Black, Rock & Ron - Stop The World (RCA 1989)

For the most part I post up my favorite old school rap albums and singles and this LP easily finds its way into my top 10 old school albums. I know it's not rated in most peoples top albums but I'm different and I like that. Black, Rock & Ron exemplify everything I love about hip-hop, most notably fun, intelligent, braggadocio b-boy rhymes and funky, sample driven production and break beats with that dope old school scratching that's on time. This album has what most albums in 89 had with positive messages of peace and unity on the title track, bragging about Rap Life, the token house track which is actually really good to sex raps with all three members (no pun intended) taking turns with Yvonne. Hailing from Hollis Queens, Lord Black (David Cootryer), The Ruler Master Rock (Gregg Walsh), and Ron Scratch (Ron Walsh) released their first single "Hard Rap" on Next Plateau in 86 under the name the Vicious Four. Released during the emergence of the "New School" where samplers and drum machines such as the Lynn Drum and the SP-12 hit the market, producers and hip-hop artists were better able to create a less expensive and more complex structure to tracks that wasn't previously allowed without having connections or a backing band. In 1987 Black, Rock & Ron hooked up with Jazzy Jay who produced their next single "That's How I'm Livin" also on Next Plateau. At this point they apparently found management by the one and only Rush Town at the request of LL Cool J. Then getting signed to RCA Records and featuring co-production by Tony Sims & Thomas Davis (who?) and executive production by Jurggen Korduletsch (who?), Black, Rock and Ron put together the material for their debut album Stop The World. With engineers Paul C, DJ Doc, and Skeff Anselm at the boards, a few 12 inch singles, and a couple videos things were looking bright for the groups future. They even were involved in the Hip-Hop Artist Against Apartheid Ndodemnyama (Free South Africa) anti-apartheid song, but like so many rap artists, Black, Rock & Ron just seemed to fall off the face of the Earth into obscurity. Unfortunately Lord Black was murdered sometime in the 90's.

RIP David Cootryer aka Lord Black

01 - Intro
02 - Stop The World
03 - You Can't Do Me None
04 - True Feelings (True Rock Mix)
05 - Black Is The Word
06 - That's How I'm Livin'
07 - To Hear Black & Rock Rap
08 - Getting Large
09 - Rap Life
10 - Act Like U Know
11 - I'm Tired
12 - Brothers And Yvonne
13 - Black, Rock & Ron (Video Mix)
14 - My Hometown
15 - Who's Got Next
16 - Tired Of All This
17 - You Can't Do Me None (BRNR Vocal Mix)
18 - True Feelings (Paul C Hip Hop Mix)

Download (MassMirror)

Here's the video to Getting Large which uses the 12" version.