Ill Na Na

Ill Na Na
Studio album by
Foxy Brown
ReleasedNovember 19, 1996 (1996-11-19)
Recorded1995–1996
Studio
GenreHip hop[1]
Length41:11
Label
Producer
Foxy Brown chronology
Ill Na Na
(1996) 		Chyna Doll
(1999)
Singles from Ill Na Na
  1. "Get Me Home"
    Released: September 15, 1996
  2. "I'll Be"
    Released: March 4, 1997
  3. "Big Bad Mamma"
    Released: July 28, 1997

Ill Na Na is the debut studio album by American rapper Foxy Brown. It was released by Def Jam Recordings on November 19, 1996 in the United States. Recorded between 1995 and 1996, the album was primarily produced by the Trackmasters and features guest appearances from Blackstreet, Havoc, Method Man, Kid Capri, and Jay-Z. Lyrically, it centers on themes of fashion, sex, and the mafia, showcasing Brown's confident and seductive delivery over sleek, contemporary production.

Ill Na Na was praised for Brown's confident, seductive delivery and charisma, though some critics noted repetitive freestyles. Commercially, the album debuted at number seven on the US Billboard 200, selling 128,000 copies in its first week, and has since sold over 1.4 million copies in the United States, earning a platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It also received a gold certification in Canada and a silver certification for over 60,000 copies sold in the United Kingdom.

Three singles were released from Ill Na Na, including lead single "Get Me Home" and the more successful follow-up "I'll Be," which peaked at number seven on the US Billboard Hot 100. The album broke new ground for female rappers, becoming the first female rap album to debut in the top 10 of the Billboard 200, the first to earn certified plaques outside the United States, and the highest-selling female rap album of 1996, reaching platinum status within 2.7 months.

Background and recording

Brown began working on the album after being discovered by the production team Trackmasters and appearing on a number of singles by other artists, such as LL Cool J, Case and Jay-Z. The immediate success of the singles led to a bidding war at the beginning of 1996, and in March, Def Jam Recordings won and signed the then 17-year-old rapper to the label. Between 1995 and 1996, Brown went into the recording studio to record her debut studio album, originally set to be released in October 1996. Mostly produced by Trackmasters, Ill Na Na features guest appearances from Blackstreet, Havoc, Method Man, Kid Capri and Jay-Z. Lyrically, the album mainly focuses on themes of fashion, sex and mafia.

Promotion

Ill Na Na produced three singles. Lead single, "Get Me Home," released in September 1996, reached the top ten on the US R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart and the New Zealand Singles Chart. Second single "I'll Be," released in March 1997, quickly became a major hit, peaking at number seven on the US Billboard Hot 100, marking the highest-charting single for both Foxy Brown and Jay-Z at the time. Two months later, it was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for sales exceeding 500,000 copies. Third and final single, "Big Bad Mamma," was originally recorded with R&B group Dru Hill for the soundtrack of the 1997 film How to Be a Player before being included on the re-issue of Ill Na Na. Built around an interpolation of Carl Carlton's "She’s a Bad Mama Jama," the track became a moderate hit, peaking at number 53 on the Billboard Hot 100, her second-highest charting solo single.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Entertainment WeeklyB+[1]
Los Angeles Times[3]
Muzik5/10[4]
RapReviews7/10[5]
USA Today[6]
The Village Voice[7]

AllMusic editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine praised Ill Na Na for Brown's confident, sexy delivery, which makes her lyrics about fashion, sex, and the mafia compelling. He highlighted the sleek Trackmasters production and noted that, while guest appearances add star power, her charisma alone carries the album.[2] Entertainment Weekly's Jim Farber found that "on Il Na Na, many of the beats are familiar [...] but Foxy Brown's seductive, confident presence almost makes it her own."[1]

Writing for USA Today, Steve Jones concluded: "While she spends too much time on interludes about her crew, Brown rhymes smoothly on everything from raw sex to the glamorous life."[6] Cheo Hodari Coker from The Los Angeles Times felt that "Brown occasionally displays dazzling skills. Unfortunately, many of her freestyles seem identical: repetitive, sound-alike rhymes about her doe eyes, homicidal tendencies and burning thighs. "Get Me Home" and the title track are the only songs on the album where it doesn't sound as if she's using a TelePrompTer."[3]

Commercial performance

In the United States, Ill Na Na debuted at number seven on the Billboard 200 and at number two on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, selling 128,000 copies in its first week,[8][9] and was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) within three months of its release. According to Nielsen SoundScan, the album has sold over 1,450,834 copies in the United States.[10] In Canada, it was certified gold by the Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA). In the United Kingdom, it debuted at number 98 on the UK Albums Chart and was certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). The album has also sold 3 million copies worldwide total to date.[11]

