Totally Krossed Out

• Artist: Kris Kross
• Rating:
• Release Date: March 17, 1992
• Total Time: 21:06
• Genre: Rap

Review

Totally Krossed Out, the debut album by kiddie-rap sensations Kris Kross, is so tailored to a particular audience in a particular time period that it's nearly impossible to judge by any objective standard. So let's try anyway. Producer Jermaine Dupri -- still a teenager himself -- wrote all the songs here, and he delivers a catchy, pop-friendly batch of tracks that manage to stay pretty consistently engaging (perhaps in part because they are short). The album's interview intro disses playground rivals Another Bad Creation (that would have been a great hip-hop feud) before segueing into the irresistible smash "Jump" (oh, just try and listen to it without smiling, you heartless grinch). Actually, the miggeda-miggeda-mack bit proves they're not bad rappers, if they're able to borrow technique from Das EFX -- though they don't keep it up, if for no other reason than that kids want to understand the words to songs they like. And "Warm It Up" is nearly as good. Some of the album tracks are lyrically generic, but the story song "Party" finds Chris and Chris trying to sneak into a club to meet girlies. There are some surprisingly serious notes struck on "Lil' Boys in da Hood" and "A Real Bad Dream," which paint the duo as knowing street kids who are all too aware of the dangers they could easily fall into. There's nothing terribly frightening, but it's more realistic than the innocent bubblegum you might expect. Of course, then there's the self-explanatory "I Missed the Bus." But overall, Totally Krossed Out isn't nearly as obnoxious or cutesy as adults might fear -- even if the lads' MC boasts just make you want to pat them on the head. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
Intro Interview	Jermaine Dupri	Kris Kross	(:51)
Jump (Lyrics)	Jermaine Dupri	Kris Kross	(3:17)
Lil' Boys in da Hood	Jermaine Dupri	Kris Kross	(3:05)
Warm It Up	Jermaine Dupri	Kris Kross	(4:09)
The Way of Rhyme	Jermaine Dupri	Kris Kross	(2:59)
Party (Lyrics)	Jermaine Dupri	Kris Kross	(4:03)
We're in da House	Jermaine Dupri	Kris Kross	(:39)
A Real Bad Dream	Jermaine Dupri	Kris Kross	(1:58)
It's a Shame	Jermaine Dupri	Kris Kross	(3:48)
Can't Stop the Bum Rush	Jermaine Dupri	Kris Kross	(2:57)
You Can't Get With This		Kris Kross	(2:24)
I Missed the Bus (Lyrics)	Jermaine Dupri	Kris Kross	(2:59)
Outro	Jermaine Dupri	Kris Kross	(:43)
Party [Krossed Mix]	Jermaine Dupri	Kris Kross	(4:11)
Jump [Extended Mix]	Jermaine Dupri	Kris Kross	(5:10)

Credits

Curtis Dowd, Jr. (Keyboards), Rose Mann (Vocals (Background)), Kris Kross (Vocals (Background)), Joe Nicolo (Programming), Paula Holloway (Vocals (Background)), Andy Kravitz (Percussion), X-Man (?), John Hodian (Engineer), Frank Hogan (Vocals (Background)), Terry Shelton (Voices), Terry Shelton (?), Kris Kelly (Vocals), Jim Salamone (Keyboards), Jermaine Dupri (Bass), Charlene Holloway (Vocals (Background)), Eddie Weather (Interviewer), Phil Nicolo (Engineer), Silk Tymes Leather (?), X-Man (Vocals (Background)), Jermaine Dupri (Vocals (Background)), Walt Bass (Vocals (Background)), Dave Johnson (Vocals (Background)), Joe Nicolo (Executive Producer), Lady G. (Vocals (Background)), Stacey Blackmore (Vocals (Background)), Mark Schulz (Vocals (Background)), X-Man (Voices), Jim Salamone (Drums), Silk Tymes Leather (Background Music), Jermaine Dupri (Producer), Jermaine Dupri (Voices), Joe Nicolo (Engineer), Jermaine Dupri (Programming), Jermaine Dupri (Executive Producer), Seldon "Big Wally" Henderson (Keyboards), Jim "Jiff" Ninger (Vocals (Background)), Jimmy O'Neil (Assistant Engineer), Jermaine Dupri (Arranger), Manuel Lecuona (Vocals (Background)), Glenn Barratt (Editing), Tony Dawsey (Mastering), Eddie Weather (Vocals (Background)), Jermaine Dupri (?)

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