Seductive Mixtape Series #23: Ill Na Na

Remember when rap had lyrics?  Real lyrics?  Remember when Foxy Brown was probably the hardest female MC in the game?  Ride with me as I flashback to the days of college dorm rooms, bottles of Boone’s Farm and Cisco, and gas that was under a dollar.  I am talking about the time when Foxy Brown was killing the game in the 90s with that odd type of sexiness that only intensified her wild wordplay and ferocious flow.  Bruh!!!

The three songs discussed below are from her album, “Ill Na Na”, and were my favorites (as well as the ones that I played often on whomever’s CD I borrowed back then).  Keep in mind, every song I write about in this series isn’t meant for the bedroom.  The three below are some that you could play as you ride with the one that you were crushing on or after leaving a live ass party where people actually danced and sweated their hairdos out on purpose. Damn, I miss college.

Song #1: No One’s

I’ll start this list of spicy songs from Ms. Mahogany Brown with No One’s.  It samples the family reunion or local VFW dance floor banger by the S.O.S. Band, No One’s Gonna Love You.  (Maybe that is why I like it so much.)  Anyway, Foxy hits us with fly lyrics about sharing a life of luxury with the one that has her heart…and body…..celebrating success and the future.  Yep yep!!

The lady singing the chorus always got me hype when she stated, “Baby, your best bet is with me.”  This song was one of those that could be played in multiple settings…..at the club (as you try to get her number), the car, the bedroom, class reunion….lol.  Check it out below and think about what you were doing back then.

Song #2: Gotta Get U Home (featuring Blackstreet)

I used to love pumping this track through my Jensen amp connected to a Jensen subwoofer when leaving band practice.  Starting with an enhanced bassline from the sample of a Eugene Wilde song, Gotta Get U Home was on point and probably one of the top lyrical performances of Foxy…period.  I mean the imagery was there….even if you never saw the video….you could imagine each phrase that she was saying.  Fellas dreamed of a night at the club going just like that instead of the typical parking lot pimping scenario…back in the day.  Yep, the good ol days…

Having Blackstreet singing in the background was a suave look and only made this track better.  You can bob your head to this song or dance either smoothly (or suggestively) with someone who you want to take home.  Foxy did it again with a nice mix of femininity, bluntness, and classiness that you don’t see a lot now from female MCs.

Song #3: If I

This kinda feels like an unfortunate part 2 to No One’s as Foxy tells a story of a lost romance partially due to issues that come with rising success.  She reminisces about the good times with whoever the guy of subject was and the hurt she felt as she had to move on to getting her grind on.  (Well, that’s my interpretation.)  The good times sometimes end, but the memories are always good to revisit.

Fans of Luther Vandross should catch that the Foxy’s bars are spat over a doctored up sample of Any Love.  This track was definitely my favorite off of the “Ill Na Na” album…real talk.  Reconnect with the song below.

Note to the readers:  I appreciate the support and love from my readers.  I love your feedback!!  Let me know if you like the song choices in the Seductive Mixtape Series posts.  Let me know what songs that I might have missed.  Feel free to hit me up at [email protected] with your feedback, ideas, and suggestions.  Feel the music, live the music!! – Dante D.