Dru World Order

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. 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.

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.

The new five-man Dru Hill lineup set about recording Dru World Order in October 2001, with Nokio taking creative control of the project. 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 seeling 122,000 copies in its first week. The album was certified gold by the riaa for shipments in excess of 500,000 copies.

Track listing

Personnel

Unless Otherwise Indicated, information is taken from Liner Notes and Discogs.com