Chyna Doll (album)

Chyna Doll is the second studio album by American rapper Foxy Brown. It was released on January 26, 1999, by Ill Na Na Entertainment,^[2] Violator Records and Def Jam Recordings. After the commercial success of her debut album, Ill Na Na (1996), Brown began working on her second album. This time, she insisted on being the executive producer to have a creative control over the album. She collaborated with a number of producers, such as Kanye West, D-Dot, Irv Gotti, Lil Rob, Swizz Beatz and Tyrone Fyffe, among others.

Upon its release, Chyna Doll received mixed reviews from music critics. It debuted at the top of the Billboard 200, making it the first full-rap album by a woman rapper to debut at number-one on the chart,^[3] and the second by a woman in hip-hop following The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill by Lauryn Hill. The album was a commercial success. Selling 173,000 copies in its first week, it was later certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

YouTube Encyclopedic

1/5
Views:
22 350
751
37 680
48 067
54 565

Transcription

Background and recording

Chyna Doll is the follow-up to Foxy Brown's 1996 platinum debut album Ill Na Na and was recorded in 1998. The album features guest appearances by DMX, Mýa, Total, Jay-Z, Beanie Sigel, Memphis Bleek, Eightball & MJG, Juvenile, Too Short, Pretty Boy (Gavin Marchand, also known as Young Gavin and Nino Brown), Mia X, Tha Dogg Pound, Gangsta Boo, and Noreaga. It also features a special appearance by Pam Grier, the actress who played the original Foxy Brown in the 1974 blaxploitation film. About this album, Brown said, "I wanted to captivate everyone. I wanted to get all the crowds. I wanted to get the Down South crowd, West Coast crowds, East Coast crowds, all the dopest MCs from each part of the world – and we just did our thing. It was dope, it was real hot. I'm very proud with this album."^[4]

Recording for her second album began in the summer of 1998. In September 1998, it was reported that Foxy Brown would remake Janet Jackson's classic "What Have You Done for Me Lately" for the upcoming album, as well as an update to N.W.A.'s "Real Niggaz Don't Die", calling it "Bitches with Attitude" featuring Southern female rappers Mia X and Gangsta Boo.^[5]

During the recording process of the album, alternative rock singer Fiona Apple agreed to make a guest appearance on the album after an invitation from Brown, but due to scheduling differences, the session could not be arranged in enough time to make the final cut. Foxy Brown had also asked Madonna to collaborate on the album, but due to unknown circumstances, nothing ever became of it.^[6]

Originally, the album was going to be called Femme Fatale and was originally going to be released on November 17, 1998, but Brown decided to delay the release of the album to give her enough time to make sure everything was the way she wanted it.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[1]
Christgau's Consumer Guide	^[7]
Entertainment Weekly	B+^[8]
Los Angeles Times	^[9]
Q	^{[citation needed]}
Rolling Stone	^[10]
The Source	^{[citation needed]}

Upon initial release, Chyna Doll received mixed to positive reviews. AllMusic's journalist Jose F. Promis rating the album 2.5 stars. He cites, "...for the most part, this album is full of unappealing, pornographic raps, lame beats, and pathetic gangster posturing. The sophomore slump is evident here...".^[1] Amazon journalist Oliver Wang states, "Chyna Doll just sounds like any number of New York-based rap albums, especially with its commercial formula of shuffling high hats, catchy hooks, and recycled funk loops. In the end, Brown's self-exploitive (sexually and racially) cover art is likely to offer more provocative statements than the album itself."^[11]

Commercial performance

The album was released on January 26, 1999, and debuted on the Billboard 200 charts at No. 1, making it the second time Foxy Brown conquered the chart's top position.^[12] On March 24, 1999, Chyna Doll was certified platinum for shipments of over 1 million copies in the U.S.

Promotion

Three singles were released to promote the album. "Hot Spot" was the album's lead single. It peaked at number 91 on the Billboard Hot 100.

The second single was "I Can't" featuring Total. The single failed to chart on the Billboard Hot 100.

The third and final single was "J.O.B." featuring R&B singer, Mya. The song was given a vinyl single release and also failed to chart. An alternate version featuring British girl group Honeyz was also released, but only in France.

