Unappreciated
Encyclopedia
Unappreciated is the debut album by the American R&B
-soul
girl group Cherish
. The album was co-produced by Jermaine Dupri
, along with the group. The sisters confirmed that they co-wrote every song on the album, along with Dupri. Released on August 15, 2006, the album was met with a positive critical and commercial reception. In the United States
, the album debuted at number 4 on the Billboard 200
, selling an estimated 91,000 copies in its first week of release. On September 21 of the same year, the album was certified Gold
by the RIAA, for shipments of 500,000 copies. The album was also somewhat successful in Japan
, debuting and peaking at number 20 on the album's chart. In the United Kingdom
, the album debuted at number 80, and to date has sold only 30,000 copies there.
The album spawned two official singles. The first of these, titled "Do It to It
", featured rapper Sean P on guest vocals. The single became the group's first hit on the Billboard Hot 100
, where it peaked inside the top 20, bowing at number 12. The single also reached the top 10 of the Pop 100
and Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs charts, peaking at 9 and 10 respectively. Outside the US, the single was just as successful. In New Zealand
, the single peaked at number 3. It also peaked at number 10 in Japan
, becoming their first top 10 hit there. The single was also a success in countries like Ireland
and the United Kingdom
, peaking inside of the top 40 in those countries. The second official single was "Unappreciated
", which is also the album's title track. The ballad was met with far less commercial success than its predecessor. It was, however, a top 40 hit in Japan
. In the US, the song barely missed out on the top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 41. It did, however, become their second top 20 hit on the Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs chart, peaking at number 14.
The album was promoted mainly through interviews and live performances. The song "Do It to It" was performed twice on a televised event. The group also did extensive touring to promote the album. A mini-tour which saw the girls visiting various amusement parks and clubs took place. Later on in 2007, the group was the opening act for Ne-Yo
, Lil Wayne
, Julez Santana & Dem Franchize Boys, which ran from August to October. Cherish ended up cancelling a handful of their live shows, mainly their Californian concerts, due to rumors saying the group is very unorangized; it is stated that Neosha is the only member in the group who is organized and Farrah's son Jayden being sick, which caused the group to either cancel shows or shortening their live set with Farrah being absent. However, Cherish then went on a European promotional tour in November, and finished up the year with a few Jingle Jam shows in December.
single, In Love wit Chu
, Cherish began work on their solo debut album. Cherish's first solo single, entitled "Miss P", was produced by Jermaine Dupri
, written by Kandi
and featured Da Brat
. They had been signed to Warner Bros.
' imprint Reprise Records. After the success of their collaboration with Da Brat
, the single was expected to be a hit. However, the single failed to chart on any major charts in the US or countries other than the girl's own. It did, however, have minor success on the Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs chart in the United States
, where it peaked at number 87. Other than a performance of the song on Soul Train
in May 2003, the album received little promotion, which can be attributed to its commercial failure. Due to the commercial failure of its lead single, the girl's debut album, titled "The Moment", was shelved a few months later. After their album was dropped, the group recorded three songs for The Powerpuff Girls: Power Pop soundtrack, called "Chemical X", "Power of a Female", and "Me and My Girls". A music video for 'Power of the Female' was released as a promotional single on Cartoon Network in mid-2003.
In 2005, the girls began work on another album, since their previous album had been shelved. They wrote almost the entire album and said this work is so much more mature and themselves than their unreleased previous work. The album had productions from Jermaine Dupri
, Don Vito, and Jazze Pha
. On March 21, 2006, Cherish released their first single in three years, titled Do It to It
. The single featured Sean P on guest vocals. The single was met to a positive critical reception, as well as a strong commercial reception. The single was met with a large amount of success in the US, charting on several Billboard
charts. The single became their first to reach the top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100
, when it peaked at number 12. The single was also success on the Pop 100
chart, where it peaked at number 9, as well as the Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs chart, reaching a peak of number 10 on that chart. The single also was a major hit in New Zealand
, peaking at number 3 on the official singles chart. It also reached the top 10 in Japan
, reaching a peak of number 10 on the chart. The song also climbed to the top 40 in the United Kingdom
and Ireland
, peaking at number 30 and 34 respectively. The song also charted in countries such as Australia
, peaking at number 67, Germany
, peaking at number 87, and France
, reaching a peak of number 48. After the success of the single, the girls released their debut album.
