Blackstreet (album)

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Blackstreet
Blackstreet - 1994 album.jpg
Studio album by Blackstreet
Released June 21, 1994
Recorded 1992–1994
Future Recording Studios
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Genre R&B, new jack swing, hip hop soul, soul
Length 73:06
Label Interscope
Producer Teddy Riley (also exec.), John McClain (exec.), Michael Concepion (exec.), Michael "Flip" Barber, Markell Riley, Erick Sermon, Lil' Chris Smith, Leon Sylvers III
Blackstreet chronology
Blackstreet
(1994)		 Another Level
(1996)Another Level1996
Singles from Blackstreet
  1. "Baby Be Mine"
    Released: February 23, 1993
  2. "Booti Call"
    Released: July 28, 1994
  3. "Before I Let You Go"
    Released: November 22, 1994
  4. "U Blow My Mind"
    Released: 1994
  5. "Joy"
    Released: March 21, 1995
  6. "Tonight's the Night"
    Released: August 1, 1995

Blackstreet is the self-titled debut studio album from American R&B group Blackstreet, released in 1994 on Interscope Records. The group was formed by Riley with Chauncey Hannibal after the dissolution of Teddy Riley's former group Guy.[1] The other members of Blackstreet - Joseph Stonestreet and Levi Little - were session singers alongside Hannibal on Bobby Brown's third album Bobby, an album that was mostly produced by Riley.[2] They recorded one song for the soundtrack of the Chris Rock film CB4 called "Baby Be Mine".[3] Before they could record an album, Stonestreet left the group[1] and was replaced by former Force One Network singer Dave Hollister.[4] When they re-recorded "Baby Be Mine" for their self-titled debut, Hollister's vocals were added on the album version of the song.

Hip hop producer Erick Sermon co-produced the first single "Booti Call",[1] which was a response to the rape trial and conviction of professional boxer Mike Tyson at the time of the album's release.[5] Riley, who was a close friend of Tyson,[6] referenced his incarceration in the album's liner notes: and to our main man Mike Tyson "we can't wait".[7] The song's opening was done by stand up comedian Bill Bellamy, who popularized his infamous saying on an episode of Russell Simmons' Def Comedy Jam.[8] The second single "Before I Let You Go" was released with a music video that featured appearances by actors Omar Epps[9][10] and Shari Headley.[11]

Also on the album is former member of The Sylvers songwriter and producer Leon Sylvers III, who collaborated with Riley on the writing and production of several songs on the album. Riley's proteges The Neptunes make one of their earliest appearances on Blackstreet as well- with Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo receiving a co-writing and assistant producer credit on the song "Tonight's the Night",[1][12] while Hugo plays the saxophone on the ballad "Happy Home".[13] Singer Michael Jackson helped with the composition of "Joy"- a song that was originally intended for Jackson's 1991 album Dangerous.[1][14] Blackstreet would be the first and last album with members Hollister and Little, who left the group at the end of 1995.[15][16]

The album peaked at number fifty-two on the Billboard 200 chart. By April 1995, it was certified platinum in sales by the RIAA, after sales exceeding 1,000,000 copies in the United States. The remake of the Stevie Wonder song "Love's in Need of Love Today" was featured in the 1995 Harrison Ford film Sabrina, but it does not appear on the film's soundtrack.[17]

Release and reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic 4/5 stars[18]
Q 4/5 stars[19]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide 2.5/5 stars[20]
The Source (favorable)[19]

The album peaked at fifty-two on the U.S. Billboard 200 and reached the seventh spot on the R&B Albums chart.[21] The album was certified platinum by April 1995.[22]

While Stanton Swihart of Allmusic commented that some of the songs weren't fully formed and others sounded like new jack retreads, he did remark that the work included "some brilliantly catchy R&B tracks, songs that easily stood out in the mid-'90s urban soul crowd."[18]

