Mario (album)
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Mario is the eponymous debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Mario. It was released on March 19, 2002, by J Records. At the time of the release, Barrett was only 15 years old. Mario was supported by three singles: "Just a Friend 2002", "Braid My Hair" and "C'Mon".
The album debuted at number 9 on the US Billboard 200, selling 96,000 copies in the first week. The album became a certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), for selling 596,000 copies in the United States.[1] In 2006, the Japanese edition to this album, it included the "Old School" version for his single, "Just a Friend 2002".
Critical response
| 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
In 2002, during Bow Wow's tour, Mario toured as one of the opening act, alongside R.O.C. and Denim. In 2003, he also been touring alongside Nick Cannon, AJA, Jhené, Marques Houston and B2K, as one of the supporting acts for the 2003's Scream Tour III.[5]
Singles
The debut single, "Just a Friend 2002" (which is a cover of Biz Markie's hit "Just a Friend"), was released on May 4, 2002. The song was produced by Warryn "Baby Dubb" Campbell. The song outperformed to the original song on the US Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 4, while the song reached at number 2 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, becoming the second most successful single in the United States. In the United Kingdom, the song reached at number 18.
Braid My Hair was released as the album's second single on September 7, 2002. The song was produced by Campbell and Sean "P. Diddy" Combs. In comparison with the debut single it was a disappointment, when it reached only at number 74 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and peaked at number 18 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.
The album's third and final single, "C'Mon" was released on January 9, 2003. The song was produced by Campbell. The song peaked at number 61 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs]] and at number 21 in the United Kingdom.
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Just a Friend 2002" | Mario Barrett, Warryn "Baby Dubb" Campbell, Harold Lilly, John "Jubu" Smith, Marcel Hall | Campbell | 3:36 |
| 2. | "C'Mon" | Barrett, Campbell, Luther Campbell, David Hobbs, Chris Wong Won, Mark Ross, Sean "P. Diddy" Combs | W. Campbell | 3:24 |
| 3. | "Braid My Hair" | Barrett, W. Campbell, Lilly | W. Campbell | 4:07 |
| 4. | "2 Train" | Barrett, Kerry Brothers, Jr., Paul "L" Green, Alicia Augello Cook | Alicia Keys | 4:03 |
| 5. | "What Your Name Is" | Barrett, Damon Thomas, Harvey Mason, Jr. | The Underdogs | 5:57 |
| 6. | "Holla Back" | Barrett, Thomas, Mason, Jr., Mischke Butler, Steve Russell | The Underdogs | 3:38 |
| 7. | "Could U Be" | Barrett, Butler, Russell, Thomas, Mason, Jr. | The Underdogs | 4:07 |
| 8. | "Put Me On" | Barrett, Brother, Jr., Bertram Reid, Woody Cunningham, Norman Durham, Ronald Miller, Cook | Brother, Jr. | 3:39 |
| 9. | "Chick Wit da Braids" | Barrett, Gérald Isaac | Isaac | 3:50 |
| 10. | "Never" | Barrett, Isaac | Isaac | 3:59 |
| 11. | "Girl in the Picture" | Barrett, Anthony Akiens, Kevin "KL" Lewis, Daniel Mickens, Amir Salaam | Salaam, KL | 4:35 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12. | "Just a Friend 2002 (Old School version)" | Barrett |
- Sample credits
- "Put Me On" contains a sample of "I'll Do Anything for You" performed by Denroy Morgan.
Personal and credits
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Charts and certifications
Weekly charts
Certifications
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Year-end charts
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Release history
| Region | Date | Label |
|---|---|---|
| United States | July 23, 2002 | J |
| Japan | July 28, 2006 | BMG Japan |
References
- ^ "Hot Product".
- ^ a b LeRoy, Dan. "Mario - Mario". AllMusic.
- ^ Robert Christgau Consumer Guide
- ^ USA Today review
- ^ Shaheem Reid (14 October 2002). "Mario Tour with Bow Wow".
- ^ "Mario Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
- ^ "Mario Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
- ^ "American album certifications – Mario – Mario". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved September 22, 2014.
- ^ "Year-End Charts: Billboard 200 Albums - 2002". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
- ^ "Year-End Charts: R&B/Hip-Hop Albums - 2002". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved May 7, 2015.