and R&B tracks. During an interview about the album, when asked about its composition, the group said, "You can expect a lot of realness, [and] we're trying to bring real R&B back to the world. Right now, R&B is not a genre anymore. It's Pop, It's Hip-Hop, it's other things. I wanna bring back Rhythm and Blues." During a different interview, the girls talked about how different this album was from their shelved debut, "Well it’s very different coming out now because with this album we have more creative control. When we came out in 2003, we were young and we didn’t have much of a say in what went down. But this time around, we were able to write every song on the album, which makes this album very personal for all of us." They later added on, "From this album you can expect realness. Expect to hear all of our individual voices. A lot of crunk tracks like our first single “Do It To It”. Also expect a lot of a capella singing."
The first track on the album, "That Boi", is an uptempo hip hop song that speaks of a boy who is driving the protagonist insane because she wants him so much. The song was intended to be released as a single, however, due to the merger of Capitol Records
and Virgin Records
, all single plans were cancelled. "Do It to It
" is the second song on the album, as well as the lead single. An uptempo dance track, the song was received positively by critics. It was also commercially successful, peaking inside the top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100
singles chart. The third song is "Chevy", and is yet another uptempo song with an R&B tint. The song speaks of the protagonist wanting to be "treated like a Chevy", stating "you can show me off". Some of the lyrics have been seen as sexual. The fourth song on the album is "Unappreciated
", which also serves as the second single. The R&B ballad was met with a somewhat successful commercial performance, peaking inside the top 40 in Japan
, as well as peaking at 41 on the Billboard Hot 100
, becoming their second to enter the chart. The fifth song is "Taken", an upbeat track that speaks of meeting someone at a club who treats them well and hooks up with them, even though they are taken. "Stop Calling Me" is the sixth track on the album, and is more slower paced than other tracks. It lyrically speaks of the protagonist who is trying to end the relationship, but her partner keeps calling, and won't give up on them.
"Oooh" is the seventh song on the album, and is a more R&B tinted song. It speaks of the protagonist imagining all of the things she could do with her lover, but she is unsure if she is ready. The eighth song on the album is "Chick Like Me". The track features Rasheeda
on guest vocals, and speaks about how boys want a "Chick like me". "Whenever", the R&B ballad, serves as the ninth song on the album. Lyrically, it speaks of being there for a significant other when they need you the most. the tenth song on the album is "Show & Tell". The mid-tempo track was meant to be a future single, along with "That Boi", however, due to the merge between Capitol Records and Virgin Records, all future singles were cancelled, leaving the track unreleased. "Fool 4 You" is a soft R&B track that speaks of the protagonist not being able to get over her past relationship. The last song on the album is the ballad Moment In Time. Lyrically, it speaks of a couple who is on the verge of breaking up. The protagonist speaks of how she cannot go on without him.
, was released on March 21, 2006, and featured rapper Sean P on guest vocals. The single was met to a positive critical reception, as well as a strong commercial reception. The single was met with a large amount of success in the US, charting on several Billboard
charts. The single became their first to reach the top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100
, when it peaked at number 12. The single was also success on the Pop 100
chart, where it peaked at number 9, as well as the Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs chart, reaching a peak of number 10 on that chart. The single also was a major hit in New Zealand
, peaking at number 3 on the official singles chart. It also reached the top 10 in Japan
, reaching a peak of number 10 on the chart. The song also climbed to the top 40 in the United Kingdom
and Ireland
, peaking at number 30 and 34 respectively. The song also charted in countries such as Australia
, peaking at number 67, Germany
, peaking at number 87, and France
, reaching a peak of number 48.
The second official single was Unappreciated
, which is also the album's title track. The ballad was met with far less commercial success than its predecessor. It was, however, a top 40 hit in Japan
. In the US, the song barely missed out on the top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100
, peaking at number 41. It did, however, become their second top 20 hit on the Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs chart, peaking at number 14. In the United Kingdom
, the single debuted and peaked at number 187. The third single was to be "Chevy", but the merger of Capitol
and Virgin Records
prevented the release of not only Cherish's, but Chingy
's, LeToya
's, and Janet Jackson
's third single, causing the song to be released for promo only. "That Boi" and "Show & Tell" were scheduled to be released as a single but they never were released due to the merge. However, they were aired on some radio stations in the U.S.