In March 1999, it was announced that Foxy Brown would tour with R. Kelly on the "Get Up on a Room" tour featuring Busta Rhymes, Nas, Deborah Cox, and Kelly Price. After cancelling several dates due to slow ticket sales, a fatal stabbing in Miami, and Rhymes pulling out of the tour, Brown left the tour and pursued her own North American Chyna Doll Tour that began in August 1999 and stopped at 22 cities in America.^[13]

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"The Birth of Foxy Brown"	Inga Marchand Benjamin Bush Carl Clay Jawaan Peacock Roy Ayers Stephen Garrett Timothy Mosley	Foxy Brown	1:28
2.	"Chyna Whyte"	Marchand Robert Kirkland	Robert "Shim" Kirkland	3:02
3.	"My Life"	Marchand Deric Angelettie Kanye West John Phillips Michelle Phillips	D-Dot West	4:28
4.	"Hot Spot"	Marchand Irving Lorenzo Robert Mays	Irv Gotti Lil Rob	3:50
5.	"Dog & a Fox" (featuring DMX)	Marchand Earl Simmons Kaseem Dean	Swizz Beatz	2:57
6.	"JOB" (featuring Mýa)	Marchand Shawn Carter Charly Charles Gwen Guthrie	Charly "Shuga Bear" Charles	3:42
7.	"Bomb Ass"	Marchand Calvin Broadus Delmar Arnaud Ricardo Brown	Brown	0:59
8.	"I Can't" (featuring Total)	Marchand Carter Tyrone Fyffe George Michael	Tyrone Fyffe	4:48
9.	"Bonnie & Clyde Part II" (featuring Jay Z)	Marchand Carter Fyffe Angela Winbush René Moore	Fyffe	4:51
10.	"4-5-6" (featuring Beanie Sigel and Memphis Bleek)	Marchand Dwight Grant Malik Cox Bernard Parker	Bernard "Big Demi" Parker	5:01
11.	"Ride (Down South)" (featuring 8Ball & MJG, Juvenile, and Too $hort)	Marchand Marlon Goodwin Premro Smith Terius Gray	Mo-Suave' House Productions	5:41
12.	"Can You Feel Me, Baby" (featuring Pretty Boy)	Marchand Gavin Marchand Todd Shaw Bernard Parker	Parker	3:49
13.	"Baller Bitch" (featuring Pretty Boy and Too $hort)	Marchand G. Marchand Shaw Anthony Moody	D-Moet	3:49
14.	"BWA" (featuring Mia X and Gangsta Boo)	Marchand Mia Young Lola Mitchell Irving Lorenzo Robert Mays Andre Young Colin Wolfe Dino Fekaris Nick Zesses Eric Wright Lorenzo Patterson Tracy Lynn Curry Tracy Nelson	Irv Gotti Lil Rob	3:26
15.	"Tramp"	Marchand Fyffe Gabriel Roth Philippe Lehman Victor Axelrod	Fyffe	3:28
16.	"Baby Mother"	Marchand	Brown	1:26
17.	"It's Hard Being Wifee" (featuring Noreaga)	Marchand Victor Santiago Kirkland	Kirkland	4:45
Total length:				61:30

Unreleased songs

Star Wars (featuring Busta Rhymes) An unreleased song from the Chyna Doll sessions that did not make the final release of the album. The song has remained unreleased.
Unknown Title (featuring R. Kelly) MTV reported that Foxy Brown collaborated with R. Kelly for Chyna Doll. Although it is not confirmed, the song could have possibly been "Dollar Bill", which appeared on R. Kelly's "R." album.
Lately A remake of Janet Jackson's "What Have You Done for Me Lately". The song featured a sample of Janet Jackson's voice and she did not make an official appearance on the song, as was reported. The song did not make the final version of the album.
Fuck ‘Em (featuring N.O.R.E.) Released prior to the album on mixtape circuits from the Chyna Doll sessions that did not make the final release of the album.
Maria (featuring Pretty Boy) Released prior to the album on various mixtape sessions. Rumoured to have been on the album however ultimately didn’t make the final release.
Rolls Royce (Cream Drop) Also known as "S.O.F.T.". Although the song did not appear on the album, it was released through the mixtape circuits in New York City as a buzz single for the album.

