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Silent Assassin
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<h2 id="production">Production</h2> <p>The album was produced by <a href="/facts/KRS-One/XXK9UmJA">KRS-One</a>, at the suggestion of Island; it was KRS's desire to make a "commercial" rap album.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a> <a href="/facts/Queen_Latifah/lzogbVxq">Queen Latifah</a> and <a href="/facts/Young_M.C./agHc2Rr6">Young M.C.</a>, among others, make guest appearances on <i>Silent Assassin</i>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="critical-reception">Critical reception</h2> Professional ratings<table><tbody><tr><th scope="col" colspan="2">Review scores</th></tr><tr><th scope="col">Source</th><th scope="col">Rating</th></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/AllMusic/Hb8cU8Fb">AllMusic</a></td><td><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a></td></tr><tr><td><i><a href="/facts/Audio_(magazine)/ddpzeFva">Audio</a></i></td><td>B<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a></td></tr><tr><td><i><a href="/facts/Chicago_Tribune/Bbms9uy5">Chicago Tribune</a></i></td><td><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Robert_Christgau/0U1Du9U9">Robert Christgau</a></td><td>B+<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10"><sup>10</sup></a></td></tr><tr><td><i><a href="/facts/The_Encyclopedia_of_Popular_Music/W9YQ0u46">The Encyclopedia of Popular Music</a></i></td><td><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11"><sup>11</sup></a></td></tr><tr><td><i><a href="/facts/Houston_Chronicle/X493IGhd">Houston Chronicle</a></i></td><td><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12"><sup>12</sup></a></td></tr><tr><td><i><a href="/facts/Ottawa_Citizen/33TvUvHb">Ottawa Citizen</a></i></td><td><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:13" href="#fn:13"><sup>13</sup></a></td></tr><tr><td><i><a href="/facts/The_Rolling_Stone_Album_Guide/RRNrAt8J">The Rolling Stone Album Guide</a></i></td><td><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:14" href="#fn:14"><sup>14</sup></a></td></tr><tr><td><i><a href="/facts/Spin_Alternative_Record_Guide/X8TDpcDs">Spin Alternative Record Guide</a></i></td><td>8/10<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:15" href="#fn:15"><sup>15</sup></a></td></tr><tr><td><i><a href="/facts/St._Petersburg_Times/DfgELn3N">St. Petersburg Times</a></i></td><td><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:16" href="#fn:16"><sup>16</sup></a></td></tr></tbody></table> <p><i><a href="/facts/The_Washington_Post/dRvzvqJc">The Washington Post</a></i> wrote that "the rhythm grooves on <i>Silent Assassin</i> are deeper, sexier and more melodic than those on almost any other rap record."<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:17" href="#fn:17"><sup>17</sup></a> <i><a href="/facts/The_Globe_and_Mail/kMbbpJ8z">The Globe and Mail</a></i> deemed the album "a tough, articulate, rhythmically powerful blend of modern reggae and rap and hip hop."<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:18" href="#fn:18"><sup>18</sup></a> The <i><a href="/facts/St._Petersburg_Times/DfgELn3N">St. Petersburg Times</a></i> considered "Dance Hall" "arguably the best rap track of 1989."<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:19" href="#fn:19"><sup>19</sup></a> <i><a href="/facts/The_State_(newspaper)/wtSsEeYy">The State</a></i> called the album "a powerful melding of reggae, funk and hip hop, and thanks to contributions from rap stars ... it's credible as well as accessible."<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:20" href="#fn:20"><sup>20</sup></a> </p><p><i><a href="/facts/Trouser_Press/4a3rlTIf">Trouser Press</a></i> called it "an ambitious undertaking," writing that "Latifah rules the mic on 'Woman for the Job'."<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:21" href="#fn:21"><sup>21</sup></a> The <i><a href="/facts/Spin_Alternative_Record_Guide/X8TDpcDs">Spin Alternative Record Guide</a></i> thought that it "was scrupulously intelligent and involving, yet it was an '80s-style consolidation instead of a true fusion or '90s-style deconstruction."<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:22" href="#fn:22"><sup>22</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="track-listing">Track listing</h2> <table><tbody><tr><th scope="col">No.</th><th scope="col">Title</th><th scope="col">Length</th></tr><tr><th scope="row">1.</th><td>"Rebel"</td><td>3:46</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">2.</th><td>"Adventures of a Bullet"</td><td>3:50</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">3.</th><td>"Woman for the Job"</td><td>4:07</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">4.</th><td>"Man on a Mission"</td><td>3:30</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">5.</th><td>"Steppin'"</td><td>3:08</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">6.</th><td>"Under Arrest"</td><td>5:00</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">7.</th><td>"No One Can Top This Boy"</td><td>3:35</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">8.</th><td>"Dance Hall"</td><td>6:49</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">9.</th><td>"Party Together"</td><td>5:22</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">10.</th><td>"Living a Lie"</td><td>4:39</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">11.</th><td>"Come Again"</td><td>2:40</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">12.</th><td>"Letters to the President"</td><td>4:27</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">13.