, during New Year's Eve with Carson Daly
to introduce 2007. The performance saw the group performing the song by themselves, and not with Sean P. However, Sean P did join them to perform the same single on BET
. The group also embarked on their own mini-tour to promote the album, with shows at venues such as Six Flags
and Orlando Studios. During this time Cherish was the only female group on select dates, as the opening act for Chris Brown's 'Up Close & Personal Tour', along with Ne-Yo
, Lil Wayne
, Julez Santana & Dem Franchize Boys, which ran from August to October. Cherish ended up cancelling a handful of their live shows, mainly their Californian concerts, due to rumors saying the group is very unorangized; it is stated that Neosha is the only member in the group who is orangized & Farrah's son Jayden being sick, which caused the group to either cancel shows or shortening their live set with Farrah being absent. However, Cherish then went on a European promotional tour in November, and finished up the year with a few Jingle Jam shows in December.
Andy Kellman of allmusic gave the album a mixed review, stating, "Though they're still in their late teens and early twenties, they write a lot of their lyrics, and they sound as sure of themselves on Unappreciated as any R&B group with a handful of albums behind them. However, it's clear that they're very much under the influence of their inspirations and contemporaries (from Destiny's Child to Ciara) and aren't yet able to distinguish themselves from what they've absorbed as music fans. Unappreciated is a boilerplate R&B album that's pleasant and likeable, yet it doesn't leave much of an impression and lacks character. Lead single "Do It to It," produced by Don Vito and Cheese, is emblematic in that it's the best track on the album and bears a tremendous resemblance to Ciara's Jazze Pha-produced hits (all the way down to its cadence)." Michael Endelman of Ew.com said of the album, "This month's model is Cherish, a cheery female foursome that blends the rapid call-and-response vocals of Destiny's Child with the slithery club grooves of Ciara. The mix works, creating a debut that matches of-the-moment beats with sticky melodies. The best cut on Unappreciated is the Don Vito-produced single Do It to It, which gives the Southern micro-genre known as snap music (think D4L's Laffy Taffy) a Top 40 makeover with a slinky percolating beat and a sweetly cooing chorus." He ended the review by giving the album a "B" rating.
, the album debuted at number 4 on the Billboard 200
, selling an estimated 91,000 copies in its first week of release. On September 21 of the same year, the album was certified Gold
by the RIAA, for shipments of 500,000 copies. The album was also somewhat successful in Japan
, debuting and peaking at number 20 on the album's chart. In the United Kingdom
, the album debuted at number 80, and to date has sold only 30,000 copies there.
iTunes bonus track
Enhanced CD
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
-soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
girl group Cherish
Cherish (band)
Cherish is an African American R&B, soul, and hip hop quartet consisting of the sisters Farrah King , Neosha King and twins Felisha and Fallon King . Originally hailing from Maywood, Illinois, the four sisters moved to Atlanta to further their musical career...
. The album was co-produced by Jermaine Dupri
Jermaine Dupri
Jermaine Dupri Mauldin , known as Jermaine Dupri or JD, is an American record producer, songwriter and rapper.- Early life and career :...
, along with the group. The sisters confirmed that they co-wrote every song on the album, along with Dupri. Released on August 15, 2006, the album was met with a positive critical and commercial reception. In the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, the album debuted at number 4 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
, selling an estimated 91,000 copies in its first week of release. On September 21 of the same year, the album was certified Gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
by the RIAA, for shipments of 500,000 copies. The album was also somewhat successful in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, debuting and peaking at number 20 on the album's chart. In the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, the album debuted at number 80, and to date has sold only 30,000 copies there.
The album spawned two official singles. The first of these, titled "Do It to It
Do It to It
"Do It to It" is the lead single from girl group Cherish's album Unappreciated. "Do It to It" features rap/hip hop artist Sean Paul from YoungBloodZ . The song peaked at #12 on the Billboard Hot 100 in its 15th week of release. It reached #15 on Billboard's Hot Digital Songs chart and #8 on the Hot...
