Maps of Music

Don't Be Cruel (1988)

Where the lyrics of Don't Be Cruel take you, and where it was really made.

Bobby Brown dedicated this album to a childhood best friend who was stabbed to death when Brown was 11.

Key places

Axis Studios in New York (1988)

Recording site Axis Studios — Discogs credits say tracks A3 and B2 were recorded here, with production credited to G.R. Productions. The point marks the studio building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Different Fur Studios in San Francisco (1988)

Recording site Different Fur Studios — Tracks B3 and B4 were recorded here, credited as a White House Production. The point marks the studio building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Infinite Studios in Alameda (1988)

Recording site Infinite Studios — Infinite Studios in Alameda is credited with recording for tracks B3 and B4 alongside Different Fur Studios. The point marks the studio building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Cherokee Studios in Hollywood (1988)

Recording site Cherokee Studios — Track B5 was recorded at Cherokee Studios in Hollywood, and the same studio also handled its mix. The point marks the studio building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Silverlake Studios, Los Angeles area (1988)

Recording site Motown Recording Studios — Tracks A1, A2, A4, A5, B1 and B6 were recorded at Silverlake Studios in Hollywood. The point is set at Los Angeles city-center level, not the studio building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Cochrane Studios, Studio City (1988)

Recording site TRS Studios — Track B5 was also recorded at Cochrane Studios in Studio City alongside Cherokee Studios. The point is set at Studio City city-center level. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Don't Be Cruel: second studio album by American singer Bobby Brown
• Released in the United States on June 20, 1988 by MCA Records
• MCA changed producers for this album and paired Brown with Babyface and L.A. Reid
• Brown dedicated the album to his late best friend James "Jimbo" Flint
• Blends new jack swing, R&B, funk, dance and soul

Background

• Babyface and L.A. Reid were a hit-making songwriting and production duo
• Brown worked with them extensively on this record
• Flint was stabbed to death when Brown was 11 years old
• Commercially far more successful than Brown's debut album

Recording

• Discogs credits list studios in New York, Hollywood, San Francisco and Alameda
• Tracks A1, A2, A4, A5, B1 and B6 produced for La'Face Inc.
• Those tracks recorded at Silverlake Studios in Hollywood and mixed at Elumba Recording Studio
• Tracks A3 and B2 produced for G.R. Productions and recorded at Axis Studios in New York
• Tracks B3 and B4 credited as a White House Production, recorded at Different Fur Studios and Infinite Studios
• Track B5 produced for Flash Productions, recorded at Cochrane Studios and Cherokee Studios
• Mastered at Future Disc Systems in Hollywood by Steve Hall

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Born 1969 in Boston, Massachusetts; grew up in Roxbury's Orchard Park Projects.
• Co-founded the vocal group New Edition in 1980 as "The Bricks" with Michael Bivins and Ricky Bell at about age 12.
• New Edition's debut album Candy Girl (1983) included the number-one R&B single of the same name.
• Left New Edition in 1986 to pursue a solo career.

Members

• Core members of New Edition included Bobby Brown, Michael Bivins, Ricky Bell, Ralph Tresvant, and Ronnie DeVoe.
• Later New Edition reunions included Johnny Gill.

Career

• Solo debut King of Stage (1986) produced the number-one R&B single "Girlfriend".
• Don't Be Cruel (1988) reached number one on the Billboard 200 and produced five Billboard Hot 100 top-ten singles, including "My Prerogative".
• Bobby (1992) sold more than 3 million copies and produced "Humpin' Around", "Get Away" and "Good Enough".
• Co-pioneered new jack swing with Teddy Riley.
• Appeared in films including A Thin Line Between Love and Hate (1996) and Two Can Play That Game (2001).
• Released the album The Masterpiece in 2012.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Debuted at number 74 on the Billboard 200 on July 23, 1988
• Reached number one about six months later, in January 1989
• Critics gave it extremely positive reviews
• AllMusic's Alex Henderson compared it to Janet Jackson's Control, calling it a tougher project that shed Brown's bubblegum image
• Henderson wrote that My Prerogative and the title song made Brown a leader of new jack swing

Reappraisal

• Henderson wrote that the album brought Brown to a new artistic and commercial plateau
• Billboard ranked the album at number 82 on its list of the Greatest of All Time Billboard 200 Albums in 2015

Records

• Billboard 200: number one, a total of six weeks on top
• Five top 10 Billboard Hot 100 hits, with My Prerogative reaching number one
• Three singles reached number one on Billboard Hot R&B Songs
• Eleven non-consecutive weeks at number one on the Billboard R&B Albums chart across 1988 and 1989
• Best-selling album of 1989 in the United States and number one on the Billboard Year-End album chart
• Number one in Ireland and top five in Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom
• Won Best Male R&B Vocal Performance at the 32nd Grammy Awards
• Certified 7x Platinum by the RIAA on April 28, 1995
• Sold over 12 million copies worldwide

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · pt.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• Debuted at number 74 on the Billboard 200 and reached number one six months later; its run at number one was interrupted for one week by Guns N' Roses' Appetite for Destruction
• Won Best Male R&B Vocal Performance at the 32nd Grammy Awards for Every Little Step
• My Prerogative was covered by Britney Spears in 2004
• My Prerogative ranked number two on the Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1989
• All singles except Roni were certified Gold by the RIAA

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · es.wikipedia.org

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