"Beautiful Girls" is the debut single by Jamaican-American artist , released on May 26, 2007, from his eponymous debut album . The official music video, directed by Marcus Raboy , premiered that same year and reached a significant milestone by surpassing 1 billion views on YouTube on September 8, 2022. Song Composition and Themes

: Due to the lyrical references to suicide, many radio stations and MTV used a "radio edit" version that replaced the word with "in denial" . Music Video Details

: The YouTube version famously begins with Kingston singing the hook acapella before the beat kicks in. Chart and Cultural Impact

: The track is built around a prominent sample of the 1961 classic "Stand by Me" by Ben E. King .

: The song describes a young man's intense emotional distress—using the word "suicidal"—over a breakup with a "beautiful girl".

: The video features a "retro fantasia" theme, frequently shifting between a modern 2000s setting and a 1950s soda shop aesthetic.

: It features cameos from rapper Lil Mama and actors Lil' JJ and Kenny Vibert.