Rated Next
Studio album by
Next
ReleasedSeptember 30, 1997
Length72:28
Label
Producer
Next chronology
Rated Next
(1997)		 Welcome II Nextasy
(2000)
Singles from Rated Next
  1. "Butta Love"
    Released: August 19, 1997
  2. "Too Close"
    Released: January 27, 1998
  3. "I Still Love You"
    Released: July 21, 1998

Rated Next is the debut studio album by American musical group Next. After forming, the trio recorded several songs with record producers Prof. T. and Lance Alexander before catching recording artist and producer Keir "KayGee" Gist of American hip hop trio Naughty by Nature's attention. He signed Next to his record label Divine Mill, with most of Next's debut album being recorded in Gee's in-home recording studio and the remaining was recorded at Ken Johnston's Perfect Pair studio located in East Orange, New Jersey. Rated Next was eventually released on September 30, 1997 in the United States, under Divine Mill and Arista Records.

Upon its release, Rated Next received generally favorable reviews from music critics, though it received negative criticism for the sexual innuendo within the lyrics. The album peaked at number 37 on the Billboard 200 and was certified two times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The album spawned three singles: "Butta Love", "Too Close" and "I Still Love You". "Too Close" topped the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified platinum by the RIAA. "Butta Love" and "I Still Love You" peaked within the top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 and were both certified gold by the RIAA. "Butta Love" was produced by Lance Alexander of the group Lo-Key.

Conception and recording

Next was formed in 1992 by brothers Terrence "T-Low" and Raphael "Tweety" Brown, in addition to Robert "R. L." Huggar. The trio was trained and managed by T-Low's godmother, Ann Nesby, during the group's formation.[1] While performing in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Next collaborated with record producers Prof. T. and Lance Alexander. They began recording music in the Flyte Tyme recording studio. A demo that the trio recorded caught the attention of recording artist and producer Kay Gee of Naughty by Nature.[1] He called Next three days later and signed the group to his Divine Mill record label.[1][2] Managed by the Flavor Unit,[1] Rated Next was recorded in Gee's in-home recording studio.[3] The trio recorded several songs during this time, including "Phone Sex" and "Sexitude". During a "growth period", Next recorded "Butta Love", in which group member Tweety described as "the difference in the freedom we were feeling".[1]

Marketing promotion

Next released the album's lead single, "Butta Love", in August 1997.[1] According to Arista Records senior vice president of black music Lionel Ridenour, the success of the single "kept growing to the point where we had worked it from July through December".[1] In order to give the group exposure, Arista promoted Next by having them speak in several radio stations and perform on television programs.[1] The album's second single, "Too Close", topped the Billboard Hot 100[4] and was certified platinum by the RIAA, going on to sell 2.1 million copies.[5][6] "Butta Love" and "I Still Love You" peaked in the top 20 of the Hot 100 and were certified gold by the RIAA.[4][7][8] The two singles sold 900,000 and 700,000 copies, respectively.[6][9]

Singles

"Butta Love" was the lead single and was released August 19, 1997. The song charted on the US Billboard Hot 100 at 16 and on the US R&B/Hip-Hop at 4. The second single was "Too Close"; it was released on January 27, 1998.[10] The song charted at 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and on the US R&B/Hip-Hop. The final single was "I Still Love You"; it was released July 21, 1998. The song charted on the US Billboard Hot 100 at 14 and on the US R&B/Hip-Hop at 4

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[11]
Robert Christgau(2-star Honorable Mention)(2-star Honorable Mention)[12]

Rated Next received generally favorable reviews from music critics. Leo Stanley of Allmusic described the album as "an impressive collection of contemporary hip-hop-influenced urban soul". He felt that the group "may get a little too 'risqué' for some tastes", but stated that the lead singer R. L., was "so smooth and charismatic that he can seduce unwilling listeners".[11] Melanie Mcfarland of The Seattle Times noted that the group "swings between party anthems and tender ballads with a sexy flow" on the album.[13] The album received negative criticism due to the sexual innuendo in the lyrics of the songs. Tweety noted that one review wrote: "Even if Next never made it as singers, they could still make it as exotic dancers."[1] Robert Christgau called the album a collection of "cute pop songs about... their erections and her clitoris".[14]

