''Not Just a Fad'' is the second studio album by the American female rap group
J.J. Fad.
It was released in 1990 via
Ruthless Records
Ruthless Records was an American record label founded by Eric "Eazy-E" Wright and Jerry Heller in Compton, California in 1986, where all of the Ruthless trademarks have been owned by Comptown Records, Inc. since 1997. Several artists on the la ...
.
The album spawned three singles: "We in the House", "Gold", and "Be Good ta Me". Neither the album nor the singles registered on any major music chart. Although the group never officially broke up, they have not released an album since ''Not Just a Fad''.
[
]
Production
The album was primarily produced by DJ Yella
Antoine Carraby (born December 11, 1961), better known by his stage name DJ Yella, is an American DJ, rapper, record producer and film director from Los Angeles, California.
DJ Yella began his career as a member of the World Class Wreckin' Cru a ...
.[ ]Dr. Dre
Andre Romelle Young (born February 18, 1965), known professionally as Dr. Dre, is an American rapper and record producer. He is the founder and CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and Beats Electronics, and previously co-founded, co-owned, and ...
was originally going to produce the album, but he wanted to push back the sessions; J.J. Fad decided not to wait on him.[
]
Critical reception
The ''Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...
'' wrote: "This heretofore lightweight West Coast trio has always been pitted against Salt-N-Pepa, the New York-based rap unit whose style is far tougher and grittier. This time around, J.J. Fad's idea of fighting fire with fire is to come on like Luke Campbell's dream dates—though they do close the album by chastely thanking 'the man up above.'"[
]
Track listing
Sample credits
*Track 2 contains elements from "Pump That Bass" by Original Concept (1986), "Dance to the Drummer's Beat" by Herman Kelly & Life
Herman may refer to:
People
* Herman (name), list of people with this name
* Saint Herman (disambiguation)
* Peter Noone (born 1947), known by the mononym Herman
Places in the United States
* Herman, Arkansas
* Herman, Michigan
* Herman, Minn ...
(1978), "Looking for the Perfect Beat
"Looking for the Perfect Beat" is a song by Afrika Bambaataa & the Soulsonic Force. The song was produced by Arthur Baker and John Robie and was the follow-up track for the group following " Planet Rock". The track took much longer to develop ...
" by Afrika Bambaataa
Lance Taylor (born on April 17, 1957), also known as Afrika Bambaataa (), is an American DJ, rapper, and producer from the South Bronx, New York. He is notable for releasing a series of genre-defining electro tracks in the 1980s that influenc ...
& Soulsonic Force
Soulsonic Force (also referred to as Afrika Bambaataa & Soulsonic Force) is an American electro-funk and hip hop ensemble led by Afrika Bambaataa who helped establish hip-hop in the early 1980s with songs such as " Planet Rock." They were also ...
(1983)
*Track 3 contains elements from "Get Me Back on Time, Engine #9" by Wilson Pickett
Wilson Pickett (March 18, 1941 – January 19, 2006) was an American singer and songwriter.
A major figure in the development of soul music, Pickett recorded over 50 songs which made the US R&B charts, many of which crossed over to the ''Bill ...
(1970)
*Track 4 contains elements from "Hot Pants (Bonus Beats)" by Bobby Byrd
Bobby Howard Byrd (August 15, 1934 – September 12, 2007) was an American rhythm and blues, soul and funk singer, songwriter, musician, record producer, bandleader and talent scout, who played an integral and important part in the development ...
(1987), "Funky Drummer
"Funky Drummer" is a single released by James Brown in 1970. Its drum break, improvised by Clyde Stubblefield, is one of the most frequently sampled music recordings.
Recording and composition
"Funky Drummer" was recorded on November 20, 1969 ...
" by James Brown
James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006) was an American singer, dancer, musician, record producer and bandleader. The central progenitor of funk music and a major figure of 20th century music, he is often referred to by the honor ...
(1970), "I Wouldn't Change a Thing" by Coke Escovedo
Joseph Thomas "Coke" Escovedo (April 30, 1941 – July 13, 1986) was an American percussionist, who came from a prominent musical family including five musician brothers and his niece, Sheila E. He played in various genres, including R&B, ja ...
