Brand New (Salt-n-Pepa album)

Brand New
Brand New
Studio album by Salt-N-Pepa
Released	October 21, 1997
Studio	Axis (New York City); Quad (New York City); Soundtrack (New York City); The Music Palace (West Hempstead, New York); The Basement, Inc. (Dix Hills, New York); Tone X Recording (Washington, D.C.); Record Plant (Los Angeles); The Hit Factory (New York City); Chung King (New York City); AMG (New York City); Horizon (Capitol Heights, Maryland); Flyte Tyme (Edina, Minnesota);
Length	57:27
Label	London
Producer	Cheryl "Salt" James; Sandra "Pepa" Denton; Chad "Dr. Ceuss" Elliott; Esmail; Sean "The Mystro" Mather; Josef Powell; Al West; David "D.J." Wynn;
Salt-N-Pepa chronology
Singles from Brand New
	"R U Ready"; Released: August 29, 1997; "Gitty Up"; Released: December 7, 1997;

Brand New is the fifth studio album by American hip hop group Salt-N-Pepa, released on October 21, 1997, by London Records. The group's international label at the time, Red Ant Entertainment, filed for bankruptcy before the album was officially released; aside from a brief tour and some TV and print ads, almost no promotion was available to boost the record. Brand New spawned two singles: "R U Ready" and "Gitty Up". The album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on November 25, 1997, a sharp decline from the group's previous efforts.

Production

Brand New was the first Salt-N-Pepa album released after the group parted ways with longtime producer, writer, and manager Hurby "Luv Bug" Azor.^[1] Instead, Salt took the lead in co-writing and co-produced the album.^[2]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[3]
Robert Christgau	^[4]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music	^[5]
Entertainment Weekly	B−^[6]
Music Week	^[7]
Rolling Stone	^[8]
The Source	^[9]

Natasha Stovall of Rolling Stone praised the "richer piano-, guitar- and vocal-filled sound, emphasizing gritty soul and sweet, unadulterated funk."^[8] Jon Pareles of The New York Times wrote that the group "still juxtapose catchy come-ons ... and determinedly positive messages."^[10] Connie Johnson of the Los Angeles Times wrote that "while it's commendable that they're stretching out in a more uplifting, spiritually motivated arena, the group's forte is still worldly, raunchy, of-the-flesh fare."^[11] In a review for The Source, Raquel Cepeda described the album as "[m]elodically heavy, but lacking in the lyrical department".^[9]

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"R U Ready"	Cheryl James Sandra Denton Chad Elliott Rufus Moore Al West Randy Muller	Cheryl "Salt" James Chad "Dr. Ceuss" Elliott West	3:58
2.	"Good Life"	C. James Maurice Scott Richard Evans Bernard Grobman Gavin Wray	C. James Elliott^[a]	3:54
3.	"Do Me Right"	C. James David Blake Robert Bacon George Archie Wilbert Milow D.J. Walker	C. James Josef Powell	4:36
4.	"Friends" (featuring Queen Latifah and Mad Lion)	Denton Powell Vanesa Powers Anthony Criss Dana Owens	Powell Sandra "Pepa" Denton	4:42
5.	"Say Ooh"	C. James C. James C. James C. James Larry Young Linda Logan Fernando Saunders	Elliott C. James^[b]	4:09
6.	"Imagine" (featuring Sheryl Crow)	C. James Powell	C. James Powell^[a]	5:26
7.	"Knock Knock"	Denton Powell Earnest Hairston Jr. David Wynn	Powell Denton David "D.J." Wynn	4:32
8.	"Gitty Up"	C. James Moore Rick James	Elliott West	4:00
9.	"Boy Toy"	Denton Elliott Norman Whitfield Otwane Roberts	Elliott West Denton^[b]	4:24
10.	"Brand New"	C. James Denton Gary Wright	C. James Sean "The Mystro" Mather Esmail Powell^[a]	4:05
11.	"Silly of You"	C. James Keef James	C. James	3:52
12.	"The Clock Is Tickin'"	C. James	C. James	4:51
13.	"Hold On" (featuring Kirk Franklin and Sounds of Blackness)	C. James Powell	C. James Powell^[a]	5:06

Notes

^{^[a]} signifies an additional producer
^{^[b]} signifies a co-producer

Samples

"R U Ready" contains excerpts from "Watch Out" by Brass Construction.
"Gitty Up" contains samples from "Give It To Me Baby" by Rick James
"Say Ooh" contains a sample from "Turn Off the Lights" by Larry Young.
"Brand New" contains an interpolation of "Love Is Alive" by Gary Wright.

