2000 Rewind: Remembering Toni Braxton’s The Heat

Y’all ready to relive Y2K? All year long the Rewind column will revisit the year 2000, celebrating great releases that will mark 25 years in 2025. I’ll be joined by a host of old friends as we look back at a new millennium of music.

In 2000, Toni Braxton attempted to extend her incredible 90s run by going three for three with The Heat. It’s an album I didn’t love in 2000 but have a bit more respect for today. Kaara Bee is back once again to see if Toni still brings that fire 25 years later.

Let’s go! What were your first thoughts of hearing The Heat?

Kaara: It was a fun, unexpected sound from Toni, at least to start the album. It’d been a few years since Secrets and I wasn’t sure if “He Wasn’t Man Enough” was an anomaly, but listening to the album it seemed like a good mix of more upbeat, contemporary sounding songs with some solid ballad and midtempo songs. There were a few songs that seemed not to fit or sounded like they were outtakes from the previous album (“Still Breathing,” “Fairy Tale”), but overall, it was refreshing and I was pleasantly surprised. 

Edd: If you’ve watched the Soul In Stereo Sessions on Youtube I’m sure you’ve noticed that gigantic case of CDs in the background of al my vids. Lemme let y’all in on a secret – a good portion of those CDs were courtesy of Columbia House, that infamous music club that was selling CDs for a penny in the 90s.

Unlike you criminals who ordered a bunch of albums and never paid your bill, a Bowser always pays his debts. Every few months, Columbia House would have a “buy one, get three free” offer, and that’s when I’d spring into action, copping four albums for roughly the price of one and a half (with tax). The Heat is one of those albums I acquired at a fraction of the price.

Honestly, I didn’t love it on first listen. The singles were great but the album cuts didn’t hit nearly as hard as joints like “Why Should I Care” and “Love Affair” from previous albums. Over time, though, I became a fan. Look, back when you had to actually BUY albums, you forced yourself to give it multiple spins, even if that album only costs like $2.59 in shipping costs. Those repeat listens won me over.

What’s your pick for best song?

Kaara: “He Wasn’t Man Enough”

Back then, I would’ve said it was best because it was a fun, new sound for Toni. Today, it’s my pick because of its replay value and storytelling.

Edd: “He Wasn’t Man Enough”

Not long ago on one of these apps, I saw a post that asked “Which artist do you most associate with Darkchild?” The easy answer is Brandy, but because of this song, when I hear the name Darkchild, I think of Toni and that giggle on this song. The production, the sassy lyrics, the energy, it’s so 2000s energy that still holds up today. It was a great evolution of her sound.

Visuals time! Which video was best?

Kaara: “He Wasn’t Man Enough”

Besides the random cartoon intro, it’s my pick because of the plot, cameos, fun/catty energy and dance break.  It’s the most memorable of the videos for this album (save the twist ending for “Just Be a Man About It”). 

Edd: “He Wasn’t Man Enough”

God bless YouTube. I had no memory of the video for “Spanish Guitar” until I dug around for this post – and the video is exactly what you’d expect it to be. I also didn’t know that there was a shelved “Maybe” video (apparently Toni thought it was Too Hot For TV). That just leaves “Just Be a Man About It,” which frankly is pretty dull – it’s just Toni yelling at Dr. Dre over the phone while she tears up her apartment, cleans up her own mess, and then the shock ending Kaara mentioned. Nothing I mentioned beats ANIME TONI doing ninja moves in the club, so “He Wasn’t Man Enough” wins by a mile.

What’s the most underrated song on the project?

Kaara: “You’ve Been Wrong”

This was tough but I was thinking about a song that I frequently come back to on this album that wasn’t a single and this was it. I like the vibe; it reminds me of the mid-tempo R&B at the time.

Edd: “You’ve Been Wrong”

Remember when I mentioned that Toni’s album cuts on The Heat didn’t hit as hard as the ones on previous albums? “You’ve Been Wrong” is the exception to that rule. It has the same acoustic vibe that’s so prevalent throughout the album, and it pairs well with her infamously husky tone. I never hear this song mentioned, and that’s a shame, it’s pretty strong.

Which song should have been a single?

