The Real Rock | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 1990 | |||
Genre | Reggae, rap | |||
Label | Elektra | |||
Shinehead chronology | ||||
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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 album peaked at No. 155 on the Billboard 200. [3]
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]
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Chicago Sun-Times | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Robert Christgau | ![]() ![]() |
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Los Angeles Times | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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." [10] 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." [12] 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]
AllMusic called the album "one of the best rap releases of 1990," writing that "the East Coast resident wisely avoids being predicable." [7]
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 |
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