Cheers 2 U Explained
| Cheers 2 U |
| Type: | studio |
| Artist: | Playa |
| Cover: | Playa-cheers.jpg |
| Recorded: | July 1997 – February 1998 |
| Genre: | Contemporary R&B |
| Label: | Def Soul |
Cheers 2 U is the only studio album by American R&B group Playa. It was released on March 24, 1998, through Def Jam Recordings subsidiary Def Soul. Recording sessions took place at Manhattan Center Studios, Soundtrack Studios and Axis Studios in New York City, at Master Sound Studios in Virginia Beach and at Scream Studios in California. Production was handled by member Smoke E. Digglera, Timbaland and James Earl Jones, with Derrick "D-Man" McElveen and Static Major serving as co-producers. It features guest appearances from Magoo, Aaliyah, Foxy Brown and Missy Elliott.
Background
The album was originally going to be named eponymously, and release was planned for October 1997. Later, Static named the album Cheers 2 U after one of their songs. All three members share lead vocals on most songs, with Static dueting with Aaliyah on "One Man Woman", Black leading "Everybody Wanna Luv Somebody", and Black and Smokey handling leads on the title track.
Commercial performance
In the United States, the album debuted at number 86 on the Billboard 200 and number 19 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts. The album was supported with three singles: "Don't Stop the Music", "Cheers 2 U" and "I Gotta Know". Its lead single made it to number 73 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 26 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts. The second single off of the album reached number 38 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 10 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts. The album's third and final single previously appeared on Def Jam's How to Be a Player soundtrack.
Track listing
- Sample credits
Personnel
- Jawaan "Smoke E. Digglera" Peacock – vocals, vocal arrangement (tracks: 10, 13, 14, 16), arrangement (track 15), producer (tracks: 1, 4-7, 11, 13, 14), A&R
- Stephen "Static Major" Garrett – vocals, vocal arrangement (tracks: 8, 10, 13, 14, 16), arrangement (track 15), co-producer (track 14), A&R
- Benjamin "Digital Black" Bush – vocals, vocal arrangement (tracks: 10, 13, 14, 16), arrangement (track 15), A&R
- Melvin "Magoo" Barcliff – vocals (tracks: 1, 6)
- Melissa "Missy" Elliott – vocals (track 9)
- Aaliyah Dana Haughton – vocals (track 11)
- Inga "Foxy Brown" Marchand – vocals (track 16)
- Bill Pettaway – additional guitar (track 3), guitar (track 10)
- Kerie Cooper – keyboards (track 16)
- Timothy "Timbaland" Mosley – producer (tracks: 2, 3, 8-10, 12), co-producer (track 4), recording (track 3), mixing (tracks: 2, 3, 8, 10, 12)
- James Earl Jones III – producer & vocal arrangement (track 16)
- Derrick "D-Man" McElveen – co-producer (track 16), additional programming (tracks: 13, 14)
- Jimmy Douglass – recording (tracks: 1-3, 6, 9, 15), mixing (tracks: 1-6, 8-10, 12, 15)
- Steve Sola – recording (tracks: 4, 5)
- Wayne Allison – recording (track 7), engineering assistant (track 13)
- Rob Paustian – recording (tracks: 13, 16)
- Conley Abrams – recording (track 14), mixing (tracks: 7, 13, 14, 16)
- Todd Wachsmuth – engineering assistant (tracks: 1, 4, 5, 9, 11)
- James Rosenthal – engineering assistant (tracks: 7, 13)
- Victor Bruno – engineering assistant (track 13)
- James Cruz – mastering
- Barry Hankerson – executive producer
- Jomo Hankerson – executive producer
- Jonathan Mannion – photography
- The Drawing Board – art direction, design
Charts
Notes and References
- April 11, 1998 . The Billboard 200 . . . 110 . 15 . 106 . 0006-2510 . January 31, 2025.
- April 11, 1998 . Top R&B Albums . . . 110 . 15 . 25 . 0006-2510 . January 31, 2025.
