Mario (album)

Mario
Studio album by Mario
Released March 19, 2002
Recorded July 2001 – January 2002
Genre R&B
Length 44:53
Label J, Epic
Producer Sean "P. Diddy" Combs, Kelly "Krucial Keys" Brothers, Alicia Keys, Warryn "Baby Dubb" Campbell, The Underdogs, Gerald Issac, Amir Salaam, Kevin "KL" Lewis
Mario chronology

Mario
(2002)		 Turning Point
(2004)
Singles from Mario
  1. "Just a Friend 2002"
    Released: May 4, 2002
  2. "Braid My Hair"
    Released: September 7, 2002
  3. "C'Mon"
    Released: January 9, 2003

Mario is the self-titled debut album by American singer Mario, released on March 19, 2002, when he was 15 years old. It features hits "Just a Friend 2002", "Braid My Hair" and "C'Mon". The album sold over 96,000 copies in the first week and was eventually certified Gold, selling over 596,000 copies.[1] In 2006 a single called "Just a Friend [Old School Version]" was released in Japan.

Critical response

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
AllMusic [2]
Robert Christgau [3]
USA Today [4]

Dan LeRoy from AllMusic states the album "offers doses of the real thing; its combination of Nickelodeon-style charm and authentic substance are reminiscent of nothing so much as a young Michael Jackson, with none of the creepy subtext. While it misses out on the humor of the original, the cover of Biz Markie's "Just a Friend" proves a shrewd update of the unwillingly platonic classic, and serves as a gateway to better originals, including a few slow numbers most teens have neither the chutzpah to try or the chops to handle. "Chick Wit' da Braids" and the swirling, organ-laced "Never" lead that pack, and the second song about cornrows, "Braid My Hair," manages to evoke the downside of being a child star without sounding like an ungrateful punk. Naturally, you have to excuse a certain amount of filler to believe fully in Mario's potential, but most of these 11 tracks offer generous hints of it".[2]

Promotion

Mario toured as an opening act for Bow Wow during his fall tour alongside R.O.C. and Denim in late 2002. He also toured alongside Nick Cannon, AJA, Jhené, Marques Houston and B2K, as a supporting act for the Scream Tour III in 2003.[5]

Singles

The debut single, "Just a Friend 2002", which is a cover of Biz Markie's hit "Just a Friend", was an instant hit. It outperformed the original song on the Billboard Hot 100 chart peaking at number 4, in Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs the song reached number 2, becoming the second most successful single in the U.S. by Mario. In the UK it reached number 18. Braid My Hair was the second single by Mario. In comparison with the debut single it was a disappointment, reaching only 74 on Billboard Hot 100 and 18 at Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. The third and final single "C'mon" peaked 61 at Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and 21 in the UK.

Track listing

No. TitleComposer(s) Length
1. "Just a Friend 2002"  Warryn "Baby Dubb" Campbell, Harold Lilly, John Smith, and Biz Markie 3:36
2. "C'Mon"  Warryn "Baby Dubb" Campbell, Luther Campbell, David Hobbs, Chris Wong Won, Mark Ross 3:24
3. "Braid My Hair"  Warryn "Baby Dubb" Campbell, and Harold Lilly 4:07
4. "2 Train"  Kerry "Krucial Keys" Brothers, Paul "L" Green, and Alicia Keys 4:03
5. "What Your Name Is"  The Underdogs, Damon Thomas, Harvey Mason, Jr., and Mario 5:57
6. "Holla Back"  The Underdogs, Mischke, Steve Russel, Damon thomas, Harvey Mason, Jr. 3:38
7. "Could U Be"  The Underdogs, Mischke, Steve Russell, Damon Thomas, Harvey Mason, Jr. 4:07
8. "Put Me On"  Kerry "Krucial" Brothers, Bertram Reid, W.Cunningham, N. Durham, Ronald Miller, and Alicia Keys 3:39
9. "Chick Wit da Braids"  Gerald Isac 3:50
10. "Never"  Gerald Isac 3:59
11. "Girl in the Picture"  Anthony Akiens, Mario, Kevin "KL" Lewis & Daniel Mickens 4:35
Additional notes

Personal and credits

  • Vocals: Mario
  • Mixing: Manny Marroquin, Tony Maserati, Ben Arondale, Tony Black & Jon Gass
  • Arranger: Mischke
  • Vocals (Background): Mischke, Alicia Keys & Mario
  • Vocal Producer: Mischke
  • Guitar: John Jubu Smith
  • Bass: Neil Stubenhaus
  • Engineer: Layout Jan Fairchild, Dave Russell, Thor Laewe, Jeff Allen & Tony Black
  • Guitar: Xavier Marquez
  • Pro-Tools: Erik Steinert
  • Executive Producer: Troy Patterson, Peter Edge & Clive Davis
  • A&R: Ronald B. Gillyard, Larry Jackson
  • Photography: Michael Lavine
  • Photo Production: Chris LeBeau
  • Cover: Gregory Burke
  • Stylist: June Ambrose
  • Production Coordination: Jolie Levine-Aller
  • Project Coordenation: Sandra Campbell
  • Multi Instruments: Warryn Campbell & Alicia Keys

Charts

Chart (2002) Peak
position
U.S. Billboard 200 9
U.S. Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums 3

Certifications

Region Certification Sales/shipments
United States (RIAA)[6] Gold 500,000^

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone
xunspecified figures based on certification alone

Release history

Region Date Label
United States July 23, 2002 J
Japan July 28, 2006 BMG Japan

References

  1. ↑ "Hot Product".
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 LeRoy, Dan. "Mario - Mario". AllMusic.
  3. ↑ Robert Christgau Consumer Guide
  4. ↑ USA Today review
  5. ↑ Shaheem Reid (14 October 2002). "Mario Tour with Bow Wow".
  6. ↑ "American album certifications – Mario – Mario". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved September 22, 2014. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH

External links