Young Black Teenagers (album)
Young Black Teenagers | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 1991 | |||
Recorded | 1990 | |||
Genre | Rap | |||
Length | 45:40 | |||
Label | S.O.U.L. | |||
Producer | The Bomb Squad | |||
Young Black Teenagers chronology | ||||
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Singles from Young Black Teenagers | ||||
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Young Black Teenagers is the debut album by the American rap group Young Black Teenagers, released in 1991.[1] "Loud & Hard to Hit" peaked at No. 25 on the Hot Rap Singles chart. The album cover art is modeled after the Beatles' With the Beatles.[2] After a negative radio response to the track "Proud to Be Black", MCA Records chose not to use its logo on the packaging.[3] The group supported the album by touring with Public Enemy.[4]
Production
[edit]The album was produced by Hank Shocklee and the Bomb Squad and released through Shocklee's S.O.U.L Records label; YBT's Kamron grew up in the same neighborhood as some of the production group's members.[5][6] "To My Donna" is an answer song directed to Madonna's "Justify My Love", which used a backing rhythm track taken by Lenny Kravitz from a Public Enemy instrumental produced by the Bomb Squad.[7] "Daddy Kalled Me Niga Cause I Likeded to Rhyme" is about dealing with racist parents.[8] "Nobody Knows Kelli" is an ode to Married... with Children's Kelly Bundy.[9]
Critical reception
[edit]Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [10] |
Calgary Herald | B[11] |
Robert Christgau | [12] |
Q | [6] |
St. Petersburg Times | [13] |
Q said that "YBT have a enough power, but their songs edge towards monotony."[6] Entertainment Weekly wrote that YBT "rise to the challenge presented by the high-quality production, and rhyme with conviction".[14] Newsday labeled the album "mall rap".[9] The Calgary Herald opined that "the tunes are tighter and tougher than most rap fare".[11] The St. Petersburg Times concluded that YBT "get past racial barriers, smack dab into a clever, creative form of rap that knows neither limits nor boundaries of color."[13]
Track listing
[edit]- "Punks, Lies & Video Tape"- 4:11
- "Korner Groove"- 3:57
- "Traci"- 2:37
- "First Stage of a Rampage Called the Rap Rage"- 3:51
- "Nobody Knows Kelli"- 3:27
- "Daddy Kalled Me Niga Cause I Likeded to Rhyme"- 2:59
- "Chillin' wit Me Posse"- 2:05
- "Mack Daddy Don of the Underworld"- 3:48
- "Loud and Hard to Hit"- 3:35
- "My TV Went Black and White on Me"- 3:32
- "Proud to Be Black"- 4:42
- "To My Donna"- 3:22
- "My Color TV"- 3:34
Samples
[edit]- "Proud to Be Black"
- "The Boss" by James Brown
Personnel
[edit]- Adam "Firstborn" Weiner – rapping, main artist, songwriter
- Ron "Kamron" Winge – rapping, main artist, songwriter
- ATA – rapping, main artist, songwriter
- Tommy Never – rapping, main artist, songwriter
- Scott "DJ Skribble" Ialacci – main artist, turntables, sampler
References
[edit]- ^ Brown, Farnum (Sep–Oct 1991). "The Kids Are All White". Mother Jones. Vol. 16, no. 5. p. 73.
- ^ Harrison, Nancy (Mar 3, 1991). "Rap Group's Name No Enigma". The New York Times. p. A11.
- ^ Darling, Cary (Feb 18, 1991). "Young Black Teenagers: Rappers with a Difference". The Gazette. Montreal. p. B6.
- ^ Mills, David (July 14, 1991). "It's a White Thing: Is It Serious Hip-Hop or a Pale Imitation?". The Washington Post. p. G1.
- ^ Gettelman, Parry (26 July 1991). "Don't peg these rappers by name only". Calendar. Orlando Sentinel. p. 28.
- ^ a b c Henderson, Dave (March 5, 1991). "Young Black Teenagers review". Q. Vol. 50. p. 80.
- ^ Goldstein, Patrick (Jan 27, 1991). "Pop Eye". Calendar. Los Angeles Times. p. 65.
- ^ Holden, Stephen (Jan 30, 1991). "The Pop Life". The New York Times. p. C11.
- ^ a b Robins, Wayne (Feb 24, 1991). "Rapping on the Wrong Street". Part II. Newsday. p. 15.
- ^ Henderson, Alex. Young Black Teenagers at AllMusic
- ^ a b Muretich, James (Mar 17, 1991). "Recent Releases". Calgary Herald. p. A13.
- ^ "Young Black Teenagers". Robert Christgau.
- ^ a b Hall, Dave (May 3, 1991). "Young Black Teenagers". Weekend. St. Petersburg Times. p. 17.
- ^ Bernard, James (March 8, 1991). "Young Black Teenagers". Entertainment Weekly.