Baby Makin' Music

Last updated
Baby Makin' Music
Isley Brothers album Baby makin' music.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedMay 9, 2006
Genre R&B
Length40:45
Label
Producer
The Isley Brothers chronology
Body Kiss
(2003)
Baby Makin' Music
(2006)
I'll Be Home for Christmas
(2007)

Baby Makin' Music is the thirtieth studio album by the American Ohio musical soul group, the Isley Brothers (with bandleader Ronald Isley credited as the lead feature). It was released under the short-lived Def Soul Classics imprint on May 9, 2006.

Contents

Their first for the Def Jam-affiliated label, the album peaked at number five on the Billboard 200, while debuting at number one on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. Album sales were helped by the R&B chart success of the first single, "Just Came Here to Chill", and the R. Kelly duet, "Blast Off", which is the only collaboration with Kelly on this album, after he produced their last album, Body Kiss (2003).

Other producers on Baby Makin' Music include Gordon Chambers, Jermaine Dupri, Tim & Bob and Manuel Seal.

Following the album's release, the Isley Brothers ended up on a temporary hiatus following lead singer Ronald Isley's conviction on tax evasion charges, having served three years in federal prison before being released in 2010 and releasing a solo album. [1] [2]

Background

In October 2003, five months following the release of their predecessor, Body Kiss , which achieved commercial success, [3] and almost a month ahead of the release of Ronald Isley and Burt Bacharach's collaborative album, Here I Am, the group's label, DreamWorks Records, previously a music label subsidiary of DreamWorks Pictures, was acquired by Universal Music Group and then folded into Interscope Geffen A&M Records. [4] As a result, the Isley Brothers became free agents for only five months until in May 2004, former Universal Music CEO Doug Morris convinced the group to comeback to UMG. Accepting his offer, Ronald Isley signed a new contract with Universal, rather than face being dropped from the label and losing money. Instead of signing with DreamWorks' succeeding label, Geffen Records, Morris helped to sign the Isley Brothers to Geffen's UMG sister label, Def Soul, the R&B division of Def Jam Recordings. [5] Around that time, Def Jam was already under new leadership of former Arista Records chairman L.A. Reid, following the departure of Lyor Cohen, Kevin Liles and its co-founder Russell Simmons. [6]

Singles and release

The album's lead single, "You Helped Me Write This Song", was released in October 2005, after it leaked on pirate radio last June.[ citation needed ]Baby Makin' Music was expected to be released on December 20, 2005, but was later delayed to May 9, 2006, on which it was finally released.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [7]

The album received three and a half out of five stars on AllMusic.

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."You're My Star" Tim & Bob 4:35
2."Blast Off" (featuring R. Kelly) Robert Kelly Kelly4:04
3."Just Came Here to Chill"
  • Taylor
  • Chambers
4:13
4."Gotta Be with You"
4:34
5."Pretty Woman"
  • Kelley
  • Robinson
Tim & Bob4:31
6."Forever Mackin'"
  • Dupri
  • Cox
  • Austin
4:22
7."Show Me" Manuel Seal Seal4:22
8."Give It to You"SealSeal4:27
9."Beautiful"
  • Dupri
  • Seal
  • Austin
3:27
10."Heaven Hooked Us Up"
  • Lewis
  • Taylor
4:31
11."You Help Me Write This Song"
  • Lewis
  • Taylor
4:02

Notes

Sample credits

Personnel

Charts

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Isley Brothers</span> American musical group

The Isley Brothers are an American musical group originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, that began as a vocal trio consisting of the brothers O'Kelly Isley Jr., Rudolph Isley and Ronald Isley in the 1950s. With a career spanning over seven decades, the group has enjoyed one of the "longest, most influential, and most diverse careers in the pantheon of popular music".

<i>The New Danger</i> 2004 studio album by Mos Def

The New Danger is the second studio album by American rapper Mos Def, released on October 12, 2004, by Rawkus and Geffen Records. It is the follow-up to his breakthrough solo effort Black on Both Sides (1999), after which he devoted more time into his film and stage career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Island Def Jam Music Group</span> American record label group formed in 1998

The Island Def Jam Music Group (IDJMG) was an American recording music unit, formed on New Year's Eve 1998 by Universal Music Group. It consists of labels created under the basic operations of Island Records and Def Jam Recordings. On April 1, 2014, Universal Music Group publicly announced the disbandment of the Island Def Jam Music Group, leaving IDJMG and its affiliated subsidiaries as separate sister labels.

Universal Records is a record label owned by Universal Music Group and operated as part of the Universal Motown Republic Group. The label has been dormant since 2006, due to Universal Motown and Universal Republic Records being formed and taking all of the artists from it. Those labels were eventually combined to form the latest iteration of Republic Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ronald Isley</span> American singer and songwriter (born 1941)

Ronald Isley is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. Isley is the lead singer and founding member of the family music group The Isley Brothers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jagged Edge (American group)</span> American R&B group from Georgia

Jagged Edge is an American R&B group from Atlanta, Georgia. The group, initially signed to record producer Jermaine Dupri's So So Def Recordings, is best known for their string of hit singles including "Let's Get Married" and "Where the Party At", most of which were produced by Dupri. The group's members include identical twin lead singers Brian and Brandon Casey as well as Richard Wingo and Kyle Norman. The group's debut album, A Jagged Era (1997), performed modestly at the time of its release but achieved gold status; however, their subsequent albums until 2007 all became commercial successes—debuting within the top 10 of the Billboard 200.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">It's Your Thing</span> 1969 single by The Isley Brothers

"It's Your Thing" is a funk single by The Isley Brothers. Released in 1969, the anthem was an artistic response to Motown chief Berry Gordy's demanding hold on his artists after the Isleys left the label in late 1968.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Def Soul</span> Contemporary R&B division of Def Jam Records

Def Soul Records was an R&B-based division of American multinational record label Def Jam Recordings. It was formed in 1996 by Russell Simmons and Kevin Liles to expand R&B and soul music through Def Jam's said genre-related roster following the successes of Montell Jordan and Case.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Def Jam Recordings</span> American record label

Def Jam Recordings is an American multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It is based in Manhattan, New York City, specializing predominantly in hip hop, contemporary R&B, soul and pop.

