Ai n't Nothin ' Goin ' on but the Rent - wikipedia Ai n't Nothin ' Goin ' on but the Rent `` Ai n't Nothin ' Goin ' On but the Rent '' Single by Gwen Guthrie from the album Good to Go Lover Released 1986 Format 7 ``, 12 '' Label Polydor Songwriter ( s ) Gwen Guthrie Producer ( s ) Gwen Guthrie Gwen Guthrie singles chronology `` Just for You '' ( 1985 ) `` Ai n't Nothin ' Goin ' On but the Rent '' ( 1986 ) `` Seventh Heaven '' ( 1986 ) `` Just for You '' ( 1985 ) `` Ai n't Nothin ' Goin ' On but the Rent '' ( 1986 ) `` Seventh Heaven '' ( 1986 ) `` Ai n't Nothin ' Goin ' On but the Rent '' is a song by American singer Gwen Guthrie. Released as a single in 1986 on Polydor Records, the song became the biggest hit of Guthrie 's career, and the song 's title became a semi-popular catchphrase among many women throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s. Contents 1 Charts 2 References to other songs 3 Covers and pop culture references 4 See also 5 References 6 External links Charts The song was a major hit in the U.S. on both sides of Atlantic, mostly in dance clubs and on the radio, charting moderately on the US pop chart ( reaching # 42 on the Billboard Hot 100 ), but faring better on the R&B chart where it spent one week at # 1 and on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart where it spent two weeks at the top. The song was also successful in parts of Europe, reaching # 5 on the UK Singles Chart. It also reached # 1 in New Zealand. References to other songs The song contains apparent references to at least three other songs : The line `` Ai n't nothing goin ' on now, but the rent - uh '' appears in the 1972 James Brown hit `` Get on the Good Foot -- Pt. 1 ''. The line `` You got to have a J-O-B if you want to be-with - me '' is set to a melody line that recurs throughout `` Doctor Love '', a 1977 disco hit by First Choice. The line `` Nothing from nothing leaves nothing '' is taken from Billy Preston 's 1974 hit song of the same name. Covers and pop culture references The song has been referenced numerous times in popular culture, including songs with similar messages, such as Destiny 's Child 's `` Bills, Bills, Bills '', and by Eddie Murphy in one of his stand - up comedy shows. The last stanza of Blackstreet 's song `` No Diggity '' uses the title line. Rapper Foxy Brown released a cover version of the song, titled `` JOB '', which also featured Mýa. It appeared on Brown 's 1999 album Chyna Doll. The song was also used in the 8th episode of Rupaul 's Drag Race Season 5, when contestants Alyssa Edwards and Ivy Winters had to lip sync to it to avoid elimination. See also List of number - one dance singles of 1986 ( U.S. ) List of number - one R&B singles of 1986 ( U.S. ) References Jump up ^ `` Hard ' Rain ' Falls On Women ''. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2012 - 03 - 22. Jump up ^ `` Gwen Guthrie ; Songwriter, Singer of Dance Hits ''. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2012 - 03 - 22. Jump up ^ `` Ai n't Nothin ' Goin ' on But the Rent was a major hit on both sides ''. Retrieved 8 October 2016. Jump up ^ Whitburn, Joel ( 2004 ). Hot Dance / Disco 1974 - 2003, ( Record Research Inc. ) Jump up ^ UK Singles Chart info from chartstats.com External links Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ain%27t_Nothin%27_Goin%27_On_but_the_Rent&oldid=801847827 '' Categories : 1986 singles Billboard Hot R&B / Hip - Hop Songs number - one singles Billboard Dance Club Songs number - one singles Number - one singles in New Zealand Songs written by Gwen Guthrie 1986 songs Polydor Records singles Talk Contents About Wikipedia Add links This page was last edited on 22 September 2017, at 07 : 50. About Wikipedia

Question: who sang ain't nothing going on but the rent
Answer: American singer Gwen Guthrie