Silent Assassin
| Silent Assassin | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1989 | |||
| Genre | Reggae, hip hop | |||
| Label | Island | |||
| Producer | KRS-One | |||
| Sly and Robbie chronology | ||||
| ||||
Silent Assassin is an album by the Jamaican musicians Sly and Robbie, released in 1989 via Island Records.[1][2]
Production
[edit]The album was produced by KRS-One, at the suggestion of Island; it was KRS's desire to make a "commercial" rap album.[3][4][5] Queen Latifah and Young M.C., among others, make guest appearances on Silent Assassin.[6]
Critical reception
[edit]
The Washington Post wrote that "the rhythm grooves on Silent Assassin are deeper, sexier and more melodic than those on almost any other rap record."[6] The Globe and Mail deemed the album "a tough, articulate, rhythmically powerful blend of modern reggae and rap and hip hop."[17] The St. Petersburg Times considered "Dance Hall" "arguably the best rap track of 1989."[16] The State called the album "a powerful melding of reggae, funk and hip hop, and thanks to contributions from rap stars ... it's credible as well as accessible."[18]
Trouser Press called it "an ambitious undertaking," writing that "Latifah rules the mic on 'Woman for the Job'."[5] The Spin Alternative Record Guide thought that it "was scrupulously intelligent and involving, yet it was an '80s-style consolidation instead of a true fusion or '90s-style deconstruction."[15]
Track listing
[edit]| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Rebel" | 3:46 |
| 2. | "Adventures of a Bullet" | 3:50 |
| 3. | "Woman for the Job" | 4:07 |
| 4. | "Man on a Mission" | 3:30 |
| 5. | "Steppin'" | 3:08 |
| 6. | "Under Arrest" | 5:00 |
| 7. | "No One Can Top This Boy" | 3:35 |
| 8. | "Dance Hall" | 6:49 |
| 9. | "Party Together" | 5:22 |
| 10. | "Living a Lie" | 4:39 |
| 11. | "Come Again" | 2:40 |
| 12. | "Letters to the President" | 4:27 |
| 13. | "Ride the Riddim" | 4:28 |
| 14. | "It's Me" | 3:25 |
Personnel
[edit]- Sly Dunbar - drums
- Robbie Shakespeare - bass
- KRS-One - production, vocals
- Queen Latifah - vocals
- Young M.C. - vocals
- Shah of Brooklyn - vocals
References
[edit]- ^ "Sly & Robbie | Biography & History". AllMusic.
- ^ Thompson, Dave (2002). Reggae & Caribbean Music. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 270.
- ^ Darling, Cary (November 26, 1989). "Reggae, hip-hop fusion hot". Orange County Register. p. H20.
- ^ Keepnews, Peter (November 17, 1989). "Pop/Jazz; Rap Leads to Respectability and Academia for KRS-One". The New York Times.
- ^ a b "Sly & Robbie Et Al". Trouser Press. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
- ^ a b "Records". The Washington Post. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
- ^ "Silent Assassin - Sly & Robbie | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
- ^ Borey, Susan (Mar 1990). "Rock/Pop Recordings: Silent Assassin by Sly & Robbie". Audio. Vol. 74, no. 3. p. 104.
- ^ "Sly & Robbie Silent Assassin". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
- ^ "Robert Christgau: CG: Sly and Robbie". www.robertchristgau.com.
- ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 7. MUZE. p. 535.
- ^ Mitchell, Rick (November 19, 1989). "Records". Zest. Houston Chronicle. p. 8.
- ^ Erskine, Evelyn (2 Feb 1990). "Musical plea says it's time for rap, reggae to run together". Ottawa Citizen. p. C6.
- ^ The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 647.
- ^ a b Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. 1995. pp. 360–361.
- ^ a b Hall, Ken (12 Jan 1990). "Sly and Robbie Silent Assassin (Island)". Weekend. St. Petersburg Times. p. 17.
- ^ Dafoe, Chris (16 Nov 1989). "Silent Assassin Sly and Robbie". The Globe and Mail. p. C10.
- ^ Miller, Michael (November 17, 1989). "Sly & Robbie, 'Silent Assassin'". The State. p. 11D.
