It's Real is the second studio album by American R&B duo and brothers K-Ci & JoJo, released on June 22, 1999, on MCA Records. Recording sessions took place from 1998 to 1999. The album peaked within the top 10 on the US Billboard 200 as well as Billboards Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. On July 26, 1999, the album was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipments of 1,000,000 copies in the United States. It also appeared on international charts, and was certified gold by Music Canada. Upon release, It's Real received average reviews. The album would spawn four singles including the number-two hit single "Tell Me It's Real".

Content The tenth track, "Girl", the duo is expressing sorrow to a woman who is not dedicated to holding on to their hearts, with the duo singing, "Girl, if you really do love me, just let me go, let me be so I can find someone to love me."

Release and promotion It's Real was released on MCA Records on June 22, 1999, and was available on a CD, cassette, and an LP. Two bonus versions were released: one featuring "All My Life" and a Japanese edition featuring "All My Life" and "Impossible".

Singles Four songs on Its Real became singles. "Life", released in 1999, was the first. It peaked at number 60 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 15 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. The following single, "Tell Me It's Real", was the most successful from the album. It peaked at number two on the Hot 100 and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. As the only single to chart internationally, the song peaked at number four on the New Zealand Singles Chart, number 13 on the Dutch Singles Chart, and number 16 on the UK Singles Chart. The third single released was "Fee Fie Foe Fum" (1999). It did not crack the Hot 100; however, it peaked at number one on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles, a chart that acts as a 25-song extension to the Hot 100. The final single released was "Girl" on January 30, 2000. It peaked at number 30 on the US Rhythmic Top 40.

Reception

Commercial performance It's Real debuted at number 8 on the US Billboard 200, which would be its peak. It also peaked at number 2 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. On July 26, 1999, the album was certified platinum by the RIAA, for shipments of 1,000,000 copies. The album charted internationally, as well. It peaked at number 26 in Canada, and on August 23, 1999, it was certified gold by Music Canada, for shipments of 50,000 copies. It also peaked at number 14 in Australia and the Netherlands, number 34 in New Zealand, and number 56 in the United Kingdom.

Critical response

Upon its release, It's Real received average reviews from music critics. Stephen Thomas Erlewine, senior writer at Allmusic, gave the album three out of five stars, saying "it simply replicates [Love Always]". She gives "Makin' Me Say Goodbye", "I Wanna Get to Know You", "How Long Must I Cry", and "Hello Darlin very high praise and says the CD is worth just for those songs.

Track listing

Personnel Credits for It's Real adapted from Allmusic.

Michael Benabib – Photography Rory Bennett – multi instruments, producer Babyface Chuck Berghofer – Strings Julie Berghofer – Strings Charlie Bisharat – Strings Jay Boberg – executive producer Rev. Dave Boruff – Strings Jacqueline Brand – Strings Craig Brockman – keyboards, producer Rebecca Bunnell – Strings Darius Campo – Strings Rob Chiarelli – mixing Larry Corbett – Strings Franklyn D'Antonio – Strings Chuck Domanico – Strings Joey "The Don" Donatello – editing, engineer, programming Bruce Dukov – Strings Charles Everett – Strings Drew FitzGerald – Art Direction Ronald Folsom – Strings Juliann French – Strings Armen Garabedian – Strings Jeff Griffin – assistant engineer, mixing Cedric "K-Ci" Hailey – executive producer, Vocal Arrangement, Vocals, Vocals (Background) Joel "JoJo" Hailey – drum programming, executive producer, guitar, guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Bass), Producer, Vocal Arrangement, Vocals, Vocals (Background) Paul Hanson – Strings Terry Harrington – Strings Al Hershberger – Strings Carrie Holzman-Little – Strings Paul Jackson Jr. – guitar Damon Jones – executive producer Karen Jones – Strings R. Kelly – arranger, producer Peter Kent – Strings Anthony Kilhoffer – engineer, programming Armen Ksadjikian – Strings Derek Lee – stylist

Jonathan LeSane – engineer David Low – Strings Tony Maserati – mixing Ian Mereness – assistant engineer Liza Montoya – stylist Greg Mull – engineer Brian O'Connor – Strings Bobby O'Donnell – Strings Emanuel Officer – producer Simon Oswell – Strings Sid Page – Strings Darryl Pearson – multi instruments, producer Dave Pensado – mixing Barbara Porter – Strings Herb Powers – Mastering Public Domain – composer Jeff Redd – executive producer Kendra Richards – Hair Stylist, Make-Up Steve Richards – Strings Bryon Rickerson – assistant engineer Anatoly Rosinsky – Strings John Scanlon – Strings Mike Smoov – guitar, guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Bass), Producer David Speltz – Strings Ralph Stacy – producer Jim Thatcher – Strings Richard Treat – Strings Jeff Vereb – engineer, programming Randy Waldman – Conductor, String Arrangements Kevin Westenberg – Photography Ken Wild – Strings Evan Wilson – Strings Stan Wood – assistant engineer, editing, engineer, programming Jeffrey "Woody" Woodruff – engineer Ken Yerke – Strings Alex York – assistant engineer Mihail Zinovyev – Strings

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts Chart (1999) Peak position

Year-end charts Chart (1999) Position US Billboard 200 90 US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) 44

Certifications

References

External links