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 a 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 sextuple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipping six million copies in North America.[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.
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [2] |
| Muzik | [3] |
| Q | [4] |
| Robert Christgau |  [5] |
| Rolling Stone | (mixed)[6] |
| The Source | (favorable)[7] |
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."[2]
Track listing
Credits taken from the album's liner notes.[8]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Unleash the Dragon" (featuring Beanie Sigel) |
|
| 3:53 |
| 2. | "Got to Get It" (featuring Make It Hot) |
|
| 2:54 |
| 3. | "Is Love Enough" (featuring LovHer) |
| Campbell | 4:33 |
| 4. | "2nite" (Interlude) | Tamir Ruffin | Nokio The N-Tity | 1:21 |
| 5. | "How Can I Love U 2nite" |
|
| 5:08 |
| 6. | "Your Love Is Incredible" |
| The Co-Stars | 4:10 |
| 7. | "So Sexual" |
|
| 3:58 |
| 8. | "Thong Song" |
|
| 4:16 |
| 9. | "Incomplete" |
| Crawford | 4:34 |
| 10. | "Addicted" |
|
| 4:48 |
| 11. | "Dru World Order (Interlude)" |
|
| 1:20 |
| 12. | "Enchantment Passing Through" (performed by Dru Hill) | Dru Hill | 5:43 | |
| 13. | "You Are Everything (Remix)" (Dru Hill featuring Ja Rule) |
| v
| 4:16 |
Notes
- ^a denotes co-producer
Charts
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[27] | Gold | 35,000^ |
| Canada (Music Canada)[28] | 2× Platinum | 200,000^ |
| France (SNEP)[30] | Gold | 119,900[29] |
| Germany (BVMI)[31] | Gold | 150,000^ |
| Netherlands (NVPI)[32] | Gold | 50,000^ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[33] | Gold | 100,000^ |
| United States (RIAA)[34] | 5× Platinum | 5,000,000^ |
| ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
- ^ [1]
- ^ a b "Allmusic review".
- ^ "Muzik review".
- ^ "Q Magazine review".
- ^ "Robert Christgau review".
- ^ [2]
- ^ "The Source review".
- ^ Sisqó. "Unleash The Dragon (CD, Album)". Def Soul/Dragon Records. 1999. https://www.discogs.com/Sisqo-Unleash-The-Dragon/release/619979
- ^ "Australiancharts.com – Sisqó – Unleash the Dragon". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – Sisqó – Unleash the Dragon" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – Sisqó – Unleash the Dragon" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
- ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Sisqó – Unleash the Dragon" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
- ^ "Lescharts.com – Sisqó – Unleash the Dragon". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
- ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Sisqó – Unleash the Dragon" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
- ^ "Charts.nz – Sisqó – Unleash the Dragon". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
- ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Sisqó – Unleash the Dragon". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
- ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Sisqó – Unleash the Dragon". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
- ^ "Swisscharts.com – Sisqó – Unleash the Dragon". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
- ^ "Sisqo | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
- ^ "Sisqó Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
- ^ "Sisqó Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
- ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Album 2000" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved January 6, 2016.
- ^ "Les Albums (CD) de 2000 par InfoDisc". Infodisc (in French). Retrieved January 31, 2021.
- ^ "End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 2000". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 6, 2016.
- ^ "Billboard 200 – Year-End 2000". Billboard. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
- ^ "Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2000". Billboard. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
- ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2000 Albums". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on 10 August 2020.
- ^ "Canadian album certifications – Sisqo – Unleash the Dragon". Music Canada.
- ^ "Les Albums Or". infodisc.fr. SNEP. Archived from the original on 2011-10-18. Retrieved 2011-08-31.
- ^ "French album certifications – Sisqo – Unleash the Dragon" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique.
- ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Sisqo; 'Unleash the Dragon')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "British album certifications – Sisqo – Unleash the Dragon". British Phonographic Industry. Select albums in the Format field. Select Gold in the Certification field. Type Unleash the Dragon in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
- ^ "American album certifications – Sisqo – Unleash the Dragon". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH.