Hard or Smooth

Hard or Smooth
Studio album by Wreckx-n-Effect
Released	November 24, 1992
Recorded	1991–1992
Studio	Future Recording Studios (Virginia Beach, Virginia)
Genre	New jack swing[1] hip hop[1]
Length	46:04
Label	MCA
Producer	Teddy Riley Ty Fyffe David Wynn Wreckx-n-Effect Franklyn Grant Menton L. Smith
Wreckx-n-Effect chronology
Wrecks-n-Effect (1989) Hard or Smooth (1992) Raps New Generation (1996)
Singles from Hard or Smooth
"Rump Shaker" Released: August 25, 1992

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[2]
Robert Christgau	[5]
Entertainment Weekly	C+[3]
The Independent	positive[1]
Q	[4]

Hard or Smooth is the second album released by Wreckx-n-Effect. It was released on November 24, 1992, by MCA Records, and featured production from Teddy Riley and Ty Fyffe, as well as Riley's engineers Franklyn Grant and David Wynn. This marked Wreckx-n-Effect's first album following the death of member Brandon Mitchell, who was fatally shot in 1990.

Hard or Smooth became the group's highest entry on the Billboard 200, where it debuted and peaked at number nine. Its lead single, "Rump Shaker", peaked at number two on both the Billboard Hot 100 and R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks charts, as well as number nine on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play. The album's second single, "Knock-N-Boots", peaked at number 72 on the Hot 100, while its third, "My Cutie", peaked at number 75 on the R&B/Hip-Hop chart. The fourth single, "Wreckx Shop", peaked at number 11 on the Hot Rap Tracks chart.

Track listing

1. "Rump Shaker" (Aqil Davidson, Markell Riley, Teddy Riley, David Wynn, Anton Hollins, Pharrell Williams) – 5:13
2. "New Jack Swing, Pt. 2" (hard version) (Aqil Davidson, Teddy Riley, Markell Riley, Tyrone Fyffe, Pharrell Williams, Franklyn Grant) – 4:50
3. "Wreckx Shop" (Aqil Davidson, Tyrone Fyffe, Teddy Riley, Markell Riley) – 4:39
4. "Knock-N-Boots" (Aqil Davidson, Teddy Riley, Menton L. Smith) – 4:51
5. "Here We Come" (Aqil Davidson, Teddy Riley, Markell Riley) – 4:27
6. "Tell Me How You Feel" (Aqil Davidson, Teddy Riley) – 4:59
7. "My Cutie" (Menton L. Smith, Teddy Riley) – 4:07
8. "Wreckx-N-Effect" (Aqil Davidson, Teddy Riley, Markell Riley) – 3:53
9. "Ez Come Ez Go (What Goes Up Must Come Down)" (Aqil Davidson, Teddy Riley, David Wynn) – 3:44
10. "Hard" (Teddy Riley, Aqil Davidson, Tyrone Fyffe) – 2:04
11. "Smooth" (Markell Riley, Tyrone Fyffe, Teddy Riley, Franklyn Grant, Menton L. Smith) – 2:59

Personnel

• Teddy Riley – all instruments, executive producer, mixing, recording engineer
• Tammy Lucas – background vocals
• Tyrone Fyffe – production, background vocals, scratches
• Franklyn Grant – production, recording engineer, mixing
• David Wynn – production, scratches
• Jean Marie Horvat – recording engineer, mixing
• Steve Thomas – scratches
• Darryl Shuler – background vocals
• Robert Nickerson – background vocals
• Dante Drew – background vocals
• Earl Thomas – assistant engineer
• Keston Wright – assistant engineer
• Steve Hall – mastering
• Todd Gray – photography
• Vartan – art direction
• DEY International – design

Samples

"Rump Shaker"

• "Blues and Pants" by James Brown
• "Darkest Light" by Lafayette Afro Rock Band
• "Blind Alley" by the Emotions
• "Midnight Theme" by Manzel
• "I Like It" by DeBarge

"New Jack Swing, Pt. 2"

• "Woman to Woman" by Joe Cocker
• "The Bridge" by MC Shan
• "School Boy Crush" by Average White Band
• "Synthetic Substitution" by Melvin Bliss
• "Just Rhymin' wit Biz" by Biz Markie feat. Big Daddy Kane

"Wreckx Shop"

• "Papa Was Too" by Joe Tex
• "The Payback" by James Brown
• "The Big Beat" by Billy Squier

"Knock-N-Boots"

• "Think (About It)" by Lyn Collins
• "Get Up Offa That Thing" by James Brown
• "You'll Like It Too" by Funkadelic

"My Cutie"

• "Hihache" by Lafayette Afro Rock Band
• "Funky President (People It's Bad)" by James Brown

"Hard"

• "Hard to Handle" by Otis Redding
• "Synthetic Substitution" by Melvin Bliss

"Smooth"

• "It's a New Day" by Skull Snaps
• "Playing Your Game, Baby" by Barry White

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1992–1993) Peak position Australian Albums (ARIA)[6] 91 US Billboard 200[7] 9 US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[8] 6

Year-end charts Chart (1993) Position US Billboard 200[9] 44 US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[10] 26

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[11]	Gold	50,000^^
United States (RIAA)[12]	Platinum	1,000,000^^
^^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

1. Gill, Andy (January 7, 1993). "RECORDS / No ifs, diggity-do, no butts, diggity-dah: Andy Gill, exploring this week's releases, uncovers the latest addition to the long and distinguished line of buttock anthems". The Independent. Archived from the original on 2022-05-09. Retrieved August 4, 2016.
2. Hard or Smooth at AllMusic
3. Bernard, James (December 18, 1992). "Hard or Smooth Review". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on May 21, 2007. Retrieved December 2, 2012.
4. "Wreckx-n-Effect – Hard or Smooth CD Album". CD Universe. Retrieved December 2, 2012.
5. Christgau, Robert. "CG: Wreckx-n-Effect". RobertChristgau.com. Retrieved December 2, 2012.
6. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 306.
7. "Wreckx-N-Effect, TLP". Billboard. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
8. "Wreckx-N-Effect, BLP". Billboard. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
9. "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1993". Billboard. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
10. "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1993". Billboard. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
11. "Canadian album certifications – Wreckx N Effect – Hard or Smooth". Music Canada. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
12. "American album certifications – Wreckx 'N' Effect – Hard or Smooth". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved March 1, 2023.