''Off the Hook'' is the second studio album by American R&B group Xscape. It was released on July 1, 1995, through

So So Def Recordings So So Def Recordings is an American record label based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, and owned by producer Jermaine Dupri, specializing in Southern hip hop, R&B and bass music. So So Def has managed artists such as Bow Wow, Kris Kross, T ...

and

Sony Music Entertainment Sony Music Entertainment (SME), also known as simply Sony Music, is an American multinational music company. Being owned by the parent conglomerate Sony Group Corporation, it is part of the Sony Music Group, which is owned by Sony Entertainment ...

. The album was produced by

Jermaine Dupri Jermaine Dupri Mauldin (born September 23, 1972) is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, record executive, entrepreneur, and DJ. Early life Jermaine Dupri Mauldin was born on September 23, 1972, the son of Tina (Mosley) and Michael ...

Organized Noize Organized Noize is an American production team from Atlanta, Georgia composed of Rico Wade, Ray Murray and Sleepy Brown. History Among the hit records they have worked on include TLC's "Waterfalls", En Vogue's "Don't Let Go (Love)", and Luda ...

, and

Daryl Simmons Daryl L. Simmons is an American R&B musician, songwriter and record producer, who worked with the production duo of L.A. Reid and Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds. In 1977–1980 Daryl, with Manchild (band) recorded 2 soul & funk albums & the minor h ...

and features a guest appearance by

MC Lyte Lana Michele Moorer (born October 11, 1970), better known by her stage name MC Lyte, is an American rapper, DJ, actress and entrepreneur. Considered one of the pioneers of female rap, Lyte first gained fame in the late 1980s, becoming the first ...

. ''Off the Hook'' was preceded by the release of four singles — " Feels So Good", "

Who Can I Run To "Who Can I Run To" is a 1979 song written by Charles B. Simmons, Frank Alstin Jr, Richard Roebuck and originally recorded by The Jones Girls. The song was the B-side to "You Gonna Make Me Love Somebody Else". ''Billboard'' named the song #58 on ...

" and " Can't Hang/Do You Want To". The album debuted at number twenty-three on the US ''Billboard'' 200 and number three on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. It was eventually

certified Platinum Music recording certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped, sold, or streamed a certain number of units. The threshold quantity varies by type (such as album, single, music video) and by nation or territory (see ...

by the

Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...

(RIAA) on November 16, 1995 and won the 1996

Soul Train Music Award The Soul Train Music Awards is an annual music awards show which previously aired in national broadcast syndication, and honors the best in African-American culture, music and entertainment. It is produced by the makers of ''Soul Train'', the pro ...

for R&B/Soul Album of the Year – Group, Band or Duo.

Critical reception

In his review for

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

, senior editor

Stephen Thomas Erlewine Stephen Thomas Erlewine (; born June 18, 1973) is an American music critic and senior editor for the online music database AllMusic. He is the author of many artist biographies and record reviews for AllMusic, as well as a freelance writer, occ ...

called the album "an improvement on their first record, demonstrating gains both in terms of music and lyrics ..While they are still sexual on their second album, ''Off the Hook'', it doesn't overwhelm the music as it did on their debut. Recording with producers Dupri,

, and

on various tracks, the group has developed into impressive musicians, with a thorough grasp of slow, seductive soul and slick funk. ''Off the Hook'' may run a little long – the 12 songs clock in at well over an hour – but the record proves that Xscape has staying power."

Track listing

Notes * denotes co-producer

Credits and personnel

Musicians

* Preston Crump, LaMarquis "Mark" Jefferson, Zachary Scott – bass * Randy Hutchinson –

drums A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...

* Tommy Martin –

guitar The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected stri ...

* Bruno Speight – guitar * Delores Major –

violin The violin, sometimes known as a ''fiddle'', is a wooden chordophone (string instrument) in the violin family. Most violins have a hollow wooden body. It is the smallest and thus highest-pitched instrument (soprano) in the family in regular ...

* Lomax Spaulding – guitar * Ralph Stacy – bass

Production

* Executive producers:

, Michael Mauldin, * Producers: Jermaine Dupri, Carl-So-Lowe,

, Daryl Simmons * Vocal assistance: Organized Noize, Xscape * Engineers: Thom "TK" Kidd, Phil Tan, Bernasky Wall * Assistant engineers: John Frye, Thomas Rickert * Mixing: Mick Guzauski,

, Phil Tan * Mixing assistance: John Frye, Kevin Lively, Alex Lowe, Thomas Rickert * Programming: Felipe Elgueta, John "J.R." Robinson, Glen Woodward

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

References

{{Authority control 1995 albums Xscape (group) albums Albums produced by Jermaine Dupri Albums produced by Organized Noize