Enter the Dru is the second studio album from American R&B group Dru Hill. Released on October 27, 1998, it was the group's second and final album for Island Black Music, the urban music division of Island Records; Island was merged with Def Jam Recordings following a company merger in December the same year, as Dru Hill would later be transferred to Def Jam's Def Soul subsidiary.[1][2]
This is the first album that the group were credited as executive producers as all four members wrote and produced several of the songs. It released three singles, "How Deep Is Your Love", "These Are The Times" and "You Are Everything". The singles all had music videos released, but the music video for "You Are Everything" was a remix video, which featured rapper Ja Rule, and Woody did not appear in it due to him leaving the group in early 1999. The remix version was later featured on lead singer Sisqó's debut album, Unleash the Dragon, which was released that November.
Recording sessions for the album took place at Larabee Studios in Los Angeles. The album peaked at number two on both the Billboard 200 and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts. In May 1999, it was certified double-platinum in sales by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), after exceeding 2,000,000 copies in the United States.
Overview
The songs on the album are mainly performed by lead singer, Sisqó, who performs solo on four songs: "Real Freak", "How Deep Is Your Love", "This Is What We Do" and "One Good Reason". Jazz performs solo on "Holding You" and "I'll Be the One". Woody performs solo on "Angel". Nokio does not perform solo on any songs but he does get more lead vocals than on the group's eponymous debut album.
Background
The album was recorded over a three-week span at Larabee Studios in Los Angeles during the early months of 1998.[3] Group member James "Woody Rock" Green would leave the group soon after the release of the album to pursue a career as a gospel musician. The other members also went on to do solo albums, which forced the group to go on hiatus.[3]
The album peaked at number two on both the U.S. Billboard 200 and the R&B Albums chart.[9] The album was certified gold in December 1998 and eventually recertified double-platinum by May 1999.[10] Michael Gallucci of Allmusic gave the group and their second effort a favorable review, stating that "Dru Hill slice into the section of '90s soul music that crosses bedroom come-ons with classic street savvy (and nervy beats) without sounding at all whipped."[4]
Assistant engineering – Tom Bender, Greg Burns, Mick Guzauski, Kevin Lively, Ted Reiger, Aaron Sprague, The Storm, Dylan Vaughn, Pascal Volberg
Assistant mixing – E'lyk, The Storm, Pascal Volberg
Bass – Alex Al, Ronnie Garrett, Michael Thompson
Clothing/wardrobe – Julieanne Mijares
Conductor(s) – Larry Gold, Sisqó
Drum programming – Babyface, Nokio the N-Tity, Greg Phillinganes, Guy Roche, Daryl Simmons, Ralph Stacy, Damon Thomas, William "P Sound" Thomas
Engineering – Paul Boutin, Greg Burns, Felipe Elgueta, Thom "TK" Kidd, Mario Lucy, Manny Marroquin, Jason Rome, Rafa Sardina, Jon Smeltz, Ralph Stacy, Moana Suchard, Joe Warlick
Executive production – Dru Hill, Hiriam Hicks, Haqq Islam, Kevin Peck, Kenneth Crear
Grooming – Heba Thorisdottir
Guitar – James Harrah, Sonny Lallerstedt, Michael Hart Thompson
Keyboards – Babyface, David Foster, Nokio the N-Tity, Greg Phillinganes, Guy Roche, Daryl Simmons, Ralph Stacy, Damon Thomas, Phil Weatherspoon
Mastering – Chris Gehringer
Mixing – Bonzai, Jon Gass, Mick Guzauski, Thom "TK" Kidd, Manny Marroquin, Thom Russo, Jon Smeltz
Performer(s) – Chinky Brown Eyes, Method Man
Photo assistance – Beth Coller, John Garcia
Photography – Beth Coller, John Garcia, Tracy Lamonica
Piano – Alex Al, Warryn Campbell, Greg Phillinganes
Production – Baby Dave, Babyface, Warryn Campbell, Dutch, David Foster, James "Woody" Green, Nokio the N-Tity, Guy Roche, Daryl Simmons, Sisqó, Ralph Stacy, Damon Thomas
Production coordination – Ivy Skoff
Rapping – Method Man
Strings – Cameron Stone
String arranging – Larry Gold, Sisqó
String conduction – Larry Gold
Stylistic advisor – Laurie Chang, April Roomet
Stylistic assistant – Laurie Chang, April Roomet
Synclavier – Simon Franglen
Synclavier programming – Simon Franglen
Vocal arranging – R. Brown, Nokio the N-Tity, Guy Roche, Sisqó
Mark Althavan Andrews, known professionally as Sisqó, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, dancer and actor. He is most prominently known for his singles "Thong Song", "Incomplete" and his membership in R&B group Dru Hill. Sisqo's successful debut solo album, Unleash the Dragon (1999), included the hit singles "Thong Song" and "Incomplete".