Personnel

Prince Charles Alexander – Mixing
Eddie Anzueto, Jr. – Percussion
Steven Augustine – Bass
Kent Belden – Creative Director
Blue Denim – Background vocals
Mike Campbell – Guitar
Melvin Chandler – Keyboards
Lewis Christian – Percussion
Day Ta Day – Background vocals
Andre Debourg – Engineer, Mixing
James Denton – Photography
Sandy "Pepa" Denton – Producer
DJ Flexx – Background vocals
Chad "Dr. Ceuss" Elliott – Programming, Producer, Engineer, Mixing
Glenn Ellis – Bass
Esmail – Producer
Alan Forney – Photo Imaging
Kirk Franklin – Performer
Wayne Garrick – Keyboards
Khari Green – Guitar
Bernard Grobman – Guitar
Andrew Hellier – Guitar, Background vocals
Cheryl "Salt" James – Producer
Jon Jones – Guitar
Gerhard Joost – Mixing
Carol Kirkendall – Executive Producer
LaTrece – Background vocals
Michael Lockwood – Guitar
Al (Taz) Machera – Mixing
Sean "Mystro" Mather – Producer
Gary Montoute – Synthesizer
Michael Moore – Photography
Rufus Moore – Background vocals, Performer
Joseph Powell – Programming, Background vocals, Producer, Engineer, Mixing
Wayne Rickard – Guitar
Alicia Rushing – Background vocals
Ken Schubert – Engineer, Mixing
Dawne Shivers – Background vocals
Peggy Sirota – Photography
Sounds of Blackness – Performer
Spinderella – Performer
Kevin Thomas – Engineer
Al West – Producer
Jimmy White – Bass
David Wynn – Producer
George Belton - Bass

Charts

Chart performance for *Brand New*
Chart (1997)	Peak position
Australian Albums (ARIA)^[12]	186
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)^[13]	64
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)^[14]	23
US Billboard 200^[15]	37
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)^[16]	16

Certifications

Certifications for *Brand New*
Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)^[17]	Gold	500,000^{^}
^{^} Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Notes

^ Tracks 1, 4, 10 and 11
^ Track 1
^ Tracks 1, 5 and 8
^ Tracks 2, 11 and 13
^ Tracks 2, 3, 5–7 and 10–13
^ Tracks 3, 4, 6 and 7
^ Track 4
^ Track 6
^ Tracks 6 and 12
^ Track 9
^ Tracks 10 and 12
^ Track 13

References

^ Horn, Mark C. (June 18, 2015). "Salt-N-Pepa Discuss Their Career and Legacy as Hip-Hop's Matriarchs". Phoenix New Times. Archived from the original on June 23, 2015.
^ Harrington, Richard (October 29, 1997). "Salt-N-Pepa's 'Brand New': Inspirational". The Washington Post.
^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Brand New – Salt-N-Pepa". AllMusic. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
^ Christgau, Robert. "Robert Christgau: CG: Salt-N-Pepa". robertchristgau.com. Retrieved January 7, 2023.
^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 7. Muze. p. 232.
^ Browne, David (October 24, 1997). "Album Review: 'Brand New'". Entertainment Weekly. No. 402. p. 66. Archived from the original on November 20, 2015. Retrieved November 29, 2024.
^ "Reviews: Albums" (PDF). Music Week. November 15, 1997. p. 10. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
^ ^a ^b Stovall, Natasha (October 30, 1997). "Bigger and Deffer". Recordings. Rolling Stone. No. 772. pp. 65–66. Archived from the original on December 24, 2001.
^ ^a ^b Cepeda, Raquel (November 1997). "Salt-N-Pepa – Are You Ready". Record Report. The Source. No. 98. New York. p. 162.
^ Pareles, Jon (October 26, 1997). "RECORDINGS VIEW; Rapping As Good Business". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 27, 2015.
^ Johnson, Connie (October 19, 1997). "Album Review". Los Angeles Times.
^ "Salt-N-Pepa ARIA chart history, received from ARIA on June 15, 2021". Retrieved June 19, 2021 – via Imgur. Note: The "High Point" number in the "NAT" column indicates the release's peak position on the national chart.
^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Salt 'N' Pepa – Brand New" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
^ "Swisscharts.com – Salt 'N' Pepa – Brand New". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
^ "Salt-N-Pepa Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
^ "Salt-N-Pepa Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
^ "American album certifications – Salt 'N Pepa – Brand New". Recording Industry Association of America. November 25, 1997.

