Y?N-Vee (album)

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}} {{Infobox album | name = Y?N-Vee | type = album | artist = Y?N-Vee | cover = Y N Vee.jpg | alt = | released = October 18, 1994 | recorded = November 1993–July 1994 | venue = | studio = | genre = R&B, hip hop | length = 59:57 | label = PMP/RAL/Def Jam | producer = Doug Rasheed, Oji Pierce, Alvin Oliver, Bryan WINO Dobbs, Brain G | prev_title = | prev_year = | next_title = | next_year = | misc = {{Singles | name = Y?V-Vee (album) | type = studio | single1 = Chocolate | single1date = August 16, 1994 | single2 = I'm Goin' Down | single2date = January 17, 1995 | single3 = 4Play | single3date = March 28, 1995 }} }} {{Album ratings | rev1 = ''Music Week'' | rev1score = {{Rating|2|5}}<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1994/Music-Week-1994-12-24.pdf#page=42|title=Reviews: Albums|magazine=Music Week|date=December 24, 1994|page=26|access-date=June 17, 2025}}</ref> }}

'''''Y?N-Vee''''' is the only studio album by American R&B/hip-hop group Y?N-Vee (pronounced "why envy"). It was released on October 18, 1994 as the debut release from PMP Records through the Rush Associated Labels division of Def Jam Recordings, and was produced mostly by Doug Rasheed. The album spawned three singles, all of which went into rotation on BET, and two of which reached the UK Singles Chart.

==Release== The album was released on October 18, 1994.<ref name="Release and promo">{{cite magazine |last1=Borzillo |first1=Carrie |title=Popular Uprisings |magazine=Billboard |date=October 29, 1994 |volume=106 |issue=44 |page=28 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YQgEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA28 |access-date=May 21, 2023}}</ref> The group embarked on two promotional tours, visiting radio stations, clubs, and retailers as well as performing at Black colleges and radio station shows.<ref name="Release and promo" />

==Commercial performance== The album's lead single, "Chocolate", reached number 44 on the ''Billboard'' R&B Singles Chart dated October 29, 1994.<ref name="Release and promo" /> On the chart dated November 12, 1994, it reached number one on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart, an extension of the Hot 100.<ref name="Bubbling Under Chocolate">{{cite magazine |title=Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles |magazine=Billboard |date=November 12, 1994 |volume=106 |issue=46 |page=109 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aAgEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA109 |access-date=May 21, 2023}}</ref> "I'm Going Down" reached the Bubbling Under Hot R&B Singles chart.<ref name="Down Bubbling">{{cite magazine |title=Bubbling Under Hot R&B Singles |magazine=Billboard |date=March 4, 1995 |volume=107 |issue=9 |page=32 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2gsEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA32 |access-date=May 21, 2023}}</ref>

Two of the album's singles charted in the United Kingdom, with "Chocolate" peaking at number 65 and follow-up "I'm Going Down" reaching number 76.<ref name="UK singles history">{{cite web |title=Y?N-VEE Singles |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/31008/yn-vee/ |website=Official Charts Company |access-date=May 21, 2023}}</ref>

The music video for "Chocolate" went into rotation on BET, reaching number 9 on the weekly video play chart for the week ending October 16, 1994.<ref name="BET Chocolate">{{cite magazine |title=Billboard Video Monitor for the week ending October 16, 1994 |magazine=Billboard |date=October 29, 1994 |volume=44 |issue=28 |page=50 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=YQgEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA50 |access-date=May 21, 2023}}</ref> The music video for the album's second single, "I'm Going Down", was added to BET's rotation for the week ending December 11, 1994, while the third single, "4Play", was added for the week ending April 30, 1995.<ref name="BET Down">{{cite magazine |title=Billboard Video Monitor for the week ending December 11, 1994 |magazine=Billboard |date=December 24, 1994 |volume=106 |issue=52 |page=62 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZAgEAAAAMBAJ&pg=RA1-PA62 |access-date=May 21, 2023}}</ref><ref name="BET 4Play">{{cite magazine |title=Billboard Video Monitor for the week ending April 30, 1995 |magazine=Billboard |date=May 13, 1995 |volume=107 |issue=19 |page=63 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vAsEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA63 |access-date=May 21, 2023}}</ref>

==Track listing== #"Even When U Sleep" - 3:47 #"All I Wanna Do" - 4:44 #"4Play" - 4:37 #"I'm Goin' Down" - 4:08 #"Sceamin'" - 5:28 #"Sonshine's Groove" - 5:19 #"Chocolate" - 4:25 #"Stra8 Hustler" - 3:45 #"Tricks-N-Trainin'" - 4:40 #"Y?N-Vee" - 4:37 #"Real G" - 4:56 #"Gangsta's Prayer" - 4:53 #"We Got a Good Thing" - 4:38

==References== {{Reflist}}

Category:1994 debut albums Category:Contemporary R&B albums by American artists Category:Def Jam Recordings albums