Track listing

Rated Next track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Intro" KayGee1:00
2."Too Close"
4:19
3."Butta Love"
  • Arkeida Clowers
  • Lighty
  • Lance Alexander
  • Huggar
  • Tony Tolbert
  • D. Lighty
  • KayGee
  • Alexander
  • Prof T.
4:56
4."My Place (Interlude)"
KayGee2:18
5."Cozy"
  • Alexander
  • Prof T.
4:10
6."Penetration" (featuring Naughty by Nature)
  • Anthony Criss
  • Bobby Robinson
  • Clifton Lighty
  • D. Lighty
  • Delvis Damon
  • Kevin Morse
  • Gist
  • D. Lighty
  • KayGee
4:32
7."You Are My High (Interlude)"
  • Andrea Smith
  • Charlie Wilson
  • Ronnie Wilson
  • D. Lighty
  • KayGee
  • Eddie Berkeley
2:05
8."I Still Love You"
  • Clowers
  • Darnell Bristoll
  • D. Lighty
  • Kenneth Edmonds
  • Raphael Brown
  • Huggar
  • Sid Johnson
  • Tolbert
  • D. Lighty
  • KayGee
4:13
9."Stop, Drop & Roll"
  • Clowers
  • Chuck Davis
  • Melvin L. Dinkins
  • KayGee
  • Mufi
  • Sheldon Goode
5:03
10."Represent Me"
  • C. Lighty
  • Eric Williams
  • Frank Reynolds
  • Joe Sample
  • Melvin Lewis
  • KayGee
  • C. Lighty
  • Reynolds
4:31
11."Next Experience" (featuring Adina Howard and Castro)
  • D. Lighty
  • Gist
  • Huggar
  • Wilton Felder
  • D. Lighty
  • KayGee
4:57
12."Problems" (featuring Koffee Brown)
  • C. Lighty
  • Darryll Barksdale
  • David Reeves
  • Jesse Wiley
  • Walker
  • Walter Dewgarde
  • William Way
  • Mr. Walt
  • KayGee
3:48
13."Do You Think About Me"
  • Alexander
  • Huggar
  • Tolbert
  • Alexander
  • Prof T.
5:41
14."Admit the Rat (Interlude)" KayGee1:56
15."Sexitude"
  • Kevin Pierce
  • Alexander
  • Tolbert
  • Alexander
  • Prof T.
4:31
16."Taste So Good"
  • Alexander
  • Tolbert
  • Alexander
  • Prof T.
5:13
17."Phone Sex"
  • Alexander
  • Tolbert
  • Alexander
  • Prof T.
5:19
18."Rock On"
  • D. Lighty
  • Gist
  • Dinkins
  • Huggar
  • D. Lighy
  • KayGee
  • Prof T.
3:56

Personnel

As credits listed on AllMusic.[15]

Charts

Certifications

Certifications for Rated Next
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[23] Gold 50,000^
United States (RIAA)[24] 2× Platinum 2,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Reece 1998, pp. 13, 20
  2. ↑ Allen 1998, p. 52
  3. ↑ "Naughty by Nature Throws Homecoming Party for Next". MTV News. August 31, 1998. Retrieved 2009-11-05.
  4. 1 2 "Rated Next > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles". Allmusic. Retrieved 2009-11-05.
  5. ↑ "American certifications – Next – Too Close". Recording Industry Association of America.
  6. 1 2 "Best-Selling Records of 1998". Billboard. BPI Communications Inc. 111 (5): 75. January 30, 1999. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
  7. ↑ "American certifications – Next – Butta Love". Recording Industry Association of America.
  8. ↑ "American certifications – Next – I Still Love You". Recording Industry Association of America.
  9. ↑ "Best-Selling Records of 1997". Billboard. BPI Communications Inc. 110 (5): 76. January 31, 1998. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved May 9, 2015.
  10. ↑ Reece, Doug (March 21, 1998). "Next Gets Boost from Singles". Billboard. Vol. 110, no. 12. p. 20. 'Too Close,' which has sold more than 193,000 units since Jan. 27
  11. 1 2 Stanley, Leo. "Next - Rated Next". AllMusic. Retrieved 2009-11-05. Rated Next is an impressive collection of contemporary hip-hop-influenced urban soul
  12. ↑ Christgau, Robert. "Next". Robert Christgau.
  13. ↑ Mcfarland, Melanie. "So Hot It's Cool — Kube Summer Jam Turns the Gorge into an Oasis of Hip-Hop and R&B". The Seattle Times. The Seattle Times Company. Retrieved 2009-11-05.
  14. ↑ Christgau, Robert. "Robert Christgau: CG: Next". robertchristgau.com. Retrieved 2009-11-05.
  15. ↑ "Rated Next > Credits". Allmusic. Retrieved 2009-11-05.
  16. ↑ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 202.
  17. ↑ "Next Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 18, 2021.
  18. ↑ "Next Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved January 7, 2020.
  19. ↑ "Next Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved January 7, 2020.
  20. ↑ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 1997". Billboard. Retrieved November 30, 2020.
  21. ↑ "Billboard 200: Year End 1997". Billboard. Retrieved January 8, 2020.
  22. ↑ "R&B/Hip-Hop Albums: Best of 1998". Billboard. Retrieved January 8, 2020.
  23. ↑ "Canadian album certifications – Next – Rated Next". Music Canada. Retrieved January 7, 2020.
  24. ↑ "American album certifications – Next – Rated Next". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved January 7, 2020.
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