", featured rapper Sean P on guest vocals. The single became the group's first hit on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, where it peaked inside the top 20, bowing at number 12. The single also reached the top 10 of the Pop 100
Pop 100
The Pop 100 was a songs chart that debuted in February 2005 and was released weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States until its discontinuation in 2009...
and Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs charts, peaking at 9 and 10 respectively. Outside the US, the single was just as successful. In New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, the single peaked at number 3. It also peaked at number 10 in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, becoming their first top 10 hit there. The single was also a success in countries like Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, peaking inside of the top 40 in those countries. The second official single was "Unappreciated
Unappreciated (song)
"Unappreciated" is a R&B song by the girl group Cherish. It is the second single to be released off their debut album, Unappreciated. The single was released in 2006, around September. It was produced by Jazze Pha. The single charted on various countdowns. It debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at #98...
", which is also the album's title track. The ballad was met with far less commercial success than its predecessor. It was, however, a top 40 hit in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. In the US, the song barely missed out on the top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 41. It did, however, become their second top 20 hit on the Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs chart, peaking at number 14.
The album was promoted mainly through interviews and live performances. The song "Do It to It" was performed twice on a televised event. The group also did extensive touring to promote the album. A mini-tour which saw the girls visiting various amusement parks and clubs took place. Later on in 2007, the group was the opening act for Ne-Yo
Ne-Yo
Shaffer Chimere Smith, Jr. , better known by his stage name Ne-Yo, is an American pop and R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, dancer and actor. Beginning his career as a songwriter, Ne-Yo penned the hit "Let Me Love You" for singer Mario...
, Lil Wayne
Lil Wayne
Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr. , better known by his stage name Lil Wayne, is an American rapper. At the age of nine, Lil Wayne joined Cash Money Records as the youngest member of the label, and half of the duo, The B.G.'z, with B.G.. In 1997, Lil Wayne joined the group Hot Boys, which also included...
, Julez Santana & Dem Franchize Boys, which ran from August to October. Cherish ended up cancelling a handful of their live shows, mainly their Californian concerts, due to rumors saying the group is very unorangized; it is stated that Neosha is the only member in the group who is organized and Farrah's son Jayden being sick, which caused the group to either cancel shows or shortening their live set with Farrah being absent. However, Cherish then went on a European promotional tour in November, and finished up the year with a few Jingle Jam shows in December.
Background
After being featured on Da Brat'sDa Brat
Shawntae Harris , better known as Da Brat, is an American rapper and actress. Her debut album, Funkdafied, sold one million copies, making her the first female rapper to have a platinum-selling album.-Early life:...
single, In Love wit Chu
In Love wit Chu
"In Love wit Chu" was the lead single from Da Brat's fourth studio album, Limelite, Luv & Niteclubz. The song featured R&B group Cherish, in what was the group's first official appearance.-Background:...
, Cherish began work on their solo debut album. Cherish's first solo single, entitled "Miss P", was produced by Jermaine Dupri
Jermaine Dupri
Jermaine Dupri Mauldin , known as Jermaine Dupri or JD, is an American record producer, songwriter and rapper.- Early life and career :...
, written by Kandi
Kandi Burruss
Kandi Burruss , better known by her stage names Kandi or Kandi Girl, is an American R&B singer-songwriter and record producer. She is also a former member of the group Xscape from Atlanta.-Early life:...
and featured Da Brat
Da Brat
Shawntae Harris , better known as Da Brat, is an American rapper and actress. Her debut album, Funkdafied, sold one million copies, making her the first female rapper to have a platinum-selling album.-Early life:...
. They had been signed to Warner Bros.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
' imprint Reprise Records. After the success of their collaboration with Da Brat
Da Brat
Shawntae Harris , better known as Da Brat, is an American rapper and actress. Her debut album, Funkdafied, sold one million copies, making her the first female rapper to have a platinum-selling album.-Early life:...
