Don't Be Cruel (album)
Encyclopedia
Don't Be Cruel is the second album by American
R&B
singer Bobby Brown
, released in 1988 on MCA Records
. It includes four hit singles "Don't Be Cruel
", "My Prerogative
", "Roni
" and "Every Little Step
." All were #1 R&B singles except "Roni," which peaked at #2, while "My Prerogative" became Brown's highest charting single at #1 on the Hot 100.
Don't Be Cruel went to #1 on both the R&B
and Pop
charts as an album; it first topped the R&B Albums chart for 11 nonconsecutive weeks starting in 1988, then peaked on the Pop Album chart for three weeks the year after. It was the best-selling album in 1989 on the Billboard Year-End
Pop Album Chart and eventually went seven times Platinum. The album is the 33rd best-selling album of the 1980s, with sales already at 5 million copies by September of 1989. Don't Be Cruel was the best selling "New Jack Swing
" album at the time until Michael Jackson's 1991 album "Dangerous" was released. Bobby Brown
won the grammy for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance in 1990. Brown followed the release of his album with a 120-date world tour.
"Don't Be Cruel" appeared in popular video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
, playing on fictional New Jack Swing
radio station
CSR 103.9.
My Prerogative
was later covered by Britney Spears
in 2004 on her Greatest Hits: My Prerogative
album, and released as a single.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
R&B
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
singer Bobby Brown
Bobby Brown
Robert Barisford "Bobby" Brown is an American R&B singer-songwriter, occasional rapper, and dancer. After success in pop group New Edition, Brown began his solo career in 1987 and had a string of Top 10 Billboard hits, culminating in a Grammy Award. He was a pioneer of New Jack Swing music, a...
, released in 1988 on MCA Records
MCA Records
MCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003...
. It includes four hit singles "Don't Be Cruel
Don't Be Cruel (Bobby Brown song)
"Don't Be Cruel" is a song performed by R&B artist Bobby Brown. Taken from his second and most successful album as its title track, the song was written and produced by the R&B production duo Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds and Antonio "L.A." Reid....
", "My Prerogative
My Prerogative
"My Prerogative" is a song by American recording artist Bobby Brown from his second solo studio album, Don't Be Cruel. It was released on October 11, 1988 as the second single from the album. After recording sessions for the album were completed, Brown and producer Gene Griffin travelled to New...
", "Roni
Roni
"Roni" is a single released by R&B singer Bobby Brown, written by Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, in 1988 on the MCA label. It was released as the third single from Brown's second album Don't Be Cruel. It reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and peaked at number two on the Hot Black...
" and "Every Little Step
Every Little Step
"Every Little Step" is a 1989 single by R&B singer Bobby Brown, released by the MCA Records label. Released as the fourth single on his second album Don't Be Cruel, it reached #3 on the Billboard Hot 100, #1 on the Hot Black Singles chart, and #6 on the UK Singles Chart...
." All were #1 R&B singles except "Roni," which peaked at #2, while "My Prerogative" became Brown's highest charting single at #1 on the Hot 100.
Don't Be Cruel went to #1 on both the R&B
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999...
and Pop
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
charts as an album; it first topped the R&B Albums chart for 11 nonconsecutive weeks starting in 1988, then peaked on the Pop Album chart for three weeks the year after. It was the best-selling album in 1989 on the Billboard Year-End
Billboard Year-End
Billboard Year-End charts are a cumulative measure of a single or album's performance in the United States, based upon the Billboard magazine charts during any given chart year. Billboard's "chart year" runs from the first week of December to the final week in November...
Pop Album Chart and eventually went seven times Platinum. The album is the 33rd best-selling album of the 1980s, with sales already at 5 million copies by September of 1989. Don't Be Cruel was the best selling "New Jack Swing
New jack swing
New jack swing or swingbeat is a fusion genre spearheaded by Teddy Riley and Bernard Belle which became extremely popular from the late-1980s into the mid-1990s. Its influence, along with hip-hop, seeped into pop culture and was the definitive sound of the inventive Black New York club scene...
" album at the time until Michael Jackson's 1991 album "Dangerous" was released. Bobby Brown
Bobby Brown
Robert Barisford "Bobby" Brown is an American R&B singer-songwriter, occasional rapper, and dancer. After success in pop group New Edition, Brown began his solo career in 1987 and had a string of Top 10 Billboard hits, culminating in a Grammy Award. He was a pioneer of New Jack Swing music, a...
won the grammy for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance in 1990. Brown followed the release of his album with a 120-date world tour.
"Don't Be Cruel" appeared in popular video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is a 2004 open world action video game developed by British games developer Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the third 3D game in the Grand Theft Auto video game franchise, the fifth original console release and eighth game overall...
, playing on fictional New Jack Swing
New jack swing
New jack swing or swingbeat is a fusion genre spearheaded by Teddy Riley and Bernard Belle which became extremely popular from the late-1980s into the mid-1990s. Its influence, along with hip-hop, seeped into pop culture and was the definitive sound of the inventive Black New York club scene...
radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
CSR 103.9.