(1976), " I Know You Got Soul" by Bobby Byrd
Bobby Howard Byrd (August 15, 1934 – September 12, 2007) was an American rhythm and blues, soul and funk singer, songwriter, musician, record producer, bandleader and talent scout, who played an integral and important part in the development ...
(1971), "Funky President (People It's Bad)
"Funky President (People It's Bad)" is a funk song by James Brown. Released as a single in 1974, it charted No. 4 R&B. It also appeared on the album ''Reality''. According to Brown the "funky president" of the song's title was meant to refer to ...
" by James Brown
James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006) was an American singer, dancer, musician, record producer and bandleader. The central progenitor of funk music and a major figure of 20th century music, he is often referred to by the honor ...
(1974)
*Track 8 contains elements from "Think (About It)
"Think (About It)" is a funk song recorded by Lyn Collins and released as a single on James Brown's People Records in 1972. The recording was produced by Brown (who also wrote the song) and features instrumental backing from his band The J.B.'s. ...
" by Lyn Collins
Gloria Lavern Collins (June 12, 1948 – March 13, 2005), better known as Lyn Collins, was an American soul singer best known for working with James Brown in the 1970s and for the influential 1972 funk single, "Think (About It)".
A favorite a ...
(1972)
*Track 10 contains elements from "Get Up Offa That Thing" by James Brown
James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006) was an American singer, dancer, musician, record producer and bandleader. The central progenitor of funk music and a major figure of 20th century music, he is often referred to by the honor ...
(1976), "Troglodyte (Cave Man)" by The Jimmy Castor Bunch
James Walter Castor (January 23, 1940 – January 16, 2012) was an American funk, R&B, and soul musician. He is credited with vocals, saxophone and composition. He is best known for songs such as "It's Just Begun", "The Bertha Butt Boogie", an ...
(1972), "Christmas Rappin'" by Kurtis Blow
Kurtis Walker (born August 9, 1959), professionally known by his stage name Kurtis Blow, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record/film producer, b-boy, DJ, public speaker and minister. He is the first commercially successful rapper a ...
(1979), "Funky Drummer
"Funky Drummer" is a single released by James Brown in 1970. Its drum break, improvised by Clyde Stubblefield, is one of the most frequently sampled music recordings.
Recording and composition
"Funky Drummer" was recorded on November 20, 1969 ...
" by James Brown
James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006) was an American singer, dancer, musician, record producer and bandleader. The central progenitor of funk music and a major figure of 20th century music, he is often referred to by the honor ...
(1970), "Ashley's Roachclip
"Ashley's Roachclip" is an instrumental by funk group the Soul Searchers from the 1974 album '' Salt of the Earth'' on Sussex Records. A portion of the track from 3:30 to 3:50 contains a widely recognized drum break that has been sampled countless ...
" by The Soul Searchers
Charles Louis Brown (August 22, 1936 – May 16, 2012) was an American guitarist, bandleader and singer known as " The Godfather of Go-Go". Go-go is a subgenre of funk music developed around the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area in the mid-197 ...
(1974), "Kool Is Back" by Funk, Inc.
Funk, Inc. was an American jazz funk/ soul jazz group, founded in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, in 1969 by Bobby Watley, Eugene Barr, Steve Weakley, Jimmy Munford and Cecil Hunt. During the 1970s they were signed to the Prestige Records ...
(1971), "N.T." by Kool & the Gang
Kool & the Gang is an American R&B/soul/funk band formed in Jersey City, New Jersey, in 1964 by brothers Robert "Kool" Bell and Ronald Bell, with Dennis "Dee Tee" Thomas, Robert "Spike" Mickens, Charles Smith, George Brown, and Ricky West. T ...
(1971), "Terminator X Speaks With His Hands" by Public Enemy
"Public enemy" is a term which was first widely used in the United States in the 1930s to describe individuals whose activities were seen as criminal and extremely damaging to society, though the phrase had been used for centuries to describe p ...