, the single was expected to be a hit. However, the single failed to chart on any major charts in the US or countries other than the girl's own. It did, however, have minor success on the Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs chart in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, where it peaked at number 87. Other than a performance of the song on Soul Train
Soul Train
Soul Train is an American musical variety show that aired in syndication from October 1971 to March 2006. In its 35-year history, the show primarily featured performances by R&B, soul, and hip hop artists, although funk, jazz, disco, and gospel artists have also appeared.As a nod to Soul Trains...
in May 2003, the album received little promotion, which can be attributed to its commercial failure. Due to the commercial failure of its lead single, the girl's debut album, titled "The Moment", was shelved a few months later. After their album was dropped, the group recorded three songs for The Powerpuff Girls: Power Pop soundtrack, called "Chemical X", "Power of a Female", and "Me and My Girls". A music video for 'Power of the Female' was released as a promotional single on Cartoon Network in mid-2003.
In 2005, the girls began work on another album, since their previous album had been shelved. They wrote almost the entire album and said this work is so much more mature and themselves than their unreleased previous work. The album had productions from Jermaine Dupri
Jermaine Dupri
Jermaine Dupri Mauldin , known as Jermaine Dupri or JD, is an American record producer, songwriter and rapper.- Early life and career :...
, Don Vito, and Jazze Pha
Jazze Pha
Phalon Anton Alexander , also known as Jazze Pha , is an American singer, and songwriter.raised in Memphis, TN; son of James Alexander ....
. On March 21, 2006, Cherish released their first single in three years, titled Do It to It
Do It to It
"Do It to It" is the lead single from girl group Cherish's album Unappreciated. "Do It to It" features rap/hip hop artist Sean Paul from YoungBloodZ . The song peaked at #12 on the Billboard Hot 100 in its 15th week of release. It reached #15 on Billboard's Hot Digital Songs chart and #8 on the Hot...
. The single featured Sean P on guest vocals. The single was met to a positive critical reception, as well as a strong commercial reception. The single was met with a large amount of success in the US, charting on several Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
charts. The single became their first to reach the top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, when it peaked at number 12. The single was also success on the Pop 100
Pop 100
The Pop 100 was a songs chart that debuted in February 2005 and was released weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States until its discontinuation in 2009...
chart, where it peaked at number 9, as well as the Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs chart, reaching a peak of number 10 on that chart. The single also was a major hit in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, peaking at number 3 on the official singles chart. It also reached the top 10 in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, reaching a peak of number 10 on the chart. The song also climbed to the top 40 in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, peaking at number 30 and 34 respectively. The song also charted in countries such as Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, peaking at number 67, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, peaking at number 87, and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, reaching a peak of number 48. After the success of the single, the girls released their debut album.
Composition
Unappreciated features mainly hip hopHip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
and R&B tracks. During an interview about the album, when asked about its composition, the group said, "You can expect a lot of realness, [and] we're trying to bring real R&B back to the world. Right now, R&B is not a genre anymore. It's Pop, It's Hip-Hop, it's other things. I wanna bring back Rhythm and Blues." During a different interview, the girls talked about how different this album was from their shelved debut, "Well it’s very different coming out now because with this album we have more creative control. When we came out in 2003, we were young and we didn’t have much of a say in what went down. But this time around, we were able to write every song on the album, which makes this album very personal for all of us." They later added on, "From this album you can expect realness. Expect to hear all of our individual voices. A lot of crunk tracks like our first single “Do It To It”. Also expect a lot of a capella singing."
The first track on the album, "That Boi", is an uptempo hip hop song that speaks of a boy who is driving the protagonist insane because she wants him so much. The song was intended to be released as a single, however, due to the merger of Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
and Virgin Records
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
, all single plans were cancelled. "Do It to It
Do It to It
"Do It to It" is the lead single from girl group Cherish's album Unappreciated. "Do It to It" features rap/hip hop artist Sean Paul from YoungBloodZ . The song peaked at #12 on the Billboard Hot 100 in its 15th week of release. It reached #15 on Billboard's Hot Digital Songs chart and #8 on the Hot...
