The Heat is the third studio album by American singer Toni Braxton, released on April 25, 2000, by LaFace Records. The album marked Braxton's departure from her ballads in favor of a more urban sound. Most of the songs (including the nearly instrumental "The Art of Love") were written and produced by Braxton and her husband Keri Lewis (a former member of Mint Condition); two ballads were penned by Diane Warren, and collaborations featured rappers Dr. Dre and Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes.
The Heat opened at number two on the Billboard 200 with 199,000 copies sold in its first week. It was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on October 13, 2000, with sales of over two million copies in the United States. Additionally, the album was nominated for Best R&B Album at the 2001 Grammy Awards, while lead single "He Wasn't Man Enough" won Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and was nominated for Best R&B Song.
Background and production
After the success of her second studio album, Secrets (1996), which spawned Braxton's signature song and biggest commercial success of her career, "Un-Break My Heart", and sold over 15 million copies worldwide, Braxton filed a suit to be released from her contract with Arista and LaFace Records in Los Angeles Superior Court, citing a law that states employers may not enforce labor or service after seven years. After a year of legal issues, Braxton settled her lawsuit with LaFace Records, with plans to release a new album in May 1999.
In February 1999, Babyface told MTV News, "We're getting ready head back in the studio with Braxton and we've got everything worked out, and we're really excited about getting back into the studio, getting back to the music." However, only in January 2000, during an interview with CNN, Braxton revealed that the album was going to be released in March 2000, while stating, "Some of the producers on the album are, of course Babyface, R. Kelly, David Foster, Keith Crouch and Keri Lewis of Mint Condition, just to name a few", while also revealing collaborations with Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes from TLC and Dr. Dre.
Music and lyrics
"The Heat" is built on solid ballads and smoldering, mid-tempo dance numbers, as noted by AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine. Colin Ross of PopMatters noted that, "By taking a more active role in the writing and production of the set, Toni's material begins to be constructed around her voice rather than the latest producer's sound."
The album's first single and opening track, "He Wasn't Man Enough", was written and produced by Rodney Jerkins. The R&B song, with synth-funk bassline and Jerkins' taut beats and harp, has Braxton warning a female friend not to marry a man the singer knows all too well and that came back begging for forgiveness. On the title track, "The Heat", co-written by Keri Lewis, was described as "an infectious mid-tempo groove." Lyrically, the song talks about wanting to "get it on" and enjoying coed skinny-dipping. Third track, "Spanish Guitar" ,was written by Diane Warren (who wrote "Un-Break My Heart") and was considered a "latin ballad", inspired by "Un-Break My Heart". Lyrically, the song has the singer inviting an alluring stranger to play her "through the night" like a "Spanish Guitar." The fourth track "Just Be a Man About It" is a telephone breakup song, with Braxton once again questioning the status of a partner's manhood and Dr. Dre playing the wayward lover breaking the news to her, while the fifth track, "Gimme Some", features Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes and was named "an R&B/summer 'jerky funker' track", with Braxton demanding intercourse and oral sex from a man.