Chyna Doll (album)

Chyna Doll
Studio album by Foxy Brown
Released	January 26, 1999 June 18, 1999
Recorded	1998
Genre	Rap/Hip Hop
Length	61:31
Label	Def Jam/Ill Na Na Entertainment
Producer	Robert 'Shim' Kirkland, Deric "D-Dot" Angelettie, Kanye West, Irv Gotti, Lil' Rob, Swizz Beatz, Charly Charles, Tyrone Fyffe, Bernard 'Big Demi' Parker, D-Moet, 'Baby' Chris Lighty
Foxy Brown chronology
The Firm: The Album (1997) Chyna Doll (1999) Broken Silence (2001) Singles from Chyna Doll "Hot Spot" Released: October 26, 1998 "I Can't" Released: March 2, 1999

Chyna Doll is the second full-length studio album and third recording by American hip-hop artist Foxy Brown. The album was released in United States on January 26, 1999 and debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, making Foxy Brown the first female hip-hop artist in history to debut at the number one spot on the Billboard 200. The album was later certified Platinum. Chyna Doll was released in the United Kingdom on June 18, 1999.

Album information

Chyna Doll is the follow-up to Foxy Brown's 1996 platinum 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 (also known as Young Gavin and Nino Brown), Mia X, Gangsta Boo, and Norega. 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."^[1]

Production

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 Niggaz With Attitude, calling it "Bitches with Attitude" featuring southern female rappers Mia X and Gangsta Boo.^[2]

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 pop singer Madonna to collaborate on the album, but due to unknown circumstances, nothing ever became of it.^[3]

The original release date for Chyna Doll was 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.

Track-Listing

1. "The Birth of Foxy Brown" (featuring Pam Grier) - 1:27
2. "Chyna Whyte" - 3:01
3. "My Life" - 4:27
4. "Hot Spot" - 3:50
5. "Dog and a Fox" (featuring DMX) - 2:57
6. "J.O.B." (featuring Mýa) - 3:42
7. "Bomb Ass" - 0:59
8. "I Can't" (featuring Total) - 4:47
9. "Bonnie & Clyde Part 2" (featuring Jay-Z) - 4:50
10. "4-5-6" (featuring Beanie Sigel and Memphis Bleek) - 5:01
11. "Ride (Down South)" (featuring Eightball & MJG, Juvenile, and Too Short) - 5:41
12. "Can U Feel Me Baby" (featuring Pretty Boy) - 3:49
13. "Baller Bitch" (featuring Pretty Boy and Too Short) - 3:49
14. "B.W.A." (featuring Mia X and Gangsta Boo) - 3:26
15. "Tramp" - 3:28
16. "Baby Mother" - 1:25
17. "It's Hard Being Wifee" (featuring Noreaga) - 4:44

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[4]
Entertainment Weekly	(B+)[5]
Q	[6]
Rolling Stone	[7]
The Source	[8]

Despite the commercial success of Chyna Doll, the album was critically panned the album for its sexual explicit nature. 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...".^[9] 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."^[10]

Commercial Reception

The album was released on January 26, 1999 and debuted on the Billboard 200 charts at No. 1, making Foxy Brown the first female rap artist to ever conquer the chart's top position. On March 24, 1999, Chyna Doll was certified platinum.

Chyna Doll Touring

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 tour that began in August 1999 and stopped at 22 cities in America.^[11]

Charts

Chart (1999)	Peak Position
The Billboard 200	1
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums	1
Top Canadian Albums	6

Unreleased Music

• 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 the album 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.

• 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.

See also

• Number-one albums of 1999 (U.S.)
• List of number-one R&B albums of 1999 (U.S.)

References

1. ^ MTV (1999-01-21). "Foxy Brown Goes Coast-To-Coast For "Chyna Doll"". MTV. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1429105/19990121/foxy_brown.jhtml. 
2. ^ MTV (1998-09-04). "Foxy Brown To Cover Janet Jackson And N.W.A.". MTV. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1429107/19980904/foxy_brown.jhtml. 
3. ^ MTV (1999-01-19). "Foxy Brown-Fiona Apple Collaboration Scuttled By Schedule, Apple Eyes Work On New Album"". MTV. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1424960/19990119/apple_fiona.jhtml. 
4. ^ Allmusic review
5. ^ Entertainment Weekly review
6. ^ Q review
7. ^ Rolling Stone review
8. ^ The Source review
9. ^ Jose F. Promis (1999). "Chyna Doll"". AllMusic. http://www.allmusic.com/album/r380219. 
10. ^ Oliver Wang (1999). "Chyna Doll". Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00000DMU0. 
11. ^ MTV (1999-05-19). "R. Kelly/Nas/Foxy Brown Tour Cancels More Dates". AllMusic. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1429098/19990519/foxy_brown.jhtml. 

External links

• Foxy Brown's Official MySpace Page
• Foxy Brown at the Internet Movie Database

Preceded by Made Man by Silkk The Shocker

Billboard 200 number-one album February 13–19, 1999

Succeeded by …Baby One More Time by Britney Spears