Foxy Brown Unwraps A 'China Doll'
LOS ANGELES -- Rapper Foxy Brown says her sophomore album, "China Doll," is far more "street"
than her 1996 debut, "Ill Na Na," which has sold 1.4 million units in the U.S., according to SoundScan.
"That one was a little more radio [friendly]. Now I'm taking it back to the essence [of where I started],"
says the 19-year-old Brown, whose real name is Inga Marchand.
"China Doll" is due Dec. 15 worldwide on Violator Entertainment/Def Jam Recordings. "Hot Spot," the
album's first single, went to U.S. R&B and crossover radio formats Nov. 9; the song will not be
commercially available in the States. A videoclip for the single will be serviced Nov. 16 to BET, MTV,
the Box, and local and regional outlets.
On the 15-track set, Brown worked with artist/producer Jay-Z and a variety of up-and-comers, such as
Swiss, Little Rob, Grease, and Ty. "I felt like they are dope-ass producers, and they needed a shot," says
Brown. "It will probably put their foot in the door."
Brown was first cast into the limelight for her rap skills on hip-hop singles "I Shot Ya" by LL Cool J,
"Touch Me Tease Me" by Case, "You're Makin' Me High" by Toni Braxton, and "Ain't No Nigga" by
Jay-Z. "Get You Home," a single from "Ill Na Na" that took its hook and melody from Eugene Wilde's
classic 1984 hit "Gotta Get You Home Tonight," helped secure Brown a foothold in an industry that is
generally dominated by men. "Ill Na Na" peaked at No. 2 on the Top R&B Albums chart and No. 7 on
The Billboard 200. As a member of the rap collective the Firm, Brown appeared on "The Firm --The
Album," a 1997 project that included Nas Ecobar, AZ, and Nature. The album peaked at No. 1 on both
the Top R&B Albums chart and The Billboard 200.
On the new set, Brown fans can expect even more wordplay on "Foxy Brown," the moniker the rapper
appropriated from '70s blaxploitation actress Pam Grier. "All my albums are theme albums. In this album,
the real Foxy Brown is giving birth to me," says Brown. She adds that throughout the album Grier will be
heard talking to Brown over music sampled from two of Grier's films, "Friday Foster" and "Coffy."
On the set, Brown says, she still raps about the finer things in life, but she insists that she keeps it realistic.
"When I walk outside of my house in Brooklyn, that's what I rap about. I'm the voice of urban youth in
America. I rap about relationships and everyday life."
JUST ENTERTAINMENT
The rapper says one of the biggest misconceptions about her music is that it is only about sex. "People
don't need to take things so seriously. They need to look at it as just entertainment rather than take me
word for word . . . like, 'Did you hear what she said?' They aren't saying anything when Marilyn Manson
urinates on the crowd [at a concert]."
Brown says that the key to her longevity lies in branching out into different areas of the music industry. "I
want to own things," she says. "I'm starting a new label, called Ill Na Na. I would be the youngest female
CEO. I am what makes my career. Only I can mess it up. I'm in charge of how far my career goes."
The label deal is still being worked out, says Brown, so no other details were available at press time.
Def Jam's marketing campaign for "China Doll" will have several phases, starting with the Def Jam street
team, who will hand out fliers, poster boards, and 12-inch singles in early November. The first 12-inch
single, "B.W.A.," went to radio, mix-show jocks, record pools, and club DJs on Oct. 30.
The B-side to "B.W.A." is "Paper Chase," a duet with Jay-Z. "My Life," a second single, is planned for
early January.
According to Hythem Bouchuiguir, director of international for Def Jam, the label is planning an
international promotional tour in 1999. "We broke her in Europe last year. She was a huge success there,"
says Bouchuiguir. "It was well-received, and there is much anticipation for the new album in Japan,
Australia, and the U.K." According to the label, "Ill Na Na" has sold 250,000 units outside the U.S.
The label is planning a U.S. promotional jaunt for Brown in the new year, and is looking to feature her on
a multi-act Def Jam tour. Brown will also be part of a four-artist campaign that includes rappers Jay-Z,
Method Man, and Redman.
In addition to radio and TV commercials for the album, Brown will appear in a special MTV round-table,
a two-hour "Ultrasound" called "Women In Hip-Hop," that will air Dec. 13, two days before "China Doll"
is released. The rapper will also appear in a December "Rap City" segment for BET. The label is also
planning for Brown to be featured on "MTV Jams," "Russell Simmons' One World Music Beat,"
"Motown Live," "The Chris Rock Show," and "The Roseanne Show."
Internet exposure will include the Def Jam World Wide Web site, which has a full page dedicated to the
rapper, and an appearance on "88HIPHOP.com," an online hip-hop show, during the week of the album's
release. Def Jam label is also planning to develop a Brown site to launch next year.
Brown is managed by Steve Stoute. Brown's music is published through Pork Music/ASCAP.
By ANITA SAMUELS for BILLBOARD (November '98)