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1990 studio album by Digital Underground From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sex Packets is the debut studio album by American hip hop group Digital Underground, released on March 20, 1990.
| Sex Packets | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | March 20, 1990 | |||
| Recorded | 1989 | |||
| Genre | Hip hop | |||
| Length | 65:26 (CD) 81:14 (Cassette) | |||
| Label | ||||
| Producer | Digital Underground | |||
| Digital Underground chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Sex Packets | ||||
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The album is a concept album about "G.S.R.A." (Genetic Suppression Relief Antidotes), a pharmaceutical substance that is produced in the form of a large glowing pill about the size of a quarter, which comes in a condom-sized package and is allegedly developed by the government to provide its intended users such as astronauts with a satisfying sexual experience in situations where the normal attainment of such experiences would be counter-productive to the mission at hand.
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |  [1] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |  [2] |
| Entertainment Weekly | C+[3] |
| Orlando Sentinel | [4] |
| RapReviews | 8/10[5] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [6] |
| Spin Alternative Record Guide | 8/10[7] |
| The Village Voice | B[8] |
The album was released in the spring of 1990 following the success of its two lead-off singles: "Doowutchyalike", a moderate club hit, followed by "The Humpty Dance", which reached No. 11 on the pop chart, No. 7 on the R&B chart, and No. 1 on the Billboard Rap Singles chart. Sex Packets was released to positive reviews and eventually achieved platinum sales.[9] Newsday noted that "as the romantic—and in the end, middlebrow—self-consciousness of the artist seeps into hip-hop, Digital Underground turns it on its head, shuffling the goofy indistinguishably with the avant-garde."[10] The album was re-issued on February 8, 2005, by Rhino Entertainment.
In 1998, the album was selected as one of The Source's "100 Best Rap Albums".[11] It is included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.[12] The album is broken down track-by-track by Digital Underground in Brian Coleman's book Check the Technique.[13]
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Humpty Dance" | 6:30 |
| 2. | "The Way We Swing" | 6:48 |
| 3. | "Rhymin' on the Funk" | 6:16 |
| 4. | "The New Jazz (One)" | 0:37 |
| 5. | "Underwater Rimes (Remix)" | 4:23 |
| 6. | "Gutfest '89 (Edit)" | 5:50 |
| 7. | "The Danger Zone" | 5:31 |
| 8. | "Freaks of the Industry" | 5:38 |
| 9. | "Doowutchyalike" | 8:51 |
| 10. | "Packet Prelude" | 0:57 |
| 11. | "Sex Packets" | 7:21 |
| 12. | "Street Scene" | 0:33 |
| 13. | "Packet Man" | 4:41 |
| 14. | "Packet Reprise" | 1:23 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Humpty Dance" | 6:00 |
| 2. | "The Way We Swing" | 6:48 |
| 3. | "Packet Prelude" | 0:57 |
| 4. | "Sex Packets" | 7:21 |
| 5. | "Street Scene" | 0:33 |
| 6. | "Packet Man" | 4:41 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Freaks Of The Industry" | 5:38 |
| 2. | "Underwater Rimes (Remix)" | 4:23 |
| 3. | "The New Jazz (One)" | 0:37 |
| 4. | "Rhymin' On The Funk" | 6:16 |
| 5. | "The Danger Zone" | 5:31 |
| 6. | "Packet Reprise" | 1:30 |
| 7. | "Doowutchyalike (Edit)" | 4:12 |
The cassette version of the album has 3 extra tracks, plus an extended version of "Gutfest '89"
| No. | Title | Details | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Humpty Dance" | 6:30 | |
| 2. | "The Way We Swing" | 6:48 | |
| 3. | "Hip Hop Doll" | Cassette-only track | 5:30 |
| 4. | "Underwater Rimes (Remix)" | 4:23 | |
| 5. | "Rhymin' on the Funk" | 6:16 | |
| 6. | "The New Jazz (One)" | 0:37 | |
| 7. | "The Danger Zone" | 5:31 | |
| 8. | "Doowutchyalike" | 8:51 |
| No. | Title | Details | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9. | "Freaks of the Industry" | 5:38 | |
| 10. | "Gutfest '89 (Full)" | Cassette-only version | 8:17 |
| 11. | "Sound of the Underground" | Cassette-only track | 5:06 |
| 12. | "A Tribute to the Early Days" | Cassette-only track | 3:06 |
| 13. | "Packet Prelude" | 0:57 | |
| 14. | "Sex Packets" | 7:21 | |
| 15. | "Street Scene" | 0:33 | |
| 16. | "Packet Man" | 4:41 | |
| 17. | "Packet Reprise" | 1:30 |
Weekly charts
|
Year-end charts
|
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA)[19] | Platinum | 1,000,000^ |
|
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
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