(1987)
*Track 11 contains elements from "Ashley's Roachclip
"Ashley's Roachclip" is an instrumental by funk group the Soul Searchers from the 1974 album '' Salt of the Earth'' on Sussex Records. A portion of the track from 3:30 to 3:50 contains a widely recognized drum break that has been sampled countless ...
" by The Soul Searchers
Charles Louis Brown (August 22, 1936 – May 16, 2012) was an American guitarist, bandleader and singer known as " The Godfather of Go-Go". Go-go is a subgenre of funk music developed around the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area in the mid-197 ...
(1974), "Troglodyte (Cave Man)" by The Jimmy Castor Bunch
James Walter Castor (January 23, 1940 – January 16, 2012) was an American funk, R&B, and soul musician. He is credited with vocals, saxophone and composition. He is best known for songs such as "It's Just Begun", "The Bertha Butt Boogie", an ...
(1972), "Funky Drummer
"Funky Drummer" is a single released by James Brown in 1970. Its drum break, improvised by Clyde Stubblefield, is one of the most frequently sampled music recordings.
Recording and composition
"Funky Drummer" was recorded on November 20, 1969 ...
" by James Brown
James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006) was an American singer, dancer, musician, record producer and bandleader. The central progenitor of funk music and a major figure of 20th century music, he is often referred to by the honor ...
(1970), "Christmas Rappin'" by Kurtis Blow
Kurtis Walker (born August 9, 1959), professionally known by his stage name Kurtis Blow, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record/film producer, b-boy, DJ, public speaker and minister. He is the first commercially successful rapper a ...
(1979), "N.T." by Kool & the Gang
Kool & the Gang is an American R&B/soul/funk band formed in Jersey City, New Jersey, in 1964 by brothers Robert "Kool" Bell and Ronald Bell, with Dennis "Dee Tee" Thomas, Robert "Spike" Mickens, Charles Smith, George Brown, and Ricky West. T ...
(1971), "Terminator X Speaks With His Hands" by Public Enemy
"Public enemy" is a term which was first widely used in the United States in the 1930s to describe individuals whose activities were seen as criminal and extremely damaging to society, though the phrase had been used for centuries to describe p ...
(1987)
*Track 15 contains elements from "The Champ" by The Mohawks
William Alan Hawkshaw (27 March 1937 – 16 October 2021) was a British composer and performer, particularly of library music used as themes for movies and television programs. Hawkshaw worked extensively for the KPM production music company ...
(1968), "Funky Drummer
"Funky Drummer" is a single released by James Brown in 1970. Its drum break, improvised by Clyde Stubblefield, is one of the most frequently sampled music recordings.
Recording and composition
"Funky Drummer" was recorded on November 20, 1969 ...
" by James Brown
James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006) was an American singer, dancer, musician, record producer and bandleader. The central progenitor of funk music and a major figure of 20th century music, he is often referred to by the honor ...
(1970)
Personnel
*Dania Maria Birks – lead vocals, backing vocals
*Juana Michelle Burns – lead vocals, backing vocals
*Antoine Carraby
Antoine Carraby (born December 11, 1961), better known by his stage name DJ Yella, is an American DJ, rapper, record producer and film director from Los Angeles, California.
DJ Yella began his career as a member of the World Class Wreckin' Cru a ...
– producer
*Peter Dokus – photography
*Michelle Franklin – lead vocals, backing vocals
* Brian Knapp Gardner – mastering
*Jerry Heller
Gerald Elliot Heller (October 6, 1940 – September 2, 2016) was an American music manager and businessman. He was best known for his management of West Coast rap and gangsta rap pioneers N.W.A and Eazy-E. He rose to prominence in the 1960s a ...
– management
*Stan Kocontes – backing vocals (track 14)
*Clarence Lars – scratches
* Kim Renard Nazel – producer (tracks: 1, 2, 4–9, 11–14)
*Michael Sims – guitar, bass guitar
*Donovan Smith – engineer
* Eric Wright – executive producer
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
1990 albums
J. J. Fad albums
Ruthless Records albums