Mo' Ritmo

Mo' Ritmo is the first album by the Ecuadorian-born American Gerardo.^[1][2] Released in 1991 by Interscope Records^[3] as the label's inaugural album, it peaked at No. 36 on the Billboard 200.^[4]

Mo' Ritmo
Studio album by Gerardo
Released	January 29, 1991
Recorded	Bossa Nova Hotel, Cafe Al Dente, Cliffhanger Studio in 1990
Genre	Latin rap
Length	49:02
Label	Interscope
Producer	Christian Warren Hilary Bercovici Dr. Freeze Michael Sembello
Gerardo chronology
Mo' Ritmo (1991) Dos (1992)
Singles from Mo' Ritmo
"Rico Suave" Released: December 1990 "We Want the Funk" Released: 1991 "When the Lights Go Out" Released: 1991

Production

The album was partially produced by Michael Sembello, who had worked on the "Rico Suave" single.^[5]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[6]
Robert Christgau	[7]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music	[3]
MusicHound R&B: The Essential Album Guide	[8]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	[9]

Entertainment Weekly wrote that Gerardo's "heavy use of Latin rhythms and melodies may give the music a twist, but Spanglish rap is delivered with more finesse by Mellow Man Ace and Kid Frost."^[10] Rolling Stone deemed Mo' Ritmo "a Latin-tinged debut album of bilingual just-a-gigolo raps."^[11] The Baltimore Sun wrote that "instead of simply sampling some Santana, Gerardo builds his beat around conga and timbale for a hard-core Latin hip-hop groove that makes 'Brother to Brother' and 'Rico Suave' kick like nothing else in rap."^[12]

Track listing

1. "When the Lights Go Out" (Gerardo Mejía, Dan Sembello, Michael Sembello) – 4:05
2. "Brother to Brother" (Mejía, Alfred Rubalcava) – 3:33
3. "Rico Suave" (Mejia, Christian Warren, Alberto Slezynger, Rosa Soy, Charles Bobbit) – 4:51
4. "En Mi Barrio" (Mejia, M. Sembello) – 2:58
5. "Latin Till I Die (Oye Como Va)" (cover; Mejia, Tito Puente) – 4:01
6. "We Want the Funk" (cover; written by Mejia, George Clinton, Bootsy Collins and Jerome Brailey) – 4:12
7. "Christina" (Mejia, Warren) – 3:56
8. "Fandango" (Mejia, Rubalcava) – 5:30
9. "You Gotta Hold of My Soul" (Mejia, M. Sembello) – 4:58
10. "The Groove Remains the Same" (Mejia, M. Sembello, Brian O'Doherty) – 5:13
11. ”When the Lights Go Out [Dr. Freeze Mix]” (Mejia, D. Sembello, M. Sembello) – 3:20

Credits

• Lead vocals: Gerardo
• Additional vocals: Coco, Ellis Hall, Nikki Harris, Anna Marie, Gerardo, Xavier Menia, Brian O’Daughtery, Alfred Rubalcava, Cruz Baca Sembello, and Michael Sembello
• Programmers: Jimmy Abney, Hilary Bercovici, Brian O’Daughtery, Alfred Rubalcava, Danny Sembello, Michael Sembello, and Christian Warren
• Engineer: Hilary Bercovici, David Bianco, Bobby Brooks, Bud Rizzo, and Michael Smith
• Assistant engineer: Tim Anderson
• Mixers: Hilary Bercovici, David Bianco, Bobby Brooks, and Erik Zobler
• Scratcher: D-Roc
• Remixers: Dr. Freeze and Angela Piva
• Timbales: Ronnie Gutierrez and Michael Sembello
• Bongos: Alfred Ortiz
• Congas: Alfred Ortiz
• Photography: Barry King and Randee St. Nicholas

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1991) Peak position US Billboard 200[13] 36 US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[14] 64

Year-end charts Chart (1991) Position US Billboard 200[15] 96

Certifications

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