Young Black Teenagers (album)

Young Black Teenagers
Studio album by
Young Black Teenagers
Released1991
Recorded1990
GenreRap
Length45:40
LabelS.O.U.L.
ProducerThe Bomb Squad
Young Black Teenagers chronology
Young Black Teenagers
(1991) 		Dead Enz Kidz Doin' Lifetime Bidz
(1993)
Singles from Young Black Teenagers
  1. "Loud and Hard to Hit"
    Released: 1991

Young Black Teenagers is the debut album by the American rap group Young Black Teenagers, released in 1991.[1] "Loud & Hard to Hit" peaked at No. 25 on the Hot Rap Singles chart. The album cover art is modeled after the Beatles' With the Beatles.[2] After a negative radio response to the track "Proud to Be Black", MCA Records chose not to use its logo on the packaging.[3] The group supported the album by touring with Public Enemy.[4]

Production

The album was produced by Hank Shocklee and the Bomb Squad and released through Shocklee's S.O.U.L Records label; YBT's Kamron grew up in the same neighborhood as some of the production group's members.[5][6] "To My Donna" is an answer song directed to Madonna's "Justify My Love", which used a backing rhythm track taken by Lenny Kravitz from a Public Enemy instrumental produced by the Bomb Squad.[7] "Daddy Kalled Me Niga Cause I Likeded to Rhyme" is about dealing with racist parents.[8] "Nobody Knows Kelli" is an ode to Married... with Children's Kelly Bundy.[9]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[10]
Calgary HeraldB[11]
Robert Christgau(dud)[12]
Q[6]
St. Petersburg Times[13]

Q said that "YBT have a enough power, but their songs edge towards monotony."[6] Entertainment Weekly wrote that YBT "rise to the challenge presented by the high-quality production, and rhyme with conviction".[14] Newsday labeled the album "mall rap".[9] The Calgary Herald opined that "the tunes are tighter and tougher than most rap fare".[11] The St. Petersburg Times concluded that YBT "get past racial barriers, smack dab into a clever, creative form of rap that knows neither limits nor boundaries of color."[13]

Track listing

  1. "Punks, Lies & Video Tape"- 4:11
  2. "Korner Groove"- 3:57
  3. "Traci"- 2:37
  4. "First Stage of a Rampage Called the Rap Rage"- 3:51
  5. "Nobody Knows Kelli"- 3:27
  6. "Daddy Kalled Me Niga Cause I Likeded to Rhyme"- 2:59
  7. "Chillin' wit Me Posse"- 2:05
  8. "Mack Daddy Don of the Underworld"- 3:48
  9. "Loud and Hard to Hit"- 3:35
  10. "My TV Went Black and White on Me"- 3:32
  11. "Proud to Be Black"- 4:42
  12. "To My Donna"- 3:22
  13. "My Color TV"- 3:34

Samples

Personnel

  • Adam "Firstborn" Weiner – rapping, main artist, songwriter
  • Ron "Kamron" Winge – rapping, main artist, songwriter
  • ATA – rapping, main artist, songwriter
  • Tommy Never – rapping, main artist, songwriter
  • Scott "DJ Skribble" Ialacci – main artist, turntables, sampler

References

  1. ^ Brown, Farnum (Sep–Oct 1991). "The Kids Are All White". Mother Jones. Vol. 16, no. 5. p. 73.
  2. ^ Harrison, Nancy (Mar 3, 1991). "Rap Group's Name No Enigma". The New York Times. p. A11.
  3. ^ Darling, Cary (Feb 18, 1991). "Young Black Teenagers: Rappers with a Difference". The Gazette. Montreal. p. B6.
  4. ^ Mills, David (July 14, 1991). "It's a White Thing: Is It Serious Hip-Hop or a Pale Imitation?". The Washington Post. p. G1.
  5. ^ Gettelman, Parry (26 July 1991). "Don't peg these rappers by name only". Calendar. Orlando Sentinel. p. 28.
  6. ^ a b c Henderson, Dave (March 5, 1991). "Young Black Teenagers review". Q. Vol. 50. p. 80.
  7. ^ Goldstein, Patrick (Jan 27, 1991). "Pop Eye". Calendar. Los Angeles Times. p. 65.
  8. ^ Holden, Stephen (Jan 30, 1991). "The Pop Life". The New York Times. p. C11.
  9. ^ a b Robins, Wayne (Feb 24, 1991). "Rapping on the Wrong Street". Part II. Newsday. p. 15.
  10. ^ Henderson, Alex. Young Black Teenagers at AllMusic
  11. ^ a b Muretich, James (Mar 17, 1991). "Recent Releases". Calgary Herald. p. A13.
  12. ^ "Young Black Teenagers". Robert Christgau.
  13. ^ a b Hall, Dave (May 3, 1991). "Young Black Teenagers". Weekend. St. Petersburg Times. p. 17.
  14. ^ Bernard, James (March 8, 1991). "Young Black Teenagers". Entertainment Weekly.