Look, let’s be real. If you were anywhere near a radio or a club in late 2009, you heard that distinctive "Yuuuuaaaa" ad-lib. It was everywhere. Trey Songz was basically the face of R&B at the time, and when he dropped the track I Invented Sex, it wasn't just another song—it was a statement. A bold, slightly ridiculous, but incredibly catchy statement.
People still talk about it. Usually with a smirk.
The idea that Tremaine Neverson—the Virginia native known to the world as Trey Songz—actually "invented" the act of intimacy is, obviously, a bit of a stretch. But in the world of R&B marketing, it was genius. It was the centerpiece of his breakout album Ready, and it solidified a shift in how modern soul music was delivered.
The Audacity of the Claim
When the single hit airwaves on October 13, 2009, some people laughed. I mean, come on. But Trey wasn't trying to be a historian. He told MTV News back then that the concept was about a vibe. He wanted to tell a woman, "You gonna think we invented sex when we’re done." It was about confidence.
It worked.
The song became his first-ever number one on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. It didn't just climb; it lived there. It turned a young singer who had been "the next big thing" for years into an actual superstar.
Why Drake Was the Secret Sauce
You can’t talk about this song without mentioning a very young, very fresh-faced Drake. This was 2009. Drake was the newcomer with the "Degrassi" baggage and something to prove.
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The chemistry between them was undeniable. They had already teamed up for "Successful" earlier that year, which was a massive hit in its own right. But I Invented Sex felt different. It was smoother. It had that heavy, atmospheric production by Los Da Mystro that would eventually define the "late night" R&B sound of the early 2010s.
Honestly, the collaboration was a masterclass in timing. Both artists were peaking at the exact same moment.
Beyond the Title: The Impact of Ready
The Ready album wasn't a fluke. It moved 131,000 copies in its first week, which was huge for R&B at a time when digital pirating was killing the industry. It eventually went Platinum, but it took a few years to get there (June 2014, to be exact).
It wasn't just the singles. It was the whole "Trigga" persona. Trey was filling a vacuum. Usher was moving into more EDM-influenced pop with Raymond v. Raymond, and Chris Brown was navigating his own public image struggles. Trey stepped into that traditional "R&B heartthrob" role and owned it.
- I Need a Girl (The smooth intro)
- LOL :-) (The weirdly dated but catchy Gucci Mane/Soulja Boy collab)
- Say Aah (The undisputed club anthem)
- Neighbors Know My Name (The one that probably annoyed a lot of actual neighbors)
These songs created a run that few R&B artists have matched since.
That Infamous Music Video
Do you remember the video? It was directed by Benny Boom. It was part of a "double feature" with "Say Aah." Trey actually said the inspiration came from a banned Calvin Klein ad. It was supposed to be "sensual rather than raunchy," though many would argue it blurred those lines pretty thin.
It was pure branding. He was selling a fantasy, and the audience was buying.
The Production Credits You Might Not Know
The song was written by a small team: Trey (Tremaine Neverson), Drake (Aubrey Graham), Tony "Chef Tone" Scales, and Carlos "Los Da Mystro" McKinney.
McKinney is the unsung hero here. If you listen to the percussion, it's heavy. It’s got that "knock" Trey mentioned. It doesn't sound like a standard ballad; it sounds like a record designed for a car with a good sound system.
They even did an official remix. It featured Usher and Keri Hilson. Think about that for a second—Usher, the man who basically did invent the modern R&B blueprint, hopping on a track called I Invented Sex by the guy many saw as his successor. It was a "passing of the torch" moment that people didn't fully appreciate at the time.
Why We’re Still Talking About It in 2026
Music moves fast. Trends die. But certain songs become "time stamps."
When you hear those opening notes, you’re immediately transported back to a specific era of culture. It was the bridge between the old-school crooning of the 90s and the "toxic R&B" era we see today. Trey was the prototype. He wasn't just singing about love; he was singing about the experience.
It's also worth noting the legacy of the "I Invented..." phrasing. It became a meme before memes were even called memes. It was a cultural shorthand for being the best at something.
The Realistic Legacy
Was it the greatest R&B song ever? Probably not. Critics at the time were split. Some called Ready inconsistent. Others thought the "Invented Sex" concept was a bit too much "pelvic-thrust R&B," as The Ringer once put it.
But you can't argue with the numbers or the longevity. The song still gets millions of streams. It’s a staple on "Throwback" playlists.
Trey Songz essentially used that record to pivot from a teenager-friendly singer to a grown-up artist. It gave him the leverage to launch Passion, Pain & Pleasure a year later, which featured "Bottoms Up" (another massive hit). Without the foundation of the 2009 run, Trey's career looks very different.
Moving Forward
If you're looking to dive back into this era, don't just stop at the single. The entire Ready album is a fascinating look at R&B in transition.
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Check out the MTV Unplugged version of the song from 2010. He mashed it up with Marvin Gaye’s "Let’s Get It On." It’s a bold move to compare your song to a Marvin Gaye classic, but in that moment, Trey had the vocals and the confidence to pull it off.
Actionable Next Steps
- Listen to the Deluxe Version: The Ready (Deluxe) has some sleeper hits like "Yo Side of the Bed" that show a more vulnerable side of the project.
- Watch the "Double Feature" Video: See how the transition between "Say Aah" and I Invented Sex was handled—it's a neat piece of early digital-era music marketing.
- Compare the Production: Listen to "I Invented Sex" alongside Drake’s So Far Gone tracks to see how the two artists influenced each other's sounds during that 2009-2010 window.
The era of the "R&B Sex Symbol" might have changed into something more introspective and moody lately, but Trey Songz proved that a bold claim and a catchy hook can define a generation of music.