Mo' Ritmo

Mo' Ritmo
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
Singles from Mo' Ritmo
	"Rico Suave"; Released: December 1990; "We Want the Funk"; Released: 1991; "When the Lights Go Out"; Released: 1991;

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]

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

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

References

^ "Gerardo Biography & History". AllMusic.
^ Lannert, John (Mar 3, 1991). "Yo! Word to Your Madre". Sun Sentinel. p. 3F.
^ ^a ^b Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 3. MUZE. p. 725.
^ "Gerardo". Billboard.
^ Allan, Mark D. (July 28, 1991). "Rome might have lasted longer with 'Latin' lovers like Gerardo". The Indianapolis Star. p. G8.
^ "Mo' Ritmo Gerardo". AllMusic.
^ Christgau, Robert. "Gerardo". Robert Christgau.
^ MusicHound R&B: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1998. p. 235.
^ The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 279.
^ Farber, Jim (March 1, 1991). "Mo' Ritmo". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
^ Giles, Jeff (June 13, 1991). "Gerardo: Suave Operator". Rolling Stone.
^ Considine, J.D. (February 18, 1991). "Mo' Ritmo Gerardo". Features. The Baltimore Sun. p. 2.
^ "Gerardo Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved November 1, 2021.
^ "Gerardo Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved November 1, 2021.
^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1991". Billboard. Retrieved November 1, 2021.
^ "American album certifications – Gerardo – Mo' Ritmo". Recording Industry Association of America.

[1] "Gerardo Biography & History". AllMusic.

[2] Lannert, John (Mar 3, 1991). "Yo! Word to Your Madre". Sun Sentinel. p. 3F.

[CL-3] Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 3. MUZE. p. 725.

[4] "Gerardo". Billboard.

[5] Allan, Mark D. (July 28, 1991). "Rome might have lasted longer with 'Latin' lovers like Gerardo". The Indianapolis Star. p. G8.

[6] "Mo' Ritmo Gerardo". AllMusic.

[7] Christgau, Robert. "Gerardo". Robert Christgau.

[8] MusicHound R&B: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1998. p. 235.

[RS-9] The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 279.

[10] Farber, Jim (March 1, 1991). "Mo' Ritmo". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved January 9, 2024.

[11] Giles, Jeff (June 13, 1991). "Gerardo: Suave Operator". Rolling Stone.

[12] Considine, J.D. (February 18, 1991). "Mo' Ritmo Gerardo". Features. The Baltimore Sun. p. 2.

[ac_Billboard200_Gerardo-13] "Gerardo Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved November 1, 2021.

[ac_BillboardRandBHipHop_Gerardo-14] "Gerardo Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved November 1, 2021.

[15] "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1991". Billboard. Retrieved November 1, 2021.

[United_StatesGerardoMo'_RitmoalbumCertRef-16] "American album certifications – Gerardo – Mo' Ritmo". Recording Industry Association of America.

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