" is the second song on the album, as well as the lead single. An uptempo dance track, the song was received positively by critics. It was also commercially successful, peaking inside the top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
singles chart. The third song is "Chevy", and is yet another uptempo song with an R&B tint. The song speaks of the protagonist wanting to be "treated like a Chevy", stating "you can show me off". Some of the lyrics have been seen as sexual. The fourth song on the album is "Unappreciated
Unappreciated (song)
"Unappreciated" is a R&B song by the girl group Cherish. It is the second single to be released off their debut album, Unappreciated. The single was released in 2006, around September. It was produced by Jazze Pha. The single charted on various countdowns. It debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at #98...
", which also serves as the second single. The R&B ballad was met with a somewhat successful commercial performance, peaking inside the top 40 in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, as well as peaking at 41 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, becoming their second to enter the chart. The fifth song is "Taken", an upbeat track that speaks of meeting someone at a club who treats them well and hooks up with them, even though they are taken. "Stop Calling Me" is the sixth track on the album, and is more slower paced than other tracks. It lyrically speaks of the protagonist who is trying to end the relationship, but her partner keeps calling, and won't give up on them.
"Oooh" is the seventh song on the album, and is a more R&B tinted song. It speaks of the protagonist imagining all of the things she could do with her lover, but she is unsure if she is ready. The eighth song on the album is "Chick Like Me". The track features Rasheeda
Rasheeda
Born Rasheeda Buckner on May 25, 1982, better known by her stage name Rasheeda is an American rapper. Buckner was born on May 25, 1982 in Illinois. Rasheeda was a member of the teenage hip-hop trio Da Kaperz until 2000 when she launched a solo career. Her fifth album, Certified Hot Chick was...
on guest vocals, and speaks about how boys want a "Chick like me". "Whenever", the R&B ballad, serves as the ninth song on the album. Lyrically, it speaks of being there for a significant other when they need you the most. the tenth song on the album is "Show & Tell". The mid-tempo track was meant to be a future single, along with "That Boi", however, due to the merge between Capitol Records and Virgin Records, all future singles were cancelled, leaving the track unreleased. "Fool 4 You" is a soft R&B track that speaks of the protagonist not being able to get over her past relationship. The last song on the album is the ballad Moment In Time. Lyrically, it speaks of a couple who is on the verge of breaking up. The protagonist speaks of how she cannot go on without him.
Singles
The album spawned only two official singles. The first of these, titled Do It to ItDo It to It
"Do It to It" is the lead single from girl group Cherish's album Unappreciated. "Do It to It" features rap/hip hop artist Sean Paul from YoungBloodZ . The song peaked at #12 on the Billboard Hot 100 in its 15th week of release. It reached #15 on Billboard's Hot Digital Songs chart and #8 on the Hot...
, was released on March 21, 2006, and featured rapper Sean P on guest vocals. The single was met to a positive critical reception, as well as a strong commercial reception. The single was met with a large amount of success in the US, charting on several Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
charts. The single became their first to reach the top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, when it peaked at number 12. The single was also success on the Pop 100
Pop 100
The Pop 100 was a songs chart that debuted in February 2005 and was released weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States until its discontinuation in 2009...
chart, where it peaked at number 9, as well as the Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs chart, reaching a peak of number 10 on that chart. The single also was a major hit in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, peaking at number 3 on the official singles chart. It also reached the top 10 in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, reaching a peak of number 10 on the chart. The song also climbed to the top 40 in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, peaking at number 30 and 34 respectively. The song also charted in countries such as Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, peaking at number 67, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, peaking at number 87, and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, reaching a peak of number 48.
The second official single was Unappreciated
Unappreciated (song)
"Unappreciated" is a R&B song by the girl group Cherish. It is the second single to be released off their debut album, Unappreciated. The single was released in 2006, around September. It was produced by Jazze Pha. The single charted on various countdowns. It debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at #98...
, which is also the album's title track. The ballad was met with far less commercial success than its predecessor. It was, however, a top 40 hit in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. In the US, the song barely missed out on the top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, peaking at number 41. It did, however, become their second top 20 hit on the Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs chart, peaking at number 14. In the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, the single debuted and peaked at number 187. The third single was to be "Chevy", but the merger of Capitol
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
and Virgin Records
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
prevented the release of not only Cherish's, but Chingy
Chingy
Howard Bailey, Jr. , better known by his stage name Chingy, is an American rapper.Chingy grew up in the Walnut Park section of St. Louis and began rapping in earnest in his late teens...
