The Album with No Name

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The Album with No Name
The Album with No Name.jpg
Studio album by
Redhead Kingpin and the F.B.I.
ReleasedApril 2, 1991
Genre Hip-hop, new jack swing
Label Virgin
Producer David "Redhead" Guppy, Joseph "Wildstyle" Mann
Redhead Kingpin and the F.B.I. chronology
A Shade of Red
(1989)		The Album with No Name
(1991)		React Like Ya Knew
(1993)

The Album with No Name is the second album by the American musical group Redhead Kingpin and the F.B.I., released on April 2, 1991. [1] [2] It peaked at No. 182 on the Billboard 200. [3] "Get It Together", "We Don't Have a Plan B", and "It's a Love Thang (Word)" were released as singles. [4] [5] As part of his promotional efforts for the album, Redhead Kingpin was scheduled to participate in the charity event at which the City College stampede occurred. [6] Additional promotional efforts were hampered by a hoaxer who booked live dates as Redhead Kingpin and who was eventually arrested. [7]

Contents

Production

The album was produced by David "Redhead" Guppy and Joseph "Wildstyle" Mann. [8] Trey Lorenz provided backing vocals on some of the tracks. [9] "All About Red" acknowledges Teddy Riley's new jack swing influence on Redhead Kingpin's musical style. [10] "We Don't Have a Plan B" is a response to accusations that Redhead Kingpin sold out his music. [10] "No Reason" denounces police brutality, using news reports of the shooting of Phillip Pannell. [11] "Soap" is a parody of soap operas. [11] "Interlude" is paean to deceased friends. [11]

The album release date was pushed back due to sampling clearance issues. [12] "Dave & Kwame (Gimme Dat Girl)", which samples "More Peas", by the J.B.'s, is a battle rap between Redhead Kingpin and Kwamé. [13] "3-2-1 Pump!" contains a sample of Earth, Wind & Fire's "Let's Groove". [13] "What Do U Hate" samples Marvin Gaye's "Got to Give It Up". [11]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [14]
RapReviews6/10 [13]
The Virgin Encyclopedia of Dance Music Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [15]

The Washington Post said that The Album with No Name "is an upbeat, easily digestible party record, but Red's lyrics aren't shallow... While most of the disc pumps at a frenetic M.C. Hammeresque pace, the romantic ballad 'Nice & Slow' is a sure bet to steam up the summer". [10] The Hamilton Spectator stated that Redhead Kingpin's "sense of fun carries this album". [16] The Manchester Evening News panned the "funky, throwaway tracks". [17] The Huddersfield Daily Examiner praised the "fierce rap ... sly satire and social commentary." [18]

In 2022, RapReviews noted that "Kingpin was a decent rapper with very good production on his debut LP, but on his second album he was an average rapper with average production." [13]

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."All About Red" 
2."Soap" 
3."What Do U Hate" 
4."Harlem Brown" 
5."It's a Love Thang (Word)" 
6."No Reason" 
7."We Don't Have a Plan B" 
8."Nice & Slow" 
9."The Song with No Name" 
10."Interlude" 
11."3-2-1 Pump!" 
12."Wild Style Collage" 
13."Get It Together" 
14."Got 2 Go" 
15."Dave & Kwame (Gimme Dat Girl)" 

References

  1. ↑ Farber, Jim (April 1991). "Reviews — Album with No Name by Redhead Kingpin & the F.B.I.". Seventeen. Vol. 50, no. 4. p. 95.
  2. ↑ "New Releases". Messenger-Inquirer. April 5, 1991. p. 1E.
  3. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2018). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Albums 1955–2016. Record Research Inc. p. 996.
  4. ↑ "Redhead is steamed". The Herald Statesman. Gannett. August 1, 1991. p. 4A.
  5. ↑ Hilzinger, Karl (August 29, 1991). "The Band". The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 19.
  6. ↑ "Nine Killed in Stampede at N.Y. Rap Benefit". Jet. Vol. 81, no. 13. January 20, 1992. p. 56.
  7. ↑ Stancell, Steve (1996). Rap Whoz Who: The World of Rap Music. Schirmer Books. p. 242.
  8. ↑ The Album with No Name (booklet). Redhead Kingpin and the F.B.I. Virgin Records. 1991.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  9. ↑ Frazier, Walter (November 26, 1992). "Lorenz was 'there' at right time". Ledger-Enquirer. p. D3.
  10. 1 2 3 Griffin, Gil (April 12, 1991). "Spring Hip-Hop's Timely Harvest". The Washington Post. p. N21.
  11. 1 2 3 4 Benjamin, Terry (May 22, 1991). "Positive Vibes from Redhead One". Yes. City News. Newark. p. 5.
  12. ↑ "Out and Out Rap". East Grinstead Observer. October 11, 1991. p. 10.
  13. 1 2 3 4 Juon, Steve "Flash" (September 27, 2022). "Redhead Kingpin and the F.B.I.: The Album with No Name". RapReviews. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
  14. ↑ "The Album with No Name Review by Ron Wynn". AllMusic. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
  15. ↑ Larkin, Colin (1998). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Dance Music. Virgin Books. p. 282.
  16. ↑ Krewen, Nick (May 11, 1991). "Albums". The Hamilton Spectator. p. C4.
  17. ↑ Taylor, Paul (September 10, 1991). "Albums". Manchester Evening News. p. 23.
  18. ↑ Hirst, Andrew (September 21, 1991). "Beyond the Beat". Huddersfield Daily Examiner. p. 29.
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