Reel to Reel
{{About||the audio technology|Reel-to-reel audio tape recording|other uses|Reel to reel (disambiguation)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Reel to Reel
| type = studio
| artist = Grand Puba
| cover = reel2reel.jpg
| border = yes
| alt =
| released = October 20, 1992
| recorded = 1991–1992
| studio = {{hlist|Power Play Studios (Long Island City)|Chung King House of Metal (New York)|The Hit Factory (New York)}}
| genre = Hip hop
| length = {{Duration|m=57|s=37}}
| label = Elektra
| producer = {{hlist|Grand Puba|Stimulated Dummies|DJ Shabazz|Latief|the Brand New Heavies}}
| next_title = 2000
| next_year = 1995
| misc = {{Singles
| name = Reel to Reel
| type = studio
| single1 = 360° (What Goes Around)
| single1date = July 16, 1992
| single2 = Check It Out
| single2date = December 4, 1992
| single3 = Ya Know How It Goes
| single3date = 1993
}}
}}
Reel to Reel is the debut solo studio album by American rapper Grand Puba. It was released on October 20, 1992, through Elektra Records. The recording sessions took place at Power Play Studios in Long Island City, at Chung King House of Metal, and at The Hit Factory in New York. The album was produced by Grand Puba, Stimulated Dummies, Anthony Latief King, DJ Shabazz, Kid Capri, and the Brand New Heavies.
The album peaked at number 28 on the Billboard 200 and at number 14 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart in the United States.
The album was preceded by two charted singles: "360° (What Goes Around)" and "Check It Out". Its lead single, "360° (What Goes Around)", reached No. 68 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 30 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and No. 1 on the Hot Rap Songs. The second single, "Check It Out" featuring Mary J. Blige, made it to No. 85 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and No. 13 on the Hot Rap Songs. The album's third single, "Ya Know How It Goes", was released in 1993 and did not make it to any Billboard charts.
Critical reception
{{Music ratings
| rev1 = AllMusic
| rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/reel-to-reel-mw0000081183|title=Reel to Reel Grand Puba|last=Swihart|first=Stanton|website=AllMusic|language=en-us|access-date=May 11, 2019}}
| rev2 = Christgau's Consumer Guide
| rev2score = {{Rating-Christgau|hm1}}{{cite book|author-last=Christgau|author-first=Robert|author-link=Robert Christgau|title=Christgau's Consumer Guide: Albums of the '90s|date=2000|url=https://archive.org/details/christgausconsum00chri_0/page/120|via=Internet Archive|url-access=registration|publisher=St. Martin's Griffin|isbn=0-312-24560-2|page=121}}
| rev3 = Entertainment Weekly
| rev3score = B+{{Cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/article/1992/10/30/reel-reel/|title=Reel to Reel|last=Bernard|first=James|date=October 30, 1992|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|language=en|access-date=May 11, 2019}}
| rev4 = RapReviews
| rev5 = (The New) Rolling Stone Album Guide
| rev5score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{Cite book |last=Brackett |first=Nathan |author-link=Nathan Brackett |last2=Hoard |first2=Christian David |author-link2=Christian Hoard |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t9eocwUfoSoC&q=Grand+Puba+Understand+This&pg=PA102 |title=(The New) Rolling Stone Album Guide |publisher=Simon and Schuster |year=2004 |isbn=978-0-7432-0169-8 |edition=4th |page=[https://archive.org/details/newrollingstonea00brac/page/n115 102] |language=en |via=Google Books}}
| rev6 = Select
| rev6score = {{rating|3|5|full=U+25A0.svg|empty=U+25A1.svg|rating=medal}}{{cite magazine|first=Adam|last=Higginbotham|url=https://selectmagazinescans.monkeon.co.uk/showpage.php?file=wp-content/uploads/2014/09/albums1.jpg|title=Reviews: New Albums|work=Select|date=January 1993|page=72|access-date=December 26, 2024|author-link=Adam Higginbotham}}
| rev7 = The Source
| rev7score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite magazine|last=Romain|first=Louis "ATCO"|date=December 1992|issue=39|title=Record Report: Grand Puba – Reel to Reel|url=http://thesource.tunes.com/sections/reports/text/report.asp?from=&artist=4793&album=33694|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000125090006/http://thesource.tunes.com/sections/reports/text/report.asp?from=&artist=4793&album=33694|archive-date=January 25, 2000|magazine=The Source|pages=70, 72|location=New York|access-date=July 7, 2024}}
| rev8 = USA Today
| rev8score = {{rating|3|4}}{{cite news |last1=Jones IV |first1=James T. |title=Soul, soundtracks and new jack |work=USA Today |date=Sep 24, 1992 |page=4D}}
}}
USA Today wrote that "Grand Puba plumbs rap basics: minimal production with scratching, sampling, funky/drum-oriented grooves and Puba's infectious sing-song voice boasting".
