Block Music
| Block Music | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | June 6, 2006 | |||
| Recorded | 2005–06 | |||
| Genres | ||||
| Length | 56:18 | |||
| Labels | ||||
| Producers |
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| Shawnna chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Block Music | ||||
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Block Music is the second solo studio album by American rapper Shawnna. It was released on June 6, 2006 on Def Jam South Recordings and Disturbing tha Peace. Production was handled by several record producers, including Vudu, 110% Pure, Chucky Thompson, J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League and Salaam Remi. It features guest appearances from Buddy Guy, Ludacris, Avant, Bobby V, I-20, Johnny P., Lil Wayne, Malik Yusef, Pharrell Williams, Shareefa, Smoke of Field Mob, Syleena Johnson, Too Short, 8Ball & MJG. The album peaked at number 13 on the Billboard 200. Its lead single, "Gettin' Some", was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.
Critical reception
[edit]| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| PopMatters | [2] |
| RapReviews | 5.5/10[3] |
| Robert Christgau |  [4] |
| USA Today | [5] |
| XXL | 4/5 (XL)[6] |
Block Music received mixed reviews from music critics. Andy Kellman of AllMusic gave high praise to Shawnna's ability to portray different emotions and deliver topics with complex writing over energetic production, saying that, "With a surprising level of depth and a more complementary set of productions, Block Music makes Worth tha Weight – a decent album in its own right – seem like a clumsy warm-up."[1] Alvin Blanco of XXL also commended Shawnna for side-stepping her usual sex-filled braggadocio to reveal more introspective material delivered in both hard-hitting and soft-spoken styles, concluding that "Offering up more of herself this go-round, Shawnna shows considerable growth. Maybe now she can finally get some… props."[6] Steve Jones of USA Today gave Block Music a three-star rating, praising her lyrical ability and confident flow. He highlighted her collaborations with Ludacris, Pharrell, Lil Wayne, and Too Short, while noting that tracks such as "In tha Chi" and "Can't Break Me" showcased her strongest material.[5]
PopMatters contributor Quentin B. Huff wrote: "Shawnna's song arrangement effectively binds the various topics of her tunes because she's convincing. Sure, there's some posturing and, yeah, she's exaggerating reality a bit. But, just like the movies, where you know an actor or actress isn't performing all the stunts, the trick is to make you suspend your disbelief. And in this regard, Shawnna plays her part with gusto while demonstrating that, sometimes, you get more than what you see."[2] Conversely, Steve "Flash" Juon of RapReviews was unimpressed by Shawnna's lyrics consisting of "every major gangster rap cliche" over quality beats, concluding that: "There's nothing profound about "Block Music" other than how profoundly UNENJOYABLE I found listening to it to be. In fact I think the only enjoyment one could find out of this album would be that if you got horny enough you could masturbate to Shawnna's pictures – that's about it." The blogger made similar sexual references regarding the artist in his 2004 rating of her debut album.[3][7] Robert Christgau graded the album as a "dud",[4] indicating "a bad record whose details rarely merit further thought."[8]
Track listing
[edit]| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Can't Do It Like Me" | Chucky Thompson | 2:52 | |
| 2. | "Block Music (Bang)" (featuring I-20) |
| Vudu | 3:40 |
| 3. | "Damn" (featuring Smoke) |
|
| 4:19 |
| 4. | "Gettin' Some Remix" (featuring Ludacris, Pharrell Williams, Lil Wayne & Too $hort) |
| Xcel | 5:42 |
| 5. | "Candy Coated" (featuring 8Ball & MJG) |
| Vudu | 4:33 |
| 6. | "Roll Wit Me" |
| 110% Pure | 2:29 |
| 7. | "In tha Chi" (featuring Johnny P. & Syleena Johnson) |
| Vudu | 4:17 |
| 8. | "Take It Slow" (featuring Ludacris & Bobby Valentino) |
|
| 4:12 |
| 9. | "Can't Break Me" (featuring Buddy Guy & Shareefa) |
| J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League | 4:13 |
| 10. | "Ghetto Fairy Tales" |
| Vudu | 3:02 |
| 11. | "Lil Daddy What's Good" | 3:38 | ||
| 12. | "Hit the Back/Slide In" |
| 110% Pure | 4:22 |
| 13. | "Chicago" (featuring Buddy Guy, Avant & Malik Yusef) |
| The Yung Bosses | 5:36 |
| 14. | "Gettin' Some" |
| Xcel | 3:23 |
| Total length: | 56:18 | |||
Charts
[edit]| Chart (2004) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200[9] | 13 |
| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[10] | 3 |
| US Top Rap Albums (Billboard)[11] | 2 |
References
[edit]- 1 2 Kellman, Andy. "Block Music - Shawnna". AllMusic. Archived from the original on June 17, 2012. Retrieved November 18, 2011.
- 1 2 Huff, Quentin B. (August 3, 2006). "Shawnna: Block Music". PopMatters. Archived from the original on January 28, 2021. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
- 1 2 Juon, Steve 'Flash' (June 27, 2006). "Shawnna Block Music". RapReviews. Archived from the original on November 22, 2019. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
- 1 2 Christgau, Robert. "Robert Christgau: CG: Shawnna". www.robertchristgau.com. Archived from the original on March 10, 2016. Retrieved August 12, 2020.
- 1 2 Jones, Steve (June 26, 2006). "This week's album reviews: Shawnna, Dashboard, India". USA Today. Archived from the original on August 23, 2006. Retrieved July 12, 2026.
- 1 2 Blanco, Alvin (June 2, 2006). "Shawnna Block Music". XXL. Townsquare Media. Archived from the original on February 22, 2016. Retrieved October 7, 2018.
- ↑ "Shawnna :: Worth Tha Weight – RapReviews". May 11, 2026. Retrieved May 15, 2026.
- ↑ Christgau, Robert (2000). "Key to Icons". RobertChristgau.com. Retrieved November 22, 2025.
- ↑ "Shawnna Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved August 16, 2019.
- ↑ "Shawnna Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved August 16, 2019.
- ↑ "Shawnna Chart History (Top Rap Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved August 16, 2019.
External links
[edit]- Shawnna – Block Music at Discogs (list of releases)
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