Jenny from the Block

"Jenny from the Block" is a song by American singer Jennifer Lopez, which features American rappers Jadakiss and Styles P, both members of the LOX. It was released by Epic Records on September 26, 2002, as the lead single from her third studio album, This Is Me... Then (2002). The song, first leaked online, was written by Lopez, Troy Oliver, Mr. Deyo, Samuel Barnes, and Jean Claude Olivier. Cory Rooney, Olivier, Barnes, and Oliver produced the song. Another version of the track features solely Lopez, which was part of the Brazilian edition of the album. The track is an R&B and old school hip hop song which makes use of multiple music samples, including from songs such as 20th Century Steel Band's "Heaven and Hell Is on Earth" (1975), Boogie Down Productions' "South Bronx" (1987), and "Hi-Jack" by Enoch Light. Lyrically, the track centers around Lopez paying homage to her roots in the Bronx and professing that fame has not changed her, while celebrating her success.

"Jenny from the Block" received polarized reviews from music critics. Some described it as "infectious" and praised its "catchiness" while others felt it was "silly" and found its message inauthentic. Lopez later opined that many had taken the song "too literally". Commercially, the song became a success, topping the charts in Canada, reaching number three on the US Billboard Hot 100 and charting within the top ten of several major music markets.

The song's controversial music video, directed by Francis Lawrence, depicts Lopez and her then-boyfriend Ben Affleck in various intimate scenes, captured from the point of view of the paparazzi and surveillance cameras. Viewed as a response to the moral panic generated by the couple's relationship, journalists noted that Lopez "flaunted" Affleck as a trophy male in the video, which was unconventional for a woman to do at the time. Affleck would later credit the video with nearly "ruining his career". Since its release, "Jenny from the Block" has been regarded as Lopez's most iconic single, and its lyrical content inspired a trend of similar songs by other artists. "Jenny from the Block" became a nickname for Lopez, who later sampled the song on "Hearts and Flowers", a track from her album This Is Me... Now (2024). Lopez has performed the song various times, including at the Super Bowl LIV halftime show in 2020 where it served as her opening number.