Pronounced Jah-Nay Explained

Pronounced Jah-Nay
Type:	studio
Artist:	Zhané
Cover:	Pronounced Jah Nay.jpg
Border:	yes
Recorded:	1993
Genre:	R&B
Length:	56:34
Label:	Motown
Producer:	Naughty by Nature Zhané
Next Title:	Saturday Night
Next Year:	1997

Pronounced Jah-Nay is the debut studio album by American R&B group Zhané. It was released on February 15, 1994, via Motown. The recording sessions took place at The Enterprise Studios and at Encore Studios in Burbank, at Marion Recording Studio in Fairview, New Jersey, and at Unique Recording Studios and at Soundtrack Studios in New York City. The album was produced by Naughty by Nature and Zhané. It peaked at number thirty-seven on the Billboard 200 and number eight on the Top R&B Albums chart. It was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America on October 4, 1996.

The album produced five singles: "Hey Mr. D.J.", "Groove Thang", "Sending My Love", "Vibe" and "You're Sorry Now". Its lead single, "Hey Mr. D.J.", became the group's most successful song, reaching number six on the Billboard Hot 100 and receiving gold certification by the RIAA.

Critical reception

Music & Media wrote, "The concept this female duo–Renee Neufville and Jean Norris–practises is relatively new. Blending sweet soul music with hip hop rhythm tracks, the outcome is not unlike "Sons Of Soul" Tony! Toni! Tone!. Compared to their own streetwise rap records, producers Naughty By Nature were very smooth operators in the studio for this one. Apart from the two singles "Hey Mr. D.J." and "Groove Thang" the beat is rather slow. Pronounce "Ge-nius," we say sans gene."^[1]

Track listing

Sample credits

• Track 1 contains a sample from "Lookin' Up to You" performed by Michael Wycoff
• Track 3 contains a sample from "Love X Love" performed by George Benson

Personnel

• Renée Neufville – vocals, lyrics (tracks: 1, 3-11, 13), piano (track 8), strings (track 12), producer (tracks: 6, 8, 9, 12), executive producer
• Jean Norris – vocals, lyrics & producer (tracks: 10, 12), keyboards (track 10), piano (track 12), executive producer
• Keir "Kay Gee" Gist – vocals (track 2), drum programming (tracks: 6–8, 10, 13), executive producer
• Wendell & Face – vocals (track 2)
• Les – additional vocals (track 3)
• Voe Harris – keyboards (track 3)
• Naheem "Pop Holiday" Bowens – keyboards (track 3)
• David Bellochio – keyboards (tracks: 4, 5, 7, 8), piano (track 9), additional producer (tracks: 4, 5), co-producer (track 7), recording (tracks: 1–8, 10–13)
• Alan Goldsher – bass (track 9)
• Steve Williams – drums (track 9)
• Frank Gravis – bass (track 10)
• Paul Levant – guitar (track 10)
• Kevin Batchelor – trumpet (track 10)
• Naughty by Nature – producers (tracks: 1–8, 10, 11, 13)
• Craig King – co-producer (track 6)
• Angela Piva – recording (tracks: 1–8, 10–14), mixing (tracks: 1–7, 9-14)
• John Van Nest – mixing (track 8)
• Frank Fagnano – recording (track 9)
• Quincy Jones III – remixing (track 13)
• Ed Miller – recording assistant
• Fred Kelly – recording assistant
• John Buttigieg – recording assistant
• Mufi – recording assistant
• Rob Polhemus – recording assistant
• Scott Blockland – recording assistant
• Scott Canto – recording assistant
• Steve McKeever – executive producer, liner notes
• Jonathan Clark – art direction
• Shauna Woods – design
• James Minchin III – photography

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1994)	Peak position
US Billboard 200^[2]	37
US Top R&B Albums (Billboard)^[3]	8

Singles

Year	Single	Peak chart positions
		U.S. Billboard Hot 100	U.S. Dance Music/Club Play Singles	U.S. Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales	U.S. Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks	U.S. Rhythmic Top 40	U.S. Top 40 Mainstream
1993	"Hey Mr. D.J."	6	2	1	3	2	16
1994	"Groove Thang"	17	13	1	2	4	33
	"Sending My Love"	40	—	16	5	26	—
	"Vibe"	119	—	14	33	—	—
1995	"You're Sorry Now"	—	—	—	38	—	—
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

Notes and References

1. New Releases: Albums . . April 9, 1994 . 8 . May 19, 2021 .
2. Billboard 200 Chart: Week of March 12, 1994. March 12, 2021. Billboard.
3. Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Chart: Week of March 12, 1994. March 12, 2021. Billboard.
4. Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1995. March 12, 2021. Billboard.