Song Clearance Sheet
3 sources citedNo Scrubs
R&B1990s93BPM
G♯ minKey
More around 90 BPM → · More in G♯ minor →
Tempo/key via GetSongBPM →, Deezer →
The verdict
Documented Sampling History
Confirmed songwriters of record (Briggs, Burruss, Cottle), no formal litigation. Two documented downstream patterns: the “No Pigeons” answer record credited/paid the original writers for shared instrumentation, and Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You” proactively added the three writers to its credits (the credit addition is confirmed; the motivation is reported, not confirmed by either party).
Quick Facts
Released1999
AlbumFanMail
GenreR&B, Hip-Hop, Pop
LabelLaFace / Arista Records
ProducerKevin “She’kspere” Briggs
More infoWikipedia → · Discogs →
Who you need to ask
The songwriters of record — Kevin “She’kspere” Briggs, Kandi Burruss & Tameka Cottle
Wikipedia → · checked Jul 2026
The current administrator — Not confirmed — LaFace/Arista; needs a Songview/Discogs lookup
Unknown · checked Jul 2026
Has it been reused?
A #1 Grammy-winning standard; its writers were later added to Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You” credits (a proactive addition, not a filed suit), and were paid on the “No Pigeons” answer record.
Do they allow reuse?
No standalone policy found; confirmed songwriters of record.
Related Songs
Same album, answer records, and songs worth knowing about
Sheeran added these writers to “Shape of You” credits while facing the “Photograph” suit (this batch)
Who Owns It
Licenses explained →The two permissions you need, and who holds them
The song itself (the writing)Kevin “She’kspere” Briggs, Kandi Burruss & Tameka “Tiny” Cottle
A “response song” royalty patternSporty Thievz released a direct male-perspective response, “No Pigeons,” three months later — because it used the same underlying instrumentation, the original “No Scrubs” songwriters were credited on and paid for that separate song too, a secondary revenue stream tied to the conversation their song sparked. (“No Pigeons” is not in this catalogue.)
A proactive credit addition on “Shape of You”Ed Sheeran’s 2017 “Shape of You” added Kandi Burruss, Tameka Cottle and Kevin Briggs to its official songwriting credits after release, following widespread observation of melodic similarity. The credit addition itself is confirmed; the specific motivation is not confirmed by either party but is widely understood as a proactive move to avoid litigation — notably while Sheeran was already facing the “Photograph” suit (this batch). (“Shape of You” is not in this catalogue.)
The recording (current administrator)Not confirmed
Receipts
Every public mention of terms, policy, or past deals we've found
Kandi’s decision to give it away
Kandi Burruss, who had songwriting aspirations but hadn’t written for her own group Xscape, was reportedly hesitant about giving the song to TLC instead — but decided it was the right thing to do. No lyrics reproduced.
Songfacts · read it →
Can You Use It for Free?
How to check PD →Is it public domain?No
Sample History
—
Times sampled
A #1 whose writers were later added to “Shape of You”
Covers
—
First flip
Big names who used itEd Sheeran
Who to Contact
NS
Briggs, Burruss & Cottle (LaFace)
The confirmed songwriters of record
What they'll chargeNobody's shared numbers yet
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Page history · 2 updates
Jul 2026Page created — full research (Research Queue Batch 24)
Jul 2026BPM/Key pending the automated GetSongBPM/Deezer pass