Dru Hill is an American R&B group, whose repertoire included soul, hip hop soul and gospel music. The group was founded in Baltimore in 1992 by Tamir "Nokio the N-Tity" Ruffin, and as of 2023, is still active. Dru Hill recorded seven top 40 hits, and is best known for the R&B number-one hits "In My Bed", "Never Make a Promise" and "How Deep Is Your Love". Its original members were lead singer Mark "Sisqó" Andrews, Tamir "Nokio" Ruffin, Larry "Jazz" Anthony and James "Woody" Green. The group achieved popularity in the 1990s.
"Thong Song" is a song recorded by American R&B singer Sisqó. It was released on February 15, 2000, as the second single from his solo debut studio album, Unleash the Dragon (1999). "Thong Song" garnered four Grammy nominations and numerous other awards. The song peaked at number one on the Billboard Rhythmic top 40 chart and number three on the Billboard Hot 100, Sisqó's second highest-peaking hit behind "Incomplete". It was a major success worldwide as well, reaching the top ten throughout European charts and reaching number three in the United Kingdom, Netherlands, and Denmark. The song also topped the charts in New Zealand.
Unleash the Dragon is the debut solo studio album by American R&B singer Sisqó of Dru Hill, released on November 30, 1999, on Def Soul. Sisqó recorded the album during Dru Hill's hiatus. It includes the hit songs "Got to Get It", "Incomplete", and "Thong Song". Previously, Sisqo had been the lead singer of the group Dru Hill. Recorded under Island Records, the group released two multi-platinum albums to date: Dru Hill (1996) and Enter the Dru (1998). In 2003, the album was certified quintuple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipment of five million copies in the United States.
Return of Dragon is the second solo studio album by American R&B recording artist Sisqó of Dru Hill, released on June 19, 2001 on Def Soul Records. The album did very well on the charts but its singles, "Can I Live" and "Dance for Me", were commercial disappointments compared to his debut album, Unleash the Dragon (1999). Despite the fact that Sisqó announced a third single, "Dream", this never materialized due to the commercial failure of the album. The song "Without You" was originally planned to be featured on Dru Hill's third album, Dru World Order but tensions grew between the group while working on the album and it was put on hold. Return of Dragon was later certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for excess of one million copies. Return of Dragon would be Sisqó's last album until Last Dragon (2015).
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.
'It's All About Me' is a song by American singer Mýa. It served as her debut single from her self-titled debut studio album and recorded as a duet with R&B singer Sisqó. A psychedelic R&B slow jam, "It's All About Me" was written and composed by Sisqó and Darryl Pearson, while the latter served as producer. It interpolates the composition "Moments in Love" by Art of Noise.
"Incomplete" is a song by American R&B singer Sisqó. It was released on June 13, 2000, as the third and final single from his first solo album, Unleash the Dragon (1999). Written by Def Soul artist Montell Jordan and Anthony "Shep" Crawford, and produced by Crawford, the song was Sisqó's biggest solo single and his only number-one hit in the US, topping both the Billboard Hot 100 chart and the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart. "Incomplete" is also Sisqó's third and most recent Hot 100 top-40 hit; within two years of its release, Sisqó would return to his role as Dru Hill's lead singer.
LovHer was an American R&B girl group. The group was the first female group on the Def Soul label. The group was formed in 1999 by Sisqó, lead singer of R&B group Dru Hill, who wanted to put together a girl group that would present a raw, "street" appeal. Like Dru Hill, LovHer's members are known by hip hop nicknames:Talia "Chinky" Burgess, Marthea "Buttah" Jackson, Serenade, and Kienji Hakeem. LovHer comprised the Baltimore, Maryland, native Chinky who was discovered in a talent show, Kienji from South Central Los Angeles, Serenade and Buttah from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, who were hosting a public-access television cable TV show before auditioning for the co-founder of Dru Hill.
