| Make It Hot | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | August 25, 1998 | |||
| Genre | R&B [1] | |||
| Length | 58:30 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Producer |
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| Nicole Wray chronology | ||||
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Make It Hot is the debut studio album by American singer Nicole Wray. The album was released in August 1998 through Missy Elliott's Elektra-distributed vanity label, The Goldmind. The album was produced by Missy Elliott and Timbaland. Some editions of the release credit Nicole as Nicole Ray, [2] an artist name she only used here and on her single "I Can't See".
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [1] |
| Entertainment Weekly | B [3] |
| Robert Christgau |  [4] |
| Rolling Stone | [5] |
Michael Gallucci from AllMusic gave Make It Hot "is virtually a textbook primer on Elliott's stylistic touch and influence on end-of-the-millennium hip-hop (she raps on, writes songs for, produces, and executive produces Make It Hot – and it's on her custom label). Along with pal Timbaland, Elliott transforms young Nicole's somewhat standard bow into a stuttering slab of post-rap R&B that's as sleekly modern as it is customarily cold." [1] Entertainment Weekly journalist Rob Brunner gave the album a B rating and concluded: "Even if the distinctive Missy-Timbaland sound is getting a little old, Hot proves the formula hasn’t gone cold just yet." [3]
Make It Hot reached number forty-two on the US Billboard 200 and number nineteen on the R&B album chart. [6] [7] The first single, "Make It Hot", reached number five on the Hot 100 chart, [8] number two on the R&B singles chart, [9] and was certified gold. [10] The second single, "I Can't See", reached number thirty-six on the Rhythmic Top 40 chart. [11] In 1999, the third and final single from the album, "Eyes Better Not Wander", reached number seventy-one on the R&B singles chart. [12]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Time Is Now (Intro)" (featuring Missy Elliott) | Missy Elliott | Anthony Dent | 1:39 |
| 2. | "Seventeen" | Elliott |
| 4:53 |
| 3. | "In da Street" (featuring Mocha & Missy Elliott) |
|
| 4:02 |
| 4. | "Traffic Jam (Interlude)" | Wray | Dent | 1:22 |
| 5. | "Curiosity" (featuring Lil' Mo & Dent) |
|
| 4:12 |
| 6. | "Make It Hot" (featuring Mocha & Missy Elliott) |
| Timbaland | 4:27 |
| 7. | "Prelude (I Can't See)" |
| Brian Alexander Morgan | 0:44 |
| 8. | "I Can't See" |
| Morgan | 4:46 |
| 9. | "Nervous" (featuring Lil' Mo) |
|
| 3:34 |
| 10. | "Pressure (Interlude)" | Wray |
| 1:14 |
| 11. | "Boy You Should Listen" |
|
| 4:47 |
| 12. | "Eyes Better Not Wander" |
| Smokey | 4:33 |
| 13. | "Radio DJ (Interlude)" |
|
| 1:04 |
| 14. | "Silly Love Song" |
|
| 4:39 |
| 15. | "Raise Your Frown" |
| Smokey | 4:10 |
| 16. | "Borrowed Time" |
|
| 5:01 |
| 17. | "Testing Our Love (Suga)" |
| Smokey | 3:36 |
1Denotes demo version
Credits are taken from the album's liner notes. [13]
| Chart (1998) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 [14] | 42 |
| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) [15] | 19 |
| Region | Date | Label |
|---|---|---|
| Japan | August 20, 1998 [16] | |
| United Kingdom | August 24, 1998 | |
| United States | August 25, 1998 | |
| Germany | September 14, 1998 |
Melissa Arnette Elliott, better known as Missy Elliott or Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. She embarked on her music career with R&B girl group Sista in the early-mid 1990s and later became a member of the Swing Mob collective along with childhood friend and longtime collaborator Timbaland, with whom she worked on projects for American R&B acts Aaliyah, 702, Total, and SWV. Following several collaborations and guest appearances, she launched her solo career in 1997 with her debut album Supa Dupa Fly, which spawned the top 20 single "Sock It 2 Me". The album debuted at number three on the Billboard 200, the highest charting debut for a female rapper at the time.
Charlene Keys, better known by the stage name Tweet, is an American singer-songwriter.
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Nicole Monique Wray, also known as Lady Wray, is an American singer and songwriter. Her 1998 debut single "Make It Hot" was certified gold. In the 2010s, she began pursuing a more traditional soul sound, first as part of the duo Lady with Terri Walker and subsequently as Lady Wray. As Lady Wray, she has released two albums: Queen Alone (2016) and Piece of Me (2022).
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The Goldmind, Inc. is an American record label founded in 1997 by rapper Missy Elliott. Elliott was once distributed through Elektra Entertainment Group, and more recently by Atlantic Records before starting her own record label. The Goldmind, Inc. is home to Missy Elliott, specializing in R&B/hip-hop/soul music.
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