| "Always on Time" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Ja Rule featuring Ashanti | ||||
| from the album Pain Is Love | ||||
| B-side | "I Cry" | |||
| Released | November 27, 2001 | |||
| Studio | The Crackhouse (New York City) | |||
| Length | 4:05 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) | Irv Gotti | |||
| Ja Rule singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Ashanti singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Always on Time" on YouTube | ||||
"Always on Time" is a song by American rapper Ja Rule from his third studio album, Pain Is Love (2001). Produced by Irv Gotti, it was written by Ja Rule, 7 Aurelius, and Gotti. Originally set to feature Brandy,[1] it features guest vocals from singer-songwriter and labelmate Ashanti. The song was released as the album's second single on November 27, 2001, through Island Def Jam Music Group, Def Jam Recordings and Gotti's Murder Inc. Records.
"Always on Time" spent two weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 in February and March of 2002, becoming Ja Rule's highest-charting single as lead artist. It was Ashanti's first mainstream number-one, and Ja Rule's second after he was featured on Jennifer Lopez's "I'm Real (Murder Remix)" from her sophomore album J. Lo (2001). Coincidentally, the lyrics of "I'm Real (Murder Remix)" were penned by Ashanti, with the track featuring her background vocals as well. Several months later, Ja Rule and Lopez would appear on another song penned by Ashanti, "Ain't It Funny (Murder Remix)".
In 2009, "Always on Time" was named the 33rd most-successful song of the 2000s on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, and the 82nd most-successful song of the 2000s on the mainstream Hot 100.
- ^ Ortiz, Edwin (May 1, 2014). "Watch Ashanti Talk About Her Career Highlights and Working with Ja Rule and Fat Joe on Complex TV's #TBT". Complex. Retrieved January 8, 2018.