The Real Rock
1990 studio album by Shinehead
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The Real Rock is a studio album by the reggae/rap musician Shinehead, released in 1990 via Elektra Records.[1][2]
| The Real Rock | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1990 | |||
| Genre | Reggae, rap | |||
| Label | Elektra | |||
| Shinehead chronology | ||||
| ||||
The album peaked at No. 155 on the Billboard 200.[3]
Production
The album was recorded in New York and Jamaica, with contributions from the rhythm section of Steely & Clevie.[4] It contains interpretations of the songs "Family Affair", "Love and Marriage", and "Till I Kissed You".[5][6] "World of the Video Game" samples the music of Super Mario Bros.[7]
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [8] |
| Chicago Sun-Times | [4] |
| Robert Christgau |  [9] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [10] |
| Los Angeles Times |  [11] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [12] |
The Los Angeles Times thought that "even the strongest songs are more well-crafted than inspirational, and the cleverest verbal forays are undercut by the musical retrenchment."[11] Trouser Press wrote that "the music on The Real Rock is more sophisticated in terms of technology and styling, but the songs are hit-and-miss."[13] The Washington Post declared that "the album's highlight ... is an inspired remake of Sly Stone's 'Family Affair', which mixes slap bass, scratching, soul singing and speed-rapping into an imaginative defense of black music, black neighborhoods and the black family."[5] The Philadelphia Daily News called Shinehead "the most captivating and versatile of the reggae-rap artists."[14]
AllMusic called the album "one of the best rap releases of 1990," writing that "the East Coast resident wisely avoids being predicable."[8]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Real Rock" | 4:07 |
| 2. | "Family Affair" | 4:23 |
| 3. | "World of the Video Game" | 3:42 |
| 4. | "Potential" | 4:42 |
| 5. | "Good Things" | 3:59 |
| 6. | "Strive" | 4:16 |
| 7. | "Dance Down the Road" | 3:50 |
| 8. | "Love and Marriage Rap" | 4:12 |
| 9. | "Till I Kissed You" | 4:14 |
| 10. | "Cigarette Breath" | 3:28 |
| 11. | "Musical Madness" | 4:00 |