Escape from Havana

Last updated
Escape From Havana
MellowManAce-EscapeFromHavana.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedAugust 29, 1989 (1989-08-29)
Genre Hip hop, Latin rap
Length54:29
Label Capitol
Producer
Mellow Man Ace chronology
Escape From Havana
(1989)
The Brother with Two Tongues
(1992)
Singles from Escape from Havana
  1. "Rhyme Fighter"
    Released: 1989
  2. "Mentirosa"
    Released: March 9, 1990
  3. "If You Were Mine"
    Released: 1990

Escape from Havana is the debut album by the American rapper Mellow Man Ace. [1] [2] It was released on August 29, 1989, by Capitol Records. The album was produced by the Dust Brothers, Tony G, Def Jef, DJ Muggs, and Johnny Rivers. Escape from Havana peaked at number 69 on the Billboard 200 and spawned three singles: "Rhyme Fighter", "Mentirosa" and "If You Were Mine".

Contents

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [3]
The Philadelphia Inquirer Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [4]
RapReviews7.5/10 [5]

Escape from Havana garnered positive reviews from music critics who praised the production and lyrics for being a great mix of East Coast and Latin-flavored styles. A writer for People praised the language duality of Ace's lyrical flow, noting his Spanish delivery as being the better language, concluding with, "But it's when he drops into the loving tongue that his music becomes truly distinctive and exciting. Muy bien, Mellow Man." [6] The Philadelphia Inquirer opined that "Mellow Man languishes a tad too long on the ballads—though 'B-Boy in Love' is tolerable—and hits hardest with the Hispanic-pride 'Rap Guanco' and the B-movie homage 'Hip Hop Creature'." [4]

In a retrospective review, Alex Henderson of AllMusic praised the album's amalgam of hardcore tracks and mainstream love ballads that showcase Ace's ability as a bilingual rapper, concluding that "Ace, like a lot of rappers, spends too much time boasting about his microphone skills. Nonetheless, Escape From Havana is an individualistic, risk-taking work that's well worth hearing." [3] Matt Jost of RapReviews said that despite following late '80s hip-hop trends he praised Tony G and the Dust Brothers for their creative use of samples and Ace's lyrical delivery for crafting an album that's less exploitive of Latin culture and more inventive in its given genre, saying that "Pop or hip-hop, Mellow Man Ace was willing (and able) to cater to almost everyone except the gangsta segment. He could pen love songs, he could take a lyrical approach, he could be goofy, he could battle, and he managed to find different forms of expression depending on theme or track." [5]

Track listing

No.TitleProducer(s)Length
1."Hip Hop Creature" Dust Brothers 4:01
2."Mentirosa"Tony G4:20
3."Rhyme Fighter"Tony G5:12
4."If You Were Mine"Dust Brothers4:41
5."River Cubano" DJ Muggs 4:26
6."Rap Guanco"Tony G4:27
7."Mas Pingon"Dust Brothers5:17
8."Gettin' Stupid"Johnny Rivers4:53
9."Talkapella"3:56
10."B-Boy In Love"Tony G4:40
11."En La Casa" Def Jef 4:11
12."Enquenteran Amor"Dust Brothers5:09
Notes

Samples

Charts

Chart (1990)Peak
position
US Billboard 200 [7] 69
US Latin Pop Albums (Billboard) [8] 7
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) [9] 47

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cypress Hill</span> American hip hop group

Cypress Hill is an American hip hop group from South Gate, California, formed in 1988. They have sold over 20 million albums worldwide, and they have obtained multi-platinum and platinum certifications. The group has been critically acclaimed for their first five albums. They are considered to be among the main progenitors of West Coast hip hop and 1990s hip hop. All of the group members advocate for medical and recreational use of cannabis in the United States. In 2019, Cypress Hill became the first hip hop group to have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Latin hip hop is hip hop music that is recorded by artists in the United States of Hispanic and Latino descent, along with Spanish-speaking countries in the Caribbean, North America, Central America, South America, and Spain.

