1998 Rewind: Remembering Nicole Wray’s Make It Hot

I’ve been very vocal about my love for the year 1998 – I believe it’s one of the last great years in R&B and hip-hop history. Since 2023 marks 25 years since those magical 12 months, 1998 Rewind will look back at some of the best (and most underrated) albums of that time.

On August 25 1998, one of the biggest albums of my R&B fandom was released – and no, I’m not talking about The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. Nicole Wray’s debut often gets lost in the shuffle of the dozens of great albums that dropped 25 years ago but this one NEVER left my rotation. I’m joined by my R&B son Damon Dunn to talk about an all-time fave and how it’s held up over the decades.

We know our boy Damon wasn’t around in 1998 but share your first experience with this album.

Damon: Right, well, since I was minus 7 when the album was released , I didn’t catch onto the Nicole Wray hype until 21 years after the album’s release, when Mr. Soul In Stereo himself was hyping this album up within the Cypher and since our music opinions align 99% of the time I decided to check it out and I was hooked . The Supafriends collective ruled this time of my life and this album was one of those love at first listen ordeals and in fact became the soundtrack to my months in my room during the lockdown months.

Edd: See, Damon’s testimony is proof to ALWAYS listen to me! I’ll never steer you wrong! Speaking of steering, most longtime readers know of my eternal obsession with this album, and to this day I’m not sure why I love it so much. Maybe because it served as my soundtrack as I drove back and forth to my parents’ new home in 1998, which was built about 45 minutes away from my hometown. That meant I heard this album front to back many summer and fall nights in the Nine Eight. Add in production and appearances from my faves, The Supafriends; and the fact that Nicole grew up in my hometown (I even attended grade school with her brother) and Make It Hot truly felt like a family affair.  If I made an album in 1998, I’m pretty sure it would have sounded like this.

What’s Make It Hot’s best song?

Damon: “Eyes Better Not Wander”

This was a no brainer to me, this is the first song on the album that really showcases her vocals and I love the harmonies during the chorus and then Static on the bridge, it’s great . Shout out to “Raise Your Frown” though, a close second.

Edd: “Make It Hot”

It pained me to rank the tracks on this album – anything in that top 6 could be No. 1, depending on my mood. Going with the title track feels a little basic, I know, but it only feels right. Not only has it become her signature track, that beat is just infectious – a virus for your ear canal. Sure, the lyrics are a highly questionable (your man is cheating and your solution is to SEDUCE HIM into acting right? Sounds like advice from a trash podcast) but Nicole’s attitude and Missy and Mocha’s great features make for a fun time.

And what gets props for best video?

Damon: “Eyes Better Not Wander”

I can’t lie, I’m not a huge music video guy. I don’t know, I just think sometimes the visuals can distract me from the song itself or isn’t needed for the song. But I’m going with “Eyes Better Not Wander.” This video is definitely the most 1998 out of the bunch and visually the most simplistic and out of the three. The visuals actually align with the song (kinda). The Alice In Wonderland theme for “I Can’t See” was kinda goofy and out of left field and the paper people at the theater stage really just doesn’t make sense on “Make It Hot.” I’m sure there wasn’t meant to be some huge meaning behind them – it was just a fun goofy thing instead – but “Eyes Better Not Wander” kinda wins by default.

Edd: “I Can’t See”

I didn’t think about it until Damon mentioned it but poor Nicole got stuck with some WEIRD videos in 98. “Make It Hot?” Let’s dance around a giant telephone in front of an audience of cardboard cutouts! “I Can’t See?” Let’s dream about being in Alice in Wonderland? “Eyes Better Not Wander?” Let’s get super close to the camera while my girls dance around verrrrrrry slowly!

Ehh I’ll go with “I Can’t See” because at least it was creative.

Which song should have been a single?

Damon: “Raise Your Frown”

Easily “Raise Your Frown,” that song is great and a perfect capsulation of the time. Whilst I think this album’s singles are pretty much the correct choices, I would’ve just loved to see how a visual for this song would’ve looked and especially with the inclusion of Playa it definitely would’ve done some damage on the R&B charts.

Edd: “Raise Your Frown”

Yes lord, “Raise Your Frown” is essentially Nicole featuring Playa, and my boys sound amazing harmonizing on that hook. It’s also cool to hear a song that tries to de-escalate relationship tensions instead of fueling toxicitiy. In 2023 the remix would be called BEAT YOU DOWN.