Samples

"Chyna White" contains a sample of "Walk On By" by Isaac Hayes
"J.O.B." contains a sample of "Ain't Nothin' Goin' On But the Rent" by Gwen Guthrie
"I Can't" contains a sample of "Everything She Wants" by Wham!
"Bonnie & Clyde Part II" contains a sample of "Secret Rendezvous" by Rene & Angela
"Tramp" contains a sample of "The Champ" by The Mohawks

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1999)	Peak position
Canadian Albums (Billboard)^[14]	6
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)^[15]	42
European Albums (Music & Media)^[16]	26
French Albums (SNEP)^[17]	35
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)^[18]	7
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)^[19]	18
UK Albums (OCC)^[20]	51
UK R&B Albums (OCC)^[21]	5
US Billboard 200^[22]	1
US Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums (Billboard)^[23]	1

Year-end charts

Chart (1999)	Position
US Billboard 200^[24]	119
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)^[25]	36
Canadian Top Albums/CDs (RPM)^[26]	97

Certifications


Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)^[28]	Platinum	856,000^[27]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c Promis, Jose F. "Chyna Doll – Foxy Brown". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved May 14, 2016.
^ "Ill Na Na Entertainment". Discogs. Retrieved October 26, 2021.
^ Records, Guinness World (May 2, 2000). Guinness World Records 2000. Bantam. ISBN 978-0-553-58268-0.
^ MTV (January 21, 1999). "Foxy Brown Goes Coast-To-Coast For "Chyna Doll"". MTV.
^ MTV (September 4, 1998). "Foxy Brown To Cover Janet Jackson And N.W.A." MTV.
^ MTV (January 19, 1999). "Foxy Brown-Fiona Apple Collaboration Scuttled By Schedule, Apple Eyes Work On New Album". MTV.
^ Christgau, Robert. "Chyna Doll – Foxy Brown". Robert Christgau. Retrieved May 14, 2016.
^ Diehl, Matt (January 31, 1999). "Chyna Doll". Entertainment Weekly. Time Inc. Retrieved May 14, 2016.
^ Baker, Soren (January 30, 1999). "Foxy Brown's 'Chyna Doll' Seems to Use Recycled Material". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 14, 2016.
^ Hüttmann, Oliver (February 3, 1999). "Foxy Brown – Chyna Doll". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 14, 2016.
^ Oliver Wang (1999). "Chyna Doll". Amazon. ASIN B00000DMU0.
^ "Foxy Brown". Billboard. Retrieved October 26, 2021.
^ MTV (May 19, 1999). "R. Kelly/Nas/Foxy Brown Tour Cancels More Dates". AllMusic.
^ "Foxy Brown Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 8, 2016.
^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Foxy Brown – Chyna Doll" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved May 8, 2016.
^ "European Top 100 Albums" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 16, no. 7. February 13, 1999. p. 11. Retrieved September 7, 2021 – via American Radio History.
^ "Lescharts.com – Foxy Brown – Chyna Doll". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 8, 2016.
^ "Officialcharts.de – Foxy Brown – Chyna Doll". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved May 8, 2016.
^ "Swisscharts.com – Foxy Brown – Chyna Doll". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 8, 2016.
^ "Foxy Brown | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved May 8, 2016.
^ "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 31, 2019.
^ "Foxy Brown Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved May 8, 2016.
^ "Foxy Brown – Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart history". Billboard. Retrieved May 8, 2016.
^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1999". Billboard. Retrieved August 23, 2020.
^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1999". Billboard. Retrieved August 23, 2020.
^ "RPM 1999: Top 100 CDs". RPM. Archived from the original on October 21, 2012. Retrieved July 30, 2022.
^ Concepcion, Mariel (June 9, 2007). "A bad rap?". Billboard. pp. 24–25. Retrieved February 3, 2022 – via Internet Archive.
^ "American album certifications – Foxy Brown – Chyna Doll". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved June 24, 2021.

External links

v t e Foxy Brown
Studio albums	Ill Na Na (1996) Chyna Doll (1999) Broken Silence (2001)
Other albums	The Album (with Nas, AZ and Nature) (1997) Ill Na Na 2: The Fever (shelved) Brooklyn's Don Diva (2008) Black Roses (2014)
Singles	"Get Me Home" "I'll Be" "Big Bad Mamma" "Hot Spot" "I Can't" "BK Anthem" "Oh Yeah" "Candy" "Stylin'" "Come Fly with Me"
Featured singles	"I Shot Ya (Remix)" "Ain't No Nigga" "(Always Be My) Sunshine" "Firm Biz" "U Already Know"
Related articles	Discography Ill Na Na Tour The Firm

This page was last edited on 11 March 2024, at 13:52

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia