Music for the People is the debut studio album by American hip hop group Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch, released on July 23, 1991. The album was a success, reaching #1 on the Top Heatseekers Albums chart, and #21 on the Billboard 200, thanks to the hit single, "Good Vibrations". Alongside "Good Vibrations", the album spawned an additional top-ten single, "Wildside" (#10 on the Billboard Hot 100) and the minor hit "I Need Money". The album was certified platinum by the RIAA on January 14, 1992. "Good Vibrations" was Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch's first single, and after its release it went to number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song, and most of the album, was produced by Mark Wahlberg's brother, Donnie Wahlberg, who is part of the group New Kids on the Block.
| Music for the People | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | July 23, 1991 | |||
| Recorded | 1991 | |||
| Genre | Hip hop, pop | |||
| Length | 48:22 | |||
| Label | Interscope/Atlantic | |||
| Producer | Mark Wahlberg, Donnie Wahlberg, Danny Wood | |||
| Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Music for the People | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Calgary Herald | B[2] |
| Robert Christgau | [3] |
| Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [4] |
| Entertainment Weekly | C−[5] |
| Orlando Sentinel | [6] |
Background
editBefore the group was even formed, Mark Wahlberg, who was the lead singer, was in jail for beating a Vietnamese man.[7] Even before Mark got arrested, he dropped out of school at the age of 14 and began hustling, stealing, and selling drugs.[8] Once Mark got out of prison, his older brother Donnie helped him out by getting him involved in the music business. Mark wasn't the best singer, but with his charisma and looks, Donnie helped him and his group debut their first album. In 1990, Donnie Wahlberg convinced younger brother Mark to return to the music scene as Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch, even landing them a spot as opening act for Donnie's band New Kids on the Block.[9] Mark Wahlberg (Marky Mark) was joined by an all black ensemble including Scott Ross (aka Scottie Gee), Hector Barros (Hector the Booty Inspector), Anthony Thomas (Ashley Ace), and Terry Yancey (DJ-T) to create more of a "street" feel for Mark.[10] The following year Donnie went a step further, producing the group's first and most successful album, Music for the People.
Reception
editMusic for the People released on July 23, 1991, to mixed reviews. Despite being lauded more for Mark's physique and charisma than musicality, the album still managed to receive a Platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America.
James Muretich from Calgary Herald wrote, "...this is all right. The breast-beating bravado is as good as anybody`s, the groove is always good 'n' funky and the tune "Wildside" smartly samples Lou Reed's "Walk on the Wild Side" while using effective street imagery. Yeah, Marky, the Wahlberg with the biceps, actually delivers the goods."[2] MTV's Jason Ankeny said, that "Rap purists were appalled by Wahlberg's mediocre lyrical skills, lame samples, and tired beats."[9] Perry Gettelman from Orlando Sentinel felt the songs on the album "are serviceable enough pop-rap."[6] In an interview with Oral Tradition, DJ Romeo told that he believes Marky Mark’s disjointed rhythm and rap cadence comes primarily from reading the rap from paper while recording, and that while some rappers use “poets tools,” (simile, hyperbole, and alliteration) Marky Mark “just raps.”[11]
They earned a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Solo Performance for their single “You Gotta Believe” in 1992. The group split up in 1993 when Mark Wahlberg decided to take his career in another direction by starting to act.
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Music for the People" | 4:19 | ||
| 2. | "Good Vibrations" (featuring Loleatta Holloway) |
| 4:25 | |
| 3. | "Wildside" |
| 5:07 | |
| 4. | "Bout Time I Funk You" |
| 4:29 | |
| 5. | "Peace" |
| 5:28 | |
| 6. | "So What Chu Sayin" |
| 4:41 | |
| 7. | "Marky Mark is Here" |
| 4:00 | |
| 8. | "On the House Tip" |
| 3:42 | |
| 9. | "Make Me Say Ooh!" |
| 3:43 | |
| 10. | "I Need Money" |
| 4:29 | |
| 11. | "The Last Song on Side B" |
| 3:59 |
Personnel
editAdapted credits from the media notes of Music for the People.[12]
- Leo Okeke: chief engineer, keyboards, bass, Macintosh Protracks programming, digital sampling
- Donnie Wahlberg: drum programming, Macintosh Protracks programming, digital sampling
- Mary Alford: mixing
- Ted Jensen: mastering (Sterling Sound)
- D.J. Terry Yancey: scratches
- Jeff Dovner, Randy Melton: engineering
- Tom Soares: mix engineering
- Joe Pires, Jamie Locke: assistant mix engineering
- Chuck Reed: A&R coordinator
Charts
edit| Chart (1991) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (ARIA)[13] | 67 |
| Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[14] | 35 |
| Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[15] | 90 |
| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[16] | 37 |
| Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[17] | 35 |
| UK Albums (OCC)[18] | 61 |
| US Billboard 200[19] | 21 |
Certifications
edit| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Canada (Music Canada)[20] | Platinum | 100,000^ |
| United States (RIAA)[21] | Platinum | 1,000,000^ |
|
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
edit- ^ Music for the People - Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic
- ^ a b Muretich, James (25 August 1991). "Recent Releases". Calgary Herald.
- ^ Christgau, Robert. "Robert Christgau: CG: Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch". robertchristgau.com. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
- ^ Larkin, Colin (2000). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Omnibus Press.
- ^ Bernard, James (30 August 1991). "Music for the People". Entertainment Weekly.
- ^ a b Gettelman, Parry (30 August 1991). "Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch". Orlando Sentinel.
- ^ "Mark Wahlberg Biography". Biography.com. Retrieved 10 July 2012.
- ^ Hiskey, Daven (27 January 2012). "Mark Wahlberg was a Drug Dealer and was Charged with Attempted Murder Before Forming Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch". Retrieved 10 July 2012.
- ^ a b Ankeny, Jason. "Marky Mark". MTV. Archived from the original on February 5, 2006. Retrieved 10 July 2012.
- ^ Steed, Dave (22 July 2011). "Popdose Flashback '91: Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch, "Music For the People"". Popdose. Retrieved 10 July 2012.
- ^ Wehmeyer-Shaw, Debra (October 1993). "Rap Music: An Interview with DJ Romeo". Oral Tradition. 8 (2): 225–246.
- ^ Music for the People (liner notes). Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch. Interscope. 1991. CD 91737.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 176.
- ^ "Austriancharts.at – Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch – Music for the People" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved August 23, 2022.
- ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch – Music for the People" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved August 23, 2022.
- ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch – Music for the People" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved August 23, 2022.
- ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch – Music for the People". Hung Medien. Retrieved August 23, 2022.
- ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 23, 2022.
- ^ "Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved August 23, 2022.
- ^ "Canadian album certifications – Marky Mark & The Funky Bunch – Music for the People". Music Canada. Retrieved October 23, 2023.
- ^ "American album certifications – Marky Mark & The Funky Bunch – Music for the People". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved October 23, 2023.