Track listing

  • Songwriting and production credits adapted from liner notes.[7]
No. Title Music Producer(s) Length
1. "Intro (Blackstreet Philosophy) [Interlude]"   Riley, "Lil" Chris Smith Teddy Riley, "Lil" Chris Smith 0:56
2. "Baby Be Mine"   Iverson, Riley, Stonestreet, Williams, "Lil" Chris Smith Teddy Riley 3:02
3. "U Blow My Mind"   Hannibal, Hollister, Riley, Smith Teddy Riley, "Lil" Chris Smith 3:49
4. "Hey Love (Keep It Real) [Interlude]"   Dickey, Riley, Sylvers Teddy Riley, Leon Sylvers III 1:11
5. "I Like the Way You Work"   Graham, Hannibal, Little, Riley, Riley, Smith Teddy Riley, Markell Riley 4:44
6. "Good Life"   Brown, Callis, Linzer, Riley, Wynn   4:04
7. "Physical Thing"   Drakeford, Hannibal, Little, Riley, Riley, Tex, Williams, Smith Teddy Riley, Markell Riley 4:38
8. "Make U Wet"   Barber, Davidson, Hannibal, Riley, Sylvers Teddy Riley, Michael "Flip" Barber 4:59
9. "Booti Call"   Clinton, Dickey, Riley, Riley, Sermon, Shider, Spradley, Sylvers, Troutman Teddy Riley, Markell Riley, Erick Sermon 4:26
10. "Love's in Need"   Wonder Teddy Riley 4:41
11. "Joy"   Riley, Lucas, Jackson   4:55
12. "Before I Let You Go"   Hannibal, Hollister, Riley, Riley, Sylvers Teddy Riley 4:59
13. "Confession [Interlude]"   Hollister, Riley, Riley, Williams Teddy Riley, Markell Riley 0:54
14. "Falling in Love Again"   Hannibal, Hollister, Little, Riley, Riley Teddy Riley, Markell Riley 4:34
15. "Candlelight Night [Interlude]"   Taliaferro, Riley Teddy Riley 0:54
16. "Tonight's the Night"   Hugo, Lucas, Riley, Riley, Williams Teddy Riley, Markell Riley 4:18
17. "Happy Home"   Davis, Hannibal, Riley, Riley Teddy Riley, Markell Riley 5:38
18. "Wanna Make Love"   Riley, Stonestreet, Watkins Teddy Riley 5:00
19. "Once in a Lifetime [Interlude]"   Taliaferro, Riley Teddy Riley, Markell Riley 1:02
20. "Givin' You All My Lovin'"   Riley, Riley, Smith, Sylvers Teddy Riley, Leon Sylvers III 4:12

Chart history

Album

Chart (1994)[21] Peak
position
U.S. Billboard 200 52
U.S. R&B Albums 7

Singles

Year Single Peak chart positions[23]
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 U.S. Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales U.S. Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks U.S. Rhythmic Top 40
1993 "Baby Be Mine" — 22 — —
1994 "Booti Call" 34 3 14 19
"Before I Let You Go" 7 7 2 2
1995 "Joy" 43 13 12 23
""Tonight's the Night" (Blackstreet song)" 80 12 27 —

"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

Personnel

Information taken from Allmusic.[24]

  • assistant engineering – Serban Ghenea, George Mayers, Kimberly Smith, Sprague Williams
  • assistant executive production – Mike Concepcion, John McClain
  • associate production – Chad Hugo, "Lil" Chris Smith, Markell Riley, Leon F. Sylvers III, Thomas Taliaferro
  • associate production – Chad Hugo, "Lil" Chris Smith, Markell Riley, Leon F. Sylvers III, Thomas Taliaferro, Sprague Williams
  • design – Eric Altenburger
  • engineering – Serban Ghenea, John Hanes, George Mayers, Herb Powers, Kimberly Smith
  • guitar – Serban Ghenea, Thomas Taliaferro
  • mastering – Herb Powers
  • mixing – John Hanes, George Mayers, Teddy Riley
  • performing – Tammy Lucas
  • photography – Gerhard Yurkovic
  • production – Michael Barber, Markell Riley, Teddy Riley, Erick Sermon, "Lil" Chris Smith, Leon F. Sylvers III
  • project coordination – Dan O'Leary
  • rapping – Idris Davidson, Antwone Dickey, Markell Riley, Menton Smith, David Roland Williams
  • saxophone – Chad Hugo
  • stylist – Kareen Linton
  • vocal coach – Kenny Hicks
  • vocals – Chauncey Hannibal, Dave Hollister, Levi Little, Teddy Riley

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Blackstreet - Blackstreet (CD liner notes). Interscope Records. 92351-2
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  24. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

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