Unleash the Dragon

1999 studio album by Sisqó
Unleash the Dragon
Studio album by
Sisqó
ReleasedNovember 30, 1999
Recorded1999
StudioMetalworks (Mississauga, Ontario)
Genre
  • R&B, pop rap
Length51:03
LabelDef Soul
ProducerTim & Bob, Warryn Campbell, Al West, Baby Dave, Nokio the N-Tity, One Up Entertainment, The Co-Stars, Shep Crawford, Dru Hill, Dutch, N8 & Kiehl
Sisqó chronology
Unleash the Dragon
(1999) 		Return of Dragon
(2001)
Singles from Unleash the Dragon
  1. "Got to Get It"
    Released: November 2, 1999
  2. "Thong Song"
    Released: February 15, 2000
  3. "Incomplete"
    Released: July 25, 2000
  4. "Unleash the Dragon"
    Released: September 18, 2000

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.[1]

The album also garnered Sisqó two American Music Award nominations for Favorite Soul/R&B Album and Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist. In addition he received three nominations including Best New Artist and Best R&B Album at the 43rd Grammy Awards in 2001.[2]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[3]
Robert Christgau(choice cut)[4]
Muzik[5]
Q[6]
Rolling Stone(mixed)[7]
The Source(favorable)[8]

AllMusic editor Michael Gallucci wrote that "loaded with whispered bedroom moans, which have become late-'90s R&B clichés, Unleash the Dragon is short on any real songs to justify the pointless replay of these familiar grooves [...] Once the beats – which borrow heavily from the contemporary R&B playbook – are programmed, there's little for Sisqó to do but coast along the grooves, with all the conviction and commitment of a soul robot."[3]

Track listing

Credits taken from the album's liner notes.[9]

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Unleash the Dragon" (featuring Beanie Sigel)
  • Shelton
  • Hill
  • Veney
3:53
2."Got to Get It" (featuring Make It Hot)
  • Mark Andrews
  • Al West
  • Marquis Collins
  • James Travis
  • Sisqó
  • Al West
2:54
3."Is Love Enough" (featuring LovHer)
Campbell4:33
4."2nite" (Interlude)Tamir RuffinNokio The N-Tity1:21
5."How Can I Love U 2nite"
  • Ruffin
  • Phil Weatherspoon
  • Case Woodard
  • Nokio The N-Tity
  • Weatherspoon[a]
5:08
6."Your Love Is Incredible"
  • Andrews
  • Vito Colapietro
  • Neely Dinkins
  • Noah Porter
  • The Co-Stars
  • Sisqó[b]
4:10
7."So Sexual"
  • Andrews
  • Nathan "N8" Walton
  • Kiehl Owens
  • Tavia Ivey
  • Kenneth Edmonds
  • N8
  • Kiehl
  • Sisqó[b]
3:58
8."Thong Song"
4:16
9."Incomplete"Crawford4:34
10."Addicted"
  • Andrews
  • West
  • Sisqó
  • West
4:48
11."Dru World Order (Interlude)" (Dedicated to Dru Hill)
  • Sisqó
  • West
1:20
12."Enchantment Passing Through" (performed by Dru Hill)Dru Hill5:43
13."You Are Everything (Remix)" (Dru Hill featuring Ja Rule)
  • Andrews
  • Rick Cousin
  • Sisqó
  • Dutch
  • Sisqó[c]
  • Baby Dave[c]
4:16

Notes

  • ^a denotes co-producer
  • ^b denotes additional production
  • ^c signifies a remixer


Sample credits[9]

Personnel

  • Sisqó – vocals, vocal producer (1-3, 5-10, 13), vocal arrangements (1-3, 5-10, 12, 13)
  • Jarod Barnes – drums and percussion (12)
  • Paul Boutin – engineer (7)
  • Butter – additional background vocals (10)
  • Vito Calapietro – engineer (6)
  • The Co-Stars – instruments (6)
  • Baby Dave – keyboards (10)
  • CJ Davilla – engineer (1), Pro Tools (1, 2)
  • Jae Dea – keyboards and bass (12)
  • Bruce Dukov – violin (8)
  • Mike Dy – assistant engineer (12)
  • Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds – arrangements, background vocals, and additional instruments (7)
  • Jan Fairchild – engineer (1, 2, 5, 8-10, 12), Pro Tools (1, 2, 8), additional engineering (3), mixing (5)
  • Jon Gass – mixing (7)
  • Steve Hall – mastering
  • Jason – assistant engineer (1, 10)
  • Jazz – vocal arrangements (12)
  • Anthony Jeffries – engineer (3)
  • Shae Jones – background vocals (9)
  • Montell Jordan – arrangements (9)
  • Manny Marroquin – mixing (1-3, 6, 8-10)
  • Victor McCoy – assistant engineer (8)
  • Nate Morring – baby grand piano (12)
  • Axel Niehaus – mixing (5)
  • Kiehl Owens – drum programming and arrangements (7)
  • Dave Pensado – mixing (12)
  • Nathan "N8" Walton – background vocals, keyboards, and arrangements (7)

