Open Sesame (Whodini album)

Open Sesame is the fourth studio album by American hip hop group Whodini. It was released on August 27, 1987[3] via Jive Records. Audio production was handled almost entirely by Larry Smith, except for two tracks both produced by Sinister and Whodini. The record peaked at #30 on the Billboard 200,[4] at #8 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums,[5] and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America on January 20, 1988.[6]

Open Sesame
Studio album by Whodini
Released	August 27, 1987[1]
Studio	Battery Studios (London, UK) Greene Street Recording Studio (New York)
Genre	Hip hop, rap rock
Length	53:32
Label	Jive Records
Producer	Larry Smith Whodini Sinister
Whodini chronology
Back In Black (1986) Open Sesame (1987) Bag-A-Trix (1991)
Singles from Open Sesame
"Be Yourself" Released: 1987

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[2]

The album spawned the single "Be Yourself" featuring Millie Jackson, which peaked at #20 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.[7]

Track listing

No.	Title	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Rock You Again (Again and Again)"	Larry Smith	5:29
2.	"Be Yourself" (featuring Millie Jackson)	Whodini Sinister	3:25
3.	"Cash Money"	Larry Smith	5:08
4.	"Hooked on You"	Larry Smith	5:34
5.	"Early Mother's Day Card"	Larry Smith	4:00
6.	"Now That Whodini's Inside the Joint"	Larry Smith	5:09
7.	"Life is Like a Dance"	Larry Smith	4:01
8.	"You Brought it on Yourself"	Larry Smith	3:57
9.	"I'm Def (Jump Back and Kiss Myself)"	Whodini Sinister	5:24
10.	"Remember Where You Came From"	Larry Smith	3:44
11.	"For the Body"	Larry Smith	2:32
12.	"You Take My Breath Away"	Larry Smith	5:09
Total length:			53:32

Samples[8]

• Track 1 contains elements from "Long Red" by Mountain (1972)
• Track 2 contains elements from "Impeach the President" by The Honey Drippers (1973), "The Payback" by James Brown (1973), "Get Up, Get Into It, Get Involved" by James Brown (1970), "Say What?" by Trouble Funk (1983)
• Track 7 contains elements from "Dance to the Drummer's Beat" by Herman Kelly & Life (1978)

Personnel

• Jalil Hutchins - performer, producer (tracks: 2, 9)
• John "Ecstacy" Fletcher - performer, producer (tracks: 2, 9)
• Mildred Jackson - performer (track 2)
• Lawrence Michael Smith - producer (tracks: 1, 3-8, 10-12)
• Sinister - producer (tracks: 2, 9)
• Roy Cormier - co-producer (tracks: 2, 9)
• Bryan "Chuck" New - mixing (tracks: 1, 3-8, 10-12)
• Rod Hui - mixing (tracks: 2, 9)
• Douglas Rowell - photography
• Maude Gilman - art direction

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[9]	Gold	500,000^^
^^shipments figures based on certification alone

References

1. https://www.albumoftheyear.org/album/102287-whodini-open-sesame.php
2. "Open Sesame - Whodini". AllMusic. 2017-10-24.
3. https://www.albumoftheyear.org/album/102287-whodini-open-sesame.php
4. "Whodini Open Sesame Chart History". Billboard 200. Retrieved 2017-10-24.
5. "Whodini Open Sesame Chart History". Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. Retrieved 2017-10-24.
6. "WHODINI - Open Sesame - RIAA". RIAA. Retrieved 2017-10-24.
7. "Whodini Be Yourself Chart History". Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. Retrieved 2017-10-24.
8. "Open Sesame by Whodini: Album Samples, Covers and Remixes". WhoSampled. Retrieved 2017-10-24.
9. "American album certifications – Whodini – Open Sesame". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH. 

External links

"Whodini - Open Sesame". at Discogs.