Miss Thang

Miss Thang
Studio album by Monica
Released	July 18, 1995
Recorded	1993–1995
Genre	R&B, hip hop soul
Length	69:33
Label	Rowdy, Arista
Producer	Dallas Austin, Tim & Bob, Soulshock & Karlin, Arnold Hennings, Daryl Simmons, Colin Wolfe
Monica chronology
Miss Thang (1995) The Boy Is Mine (1998) Singles from Miss Thang "Don't Take It Personal" Released: April 10, 1995 "Before You Walk Out of My Life" Released: October 3, 1995 "Like This And Like That" Released: February 13, 1996 "Why I Love You So Much" Released: May 21, 1996

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
NME	(4/10)[2]
Rolling Stone	(mixed)[3]

Miss Thang is the debut studio album by American R&B recording artist Monica. It was released by Rowdy and Arista Records on July 18, 1995 in the United States, featuring main production by mentor Dallas Austin protégés from his DARP production camp such as Tim & Bob, Darryl Simmons, Colin Wolfe and Soulshock & Karlin.

The album went to number thirty-six on the U.S. Billboard 200 and number seven on Billboard's Top R&B Albums, and reached the top ten of the New Zealand Albums Chart.^[4] In the United States, Miss Thang sold more than 1.5 million copies,^[5] and was certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America for more than three million store-shipped copies.^[6] In Canada, it was certified gold by the Canadian Recording Industry Association in 1995.^[7]

Writing and development

After signing a recording contract with Rowdy Records at the age of twelve, Arnold released her debut studio album, Miss Thang, on Arista Records in 1995.^[8] Guided by Rowdy head Dallas Austin and developed by his proteges' Tim & Bob, much of the album was recorded during the years of 1993 and 1995, a period that the singer described as hard work. "It was more from the stress I put on myself than it was pressure from others," she said. "There were so many young artists releasing records, and I wanted to stand out. I was a regular female growing up in the inner city, and I wanted to be who I was."^[9] Throughout the recording process, Arnold ensured the album's music and lyrical content reflected her persona. As a result, she vetoed some of the songs selected for the album. "I was very assertive in making sure the album was really me," she said in an interview with Billboard. "How can you show your feeling in a song when it's about something you don't know about?"^[10]

Chart performance

The Miss Thang album debuted and peaked at number thirty-six on the U.S. Billboard 200 and number seven on the Billboard Top R&B Albums chart.^[4] In the United States, it scored a domestic sales total of about 1.5 million copies,^[5] and was certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America for more than three million copies shipped to music stores.^[6] In Canada, the album peaked at number fifty-eight only but had a long run at the charts, resulting into a gold certification by the Canadian Recording Industry Association in 1995.^[7]

The first two singles from Miss Thang, "Don't Take It Personal" and double-A-side "Before You Walk out of My Life"/"Like This and Like That," both peaked on top of the Billboard Hot R&B Songs chart and made the singer the youngest recording artist to have two consecutive number-one hits on particular chart at the age of fourteen.^[11] A fourth single "Why I Love You So Much" became another top ten entry in 1995.^[4]

Track listing

Samples

• "Don't Take It Personal (Just One of Dem Days)" contains elements of The Detroit Emeralds' 1973 "You're Getting a Little too Smart".
• "Tell Me If You Still Care" is a cover version of S.O.S. Band's 1983 original recordings.
• "Let's Straighten It Out" is a cover version of Benny Latimore's 1974 original recordings.
• The remix of "Don't Take It Personal (Just One of Dem Days)" contains elements of Jermaine Jackson's 1989 "Don't Take It Personal".

Charts

• These are the peak positions from chart providers.

Credits and personnel

Musicians

• Colin Wolfe - bass
• Kenneth Crouch - piano
• Derrick Edmondson - flute, saxophone, horn
• Tommy Martin - guitar
• Derek Organ - drums
• Sandy Lawrence - art direction
• Tim Kelley - producer, arranger, drum programming, keyboards,
• Bob Robinson - keyboard, product
• Dallas Austin, Ron Gresham, Ron Gresham, Michael Patterson, Darin Prindle - mixing

Production

• Vocal assistance: Debra Killings, Monica, Lisette Titi, Usher
• Creative Director: Naim Ali, Dallas Austin, Caron Veazey
• Programming: Arvel McClinton III

References

External links

• Monica.com — official site