"I'm a Slave 4 U" is a song by American pop singer Britney Spears released as the lead single from her third studio album, Britney. It was released as a single on September 24, 2001 in the United States and in October of the same year in the rest of the world. Written and produced by the R&B-hip hop duo The Neptunes, the urban-influenced song was a commercial success and was also well-received by the critics. It is notably remembered for its accompanying provocative music video and the infamous performance Spears delivered at the 2001 MTV Video Music Awards in New York City, which was highly criticized by animal rights group PETA for the inclusion of exotic animals.