<i>Pauls Boutique</i> 1989 studio album by Beastie Boys

Paul's Boutique is the second studio album by the American hip hop group Beastie Boys, released on July 25, 1989, by Capitol Records. Produced by the Beastie Boys and the Dust Brothers, the album's composition makes extensive use of samples, drawn from a wide range of genres including funk, soul, rock, and jazz. It was recorded over two years at Matt Dike's apartment and the Record Plant in Los Angeles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mellow Man Ace</span> Cuban American rapper (born 1967)

Ulpiano Sergio Reyes, better known as Mellow Man Ace, is a Cuban-American rapper known for bilingual delivery and novelty rhymes. He was born in Cuba and moved to Los Angeles with his family at the age of four.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sen Dog</span> Cuban-American rapper (born 1965)

Senen Reyes, also known by his stage name Sen Dog, is a Cuban-American rapper who is best known as a member of the hip hop group Cypress Hill and as the lead vocalist for the nu metal band Powerflo. He has been developing a solo career in addition to his work with Cypress Hill and Powerflo, and is the lead vocalist for rap rock band SX-10.

<i>So Amazin</i> 2006 studio album by Christina Milian

So Amazin' is the third album by American singer Christina Milian. The album, her first studio release since 2004's It's About Time, was released by Def Jam Recordings and Island Records on April 19, 2006, in Japan, on May 8 in Europe, and on May 16 in the United States. Unlike previous records, which had contributions from many producers, Milian wrote and produced So Amazin' primarily with hip hop producers Cool & Dre. During production, Milian was mentored by L.A. Reid and executive producer Jay-Z of Def Jam Recordings.

<i>Represent</i> (Fat Joe album) 1993 studio album by Fat Joe da Gangsta

Represent is the debut studio album by American rapper Fat Joe da Gangsta. The album's lead single "Flow Joe" peaked number 82 on the Billboard Hot 100 by late 1993. In mid-1994, he released his second single "Watch the Sound" followed by "The Shit Is Real", featuring a remix by DJ Premier, which would appear on Joe's second album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Delicious Vinyl</span> American independent record label

Delicious Vinyl is an American independent record label founded by Matt Dike and Michael Ross in 1987 and based in Los Angeles, California.

<i>From the Darkness into the Light</i> 2000 studio album by Mellow Man Ace

From The Darkness Into The Light is the third studio album by American rapper Mellow Man Ace. It was released on July 18, 2000, via X-Ray Records. The twelve-track record featured guest appearances by Cypress Hill and Profound.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coffee Shop (Yung Joc song)</span> 2007 single by Yung Joc featuring Gorilla Zoe

"Coffee Shop" is the first single from Yung Joc's second album Hustlenomics. It was officially released on May 5, 2007, but had been leaked onto the Internet beforehand. The track features Gorilla Zoe and uncredited chorus vocals by The-Dream. Joc and T-Pain performed the song at the season finale of Making the Band.

<i>Back to the Trap House</i> 2007 studio album by Gucci Mane

Back to the Trap House is the fourth studio album by American rapper Gucci Mane. It was released on December 11, 2007.

<i>Tha Smokin Nephew</i> 2003 studio album by Baby Bash

Tha Smokin' Nephew is the third solo studio album by American rapper Baby Bash. It was released on September 23, 2003, through Universal Records, making it his first commercial album as well as his first album released under the stage name 'Baby Bash'.

<i>Latin Alliance</i> (album) 1991 studio album by Latin Alliance

Latin Alliance is the studio album by a one-off collaboration of Chicano and Latin American rappers. The group was formed in 1989 and released their one and only album in 1991 via Virgin Records. It features performances by Kid Frost, A.L.T., Markski, Rayski Rockswell, Mellow Man Ace, Lyrical Engineer, Hip Hop Astronaut, and the Lyrical Latin, with guest appearances by War and Scoop DeVille. The recording sessions took place at Digital Sound & Picture in New York City, Skyline Recording in Topanga, Wide Tracks, Image Recorders, and Echo Sound in Los Angeles. The album was produced by Kid Frost, Tony G, Will Roc, Todd Alexander, Ralph Rivers, the Baka Boyz, Julio G, Geoff Rios, and Mike Greene.

<i>Crime Pays</i> (Camron album) 2009 studio album by Camron

Crime Pays is the sixth studio album by Harlem rapper Cam'ron. The album was released on May 12, 2009, by Diplomat Records, Asylum Records, and Warner Bros. Records.