Dru Hill is the debut studio album from American boy band Dru Hill, released November 19, 1996, on Island Records. The album featured four singles "Tell Me", "In My Bed", "Never Make A Promise" and "5 Steps". All of the singles had music videos released. The album also features the So So Def remix of "In My Bed", which features Jermaine Dupri and Da Brat, as a bonus track, which also had a music video released.
Mya is the debut studio album by American singer Mya. It was released by University Music Entertainment and Interscope Records on April 21, 1998, in the United States. Recording of the contemporary R&B album was overseen by University Records CEO A. Haqq Islam after he signed the singer when she was at the age of 15. Production on Mya was primarily handled by Swing Mob member Darryl Pearson with additional contributions from Daryl Simmons, Alex "Cat" Cantrall, Joey Priolo, and Nokio the N-Tity. Guest appearances include Dru Hill frontman Sisqó, and rappers Silkk the Shocker and Missy Elliott.
"Never Make A Promise" is a number-one R&B song by group Dru Hill, released in 1997. It is the third single from their eponymous debut album. With a lead by Larry "Jazz" Anthony, the single spent four weeks at number one on the US R&B chart and peaked at number seven on the US pop chart. Although it was a hit, sales of the "Never Make A Promise" single were mainly driven by the popular So So Def Remix of their previous hit "In My Bed" only being available on its B-side.
"In My Bed" is a song by American R&B group Dru Hill. It is the second single from their eponymous debut album. The single spent three weeks at number-one on the US R&B chart and peaked at number four on the US pop chart. The song is performed by group leader Mark "Sisqó" Andrews. The music video focuses on Sisqó's girlfriend, who possibly cheats on him with another man, but Sisqó doesn't know anything about it. At the end of the video, Sisqó goes to his house with a bouquet of flowers for his girlfriend when he sees a guy walking out. He goes inside and sadly finds her in bed with a woman and drops the flowers in heartbreak. He leaves the house for a few seconds and goes back in. The remix features Jermaine Dupri, who also produced the track, and Da Brat. It was a hit single. The remix sampled Le Pamplemousse's "Gimme What You Got" (1976). The song appears in 2008 video game Grand Theft Auto IV.
Dru World Order is the third studio album by American R&B group Dru Hill, released on November 26, 2002.
Traces of My Lipstick is the third studio album by American R&B group Xscape. The album was released on May 12, 1998, through So So Def Recordings and Sony Music Entertainment. The album was preceded by the release of three singles: "The Arms of the One Who Loves You", "My Little Secret" and "Softest Place on Earth".
InDRUpendence Day is the fourth studio album by American R&B group Dru Hill, released on July 27, 2010 under Kedar Entertainment Group. The album was supposed to be released on June 8, 2010, but it was pushed back. The album is the group's first release with new member, Tao, and is also their first album in eight years since their previous album, Dru World Order. The album released three singles: "Love MD", "Remain Silent" and "Back to the Future". "Love MD" is the only single that had a music video released. Despite the lack of charting singles and the fact that it was their first album in 8 years, the album was still moderately successful, reaching #30 on the Billboard 200.
"These Are The Times" is the second single released from Dru Hill's second album, Enter the Dru. The single reached number 21 on the Hot 100 and number 5 on the R&B chart, staying on the chart for 21 weeks. The song reached the UK top 5, peaking at number 4, being Dru Hill's highest and last charting hit in that country to date.
"We're Not Making Love No More" is a song performed by American contemporary R&B group Dru Hill, released as a single from the soundtrack to the film Soul Food. The song peaked at #13 on the Billboard Hot 100 and at #2 on the Billboard R&B chart.
This is the discography documenting albums and singles released by American R&B singer Sisqó.
"You Are Everything" is the fourth and final single released from Dru Hill's second album, Enter the Dru. The single reached number 84 on the Hot 100 and number 27 on the R&B/Hip Hop charts. The remix, which features rapper Ja Rule, was released on Sisqó's solo album Unleash the Dragon.
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