Kaara: “Maybe”

This has been my pick since 2000. According to Wikipedia, however, it was released as a single in 2001, but I don’t remember that. So, if you don’t mind the retcon, that’s my pick! I think it should’ve been the single instead of “Spanish Guitar.” As much as I liked “Spanish Guitar,” it’s also very similar to “UnBreak My Heart” (both Diane Warren songs); “Maybe” was another opportunity to showcase Toni’s vocals differently; the way her voice rides that beat? Whew! (admittedly, 25 years later, I had to pull up the liner notes to follow along because it’s all melodic mumbles now).

Edd: “You’ve Been Wrong”

Once again, I gotta be a “You’ve Been Wrong” fanboy. “Spanish Guitar” didn’t do nearly as well as the two singles that preceded it, likely because it was a bit of a departure. I doubt “You’ve Been Wrong” would have been a blockbuster hit, but it had enough juice to land on those slow jam/Midnight Love playlists.

Let’s talk production: What stood tallest?

Kaara: “He Wasn’t Man Enough”

This was still in the height of Darkchild’s hit-making era, right? I think for that sound to be paired with Toni’s voice and not sound forced, but to flow naturally, tell a story with verve so that you’re moving and singing at the top of your lungs at the same time– it was a coup for Toni and this album. 

Edd: “He Wasn’t Man Enough”

Look, anytime Darkchild is behind the R&B boards in the late 90s/early 2000s, you’ve got a winner. The production is vintage Darkchild, with the chaotic strings running rampant. It’s such a fun, high-octane track.

Songwriting still mattered in 2000! Which song boasted the best example of great songwriting?

Kaara: “Just Be A Man About It”

Framed as a conversation with her soon-to-be-ex on the phone, the writing tells a story that elevates it to more than just reading a man for filth over a nice melody. I mean, it is that partially, haha, but I also feel like it’s a journey as she asks questions, connects the dots, and tells him off. 

Edd: “Just Be A Man About It”

The themes of “Just Be a Man About It” weren’t new for 2000 – we had heard the “my man is trash for cheating” trope a few trillion times in the 90s. But Kaara is right, it’s the execution that makes this song a winner. The phone conversation adds a different dynamic, giving us direct interplay between Toni and that no good Dr. Dre. It’s not just Toni telling the listener that he’s terrible, we get to hear it for ourselves. Props to Johntá Austin, Teddy Bishop, Bryan-Michael Cox and Toni herself for giving us this audio soap opera.

By 2000 the neo-soul movement was really kicking into gear. Do you think Toni would be able to go the neo-soul route?

Kaara: Vocally she could’ve, because who would stop her? But I’m not sure the consumers would’ve bought it. To many, Toni is a vocalist, queen of the ballads and seductive mumbles (lol). I think this album was a great way to segue into more upbeat, hip hop-influenced R&B, but some of the tracks still sounded like her earlier efforts and I’m not sure how she would’ve shaken that off to really go all-in with neo-soul. 

Edd: HMMM. I absolutely think Toni has the tools for it. Marry her deep, rich delivery with some of that early 2000s soul and I think it could have been a nice lane for her artistically. My one hesitation would be the authenticity of it all. Toni suddenly jumping into a lane that was being carved out by a new crop of fresh, young artists probably wouldn’t have been a good look. An already established artist copying the homework of the young cats is a little too Drake-ish for my tastes. Toni COULD have done it but I’m glad she didn’t.

Toni’s first two albums were incredible. How does The Heat rank among them? 

Kaara: Her debut will always be top tier to me, followed by Secrets. The Heat was a cool way to switch things up and refresh her sound a bit, but it’s not topping those two. It’s good at No. 3. In fact, I prefer her duets album with Babyface way more than The Heat. But we’re not doing album rankings, lol, so I’ll leave it there. 

Edd: Yes, Kaara, justice for that Love, Marriage and Divorce album! Toni’s debut is one of the greatest R&B albums of all time and her sophomore album isn’t that far behind. The Heat is quite a few rungs below those. It’s a solid release, one that had her seamlessly adapt to the sounds of the era (I gave it four stars way back when) but it lacks the legendary singles and dominating deep cuts of what came before it. But don’t mistake my critics as a condemnation of The Heat – it’s a solid album for sure. It’s just not a classic album.

OK, who got it right, Kaara or Edd? Let us know in the comments below!