Success is relative. "Give It 2 U" was a hit, but it was overshadowed by its predecessor. There are a few reasons for this. First, the "Blurred Lines" lawsuit with the Marvin Gaye estate was starting to bubble up in the background. The public perception of Thicke was beginning to shift from "soulful crooner" to "controversial figure."
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Secondly, the sound of pop was changing. By late 2013, the aggressive, "screechy" synth-pop sound was starting to fatigue listeners. Lorde’s "Royals" was climbing the charts, ushering in a more minimal, stripped-back era of pop music. "Give It 2 U" was the loud, boisterous end of an era, while the rest of the world was starting to crave something quieter.
The song's lyrical content didn't help either. While Thicke has always written about desire, "Give It 2 U" was incredibly blunt. It lacked the cleverness of his earlier work. It was a club record, plain and simple. And club records have a shorter shelf life than soulful ballads.
Technical Production Breakdown
If we look at the actual construction of the track, it's a 128 BPM (Beats Per Minute) powerhouse. That's the sweet spot for dance music.
- The Hook: A repetitive "I got a gift for you" that functions as an earworm.
- The Bridge: A slowed-down, trap-influenced breakdown that allows for the "Remix" version (which also featured 2 Chainz) to breathe.
- The Vocals: Thicke stays almost exclusively in his head voice, creating a thin, sharp sound that cuts through the heavy production.
This wasn't an accident. Dr. Luke and Cirkut, the producers, were masters of "sonics." They knew that to get played on a loud club system, you need a certain frequency range. They pushed the treble high and the bass low, leaving a "scooped" middle that makes the song feel bigger than it actually is. It's a trick used in a lot of early 2010s pop.
The Fallout and the "Paula" Era
Shortly after the promotion for "Give It 2 U" ended, Thicke’s personal life became front-page news. His separation from wife Paula Patton led to the ill-fated Paula album. The high-energy, confident persona he projected in the Give It 2 U Robin Thicke era vanished. He went from singing about "giving it to you" in a stadium to begging for forgiveness on national television.
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This shift made the "Give It 2 U" era feel even more like a strange fever dream. It was the last time we saw Thicke as a dominant, "alpha" pop star. The music industry is fickle. It loves a comeback, but it hates a desperate plea. When Thicke moved away from the high-octane pop of Dr. Luke and back toward R&B, the mainstream audience didn't follow him back.
Actionable Takeaways for Music Fans and Creators
Whether you love or hate the song, there are real lessons to be learned from how "Give It 2 U" was handled.
- Understand Timing: "Give It 2 U" was released right as the "maximalist" pop bubble was about to burst. If you're a creator, pay attention to the "counter-culture" (like Lorde in 2013) that usually signals the end of a trend.
- Collaborations Matter: Kendrick Lamar's verse is the most praised part of the song today. Choosing the right collaborator isn't just about fame; it's about who brings a different "flavor" to the track.
- Visual Consistency: The "Give It 2 U" music video followed the "Blurred Lines" aesthetic perfectly. For branding, this is smart. It tells the audience exactly what "vibe" you represent, even if the music shifts slightly.
- The "Follow-Up" Trap: Following a career-defining hit is nearly impossible. Thicke tried to go "bigger and louder," but often, the better move is to go "different."
Today, "Give It 2 U" sits as a relic of a very specific time in music history. It’s a reminder of when Robin Thicke was the biggest male pop star on the planet, flanked by one of the greatest rappers of all time, dancing on a football field in a striped suit. It was loud, it was flashy, and it was the end of an era. If you're looking to revisit that 2013 energy, you really don't need to look any further than this track. It’s all there. The whistles, the synths, and the falsetto. It’s a snapshot of a moment that pop music won't likely replicate anytime soon.
To truly understand the song's place in history, listen to it back-to-back with a track from his 2006 album The Evolution of Robin Thicke. The contrast is staggering. It shows just how much the pressure of the "Mainstream Pop Machine" can change an artist's output. For some, it was a glorious peak; for others, it was the moment the soul went out of the music. Either way, you can't deny the energy.
To dig deeper into this era of music, analyze the production credits of other 2013 hits. You'll find a small group of producers—Dr. Luke, Max Martin, and Pharrell—were essentially writing the soundtrack for the entire world. "Give It 2 U" was one of the last big pieces of that specific puzzle before the landscape shifted toward the "moody" R&B and minimal pop that dominates today.