Silent Assassin
1989 studio album by Sly and Robbie
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Silent Assassin is a studio album by the Jamaican musicians Sly and Robbie, released in 1989 via Island Records.[1][2]
Production
The album was produced by KRS-One, at the suggestion of Island; it was KRS's desire to make a "commercial" rap album.[3][4][5] Queen Latifah and Young M.C., among others, make guest appearances on Silent Assassin.[6]
Critical reception
The Washington Post wrote that "the rhythm grooves on Silent Assassin are deeper, sexier and more melodic than those on almost any other rap record."[6] The Globe and Mail deemed the album "a tough, articulate, rhythmically powerful blend of modern reggae and rap and hip hop."[17] The St. Petersburg Times considered "Dance Hall" "arguably the best rap track of 1989."[16] The State called the album "a powerful melding of reggae, funk and hip hop, and thanks to contributions from rap stars ... it's credible as well as accessible."[18]
Trouser Press called it "an ambitious undertaking," writing that "Latifah rules the mic on 'Woman for the Job'."[5] The Spin Alternative Record Guide thought that it "was scrupulously intelligent and involving, yet it was an '80s-style consolidation instead of a true fusion or '90s-style deconstruction."[15]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Rebel" | 3:46 |
| 2. | "Adventures of a Bullet" | 3:50 |
| 3. | "Woman for the Job" | 4:07 |
| 4. | "Man on a Mission" | 3:30 |
| 5. | "Steppin'" | 3:08 |
| 6. | "Under Arrest" | 5:00 |
| 7. | "No One Can Top This Boy" | 3:35 |
| 8. | "Dance Hall" | 6:49 |
| 9. | "Party Together" | 5:22 |
| 10. | "Living a Lie" | 4:39 |
| 11. | "Come Again" | 2:40 |
| 12. | "Letters to the President" | 4:27 |
| 13. | "Ride the Riddim" | 4:28 |
| 14. | "It's Me" | 3:25 |
Personnel
- Sly Dunbar - drums
- Robbie Shakespeare - bass
- KRS-One - production, vocals
- Queen Latifah - vocals
- Young M.C. - vocals
- Shah of Brooklyn - vocals