It was written and composed by Knowles and producer Pharrell Williams for her second studio album Sol-Angel and the Hadley St. Dreams (2008).

It was released as the album's lead single as a digital download to both iTunes and Amazon on April 22, 2008[1] (see 2008 in music), and was impacted to rhythmic/crossover radio stations on June 24, 2008.

[2] A remix version of the song, entitled "I Decided (Part 2)", produced by British band Freemasons was released as the first single in Europe, where the song entered the top 30 of the UK Singles Chart.

It displays Solange in settings from American Bandstand, to the Civil Rights Movement, to Soul Train, to MTV, and finally a "Cosmic Journey" future.

In the United Kingdom, the song debuted at number 6 on R&B Singles Chart on August 17, 2008.