Trackmasters ( Poke & Tone)
Poke: “Columbia had the Charlie’s Angels soundtrack and they needed a record for the soundtrack. They started off as a regular version. They came in and were like, ‘Fix the fucking record.’ So it was like ‘Independent Women Part 2’ is the real version.
“Beyoncé was in Hawaii doing a show with Destiny’s Child. Columbia didn’t want her to write the record, they were like, ‘No, she can’t write the record. We need someone to write it because she wrote the original.’
Columbia didn’t want Beyoncé to write the record, they were like, ‘No, she can’t write the record. We need someone to write it.’ We get on the phone and we’re like, ‘They don’t want you to write the record. But we know what you're capable so go ahead and write the record.' - Poke
“Me, Beyoncé, and [former senior executive vice president of Sony] Cory Rooney get on the phone and we’re like, ‘We're gonna tell you the lowdown, they don’t want you to write the record. But we know what you're capable so go ahead and write the record. Here’s the track, just knock it out.’
“We sent her the track, she knocked it out, Donny Ienner and them complained like, ‘The record is linear. It’s not a hit. It doesn’t sound good.’ Blah blah blah. Then the record goes to radio and blows the fuck up.
“So they were complaining about the record thinking it wasn’t a hit and they were dead wrong. It wound up breaking all types of records, it had the biggest audience ever at radio, it was ridiculous.
“The only record that came after that that was bigger was 50 Cent’s ‘In Da Club.’ At the time, the biggest radio record ever was TLC ‘Scrubs.’ Then the Destiny’s Child came in and blew that shit over the top. It was like, ‘Holy shit.’”