Track listing
{{Track listing
| all_writing =
| extra_column = Producer(s)
| title1 = Check tha Resume
| writer1 = M. Dixon
| extra1 = Grand Puba
| length1 = 3:51
| title2 = 360° (What Goes Around)
| writer2 = {{hlist|M. Dixon|R. Miller}}
| extra2 = Grand Puba
| length2 = 4:01
| title3 = That's How We Move It
| writer3 = {{hlist|M. Dixon|C. Stanley}}
| extra3 = DJ Shabazz
| length3 = 3:19
| title4 = Check It Out
| note4 = featuring Mary J. Blige
| writer4 = {{hlist|M. Dixon|R. Hammond}}
| extra4 = Grand Puba
| length4 = 3:32
| title5 = Big Kids Don't Play
| writer5 = M. Dixon
| extra5 = Grand Puba
| length5 = 3:47
| title6 = Honey Don't Front
| writer6 = {{hlist|M. Dixon|J. Dajani|J. Gamble|D. Ross}}
| extra6 = {{hlist|Grand Puba|SD50's}}
| length6 = 4:08
| title7 = Lick Shot
| writer7 = {{hlist|M. Dixon|J. Dajani|J. Gamble|H. Ousley}}
| extra7 = {{hlist|Grand Puba|SD50's}}
| length7 = 4:35
| title8 = Ya Know How It Goes
| writer8 = {{hlist|M. Dixon|O. Redding|A. Jones|A. Isbell}}
| extra8 = Grand Puba
| length8 = 4:19
| title9 = Reel to Reel
| writer9 = {{hlist|M. Dixon|R. Streeter}}
| extra9 = Grand Puba
| length9 = 3:57
| title10 = Soul Controller
| writer10 = {{hlist|M. Dixon|A. King}}
| extra10 = Latief
| length10 = 4:25
| title11 = Proper Education
| writer11 = M. Dixon
| extra11 = Grand Puba
| length11 = 3:35
| title12 = Back It Up
| writer12 = {{hlist|M. Dixon|D. Love|J. Forman}}
| extra12 = {{hlist|Grand Puba|Kid Capri}}
| length12 = 3:51
| title13 = Baby What's Your Name?
| writer13 = M. Dixon
| extra13 = Grand Puba
| length13 = 2:54
| title14 = 360° (What Goes Around) SD50 Remix
| note14 = Bonus track
| writer14 = {{hlist|M. Dixon|R. Miller}}
| extra14 =
| length14 = 4:00
| title15 = Who Makes the Loot?
| note15 = Bonus track
| writer15 = {{hlist|M. Dixon|A. Levy|J. Kincaid|S. Bartholomew}}
| extra15 = {{hlist|The Brand New Heavies|Orlando Aguillen ({{abbr|co.|co-producer}})}}
| length15 = 3:23
| total_length = 57:37
}}
Personnel
- Maxwell Dixon – vocals, producer (tracks: 1, 2, 4–9, 11–13), mixing
- Mary J. Blige – vocals (track 4)
- Anton Pukshansky – bass (track 2)
- Roland Parkins – bass & guitar (track 6)
- Clarence Stanley – producer (track 3)
- John 'Geeby' Dajani – producer (tracks: 6, 7), re-mixing (track 14)
- John Gamble – producer & engineering (tracks: 6, 7), re-mixing (track 14)
- Dante Ross – producer (tracks: 6, 7), re-mixing (track 14), executive producer
- Anthony Latief King – producer (track 10)
- David Anthony Love, Jr. – producer (track 12)
- Andrew Levy – producer (track 15)
- Jan Kincaid – producer (track 15)
- Simon Bartholomew – producer (track 15)
- Orlando Aguillen – co-producer (track 15)
- Rob Sutton – engineering (tracks: 1–4, 8, 13)
- Vaughn Sessions – engineering (tracks: 5, 9–13)
- Showtyme – assistant engineering (tracks: 3, 5, 8–12)
- Jack Hersca – assistant engineering (tracks: 6, 7)
- Herb Powers, Jr. – mastering
- Carol Bobolts – design
- Mark Seliger – photography
Charts
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
! scope="col" |Chart (1992) ! scope="col" |Peak |
| {{album chart|Billboard200|28|artist=Grand Puba|rowheader=true|accessdate=May 11, 2019}} |
| {{album chart|BillboardRandBHipHop|14|artist=Grand Puba|rowheader=true|accessdate=May 11, 2019}} |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Discogs master|79436|Grand Puba – Reel To Reel}}
{{Grand Puba}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Elektra Records albums
Category:Albums produced by Dante Ross