<i>F.A.M.E.</i> (Chris Brown album) 2011 studio album by Chris Brown

F.A.M.E. is the fourth studio album by American singer Chris Brown. It was first released on March 18, 2011, recorded by Jive Records. The album serves as the follow-up to his third album Graffiti (2009). The album also marks his last album with Jive Records.

<i>Live from the Underground</i> 2012 studio album by Big K.R.I.T.

Live from the Underground is the debut studio album by American rapper and record producer Big K.R.I.T. It was released on June 5, 2012, by Cinematic Music Group and Def Jam Recordings. As one of the executive producers on the album, Big K.R.I.T. did the production work for the entirety of the project. The album was supported by four singles: "Money on the Floor", "I Got This", "Yeah Dat's Me" and "What U Mean".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ice (Kelly Rowland song)</span> 2012 single by Kelly Rowland featuring Lil Wayne

"Ice" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Kelly Rowland, featuring American rapper Lil Wayne. It was released on August 24, 2012. It was originally the lead single from Rowland's fourth studio album, Talk a Good Game (2013), however it did not make the album's final cut. The song was written by Rowland, Sean Garrett, Noel Fisher and Wayne, while the production was helmed by Garrett and Fisher. "Ice" is the third collaboration between Rowland and Wayne, following the Destiny's Child collaboration "Soldier" (2004), and her solo single "Motivation" (2011).

Trap is a subgenre of hip hop music pioneered by Atlanta rappers T.I., Jeezy, and Gucci Mane, which originated in the Southern United States, with lyrical references to trap starting in 1991 but the modern sound of trap appearing in 1999. The genre gets its name from the Atlanta slang term "trap house", a house used exclusively to sell drugs. Trap music is known for its simple, rhythmic, minimalistic productions that uses synthesized drums, and is characterized by complex hi-hat patterns, snare drums, bass drums, some tuned with a long decay to emit a bass frequency, and lyrical content that often focuses on drug use and urban violence.

<i>Richer Than I Ever Been</i> 2021 studio album by Rick Ross

Richer Than I Ever Been is the eleventh studio album by American rapper Rick Ross. It was released on December 10, 2021, through Maybach Music Group and Epic Records. The album features guest appearances from Willie Falcon, The-Dream, Benny the Butcher, Wale, Future, DreamDoll, Yungeen Ace, Major Nine, Blxst, Jazmine Sullivan, 21 Savage, and Wiz Khalifa. The production is handled by Boi-1da, Timbaland, Bink, Don Cannon, Jonny Shipes, Carnage, Infamous, AraabMuzik, and Fuse, among others. It serves as the follow-up to Ross' previous album, Port of Miami 2 (2019). The deluxe edition was released on January 28, 2022, Ross' 46th birthday. It features additional guest appearances from AZ and Anderson .Paak.

"Show Out" is a song recorded by rappers Kid Cudi, Skepta and Pop Smoke. It was released on December 11, 2020, from Kid Cudi's seventh studio album Man on the Moon III: The Chosen. The song was produced by Dot da Genius, Plain Pat, Gravez, Cudi and Dennis Cummings, with co-production from Heavy Mellow.

References

  1. Grein, Paul (30 July 1989). "Pop Eye". Calendar. Los Angeles Times. p. 71.
  2. Roberts, John Storm (1999). The Latin Tinge: The Impact of Latin American Music on the United States. Oxford University Press. pp. 233–234.
  3. 1 2 Henderson, Alex. "Escape from Havana Mellow Man Ace". AllMusic . Archived from the original on January 18, 2013. Retrieved March 24, 2012.
  4. 1 2 Moon, Tom (Sep 24, 1989). "New Recordings". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. 10H.
  5. 1 2 Jost, Matt (May 30, 2006). "Mellow Man Ace Escape from Havana". RapReviews. Archived from the original on July 8, 2017. Retrieved May 18, 2014.
  6. "Picks and Pans Review: Escape from Havana". People . Meredith Corporation. October 23, 1989. Archived from the original on September 26, 2015. Retrieved January 27, 2016.
  7. "Mellow Man Ace Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved January 27, 2016.
  8. "Mellow Man Ace Chart History (Latin Pop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved January 27, 2016.
  9. "Mellow Man Ace Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved January 27, 2016.