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1999–2000) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[10] 28
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[11] 26
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[12] 41
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[13] 6
Canadian R&B Albums (Nielsen SoundScan)[14] 5
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[15] 9
European Top 100 Albums (Music & Media)[16] 43
French Albums (SNEP)[17] 27
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[18] 54
Irish Albums (IRMA)[19] 75
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[20] 23
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[21] 19
Scottish Albums (OCC)[22] 47
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[23] 45
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[24] 36
UK Albums (OCC)[25] 15
UK R&B Albums (OCC)[26] 3
US Billboard 200[27] 2
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[28] 2

Year-end charts

Chart (2000) Position
Canadian Albums (Nielsen SoundScan)[29] 55
Dutch Albums (MegaCharts)[30] 85
French Albums (SNEP)[31] 84
UK Albums (OCC)[32] 71
US Billboard 200[33] 12
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[34] 4

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[35] Gold 35,000^
Canada (Music Canada)[36] 2× Platinum 200,000^
France (SNEP)[37] Gold 100,000*
Germany (BVMI)[38] Gold 150,000^
Netherlands (NVPI)[39] Gold 50,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[40] Gold 100,000^
United States (RIAA)[41] 5× Platinum 5,000,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ "Rock on the Net: Sisqo". Archived from the original on 2015-03-15. Retrieved 2015-03-23.
  2. ^ "Sisqo | Artist". 19 December 2021. Archived from the original on 2021-12-19. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
  3. ^ a b "Allmusic review". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 2022-09-23. Retrieved 2022-09-23.
  4. ^ "Robert Christgau review". Archived from the original on 2011-12-16. Retrieved 2012-03-30.
  5. ^ "Muzik review". Archived from the original on 2009-08-14. Retrieved 2009-07-19.
  6. ^ "Q Magazine review". Archived from the original on 2009-08-14. Retrieved 2009-07-19.
  7. ^ "Love Me Two Times: 20 Greatest Two-Hit Wonders of All Time". Rolling Stone. 31 March 2014. Archived from the original on 26 April 2016. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
  8. ^ "The Source review". Archived from the original on 2009-08-14. Retrieved 2009-07-19.
  9. ^ a b Unleash the Dragon (booklet). Def Soul. 1999.
  10. ^ "Australiancharts.com – Sisqó – Unleash the Dragon". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
  11. ^ "Ultratop.be – Sisqó – Unleash the Dragon" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
  12. ^ "Ultratop.be – Sisqó – Unleash the Dragon" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
  13. ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 7239". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
  14. ^ "R&B : Top 50". Jam!. May 22, 2000. Archived from the original on May 23, 2000. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
  15. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Sisqó – Unleash the Dragon" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
  16. ^ "European Top 100 Albums" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 17, no. 22. May 27, 2000. p. 16. Retrieved April 10, 2023 – via World Radio History.
  17. ^ "Lescharts.com – Sisqó – Unleash the Dragon". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
  18. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Sisqó – Unleash the Dragon" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
  19. ^ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Sisqó". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  20. ^ "Charts.nz – Sisqó – Unleash the Dragon". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
  21. ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Sisqó – Unleash the Dragon". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
  22. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
  23. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Sisqó – Unleash the Dragon". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
  24. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Sisqó – Unleash the Dragon". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
  25. ^ "Sisqo | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
  26. ^ "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
  27. ^ "Sisqo Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
  28. ^ "Sisqo Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
  29. ^ "Canada's Top 200 Albums of 2000". Jam!. Archived from the original on August 12, 2004. Retrieved March 24, 2022.
  30. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Album 2000" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Archived from the original on March 15, 2016. Retrieved January 6, 2016.
  31. ^ "Les Albums (CD) de 2000 par InfoDisc". Infodisc (in French). Archived from the original on July 11, 2015. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
  32. ^ "End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 2000". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on March 7, 2016. Retrieved January 6, 2016.
  33. ^ "Billboard 200 – Year-End 2000". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 20, 2006. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
  34. ^ "Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2000". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 8, 2018. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
  35. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2000 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association.
  36. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Sisqo – Unleash the Dragon". Music Canada.
  37. ^ "French album certifications – Sisqo – Unleash the Dragon" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique.
  38. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Sisqo; 'Unleash the Dragon')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
  39. ^ "Dutch album certifications – Sisqo – Unleash the Dragon" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Enter Unleash the Dragon in the "Artiest of titel" box. Select 2000 in the drop-down menu saying "Alle jaargangen".
  40. ^ "British album certifications – Sisqo – Unleash the Dragon". British Phonographic Industry.
  41. ^ "American album certifications – Sisqo – Unleash the Dragon". Recording Industry Association of America.
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