Blue Funk Explained
Blue Funk is the fourth studio album by American hip hop group Heavy D & the Boyz. It was released on December 22, 1992 via Uptown Records. Recording sessions took place at The Hit Factory, Soundtrack Studios, Axis Studios, Greene St. Recording and D&D Studios in New York. Production was handled by Jesse West, Pete Rock, Tony Dofat, DJ Premier, Skeff Anselm, Steely & Clevie, with DJ Eddie F, Heavy D and Puff Daddy serving as executive producers. It features guest appearances from 3rd Eye, Busta Rhymes, Gang Starr, Notorious B.I.G., Phat Doug and Rob-O. The album peaked at number 40 on the Billboard 200 and number 7 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. It was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America on March 17, 1993 for selling 500,000 units in the US alone.
The album was supported with two singles: "Who's the Man" and "Truthful".
Personnel
- Dwight "Heavy D." Myers — lyrics, vocals, co-producer (tracks: 2, 9, 11, 13), executive producer
- Terri Robinson — backing vocals (tracks: 1, 8, 11)
- Douglas "Fat Doug" Harriet — rap vocals (track 6)
- Tabitha Brace — backing vocals (tracks: 7, 8)
- Monica Payne — backing vocals (track 11)
- Trevor "Busta Rhymes" Smith — lyrics & rap vocals (track 13)
- Jesse "3rd Eye/Jesse West" Williams III — lyrics & rap vocals (track 13), keyboards (track 8), drums & producer (tracks: 8, 9, 13)
- Keith "GuRu" Elam — lyrics & rap vocals (track 13)
- Robert "Rob-O" Odindo — lyrics & rap vocals (track 13)
- Christopher "The Notorious B.I.G." Wallace — lyrics & rap vocals (track 13)
- Tony Dofat — keyboards & drums (tracks: 1, 6), producer (tracks: 1, 2, 6), mixing (track 2)
- Skeff Anselm — producer (track 3)
- Wycliffe "Steely" Johnson — producer (track 4)
- Cleveland "Clevie" Browne — producer (track 4)
- Peter "Pete Rock" Phillips — producer (tracks: 5, 7, 11)
- Christopher "DJ Premier" Martin — producer & mixing (tracks: 10, 12)
- Tony Maserati — recording & mixing (tracks: 1, 6), engineering (track 2)
- Tom Frites — recording assistant (track 1)
- Rich Travali — recording (track 2)
- Michael Thompson — recording assistant (track 2), mixing assistant (tracks: 3, 7)
- Jack Hersca — mixing assistant (track 2)
- David Kennedy — recording (track 3), mixing (tracks: 4, 8, 9)
- "Commissioner" Gordon Williams — recording assistant & mixing (track 3)
- Kevin Reynolds — recording (track 4)
- Doug Wilson — engineering (track 4), mixing assistant (track 7), recording assistant (tracks: 8, 9, 13)
- Lane Craven — recording & mixing (track 5)
- Jimmie Lee — engineering (track 5)
- Hiro Ishihara — recording assistant (track 6)
- Louis Alfred III — mixing assistant (track 6)
- Jamie Staub — recording (track 7)
- Lee Anthony — mixing (track 7), recording (tracks: 8, 9, 13)
- Emerson Mykoo — recording assistant (track 7)
- Francis Fletcher — mixing assistant (tracks: 8, 9, 13)
- Eddie Sancho — recording (track 10), mixing assistant (tracks: 10, 12)
- Luc Allen — recording and mixing assistant (tracks: 10, 12)
- Charles Dos Santos — recording (tracks: 11, 12), mixing (track 11)
- Scott Hollingsworth — recording and mixing assistant (track 11)
- Prince Charles Alexander — mixing (track 13)
- José L. Rodriguez — mastering (track 13)
- Sean Combs — executive producer, A&R, creative director
- Edward "DJ Eddie F" Ferrell — executive producer
- Brett Wright — creative director
- Crystal M. Johnson — production coordinator
- Danny Clinch — photography
- The Drawing Board — art direction, design
Charts
Notes and References
- February 6, 1993 . The Billboard 200 . . . 105 . 6 . 78 . 0006-2510 . November 17, 2023.
- January 30, 1993 . Top R&B Albums . . . 0006-2510 . November 17, 2023.
