D.N.A. (Mario album)
| D.N.A | ||||
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| Studio album by Mario | ||||
| Released | October 12, 2009 | |||
| Recorded | February 2008 — March 2009 | |||
| Genre | R&B, hip hop, hip hop soul | |||
| Length | 61:59 | |||
| Label | J | |||
| Producer | Peter Edge & Mario (exec.) Jim Jonsin, Stargate, Bangladesh, The Runners, Los Da Mystro, Eric Hudson, Chris "Tricky" Stewart, The Monarch, Rico Love, Sean Garrett, The-Dream, Babyface, Dre & Vidal, Elvis "BlacElvis" Williams, Jackpot, Malay & Kawan "KP" Prather |
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| Mario chronology | ||||
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| Singles from D.N.A. | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
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| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| About.com |   |
| AllMusic |  |
| Billboard | (favorable) |
| The Boston Globe | (favorable) |
| DJ Booth | |
| Entertainment Weekly | B− |
| Newsday | B+ |
| Now | |
| Prestige Magazine | (8/10) |
| USA Today | |
D.N.A. (previously known as And Then There Was Me) is the fourth studio album by American R&B singer Mario. It was released first in the United Kingdom on October 12, 2009 by RCA Records and the following day in the US with J Records. On the album Mario has worked with previous hitmakers Bryan-Michael Cox as well as new collaborators including The-Dream, Soundz and Jim Jonsin amongst others.
The album's lead single "Break Up" features Sean Garrett and Gucci Mane. It was released on April 28, 2009 in the US, peaking at number 2 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Chart and 14 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming his most successful single in five years since, "Let Me Love You". The second single, "Thinkin' About You" was released on September 4, 2009.
At the end of 2007 Mario told Billboard Magazine that he had already begun designing the concept for his new album and that production would begin in February 2008. Later in an interview he described this album as World music, an old school R&B influenced with a modern dance pop sound and calling this the "most personal, colossal album of his career".
In late 2008 a track titled "Emergency Room" leaked to the internet, credited to Mario and featuring Rihanna, and also played by various radio stations throughout the country. Initially people were quick to assume it was Rihanna on the track, as the studio vocalist Priscilla Renea's voice resembled Rihanna's. The song is produced by Soundz Also the song's title was especially controversial, because of the situation which Rihanna is with her boyfriend Chris Brown, which Vibe.com has documented extensively. Of the song Mario said "This was a rough cut that I was working on and wanted to present it to Rihanna and her record label. Those aren't Rihanna's vocals on the song at all. The record was far from done. I'm still proud of the record but want to make sure that the truth is out there."
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