Back Then

"Back Then" is a track by American rapper Mike Jones, arriving as the second single from his first studio album, Who Is Mike Jones?, on February 15, 2005. The song reached number 22 on the Billboard Hot 100, marking Jones’ only solo appearance in that chart’s top 40. It also performed well on the Hot Rap Songs and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts, landing at numbers 6 and 15 respectively. A music video for the single was directed by Dr. Teeth.

The lyrics explore the contrast between the romantic attention Jones receives after gaining wealth and fame versus the rejection he faced before his success. A repeated line—“Back then hoes didn’t want me / Now I’m hot hoes all on me”—captures the song’s central theme. Some listeners interpret the track as a critique of fame’s effects or hypergamy, while others view it as expressing a misogynistic or chauvinistic attitude. The song appears in the 2007 Xbox 360 game Def Jam: Icon, where Jones is a playable character who provided his own voice and likeness.

Commercially, "Back Then" became Jones’ most successful single. On the Pop 100 chart, it reached number 45, and on the Hot Digital Songs chart, it peaked at number 26. The single eventually earned a Platinum certification, making it Jones’ second single to achieve that status.

The music video, also directed by Dr. Teeth, depicts Jones’ life before fame, showing him being rejected by women and later giving those same women the cold shoulder. The video opens and closes with a club concert scene where fans chant his catchphrase, “Who? Mike Jones!” Cameo appearances include comedian Ali Siddiq and DJ Michael “5000” Watts.

Track listings for the UK and US 12-inch singles include a radio version, an instrumental, and an album version, each running around four minutes.