Back in Black (Whodini album)

Back in Black is the third album by American hip hop group Whodini. It was recorded in London and released via Jive Records in 1986. Like on the group's previous work, audio production was handled by Larry Smith. The album peaked at #35 on the Billboard 200,^[3] #4 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums,^[4] and was certified gold by Recording Industry Association of America on June 23, 1986.^[5]

Back in Black
Studio album by Whodini
Released	April 29, 1986
Recorded	1985–1986
Studio	Battery (London)
Genre	Hip hop, rap rock
Length	55:06
Label	Jive
Producer	Larry Smith
Whodini chronology
Escape (1984) Back in Black (1986) Open Sesame (1987)
Singles from Back in Black
"Funky Beat" Released: 1986 "One Love" Released: 1986 "Growing Up" Released: 1986

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Spin	favorable[2]

The record spawned three singles: "Funky Beat" (peaked at #19 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs^[6] and #30 on the Dance Club Songs),^[7] "One Love" (peaked at #10 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs^[8] and #34 on the Dance Club Songs),^[9] and "Growing Up" (peaked at #58 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs).^[10]

The music video for "Funky Beat" featured appearances by Malcolm-Jamal Warner, who was a cast member of The Cosby Show at the time, as well as Run D.M.C., Bobby Brown, Kurtis Blow, Donnie Simpson, Boo-Legged Lou of Full Force and Floyd Vivino with his puppet Oogie from The Uncle Floyd Show. The music video for the third single "Growing Up" was notable by the appearances of actors Giancarlo Esposito, Laurence Fishburne and Carl Anthony Payne II.

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Funky Beat"	J. Hutchins J. Fletcher D. Carter L. Smith	5:01
2.	"One Love"	J. Hutchins L. Smith	5:32
3.	"Growing Up"	J. Hutchins L. Smith	5:10
4.	"I'm A Ho"	J. Hutchins J. Fletcher L. Smith	4:06
5.	"How Dare You"	J. Hutchins L. Smith P. Harris	6:48
6.	"Fugitive"	J. Hutchins J. Fletcher L. Smith	6:12
7.	"Echo Scratch"	J. Hutchins J. Fletcher L. Smith	5:21
8.	"Last Night (I Had A Long Talk With Myself)"	J. Hutchins B. New	5:30
9.	"The Good Part"	J. Hutchins L. Smith	4:09

Back In Black  — CD bonus track

No.	Title	Length
10.	"Whodini Mega Mix"	7:17
Total length:		55:06

Note^[11]

• Track 5 contains samples from "Piano Sonata, Op. 35, No. 2 in B-flat Minor" by Frédéric Chopin (1839)

Personnel

• Jalil Hutchins - performer
• John "Ecstacy" Fletcher - performer
• Lawrence Smith - backing vocals, producer, bass, keyboard programming
• Ron Gray - backing vocals (track 2)
• Bryan Chuck New - mixing, engineer
• Peter Brian Harris - fairlight programming
• Jerry Peal - engineer
• Peter Woolliscroft - engineer
• George Young - solo guitar (track 6)
• Paul Kodish - drums
• Barry Eastmond - keyboards (track 9)
• Doug Rowell - photography

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1986) Peak position US Billboard 200[12] 35 US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[13] 4

Year-end charts Chart (1986) Position US Billboard 200[14] 88 US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[15] 16

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[16]	Gold	500,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.