J to tha L–O! The Remixes

Background and development

Lopez's sophomore album, J.Lo (2001) debuting at the top spot of the Billboard 200 in the United States, followed by a successful re-release on July 24, 2001 (Lopez's 32nd birthday). Following the success of J.Lo, Lopez and Epic Records announced plans to create a remix album. On December 18, 2001, MTV News reported that Lopez had teamed up with Ja Rule (who was featured on her song "I'm Real (Murder Remix)" which topped the Billboard Hot 100) and other artists for her remix album, which would be released in February.

It was also announced that Lopez would rework her 2001 single, "Ain't It Funny" into a Murder Remix which would feature Ja Rule. Ashanti wrote three verses and demoed the new version of "Ain't It Funny" for Lopez. "I got a call from Gotti in Los Angeles. He asked me to write another verse [...] I had to write it over the phone and two-way Irv the lyrics." Ashanti's vocals were later added to the final song as background vocals.

On January 18, 2002, Epic Records confirmed that a Lopez's live DVD and remix album would be arriving soon. Lopez's ex-boyfriend Sean Combs produced and featured on a reworked version of "Feelin' So Good" for the album. "Alive", a ballad which was created for her thriller film Enough (2002) was the only original song written for the album by Lopez and her ex-husband Cris Judd. The song speaks of not being afraid anymore. Track Masters produced a remix of "I'm Gonna Be Alright" which served as the album's second official single; 50 Cent and Nas's vocals were added to separate versions of the song in its commercial release. This was without controversy; Lopez and Epic Records picked Nas to be featured on the radio version due to his popularity on the music charts, which upset 50 Cent, who felt betrayed by Nas. Despite, at this time 50 Cent was still an upcoming artist. According to rumors, 50 Cent hadn't hard feelings for Lopez, but did "hate" Nas. Lopez's management said this was all completely business.

The 50 Cent–featured version appeared on the American pressing of J to tha L–O!: The Remixes album (however, the European and current digital editions feature a no-rap version) while the Nas-featured version appears on the European pressing of Lopez's 2002 album This Is Me... Then. Commercial CD singles were issued containing Nas' version. The 2002 U.S. compilation Now That's What I Call Music! 10 also contains the version featuring Nas. "I'm Gonna Be Alright" features a bassline from Club Nouveau's "Why You Treat Me So Bad". Pablo Flores reworked "Let's Get Loud" with more of a charged dance beat with a house interpretation of "Waiting For Tonight" included too. All of the songs remixed on J to tha L–O! The Remixes had previously been released as singles from their respective albums, with the exception of "Walking On Sunshine".

Singles

The album spawned three new singles, two of which attained chart success. The first single from the album, "Ain't It Funny" (Murder Remix) was released on March 11, 2002.; The single topped the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 becoming Lopez's third number-one single and Ja Rule's third number-one single; it also peaked at number four in the United Kingdom. It remained atop the Hot 100 for six weeks. "I'm Gonna Be Alright (Track Masters Remix)", which was previously on her J.Lo album and was officially released as the album's second single on July 1, 2002; impacting the charts by July 2002 and reached the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100. "I'm Gonna Be Alright" spent 23 weeks on the chart.

"Alive" was released as the album's third and final single. It received limited release, failing to enter the Billboard Hot 100. However, the song did chart on Billboard Hot Dance Club Play at number 2. "Alive" was the album's only original work. Lopez appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show where she sang the song. In 2002, "Alive" earned Lopez a Billboard Latin Music Award for Best-Selling Latin Dance Single of the Year, with the song's Thunderpuss Club Mix. The Metro Remix of "Walking on Sunshine" received minor airplay in Mexico and other parts of Latin America. Although, the "Waiting For Tonight (Hex's Momentous Radio Mix)" was not released as a single, it did receive minor airplay on urban radio stations. Lopez also performed the remix at the New Year's Eve 2010 Times Square Event.

Critical reception

In his review of the album, Dele Fadele of NME gave a positive review and said "Whilst Jennifer Lopez is no Salvador Dalí, she remains a consummate pop artist of the day [...] She won't necessarily win awards for vocal gymnastics, but her range is perfectly suited to this collection of upbeat dancefloor cuts (with the obligatory affirmative power ballad, 'Alive'). Cynics might've seen collaborations with Ja Rule, Fat Joe and Trackmasters as a way of getting some hip-hop shine, if Lopez hadn't been so resolutely down with the programme for a while now. As tracks proceed further, from Latino House abstracts to Spanish versions of previous hits, it's apparent the agenda here is mainly fun. Just dance, OK."

David Browne from Entertainment Weekly gave the album a negative review, stating: "Thoughts that occur while listening to this dreary, unrepentant piece of product: (1) The fad of rappers guesting on pop singles truly helps when it comes to Lopez, since you hear less of her; (2) for a dance-club record, these mixes are surprisingly limp; (3) the last song, a syrupy ballad called "Alive", cowritten with her new husband, is neither alive nor a remix; (4) if you listen to this long enough, you may actually be conned into thinking Lopez's voice and songs are passable; (5) as a result of No. 4, this may be the most insidious album ever made." Eric Danton from the Hartford Courant called the title "ridiculous", but judged that the album itself was an improvement. A reviewer from the Boston Herald wrote "Like a mini-greatest hits album, J to Tha Lo eliminates the filler from both On the 6 and J.Lo. It also makes a good case for the just competent singer as the ultimate party doll. And, in the case of "Ain't it Funny" and "I'm Real," "The Remixes" gives you the hit versions you've actually been seeing on MTV."

Commercial performance

It was the first remix album to debut at the top of the U.S. Billboard 200 chart, and became one of the best-selling remix albums in the U.S., selling 156,049 copies during its opening week. In addition, it dethroned Alan Jackson's Drive from the number one spot on the chart, which had spent 3 consecutive weeks at the top. The album dropped to 3 on the chart in its second week, with sales of 134,000 copies, the same week its single "Ain't It Funny (Murder Remix) was number 3 on the Hot 100 Singles chart. In its third week it returned to the top of the Billboard 200 with sales of 102,000 that week, while "Ain't It Funny" reached the summit of the Billboard Hot 100, making Lopez the only artist in history to have a remix single and a remix album both at number-one in the Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard 200 at the same week.

J to tha L-O: The Remixes sold 624,000 copies within its first month, and stayed in the top 10 of the Billboard 200 for a month, and to date has sold 1.5 million copies in the United States, and over 4 million copies worldwide, becoming the third best-selling remix album of all time, after Michael Jackson's Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix and Madonna's You Can Dance. It remained the only remix album to debut at number one in the United States for nearly 10 years, until Justin Bieber's remix effort in 2011 debuted at the top spot with similar opening sales.

J to tha L–O! The Remixes appeared in the Guinness World Records, recognizing it as the first number one remix album on the US Billboard 200.