Unleash the Dragon
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 Records. 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 by Island Records, the group released two multi-platinum albums to date: Dru Hill and Enter the Dru. In 2003, the album was certified quintuple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America for shipment of five million copies in the United States.
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.
Critical reception
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."Track listing
Credits taken from the album's liner notes.Notes
- denotes co-producer
- denotes additional production
- signifies a remixer
- "Is Love Enough" contains an interpolation of "Cry for You", written by Donald DeGrate, Raymond E. Jones, and Robert Jones.
- "Thong Song" contains an interpolation of "Livin' la Vida Loca", written by Robi Rosa and Desmond Child.
Personnel
- Sisqó – vocals, vocal producer, vocal arrangements
- Jarod Barnes – drums and percussion
- Paul Boutin – engineer
- Butter – additional background vocals
- Vito Calapietro – engineer
- The Co-Stars – instruments
- Baby Dave – keyboards
- CJ Davilla – engineer, Pro Tools
- Jae Dea – keyboards and bass
- Bruce Dukov – violin
- Mike Dy – assistant engineer
- Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds – arrangements, background vocals, and additional instruments
- Jan Fairchild – engineer, Pro Tools, additional engineering, mixing
- Jon Gass – mixing
- Steve Hall – mastering
- Jason – assistant engineer
- Jazz – vocal arrangements
- Anthony Jeffries – engineer
- Shae Jones – background vocals
- Montell Jordan – arrangements
- Manny Marroquin – mixing
- Victor McCoy – assistant engineer
- Nate Morring – baby grand piano
- Axel Niehaus – mixing
- Kiehl Owens – drum programming and arrangements
- Dave Pensado – mixing
- Nathan "N8" Walton – background vocals, keyboards, and arrangements