Track listing

Ill Na Na track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Intro...Chicken Coop"
  • Rich Nice
3:17
2."(Holy Matrimony) Letter to the Firm"
3:26
3."Foxy's Bells"
  • Trackmasters
3:20
4."Get Me Home" (featuring Blackstreet)
3:49
5."The Promise" (featuring Havoc)
4:20
6."Interlude...The Set Up"
  • Jackson
  • Olivier
  • Barnes
  • Nice
  • George Pearson
  • Trackmasters
1:00
7."If I..."
  • Trackmasters
3:42
8."The Chase"
  • Marchand
  • Olivier
  • Barnes
  • Trackmasters
3:18
9."Ill Na Na" (featuring Method Man)
  • Charly "Shuga Bear" Charles
3:06
10."No One's"
  • China Black
  • Divine Allah
3:42
11."Fox Boogie" (featuring Kid Capri)
  • Marchand
  • Olivier
  • Barnes
  • Trackmasters
4:31
12."I'll Be" (featuring Jay-Z)
  • Trackmasters
2:58
13."Outro"
  • Hayes
  • Jackson
  • Nice
0:42
Total length:41:11
1997 European reissue
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
14."Big Bad Mamma" (featuring Dru Hill)
  • Trackmasters
3:53
Total length:45:04

Sample credits

Notes

  • Some enhanced editions of the album include the music videos for "I'll Be" & "Get Me Home" as tracks fifteen and sixteen.

Personnel

Adapted from the Ill Na Na liner notes.[12]

Charts

Certifications and sales

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[23] Gold 50,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[24] Silver 60,000*
United States (RIAA)[25] Platinum 1,450,834[10]

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

Release history

Ill Na Na release history
Region Date Format Label Ref(s)
United States November 19, 1996
[2]
United Kingdom September 29, 1997 [16]

References

  1. ^ a b c Bernard, Jim (December 13, 1996). "Music: Foxy Brown – Ill Na Na". Entertainment Weekly. No. 357. New York: Time Inc. p. 82. Archived from the original on February 24, 2015. Retrieved June 2, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Ill Na Na – Foxy Brown", AllMusic, All Media Network. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
  3. ^ a b Hodari Coker, Cheo (January 12, 1997). "** FOXY BROWN, "Ill Na Na," Def Jam; *** LIL' KIM, "Hard Core," Big Beat". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 2, 2026.
  4. ^ Ashon, Will (February 1997). "Foxy Brown: Ill Na Na" (PDF). Muzik. p. 111. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 2, 2022. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
  5. ^ Juon, Steve 'Flash' (August 16, 2022). "Foxy Brown :: Ill Na Na". RapReviews. Retrieved June 2, 2024.
  6. ^ a b Jones, Steve (November 19, 1996). "Foxy Brown, Ill Na Na". USA Today. p. 6D.
  7. ^ Christgau, Robert (January 28, 1997). "Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. p. 56. Retrieved June 2, 2024.
  8. ^ Faison, Datu (December 7, 1996). "Rhythm Section". Billboard. Vol. 108, no. 49. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. p. 26.
  9. ^ Faison, Datu (December 7, 1996). "Rhythm Section". Billboard. p. 26. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  10. ^ a b Odum, Shanel (October 2007). "Where My Ladies At?". Vibe. p. 50. ISSN 1070-4701. Archived from the original on May 10, 2017. Retrieved April 7, 2015 – via Google Books.
  11. ^ http://uaagency.com/hip-hop-rb/foxy-brown/
  12. ^ Foxy Brown (1996). Ill Na Na (liner notes). Def Jam.
  13. ^ "Top Selling Albums: Issue 9804". RPM ". Library and Archives Canada. February 10, 1997. Retrieved April 11, 2023. See LW column for peak position.
  14. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Foxy Brown – Ill Na Na" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved May 14, 2016.
  15. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Foxy Brown – Ill Na Na" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved May 14, 2016.
  16. ^ a b "Foxy Brown Songs and Albums | Full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 14, 2016.
  17. ^ "Official R&B Albums Chart on 9/2/1997 – Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 31, 2019.
  18. ^ "Foxy Brown Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved May 14, 2016.
  19. ^ "Foxy Brown Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 14, 2016.
  20. ^ "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  21. ^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1997". Billboard. Retrieved April 24, 2021.
  22. ^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1997". Billboard. Retrieved April 24, 2021.
  23. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Foxy Brown – Ill Na Na". Music Canada. Retrieved May 14, 2016.
  24. ^ "British album certifications – Foxy Brown – Ill Na Na". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved May 14, 2016. Select albums in the Formats field. Type Ill Na Na Foxy Brown in the "Search:" field.
  25. ^ "American album certifications – Foxy Brown – Ill Na Na". Recording Industry Association of America.
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