In a sense, this entire album is underrated. But what’s your pick for most underrated song?

Damon: “Seventeen”

I feel like “Raise Your Frown” gets the recognition it deserves from what I’ve seen so I’ll skip over that and go with “Seventeen,” the song that honestly was the one from the album that stuck with me first. It’s a great album opener and sets the stage up for the rest of the album. I love the production and anything Missy-related is a guaranteed win and especially for this album where she’s all over the project but out of all the album cuts this is for sure the standout.

Edd: “Curiosity”

I love “Seventeen” – and it’s yet another song that would never, ever be made today – but I’m going to shout out “Curiosity.” This is the song that most reminds me of riding down that endless interstate in 1998 – likely due to the “roll with me” lyrics. It’s such a fun, flirty track. And big props to Lil Mo and Anthony Dent for their ridiculous rap that closes out the track. Mo’s “say wut, playuuuuuuuuh” always cracks me up.

Production is key for a great project. Which beat is best?

Damon: “Make It Hot”

This one was surprisingly closer than I expected. This album has great production throughout but “Make It Hot” takes it simply because this is Timbaland in his prime, mixing instrumentals and random sounds together on a beat and it works every time.

Edd: “Make It Hot”

“Make It Hot” runs away with this one. The track is vintage Timbaland, his usual brand of sonic nonsense that has no business working on paper but always transforms into pure magic in the end. Shout out to the other producers on the album though – though the other beast aren’t always as daring as “Make It Hot,” they’re unique enough to give the album its own feel.

Nicole was blessed to be surrounded by great songwriters. Which writer stood out best?

Damon: Missy Elliott

Missy pretty much owns the first half the the album, writing and producing most of the songs and I’m glad she was getting to showcase her own production abilities away from Timbo. She’s for sure a standout on this album. Missy knows how to make a great uptempo song and it shows. I’m just gonna go ahead and blame Tim for the lyrics of “Make It Hot” and move on.

Edd: Playa

Now this is tough. Missy seems like the logical pick but I’m going with my Playa boys. Static Major and  Smoke E. Digglera are the masterminds behind “Raise Your Frown” and “Eyes Better Not Wander,” with Digital Black helping out on the former. Both songs give strong, nuanced takes on flawed relationships, going beyond the usual “you annoy me, therefore YOU MUST DIE” songwriting we’re inundated with today. I’ve grown to appreciate their writing so much over the years.

In your opinion, why didn’t this album get the attention it deserved?

Damon: This album simply landed in the wrong year. 1998 was a year so stacked with standout releases being put out every week and unfortunately this album had the same release date as The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill which undoubtedly got all the attention. It’s simply another case of just how good 1998 was.

Edd: My son is right as usual. When your album drops THE SAME DAY as one of the biggest albums of the 90s, it’s hard to get the attention you deserve. And that’s not even considering the Myas, Brandys and Monicas that preceded her and the 112s, Dru Hills, Debroah Coxes and Faith Evanseseseseses soon to come. Still, the record went gold mainly off the strength of the title track, which is an incredible testament to Nicole’s skill and the Supafriend’s Midas touch at the time.

1998 was a stacked year for R&B. Where does Make It Hot rank among the best albums?

Damon: If I had to make an unbiased top 10 list for R&B albums released in 1998 I would rank this album within the 10 but around the bottom end. It’s a great album, don’t get me wrong, but when you compare it to albums from Lauryn, Tamia, Kelly, etc. it’s going to get a little lost in the shuffle

Edd: In my heart? It’s No 2, only behind Kelly Price’s debut. It’s amazing that two of my favorite albums of all time released within mere weeks of each other. 1998 was something special, y’all.

But if Unbiased Reviewer Edd must keep it real, Make It Hot faced stiff competition. Tamia, Kelly Price, 112 and, oh yeah, that album Lauryn had the nerve to drop the same day as Nicole’s debut are all 5-star affairs in my book, with other releases from Maxwell, Brandy, Whitney Houston and Dru Hill not far behind. Even her homies Playa deserve a seat at 1998’s crowded yet talented table. Make It Hot might get lost in the shadow of other R&B titans, but that album went diamond in my Chevy Cavalier in 1998, and that’s all that matters to me.

Have you heard Make It Hot and if so, whom do you agree with, Damon or Edd? Let us know below and share your memories of this great release.