<i>Exodus</i> (Ja Rule album) 2005 greatest hits album by Ja Rule

Exodus is a 2005 greatest hits album by rapper Ja Rule. He had released an album every year since 1999, but in 2005, with no new album planned The Inc. released this greatest hits album featuring songs such as "Mesmerize" and "Wonderful".

<i>Finding Forever</i> 2007 studio album by Common

Finding Forever is the seventh studio album by Common, released on July 31, 2007, on GOOD Music and Geffen Records. Like Common's previous album, Be (2005), Finding Forever is primarily produced by Kanye West. The album debuted at the number one on the Billboard 200, selling 155,000 units in the first week, becoming Common's first chart-topper. Selling over 500,000 units in the US, it has been certified Gold. Finding Forever was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap Album, losing to Kanye West's Graduation at the 50th Grammy Awards.

<i>Hot & Wet</i> 2003 studio album by 112

Hot & Wet is the fourth studio album by American R&B group 112. It was released by Bad Boy Records and Def Soul on December 9, 2003 in the United States. The album followed the successful Part III album, with the club tracks "Na Na Na Na" and "Hot & Wet" which was produced by Stevie J. It was also their first album not exclusively associated with Bad Boy, signaling the groups' eventual departure from the label in 2004.

<i>True Magic</i> 2006 studio album by Mos Def

True Magic is the third studio album by American rapper Mos Def, released on December 29, 2006, by Geffen Records. After Geffen had absorbed Mos Def's former label Rawkus, the album was released haphazardly to fulfill a contractual obligation; its physical release lacked a booklet, cover art, lyrics, or credits.

<i>The Heat Is On</i> (album) 1975 studio album by the Isley Brothers

The Heat Is On is the thirteenth studio album by American soul and funk group the Isley Brothers, released June 7, 1975, on T-Neck Records and Epic Records. Written and produced entirely by the group, the album was recorded in 1975 at Kendum Recorders in Burbank, California. The Heat Is On features musical elements of rock, and is divided between uptempo funk songs and soul ballads.

<i>Body Kiss</i> 2003 studio album by the Isley Brothers

Body Kiss is a studio album by the Isley Brothers, released on May 6, 2003. It is the final Isley Brothers album to be released under the DreamWorks imprint as the label itself would be absorbed into Geffen Records in October of the same year.

Interscope Geffen A&M Records (IGA) is an American umbrella label owned by Universal Music Group. It currently consists record labels Interscope Records and Geffen Records.

<i>Timeless Journey</i> 2004 studio album by Patti LaBelle

Timeless Journey is a studio album by American singer Patti LaBelle. Her first release with Def Soul Classics, it was released on May 4, 2004 in the United States. One of her most commercially successful albums, it reached number five on the US Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, also hitting the top 20 on the Billboard 200. Timeless Journey produced the singles "New Day" and "2 Steps Away".

<i>Miss Pattis Christmas</i> 2007 studio album by Patti LaBelle

Miss Patti's Christmas is a studio album by American singer Patti LaBelle. Her second holiday album, it was released by Def Soul Classics on October 9, 2007 in the United States. Chiefly produced by Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, it marked LaBelle's first Def Jam recording since abruptly leaving the label in 2006 over a dispute with then-president Antonio "L.A." Reid. Miss Patti's Christmas peaked at number 22 on the US Top Holiday Albums.

JS was an American female R&B duo. The duo consisted of members and sisters Kim Johnson and Kandy Johnson-Isley. After releasing their debut album, Ice Cream, in 2003 to subpar commercial performance, they disbanded a year later.

<i>Mr. I</i> 2010 studio album by Ronald Isley

Mr. I is the debut solo studio album by American R&B lead singer of The Isley Brothers, Ronald Isley. It was released on November 30, 2010.

References

  1. "Out of jail, Ron Isley picks up where he left off". Deseret News. 2010-12-18. Retrieved 2023-10-03.
  2. Billboard Staff (2006-09-05). "Isley Sentenced To Prison For Tax Evasion". Billboard. Retrieved 2023-10-03.
  3. "50 Cent Makes Way For The Isley Brothers". MTV. Retrieved 2023-10-03.
  4. "CNN.com - Dreamworks near music deal - Oct. 31, 2003". www.cnn.com. Retrieved 2023-10-03.
  5. Mitchell, Gail (2004-05-12). "Def Soul Signs Isleys". Billboard. Retrieved 2023-10-03.
  6. Fritz, Ben (2004-02-10). "Reid's replacing Cohen at Def Jam". Variety. Retrieved 2023-10-03.
  7. Kellman, Andy. "The Isley Brothers - Baby Makin' Music (2006) album review credits & releases | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved June 30, 2019.
  8. "The Isley Brothers Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
  9. "The Isley Brothers Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
  10. "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2006". Billboard. Retrieved September 30, 2020.
  11. "Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2006". Billboard. Retrieved July 29, 2020.