Dru World Order

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Dru World Order
Studio album by Dru Hill
Released	November 26, 2002
Recorded	October 2001 - August 2002
Genre	R&B
Length	55:36
Label	Def Soul 0063377
Producer	Nokio the N-Tity (also executive) Dru Hill (also co-executive) Kevin Liles (executive) Kenneth Crear (co-executive) Tina Davis (co-executive) Jaha Johnson (co-executive) Darryl Pearson Roundtree/Kidrow Productions Kwamé Bryan Michael Cox Pajam Sean "Mocca" Banks Nocko Warryn Campbell
Professional reviews
John Bush, All Music Guide link
Dru Hill chronology
Enter the Dru (1998) Dru World Order (2002) InDRUpendence Day (2008)

Dru World Order is the third album by American R&B group Dru Hill, released in late 2002 (see 2002 in music) on Def Jam Recordings' Def Soul imprint. Four years had passed between this release and the group's previous LP, Enter the Dru, during which time the quartet imploded, yet later reformed. Beginning with this release, Dru Hill became a quintet, with fifth member Scola (Rufus Waller) added to the original lineup of Sisqó, Jazz, Nokio, and Woody.

Contents 1 Background 2 Overview 3 Track listing 4 Personnel 5 Chart and singles history 6 Notes

[edit] Background

Following the release of Enter the Dru's final single, "You are Everything", in summer 1999, Dru Hill was reduced to a trio when Woody left the act to become a gospel singer. During this period, the group's label, Island Records, was merged with Def Jam, and Dru Hill was reassigned to Def Jam's new R&B imprint, Def Soul. The new label renegotiated the group's contracts and successfully returned Woody to the fold. The intended plan was for each member to record a solo album, and then regroup in a year to record Dru World Order. However, lead singer Sisqó's solo album, Unleash the Dragon, was a notable success, selling, at four million copies, twice as much as Enter the Dru. The other three members' solo projects were pushed back as Sisqó singles such as "Thong Song" and "Incomplete" became Top 5 hits on the Billboard Hot 100. When the group reformed in November 2000, it imploded, and Dru Hill was placed on an indefinite hiatus.

One completed recording from the aborted fall 2000 sessions, "Without You", was included on Sisqó's second solo album, Return of Dragon. Unlike Unleash the Dragon, Return of Dragon was not a success. After the group members reunited at the funeral of Woody's mother, Dru Hill made plans to reform. ^[1] Woody, who had released his solo gospel album on Kirk Franklin's Gospocentric Records in spring 2002, agreed to the reunion, as did Jazz. Dru Hill also hired Rufus "Ruscola" Waller, a local artist from their hometown of Baltimore, Maryland, as a fifth member.

[edit] Overview

Initially, Def Soul was not sold on a Dru Hill reunion, given the long period of time since the group's last release, and the relative failure of Sisqó's second solo album. The group won the label over with "I Should Be...", a song written by a teenaged local R&B act from Baltimore called "Everidae"(The Featherstones) along with Jeriel Askew.^[2]

The new five-man Dru Hill lineup set about recording Dru World Order in October 2001, with Nokio taking creative control of the project.^[3] Most of the songs on the LP are produced, co-produced, and/or co-written by Nokio, who also offers two solo compositions: "She Said" and "Men Always Regret". Sisqó, Scola, Jazz, and Woody also co-write and/or co-produce several of the tracks on the album. Outside producers on Dru World Order include Jermaine Dupri associate Bryan Michael Cox, rapper Kwamé, Warryn Campbell, Darryl Pearson, and others.

Unlike the previous Dru Hill releases, Dru World Order shows a conscious attempt to share the lead vocal duties among its members on each song, rather than present Sisqó as the main lead singer. Much of the album features Sisqó, Scola, Jazz, and periodically Woody sharing the lead vocals, with spoken interludes and overdubs by Nokio, and irregular ad-libs from Woody. Nokio sings lead on his compositions "She Said" and "Men Always Regret", while Jazz performs "Never Stop Loving You" by himself. "My Angel" is a solo dedication by Woody to his mother, who died the previous year. Guest performers on the album are limited to a guest rap by Kwamé on "No Doubt", ad-lib vocals from Chinky of LovHer on "She Said" with Eritza Laues performing the vocal duties on the chorus, and a guest rap from Def Jam artist N.O.R.E. on "On Me". Def Soul labelmate Case and recording artist TQ receive co-writing credits on "Xstacey Jones".

"I Should Be" peaked at number 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart in the United States, and number six on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart. Its follow-up, "I Love You", was less successful, peaking at number 77 pop and number 21 R&B spring 2003. The album itself peaked at number 21 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, and at number 2 on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. Dru World Order was Dru Hill's final album for Def Soul, who released the group from its contract within a year.