[1] Tracks 1, 4, 10 and 11

[2] Track 1

[3] Tracks 1, 5 and 8

[4] Tracks 2, 11 and 13

[5] Tracks 2, 3, 5–7 and 10–13

[6] Tracks 3, 4, 6 and 7

[7] Track 4

[8] Track 6

[9] Tracks 6 and 12

[10] Track 9

[11] Tracks 10 and 12

[12] Track 13

[13] Horn, Mark C. (June 18, 2015). "Salt-N-Pepa Discuss Their Career and Legacy as Hip-Hop's Matriarchs". Phoenix New Times. Archived from the original on June 23, 2015.

[14] Harrington, Richard (October 29, 1997). "Salt-N-Pepa's 'Brand New': Inspirational". The Washington Post.

[15] Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Brand New – Salt-N-Pepa". AllMusic. Retrieved January 17, 2020.

[16] Christgau, Robert. "Robert Christgau: CG: Salt-N-Pepa". robertchristgau.com. Retrieved January 7, 2023.

[CL-17] Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 7. Muze. p. 232.

[18] Browne, David (October 24, 1997). "Album Review: 'Brand New'". Entertainment Weekly. No. 402. p. 66. Archived from the original on November 20, 2015. Retrieved November 29, 2024.

[19] "Reviews: Albums" (PDF). Music Week. November 15, 1997. p. 10. Retrieved September 20, 2022.

[rs-20] Stovall, Natasha (October 30, 1997). "Bigger and Deffer". Recordings. Rolling Stone. No. 772. pp. 65–66. Archived from the original on December 24, 2001.

[TheSource-21] Cepeda, Raquel (November 1997). "Salt-N-Pepa – Are You Ready". Record Report. The Source. No. 98. New York. p. 162.

[22] Pareles, Jon (October 26, 1997). "RECORDINGS VIEW; Rapping As Good Business". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 27, 2015.

[23] Johnson, Connie (October 19, 1997). "Album Review". Los Angeles Times.

[24] "Salt-N-Pepa ARIA chart history, received from ARIA on June 15, 2021". Retrieved June 19, 2021 – via Imgur. Note: The "High Point" number in the "NAT" column indicates the release's peak position on the national chart.

[ac_Germany4_Salt_'N'_Pepa-25] "Offiziellecharts.de – Salt 'N' Pepa – Brand New" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved January 17, 2020.

[ac_Switzerland_Salt_'N'_Pepa-26] "Swisscharts.com – Salt 'N' Pepa – Brand New". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 17, 2020.

[ac_Billboard200_Salt-N-Pepa-27] "Salt-N-Pepa Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved January 17, 2020.

[ac_BillboardRandBHipHop_Salt-N-Pepa-28] "Salt-N-Pepa Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved January 17, 2020.

[United_StatesSalt_'N_PepaBrand_NewalbumCertRef-29] "American album certifications – Salt 'N Pepa – Brand New". Recording Industry Association of America. November 25, 1997.

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v t e Salt-N-Pepa
Cheryl "Salt" James Sandra "Pepa" Denton Deidra "DJ Spinderella" Roper
Studio albums	Hot, Cool & Vicious A Salt with a Deadly Pepa Blacks' Magic Very Necessary Brand New
Compilation albums	A Blitz of Salt-N-Pepa Hits The Greatest Hits Rapped in Remixes: The Greatest Hits Remixed The Best of Salt-N-Pepa
Singles	"Tramp" "Push It" "Shake Your Thang" "Twist and Shout" "Expression" "Do You Want Me" "Let's Talk About Sex" "You Showed Me" "Start Me Up" "Shoop" "Whatta Man" "None of Your Business" "Heaven 'n Hell" "Champagne" "R U Ready" "Gitty Up" "The Brick Track Versus Gitty Up"
Related topics	Discography The Salt-N-Pepa Show Hurby "Luv Bug" Azor