City Life (Boogie Boys album)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
City Life
BoogieBoys CL.jpg
Studio album by
Boogie Boys
ReleasedFebruary 18, 1985
GenreGolden age hip hop
Length37:06
LabelCapitol
ProducerDavid Spradley, Ted Currier
Boogie Boys chronology
City Life
(1985) 		Survival of the Freshest
(1986)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic2/5 stars[1]
Christgau's Record GuideB–[2]

City Life is the first studio album by American rap group Boogie Boys, released on February 18, 1985 by Capitol Records. The album peaked at No. 53 on the Billboard 200.[3] The album had a major hit in America with the single "A Fly Girl."

"A Fly Girl"[]

As one of the first rap groups to sign with a major label, the Boogie Boys were under pressure to create a fresh, new sound. Capitol wanted to release "City Life" as their first single as they felt it would have broader appeal, especially since the song combined rapping and singing. But the Boogie Boys felt "A Fly Girl" would have more impact.

Boogie Boys member Joe "Romeo J.D." Malloy:

"Put 'Fly Girl' first, then we can come with the other stuff." So we compromised: we put out "City Life" as the A-side and "Fly Girl" as the B-side; so when it came out, DJs were like, "yeah, 'City Life' is hot," but then when they flipped it over and heard those drums it was like, "oh s--t… what's this?" So that's how it jumped off; and the streets is gonna make happen what they want to happen. So "Fly Girl" is the record that popped off and they still didn't do a video for it. People were running in the stores trying to find "Fly Girl" for weeks and weeks, and they didn't have any copies in the stores.[4]

Track listing[]

  1. Runnin' From Your Love (4:58)
  2. Do or Die (4:52)
  3. Break Dancer (3:23)
  4. A Fly Girl (5:51)
  5. City Life (4:55)
  6. Party Asteroid (5:26)
  7. You Ain't Fresh (3:50)
  8. Shake and Break (3:51)

Personnel[]

  • William "Boogie Knight" Stroman – vocals
  • Joe "Romeo J.D." Malloy – vocals
  • Rudy "Lil' Rahiem" Sheriff – vocals
  • David Spradley – producer
  • Ted Currier – producer
  • Bob Rosa – engineer
  • Steve Peck – engineer

References[]

  1. ^ City Life – Boogie Boys at AllMusic. Retrieved October 25, 2019.
  2. ^ Christgau, Robert (1990). "B". Christgau's Record Guide: The '80s. Pantheon Books. ISBN 0-679-73015-X. Retrieved August 17, 2020 – via robertchristgau.com.
  3. ^ "Boogie Boys Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 2019-10-25.
  4. ^ von Wallenrod, Werner. "Werner Interviews Romeo JD of the Boogie Boys". Retrieved 24 October 2019.
Retrieved from ""