's, LeToya
LeToya Luckett
LeToya Nicole Luckett , known professionally as LeToya, is an American R&B singer-songwriter and actress. She was a member of the R&B group Destiny's Child, with whom she won two Grammy Awards and released many successful commercial recordings.After signing a record deal with Capitol Records, she's...
's, and Janet Jackson
Janet Jackson
Janet Damita Jo Jackson is an American recording artist and actress. Known for a series of sonically innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows, television and film roles, she has been a prominent figure in popular culture for over 25 years...
's third single, causing the song to be released for promo only. "That Boi" and "Show & Tell" were scheduled to be released as a single but they never were released due to the merge. However, they were aired on some radio stations in the U.S.
Promotion
The album was promoted mainly through interviews and live performances. The group performed their single, Do It to ItDo It to It
"Do It to It" is the lead single from girl group Cherish's album Unappreciated. "Do It to It" features rap/hip hop artist Sean Paul from YoungBloodZ . The song peaked at #12 on the Billboard Hot 100 in its 15th week of release. It reached #15 on Billboard's Hot Digital Songs chart and #8 on the Hot...
, during New Year's Eve with Carson Daly
New Year's Eve with Carson Daly
NBC's New Year's Eve with Carson Daly is a yearly show on NBC. Its first broadcast aired on December 31, 2003 live from Times Square in New York City. It airs live on the East Coast....
to introduce 2007. The performance saw the group performing the song by themselves, and not with Sean P. However, Sean P did join them to perform the same single on BET
Bet
Bet or BET may refer to:* A wager in gambling* Basic Economics Test * Bet , the second letter in many Semitic alphabets, including Aramaic, Hebrew, Phoenician and Syriac* Brunauer-Emmett-Teller isotherm. See BET_theory...
. The group also embarked on their own mini-tour to promote the album, with shows at venues such as Six Flags
Six Flags
Six Flags Entertainment Corp. is the world's largest amusement park corporation based on quantity of properties and the fifth most popular in terms of attendance. The company maintains 14 properties located throughout North America, including theme parks, thrill parks, water parks and family...
and Orlando Studios. During this time Cherish was the only female group on select dates, as the opening act for Chris Brown's 'Up Close & Personal Tour', along with Ne-Yo
Ne-Yo
Shaffer Chimere Smith, Jr. , better known by his stage name Ne-Yo, is an American pop and R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, dancer and actor. Beginning his career as a songwriter, Ne-Yo penned the hit "Let Me Love You" for singer Mario...
, Lil Wayne
Lil Wayne
Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr. , better known by his stage name Lil Wayne, is an American rapper. At the age of nine, Lil Wayne joined Cash Money Records as the youngest member of the label, and half of the duo, The B.G.'z, with B.G.. In 1997, Lil Wayne joined the group Hot Boys, which also included...
, Julez Santana & Dem Franchize Boys, which ran from August to October. Cherish ended up cancelling a handful of their live shows, mainly their Californian concerts, due to rumors saying the group is very unorangized; it is stated that Neosha is the only member in the group who is orangized & Farrah's son Jayden being sick, which caused the group to either cancel shows or shortening their live set with Farrah being absent. However, Cherish then went on a European promotional tour in November, and finished up the year with a few Jingle Jam shows in December.
