Homebase (album)
Homebase is the fourth studio album released by hip-hop duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince. The album was released on July 23, 1991, reaching #12 on the Billboard 200 charts and #5 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop albums chart. It received generally favorable reviews from critics. The album was certified Platinum and won an American Music Award for Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Album in 1992.
| Homebase | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | July 23, 1991 | |||
| Recorded | May 1990–April 1991 | |||
| Studio | Battery Studios Soundtrack Studios (New York City, New York) Warehouse/J.E.M Recording Studios (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) | |||
| Genre | Hip hop, R&B | |||
| Length | 53:04 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Producer | DJ Jazzy Jeff, Hula & K. Fingers, Will Smith | |||
| DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Homebase | ||||
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| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   |
| Entertainment Weekly | (B−)[2] |
| Rolling Stone |  |
| Q Magazine | |
Album information
The second track on the album, "Summertime", earned the duo a second Grammy Award for Best Single in early 1992. Will Smith admitted that he tried to make his voice sound deeper than usual for this album, as many fans enjoyed the track "Then She Bit Me" from the duo's previous album, And in This Corner..., which was sung in this style. "You Saw My Blinker" is one of only two instances in which Smith uses obscenities in his music. However, the song reached #20 Billboard Hot 100 and #22 Hot R&B/Hip Hop singles. Four singles were released from the album: "Summertime", "The Things That U Do", "Ring My Bell" and "You Saw My Blinker".
Track listing
All tracks are written by Will Smith and Jeffrey A. Townes, unless otherwise noted.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "I'm All That" | Will Smith; Jeffrey A. Townes; Rick James | 3:43 |
| 2. | "Summertime" | Will Smith; Jeffrey A. Townes; Robert Bell; Ronald Bell; George Brown; Robert Mickens; Lamar Hula Mahone; Craig Simpkins; Charles Smith; Alton Taylor; Dennis Thomas; Richard Westfield | 4:30 |
| 3. | "Things That U Do" | Will Smith; Jeffrey A. Townes; Craig King | 4:56 |
| 4. | "This Boy Is Smooth" | 4:58 | |
| 5. | "Ring My Bell" | Will Smith; Jeffrey A. Townes; Frederick Knight | 4:44 |
| 6. | "A Dog Is a Dog" | 4:29 | |
| 7. | "Caught in the Middle (Love & Life)" | Will Smith; Jeffrey A. Townes; Craig King | 4:21 |
| 8. | "Trapped on the Dance Floor" | 5:19 | |
| 9. | "Who Stole the D.J." | 4:50 | |
| 10. | "You Saw My Blinker" | 4:14 | |
| 11. | "Dumb Dancin'" | 4:55 | |
| 12. | "Summertime (Reprise)" | Will Smith; Jeffrey A. Townes; Robert Bell; Ronald Bell; George Brown; Robert Mickens; Lamar Hula Mahone; Craig Simpkins; Charles Smith; Alton Taylor; Dennis Thomas; Richard Westfield | 2:05 |
| Total length: | 53:04 | ||
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Pop |
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs | ||
| 1991 | Summertime | 4 | 1 |
| Ring My Bell | 20 | 22 | |
| 1992 | The Things That U Do | — | 43 |
Charts
Chart positions
| Chart (1991) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canadian Albums Chart[5] | 33 |
| New Zealand Albums Chart[6] | 43 |
| UK Albums Chart[7] | 69 |
| US Billboard 200 | 12 |
| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) | 5 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA)[8] | Platinum | 1,000,000^ |
|
*sales figures based on certification alone | ||
References
- Allmusic review
- Entertainment Weekly review
- Rolling Stone review
- Q review
- "DJ Jazzy Jeff & Fresh Prince - Homebase". charts.nz. Hung Medien.
- "UK Albums Charts - September 8, 1991". UK Albums Chart. Official Charts Company.
- "American album certifications – DJ Jazzy Jeff & Fresh Prince – Homebase". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH.