by Alex Henderson
In the late 1980s and early '90s, New Yorkers ranging from Boogie Down Productions to Heavy D were combining rap with dancehall reggae. Another key player in this rap/reggae experimentation was Shinehead, who keeps things very positive and uplifting on his sophomore effort The Real Rock. However, much of the CD isn't reggae-influenced, and the East Coast resident wisely avoids being predicable. Ranging from such fun, lighthearted material as &World of the Video Game& and &Musical Madness& to the more serious messages of &Family Affair& (which draws on the Sly Stone classic and stresses the importance of a cohesive family unit), the anti-smoking tune &Cigarette Breath& and the spiritual title song, The Real Rock was one of the best rap releases of 1990. It's unfortunate that Shinehead's popularity was so short-lived.