Born to Mack

Last updated
Born to Mack
Borntomack.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedJuly 20, 1987
September 22, 1988
(Dangerous Music/RCA release)
August 24, 1989
(Jive/RCA compact disc release)
Recorded198687 (except "Mack Attack" in 1988)
Genre
Length51:12
Label
Producer
Too Short chronology
Raw, Uncut, and X-Rated
(1986)
Born to Mack
(1987)
Life Is...Too Short
(1988)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [2]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [3]
RapReviews7/10 [4]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [5]
Spin Alternative Record Guide 7/10 [6]

Born to Mack is the fourth studio album and debut major label album by American rapper Too Short. [7] The album was released in 1987 via Dangerous Music. It was re-released in 1988 by Jive Records/RCA, after the success of Life Is...Too Short , although Jive Records logos did not appear on it until it was released on compact disc in 1989.

Contents

Too Short sold around 50,000 copies of the album directly from the trunk of his car. [3]

Critical reception

Trouser Press wrote that Too Short made "weak work of simple beats and unconvincing boasts, big-booty fantasies ('Freaky Tales,' 'Partytime'), ugly putdowns ('Dope Fiend Beat') and jailbait concerns ('Little Girls')." [1] The Spin Alternative Record Guide wrote that the album elevates "the 75 Girl formula without abandoning it." [6]

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."Partytime"5:00
2."Mack Attack" (released on 1988 version)5:57
3."Playboy Short II"7:10
4."You Know What I Mean"6:00
5."Freaky Tales"9:30
6."Dope Fiend Beat"6:31
7."Little Girls"6:10
8."The Universal Mix"3:42

Charts

Chart (1987)Peak
position
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) [8] 50

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA) [9] Gold500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Too Short</span> American rapper

Todd Anthony Shaw, better known by his stage name Too Short, is an American rapper and record producer. He became famous in the West Coast hip hop scene in the late 1980s, with lyrics often based on pimping and promiscuity, but also drug culture and street survival. This is respectively exemplified in his most popular songs "Blow the Whistle" and "The Ghetto".

<i>Life Is...Too Short</i> 1988 studio album by Too Short

Life Is...Too Short is the fifth studio album by American rapper Too Short. It was released in 1988 via Dangerous Music and re-released in 1989 through Jive Records. It appeared as a Dangerous Music/RCA Records release until Jive Records logos appeared on the release on October 25, 1990, after it became successful. It is currently his highest-selling album to date, being certified double platinum by the RIAA for sales of over 2 million copies.

<i>No Pocky for Kitty</i> 1991 studio album by Superchunk

No Pocky for Kitty is the second studio album by American indie rock band Superchunk, released in 1991. Pocky is a popular Japanese snack food.

<i>Short Dogs in the House</i> 1990 studio album by Too Short

Short Dog's in the House is the sixth studio album by American rapper Too Short. The album was released on September 11, 1990, via Jive Records. The CD contains a number of both socially conscious songs, as well as dirty rap and sexually-explicit songs that have made Too Short famous. The album's production samples a number of classic P-funk records, as well as the heavy use of the Roland TR-808 for instrumentation. The laid-back beats would be a major influence in hip hop years later, and the album was key in the development of West Coast born G-funk that dominated the charts for the next few years. The album's cover was an influence for the cover art for Snoop Dogg's Doggystyle, just as Too Short's drawl-heavy delivery had influenced Snoop Dogg's vocal style. Upon release, the album received a number of positive reviews, which helped it reach the highest position on the U.S. R&B charts, of any of Too Short's albums, at the time.

<i>Blow the Whistle</i> (album) 2006 studio album by Too Short

Blow the Whistle is the sixteenth studio album by the American rapper Too Short. It was released on August 29, 2006, via Jive Records. It features artists such as Snoop Dogg, Rick Ross, Tha Dogg Pound, will.i.am, Mistah F.A.B. and David Banner. It features music production by Lil Jon, Jazze Pha and will.i.am of The Black Eyed Peas. The cover art for the album was revealed on August 8, 2006. The tracklisting was released on the 19th.

<i>Married to the Game</i> 2003 studio album by Too Short

Married to the Game is the fifteenth studio album by American rapper Too Short. It was released on November 4, 2003 through Jive Records, making it his 12th album on the label.

<i>Gettin It (Album Number Ten)</i> 1996 studio album by Too Short

Gettin' It (Album Number Ten) is the tenth studio album by American rapper Too Short. It was released on May 21, 1996, via Jive Records, making it his seventh album on the label. This was his final album before going on a brief career hiatus, and was certified platinum on July 26, 1996. It peaked in the Top 5 in the Billboard 200, while becoming the third number-one album for the artist on the Top R&B Albums chart.