[edit] Track listing

1. "Love/Hate" (Tamir Ruffin, Darryl Pearson, Darrell Adams) - 1:38
2. "Xstacy Jones" (Ruffin, Case Woodard, Terrance Quaites, Pearson) - 4:36
3. "I Should Be..." (Justin Featherstone, Alonzo Joyner, Jeriel Askew, Christopher Featherstone, Matthew Featherstone) - 4:57
4. "If I Could" (Tamara Savage, Bryan Michael Cox, Mark Andrews, Rufus Waller, Gregory Curtis) - 4:13
5. "No Doubt" (Andrews, Ruffin, Kwamé Holland) - 3:48
6. "On Me" featuring N.O.R.E. (Andrews, Ruffin, Waller, Victor Santiago) - 3:29
7. "Old Love" (James Moss) - 3:40
8. "She Said" featuring Chinky of LovHer (Ruffin) - 4:18
9. "I Do (Millions)" (Sean "Mocca" Banks", Marvin Winans) - 3:44 ¹
10. "I Love You" (Ruffin, Andrews, Waller, Dennis Moorhead) - 5:13
11. "Never Stop Loving You" (Larry Anthony, Wirlie Morris, Alan Floyd) - 4:41
12. "Men Always Regret" (Ruffin) - 4:10
13. "My Angel/How Could You" (Warryn Campbell, Andrews, James Green) - 7:19

• ¹ "I Do (Millions)" interpolates the composition "Millions", written by Marvin Winans.

[edit] Personnel

• Lead and background vocals: Sisqó (Mark Andrews), Jazz (Larry Anthony), Nokio (Tamir Ruffin), Scola (Rufus Waller), and Woody (James Green)
• Guest vocals: Chinky of LovHer, Kwamé, N.O.R.E.
• Additional background vocals: Darrell "Dezo" Adams ("Love/Hate"), Jessica Rivera ("On Me"), James Moss ("Old Love"), Eritza Laue ("She Said")
• Vocal arrangements: Nokio, Jazz, Phil Weatherspoon, Alan Floyd
• Vocal production: Bryan Michael Cox, Tamara Savage, Sisqó
• Bass: Darryl Pearson
• Guitars: Darryl Pearson, Spaceman
• Piano, organ: Nocko
• Keyboards: Jeriel "Baby J" Askew, Nathan "Boy Genius" Mooring, Darryl Pearson, Kwamé, Wirlie Morris, Nocko
• Drum Programming: Jeriel "Baby J" Askew, Nathan "Boy Genius" Mooring, Darryl Pearson, Kwamé, Wirlie Morris, Nocko
• String arrangements and conducting: Benjamin Wright, Claire Fischer
• Arranging: Guy Roche, Sisqó
• Strings: Assa Drori, Antoly Rosinsky, Elizabeth Wilson, Igor Kiskatch, Amy Hershberger, Julie Rogers, Jerry Epstein, John Hayhurst, Cecilia Tsan, Richard Treat, Arni Egilsson
• Engineering: Serban Ghena, John Gordon, Jan Fairchild, Reggie Dozier, Jon Hanes, Chris Young, Eric "Ebo" Butler, Ann Mincieli, Tom Soares, Kevin Blott, Pajam, Pat Viala, Larry Mah, Greg Smith, Nocko, Robert "Tkae" Mendez
• Mixing: Serban Ghena, Manny Marroquin, Tim Roberts, Steven George, Rabeka Tunei
• Production Coordinator: Sandra Campbell ("My Angel/How Could You")
• Mastering: Chris Gehringer
• A&R direction: Nokio, Sisqó, Jaha Johnson
• A&R manager: Leesa D. Brunson
• A&R coordinator: Tara Podolsky
• Recording administration: Terese Joseph
• Product consultant: Delroy Morgan
• Art direction and design: Akisia Grigsby, Robert Sims
• Photography: Anthony Mandler
• Stylist: April Roomet

[edit] Chart and singles history

Title	Information
"I Should Be..."	Def Soul single 63865, September 2002 Music video directed by Chris Robinson
"No Doubt (Work It)"	Def Soul single 63769, January 14, 2003
"I Love You"	Def Soul single 30511, April 1, 2003 Music video directed by Chris Robinson

Name	Chart (1996-1998)	Peak position
Dru World Order	U.S. Billboard 200	21
Dru World Order	U.S. Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums	2
"I Should Be..."	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	25
"I Should Be..."	U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks	6
"No Doubt (Work It)"	U.S. Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks	39
"I Love You"	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	77
"I Love You"	U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks	27

[edit] Notes