Critical reception
Unappreciated was met with a generally mixed to positive reception from critics. Mark Edwards Nero, of about.com praised the album, stating, "They might not exactly be the new Destiny's Child, but the four members of Cherish definitely show a lot of promise on their debut album. Fans of snap music, pop-R&B and/or dance club jams should be happy with the upbeat, youthful exuberance displayed throughout Unappreciated." Nero praised the album for it's "youthful energy", as well as it's "soulful bounce". He also commented that he enjoyed the "mature, meaningful lyrics". However, Nero did criticise "the girls' shallow vocal range" as well as the "lack of distinction between the girls' voices". A reviewer for "somekindaoh" commented on the album, stating, "Cherish may not be the 2nd coming of any infamous girl group from the past but this actually works in their favor. The lack of pressure from comparisons will give them ample room to breathe and time to live up to the potential exhibited on this debut. They already know how to write a good lyric and construct a good melody. And once they learn the art of arranging a good vocal is to make it the heart of the song rather than just simply a element in it, I’m pretty sure they’ll find themselves appreciated on a much larger scale."Andy Kellman of allmusic gave the album a mixed review, stating, "Though they're still in their late teens and early twenties, they write a lot of their lyrics, and they sound as sure of themselves on Unappreciated as any R&B group with a handful of albums behind them. However, it's clear that they're very much under the influence of their inspirations and contemporaries (from Destiny's Child to Ciara) and aren't yet able to distinguish themselves from what they've absorbed as music fans. Unappreciated is a boilerplate R&B album that's pleasant and likeable, yet it doesn't leave much of an impression and lacks character. Lead single "Do It to It," produced by Don Vito and Cheese, is emblematic in that it's the best track on the album and bears a tremendous resemblance to Ciara's Jazze Pha-produced hits (all the way down to its cadence)." Michael Endelman of Ew.com said of the album, "This month's model is Cherish, a cheery female foursome that blends the rapid call-and-response vocals of Destiny's Child with the slithery club grooves of Ciara. The mix works, creating a debut that matches of-the-moment beats with sticky melodies. The best cut on Unappreciated is the Don Vito-produced single Do It to It, which gives the Southern micro-genre known as snap music (think D4L's Laffy Taffy) a Top 40 makeover with a slinky percolating beat and a sweetly cooing chorus." He ended the review by giving the album a "B" rating.
Commercial performance
In the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, the album debuted at number 4 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
, selling an estimated 91,000 copies in its first week of release. On September 21 of the same year, the album was certified Gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
by the RIAA, for shipments of 500,000 copies. The album was also somewhat successful in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, debuting and peaking at number 20 on the album's chart. In the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, the album debuted at number 80, and to date has sold only 30,000 copies there.
Track listing
- "That Boi" - 4:05
- "Do It to ItDo It to It"Do It to It" is the lead single from girl group Cherish's album Unappreciated. "Do It to It" features rap/hip hop artist Sean Paul from YoungBloodZ . The song peaked at #12 on the Billboard Hot 100 in its 15th week of release. It reached #15 on Billboard's Hot Digital Songs chart and #8 on the Hot...
" (featuring Sean Paul of YoungBloodZYoungBloodZYoungBloodZ are an American Southern rap duo from Atlanta, Georgia, comprising members J-Bo and Sean P YoungBloodZ are an American Southern rap duo from Atlanta, Georgia, comprising members J-Bo (born Jeffrey Ray Grigsby on October 4, 1977) and Sean P YoungBloodZ are an American Southern rap duo...
) - 3:57 - "Chevy" - 3:14
- "UnappreciatedUnappreciated (song)"Unappreciated" is a R&B song by the girl group Cherish. It is the second single to be released off their debut album, Unappreciated. The single was released in 2006, around September. It was produced by Jazze Pha. The single charted on various countdowns. It debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at #98...
" - 3:57 - "Taken" - 3:16
- "Stop Calling Me" - 3:32
- "Oooh" - 4:16
- "Chick Like Me" (featuring RasheedaRasheedaBorn Rasheeda Buckner on May 25, 1982, better known by her stage name Rasheeda is an American rapper. Buckner was born on May 25, 1982 in Illinois. Rasheeda was a member of the teenage hip-hop trio Da Kaperz until 2000 when she launched a solo career. Her fifth album, Certified Hot Chick was...
) - 3:34 - "Whenever" - 4:02
- "Show & Tell" - 4:28
- "Fool 4 You" - 4:18
- "Moment in Time" - 3:05
iTunes bonus track
- "He Said, She Said" (featuring NephuNephuNephu is a relatively new group of R&B singers. The group has four members, who go by the stage names Shaun, GA, Mack, and Armand. They are signed with the IBM Music Group....
)
Enhanced CD
- "How to Snap" (Making of "Do It to It")
- "Do It to It" (Video)
Charts
| Chart (2006) | Peak Position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
4 |
| US Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999... |
4 |
| Japanese Oricon Albums Chart | 20 |
| UK Albums Chart UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
80 |