<i>You Nasty</i> 2000 studio album by Too Short

You Nasty is the twelfth studio album by American rapper Too Short. It was released on September 12, 2000, via Jive Records, making it his ninth release on the label. Audio production was handled by Ant Banks, Erick Sermon, and Ludacris. You Nasty proved to be a success, peaking at #12 on the Billboard 200 and #4 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, as well as producing two charting singles, "2 Bitches" and "You Nasty", which peaked at #2 and #6 on the Hot Rap Singles respectively, It was certified Gold.

<i>Chase the Cat</i> 2001 studio album by Too Short

Chase the Cat is the thirteenth studio album by American rapper Too Short. It was released on November 20, 2001, through Jive Records. The album found moderate success, peaking at #71 on the Billboard 200 and #14 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.

<i>Whats My Favorite Word?</i> 2002 studio album by Too Short

What's My Favorite Word? is the fourteenth studio album by American rapper Too Short. It was released on October 29, 2002, through Jive Records, making it his eleventh album on the label.

<i>Am I Black Enough for You?</i> (album) 1989 studio album by Schoolly D

Am I Black Enough for You? is the fourth album by rapper Schoolly D, released in 1989 via Jive Records/RCA. It was produced by Schoolly D and DJ Code Money. The album did not chart, although three singles were released: "Gangster Boogie", "Pussy Ain't Nothin'", and "Livin' in the Jungle". It was Schoolly D's last album for Jive Records.

<i>How a Black Man Feels</i> 1991 studio album by Schoolly D

How a Black Man Feels is the fifth album by the American rapper Schoolly D. It was released in 1991 via Capitol Records, his first album for the label. The album spawned three singles, "Original Gangster", “Where’d You Get That Funk From”, and “King of New York”.

<i>Right Now!</i> (Pussy Galore album) 1987 studio album by Pussy Galore

Right Now! is a studio album by the American noise rock band Pussy Galore, released in 1987 through Caroline Records.

<i>Friendly as a Hand Grenade</i> 1989 studio album by Tackhead

Friendly as a Hand Grenade is an album by the American band Tackhead. It was released in 1989 through TVT Records.

<i>Private Waters in the Great Divide</i> Album by Kid Creole and the Coconuts

Private Waters in the Great Divide is the seventh studio album by the American musical group Kid Creole and the Coconuts, released in 1990. It includes the singles "The Sex of It" and "I Love Girls".

<i>History: Function Music</i> 2012 studio album by E-40 and Too Short

History: Function Music is a collaborative studio album by American rappers E-40 and Too Short. The album was released on November 6, 2012, by Heavy on the Grind Entertainment and EMI. The album was released in two pairs: History: Mob Music and History: Function Music. The album features guest appearances from Tyga, Travis Porter, Turf Talk, Wiz Khalifa, Suga Free, Jeremih, and Ice Cube among others.

<i>Baselines</i> (album) 1983 studio album by Bill Laswell

Baselines is the debut album of American composer Bill Laswell. It was released on June 14, 1983, by Elektra Records.

<i>Grotto of Miracles</i> 1986 studio album by Sun City Girls

Grotto of Miracles is the second studio album by American experimental rock band Sun City Girls. It was released in 1986 by Placebo Records. Like many Sun City Girls LPs, Grotto of Miracles has become a collector's item.

<i>Dawn of the Devi</i> 1991 studio album by Sun City Girls

Dawn of the Devi is the fifth studio album by American experimental rock band Sun City Girls, released in 1991 by Majora Records. It was remastered and reissued in 2019.

<i>Sound ... Goodbye to Your Standards</i> 1991 studio album by The Mighty Lemon Drops

Sound ... Goodbye to Your Standards is an album by the English band the Mighty Lemon Drops, released in 1991.

References

  1. 1 2 "Too $hort". Trouser Press. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  2. Mtume Salaam (1989-08-24). "Born to Mack - Too $hort | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2015-07-25.
  3. 1 2 Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 8. MUZE. p. 212.
  4. "Too $hort :: Born to Mack :: Jive/Zomba". Rapreviews.com. 2003-01-25. Retrieved 2015-07-25.
  5. The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 711.
  6. 1 2 Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. 1995. p. 412.
  7. "Too $hort | Biography & History". AllMusic.
  8. "Too Short Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 23, 2014.
  9. "American album certifications – Too Short – Born to Mack". Recording Industry Association of America.