</th><td>"Ride the Riddim"</td><td>4:28</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">14.</th><td>"It's Me"</td><td>3:25</td></tr></tbody></table> <h2 id="personnel">Personnel</h2> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Sly_Dunbar/IDsdCATn">Sly Dunbar</a> - drums</li> <li><a href="/facts/Robbie_Shakespeare/JPDFpNHg">Robbie Shakespeare</a> - bass</li> <li><a href="/facts/KRS-One/XXK9UmJA">KRS-One</a> - production, vocals</li> <li><a href="/facts/Queen_Latifah/lzogbVxq">Queen Latifah</a> - vocals</li> <li><a href="/facts/Young_M.C./agHc2Rr6">Young M.C.</a> - vocals</li> <li>Shah of Brooklyn - vocals</li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>"Sly & Robbie | Biography & History". AllMusic. <a href="https://www.allmusic.com/artist/sly-robbie-mn0000751592/biography" target="_blank">https://www.allmusic.com/artist/sly-robbie-mn0000751592/biography</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>Thompson, Dave (2002). Reggae & Caribbean Music. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 270. <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>Darling, Cary (November 26, 1989). "Reggae, hip-hop fusion hot". Orange County Register. p. H20. <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>Keepnews, Peter (November 17, 1989). "Pop/Jazz; Rap Leads to Respectability and Academia for KRS-One". The New York Times. <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1989/11/17/arts/pop-jazz-rap-leads-to-respectability-and-academia-for-krs-one.html" target="_blank">https://www.nytimes.com/1989/11/17/arts/pop-jazz-rap-leads-to-respectability-and-academia-for-krs-one.html</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>"Sly & Robbie Et Al". Trouser Press. Retrieved 20 June 2021. <a href="https://trouserpress.com/reviews/sly-robbie-et-al/" target="_blank">https://trouserpress.com/reviews/sly-robbie-et-al/</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>"Records". The Washington Post. Retrieved 20 June 2021. <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1990/01/10/records/775b96d2-b856-4f6e-98f0-870cc3a7576a/" target="_blank">https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1990/01/10/records/775b96d2-b856-4f6e-98f0-870cc3a7576a/</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>"Silent Assassin - Sly & Robbie | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com. <a href="https://www.allmusic.com/album/silent-assassin-mw0000654271" target="_blank">https://www.allmusic.com/album/silent-assassin-mw0000654271</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:8"><p>Borey, Susan (Mar 1990). "Rock/Pop Recordings: Silent Assassin by Sly & Robbie". Audio. Vol. 74, no. 3. p. 104. <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:9"><p>"Sly & Robbie Silent Assassin". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 21 June 2021. <a href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1989-11-23-8903120468-story.html" target="_blank">https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1989-11-23-8903120468-story.html</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:10"><p>"Robert Christgau: CG: Sly and Robbie". www.robertchristgau.com. <a href="https://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=Sly+and+Robbie" target="_blank">https://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=Sly+and+Robbie</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:11"><p>Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 7. MUZE. p. 535. <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:12"><p>Mitchell, Rick (November 19, 1989). "Records". Zest. Houston Chronicle. p. 8. <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:13"><p>Erskine, Evelyn (2 Feb 1990). "Musical plea says it's time for rap, reggae to run together". Ottawa Citizen. p. C6. <a href="#fnref:13" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:14"><p>The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 647. <a href="#fnref:14" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:15"><p>Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. 1995. pp. 360–361. <a href="#fnref:15" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:16"><p>Hall, Ken (12 Jan 1990). "Sly and Robbie Silent Assassin (Island)". Weekend. St. Petersburg Times. p. 17. <a href="#fnref:16" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:17"><p>"Records". The Washington Post. Retrieved 20 June 2021. <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1990/01/10/records/775b96d2-b856-4f6e-98f0-870cc3a7576a/" target="_blank">https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1990/01/10/records/775b96d2-b856-4f6e-98f0-870cc3a7576a/</a> <a href="#fnref:17" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:18"><p>Dafoe, Chris (16 Nov 1989). "Silent Assassin Sly and Robbie". The Globe and Mail. p. C10. <a href="#fnref:18" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:19"><p>Hall, Ken (12 Jan 1990). "Sly and Robbie Silent Assassin (Island)". Weekend. St. Petersburg Times. p. 17. <a href="#fnref:19" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:20"><p>Miller, Michael (November 17, 1989). "Sly & Robbie, 'Silent Assassin'". The State. p. 11D. <a href="#fnref:20" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:21"><p>"Sly & Robbie Et Al". Trouser Press. Retrieved 20 June 2021. <a href="https://trouserpress.com/reviews/sly-robbie-et-al/" target="_blank">https://trouserpress.com/reviews/sly-robbie-et-al/</a> <a href="#fnref:21" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:22"><p>Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. 1995. pp. 360–361. <a href="#fnref:22" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>