My Prerogative
My Prerogative
"My Prerogative" is a song by American recording artist Bobby Brown from his second solo studio album, Don't Be Cruel. It was released on October 11, 1988 as the second single from the album. After recording sessions for the album were completed, Brown and producer Gene Griffin travelled to New...
was later covered by Britney Spears
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
in 2004 on her Greatest Hits: My Prerogative
Greatest Hits: My Prerogative
Greatest Hits: My Prerogative is the first greatest hits album from American singer Britney Spears, released on November 1, 2004 by Jive Records. The compilation was released in two different formats, a standard edition and a limited edition containing a bonus disc with remixes. A compilation DVD...
album, and released as a single.
Track listing
- "Cruel Prelude" – 0:39
- "Don't Be CruelDon't Be Cruel (Bobby Brown song)"Don't Be Cruel" is a song performed by R&B artist Bobby Brown. Taken from his second and most successful album as its title track, the song was written and produced by the R&B production duo Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds and Antonio "L.A." Reid....
" – 6:52 (#8 U.S.) (Babyface/Reid/Simmons) - "My PrerogativeMy Prerogative"My Prerogative" is a song by American recording artist Bobby Brown from his second solo studio album, Don't Be Cruel. It was released on October 11, 1988 as the second single from the album. After recording sessions for the album were completed, Brown and producer Gene Griffin travelled to New...
" – 4:51 (#1 U.S.) (Brown/Griffin) - "RoniRoni"Roni" is a single released by R&B singer Bobby Brown, written by Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, in 1988 on the MCA label. It was released as the third single from Brown's second album Don't Be Cruel. It reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and peaked at number two on the Hot Black...
" – 5:58 (#3 U.S.)(Babyface/Darnell BristolDarnell BristolDarnell "Dee" Bristol is a member of The Deele and a songwriter who co-wrote The Deele's "Two Occasions." Years later, he would be credited as a co-writer of Mariah Carey's "We Belong Together", when Carey would reusing portions of "Two Occasions." He has also been credited on certain releases with...
) - "Rock Wit'chaRock Wit'cha"Rock Wit'cha" was the fifth single released by Bobby Brown from the album Don't Be Cruel. It is a ballad with two versions of the song. The music video uses the remix version found in the Dance!...Ya Know It! album. It peaked at number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 in late 1989....
" – 4:49 (#7 U.S.) (Babyface/Reid) - "Every Little StepEvery Little Step"Every Little Step" is a 1989 single by R&B singer Bobby Brown, released by the MCA Records label. Released as the fourth single on his second album Don't Be Cruel, it reached #3 on the Billboard Hot 100, #1 on the Hot Black Singles chart, and #6 on the UK Singles Chart...
" – 3:57 (#3 U.S.) (Babyface/Reid) - "I'll Be Good to You" – 4:25 (Brown/Griffin)
- "Take It Slow" – 5:22 (Logan/Peters/White)
- "All Day All Night" – 4:40 (Peters/Sweet/Wadington/White)
- "I Really Love You Girl" – 5:11 (Brown/Jones)
- "Cruel Reprise" – 0:18
Production
- Producers: Babyface, Bobby Brown, Gene Griffin, Gordon Jones, Larry White
- Mixing: Larry White, Teddy Riley, Dennis Mitchell, Jon Gass, Michael Denton, Babyface
- Engineering: Babyface, Michael Denton, Jon Gass, Mitch Gibson, John Guggenheim, Fred Howard, Howard Johnston, K2, Ruben Laxamana, Dennis Mitchell, Mark Slagle, Larry White
- Mastering: Steve Hall
Credits
- Drums, Percussion: Richard Aguon, Dewayne Sweet, Larry White
- Drum Programming: Markell Riley
- Bass: Kirk Crumpler, Larry White
- Synthesized Bass: Dewayne Sweet, Kirk Crumpler
- Keyboards: Larry White, Dewayne Sweet, Percy Scott, Teddy Riley, Ben Rayes, Kirk Crumpler
- Guitars: Larry White, Emilio Conesa
- Saxophone: Melecio Magdaluyo
- Finger Snaps: Tommy Brown
Later Samples
- "Every Little Step"
- "If You MustIf You Must (song)"If You Must" is a song by the alternative hip hop artist Del Tha Funkee Homosapien. The song has uncredited samples of "La Di Da Di" by Slick Rick and Doug E. Fresh and "Every Little Step" by Bobby Brown. The song is a comedic song describing a man with poor bodily hygiene, who always hangs around...
" by Del Tha Funkee HomosapienDel tha Funkee HomosapienTeren Delvon Jones , better known as Del the Funky Homosapien or Del tha Funkee Homosapien, is an American MC.-Early life and beginnings: 1990-1997:...
from the album Both Sides of the BrainBoth Sides of the BrainBoth Sides of the Brain is the fourth studio album by Del the Funky Homosapien. The song "If You Must" is notable for being featured in Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 as well as having its own music video.-Track listing:...
(uncredited)
- "If You Must
See also
- List of number-one R&B albums of 1988 (U.S.)
- List of number-one R&B albums of 1989 (U.S.)
- List of number-one albums of 1989 (U.S.)
- Billboard Year-EndBillboard Year-EndBillboard Year-End charts are a cumulative measure of a single or album's performance in the United States, based upon the Billboard magazine charts during any given chart year. Billboard's "chart year" runs from the first week of December to the final week in November...