Readers of That Grape Juice know what avid music lovers we are – especially of hits past.
So, as our retrospective segments, ‘From the Vault’ and ‘TGJ Replay,’ allow us the chance to re-spin the gems and jams of yesterday of one artist, our latest feature – Chart Rewind – serves as a variation of our Retro Rewind assay to salute an entire era of music history.
This week, we’re revisiting one of the hottest female Rap hits of all time – Foxy Brown‘s 1999 smash ‘Hot Spot.’
After watching her debut album, 1996’s ‘Ill Na Na,’ soar to Platinum status in the United States when she was just 18-years-old, Foxy Brown’s out-of-the-box success undoubtedly put the pressure on for her to meet or exceed it with a follow-up.
The answer to that pressure came via 1999’s ‘Chyna Doll’ album, which was kicked off by the 1998-released cut ‘Hot Spot.’ Produced by Irv Gotti and co-written by JAY-Z, the Asian Hip Hop-inspired bop saw its regional influence brought to life in the choreography, set, and styling of its ironically icy, Joseph Kahn-directed music video.
Promotion from regular spins of the glossy clip on music video countdowns, coupled with sales and radio airplay, helped hoist ‘Hot’ to an impressive #91 debut on the Hot 100 this week in 1999 – marking her first solo entry on that hitlist. Granted, the tune’s premiere position may have ultimately gone on to be its peak and last time Foxy charted a solo hit (to date), but its impact still led its parent album, ‘Chyna,’ to a #1 debut on the Billboard 200.
The chart triumph was only the second time the tally had ever seen a #1 opening from a female rapper (following Lauryn Hill‘s ‘Miseducation‘ the year prior). As such, Foxy – at a mere 20-years-old – became (and still holds the record for being) the youngest female emcee to own a top spot debut on the Billboard 200.
‘Chyna,’ now Platinum in the U.S., also made Foxy one of very few rapstresses to boast ownership of multiple like-certified albums – a feat made possible in great part due to ‘Hot Spot.’
Look below to see who joined the banger on the Hot 100 this week 24 years ago.
Hot 100 This Week in 1999
Hot 100 This Week
Click here to see this week’s full Hot 100 recap via the weekly segment ‘TGJ Chart Check.’
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Foxy copied Lil’ Kim’s sound for this song and everything on that Chyna Doll album. When Nicki says that she was inspired by Foxy Brown, I guess she is not lying in a sense. She was inspired by Foxy to become a Lil’ Kim copycat, as Foxy showed that you can copy Lil’ Kim’s blueprint and have chart success. The only problem for Foxy is that copycats are never remembered, which is why 25+ years later, everybody still acknowledges Kim as the legendary Queen of Rap, and nobody even invites Foxy to events to be honored for anything at hip hop shows and awards. This will also be Nicki Minaj’s future. People will be honoring Cardi and Nicki will be erased from history, the same way that Foxy was.
The moral of the story: It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation.
Dang! I never thought of it that way. I just thought Foxy was just being her, i feel like when it was time to get s*** back then and being from Brooklyn everyone thought of lil kim for a female rapper of that era, but you also had Foxy! People sometimes discredit that….
B**** let it go that’s old news
I brought all of foxy albums
Loved me some Foxy Brown!
Just one hit wonder 💅🏾
H******** could never
Foxy was so beautiful. Her career deserved more too bad she’s bat s*** crazy
I miss those days
💯
Her best songs is “I Can’t” with Total and “Get You Home”.
I do not like her uptempos at all.
I Can’t is my ISH! 💯 and JOB with Mýa
Saddest Day with Wayne Wonder is also 🔥
Queen of rap