MCA 42185
Producers: L.A. & Babyface, Gene Griffin, Larry White, Gordon Jones, and Bobby Brown
Track listing: Cruel Prelude / Don’t Be Cruel / My Prerogative / Roni / Rock Wit’cha / Every Little Step / I’ll Be Good to You / Take It Slow / All Day All Night / I Really Love You Girl / Cruel Reprise
January 21, 1989
6 weeks (nonconsecutive)
As a member of Boston-based R&B vocal group New Edition, Bobby Brown experienced his first taste of success before he was eligible to receive a driver’s license. In 1985, the group’s self-titled MCA album climbed all the way to number six, propelled by the hit singles “Cool It Now” and “Mr. Telephone Man.” Yet the group was unable to match that accomplishment with its subsequent albums. In 1986, Brown, who had grown tired of the group’s teeny-bopper image, left New Edition to go solo.
After his first solo effort, 1986’s King of Stage, stalled at number 88, some may have wondered if Brown made a mistake leaving New Edition behind. Yet Brown was unfazed and MCA executive Louil Silas Jr. had other plans for the budding talent. By 1988, Silas had hooked up Brown with some of the hottest young R&B producers and songwriters in the music business, including the team of Antonio “L.A.” Reid and Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds. With help from Reid and Edmonds, Brown developed into a forerunner of a new musical movement dubbed “new jack swing,” which combined traditional R&B with elements of hip-hop.
The duo, known collectively as LaFace, was only vaguely familiar with Brown before they began work on the project. “We were familiar with him mainly from New Edition,” Edmonds says, “but we liked him, because he brought a lot of energy and fire to the table.”
Expectations for the project were not high. “No one really cared what we did,” admits Edmonds. “We really hadn’t made a name yet for ourselves as producers and it was just Bobby’s second record after his first one didn’t do that well, so no one knew what to expect.”
With Reid and Edmonds, Brown cut four full tracks that made the album, including the title track, “Roni,” and “Every Little Step,” as well as “Cruel Prelude” and “Cruel Reprise.” The sessions were held at Silverlake Studios in Hollywood.
The singer reacted immediately to “Don’t Be Cruel” — not the Elvis Presley hit (a cover of would be a top 10 hit for the rock band Cheap Trick around the same time Brown’s song was released), but a song written by Edmonds, and Daryl Simmons. “That was one of the first songs placed,” says Edmonds, who adds he never had a second thought about the song sharing its title with the Elvis classic.
“Every Little Step” wasn’t greeted as enthusiastically by Brown. He initially rejected the song. “When Bobby didn’t want to do it I took it back for myself,” says Edmonds, “but then Louil Silas fought to get it back for Bobby.”
It turned out to be a wise decision, as the single became Brown’s fourth top 10 single from the album. “Don’t Be Cruel,” the album’s first single peaked at number eight on the Hot 100. “My Prerogative,” written by Brown and producer Gene Griffin became Brown’s first Number One single on January 14, 1989, while “Roni” went on to reach number three.
By the time Don’t Be Cruel hit the summit in its 27th week on the chart, Brown had become a surprise solo star, competing with such heavyweights as Anita Baker and Guns N’ Roses. At just 19, he was also the youngest solo artist to top the chart since Stevie Wonder accomplished the feat with Stevie Wonder/The 12 Year Genius.
THE TOP FIVE
Week of January 21, 1989
1. Don’t Be Cruel, Bobby Brown
2. Appetite for Destruction, Guns N’ Roses
3. Open Up and Say ¦Ahh!, Poison
4. New Jersey, Bon Jovi
5. Hysteria, Def Leppard