How Big Was Ready or Not by After 7?

[Toe Jay Simpson]

That was an era where something could be absolutely massive in the black community but have almost zero crossover. Huge song, sold them a good amount of records but only among us. They couldnt follow it up though. Can’t Stop was ok but that’s an instant classic

 

[DANJ!]

Huge R&B hit. It was pretty popular mainstream-wise as well... it being #7 on the Hot 100 in 1990 was a level a lot of R&B records didn't get to back then. At the time, the Babyface/LA sound seemed to score more crossover hits- their names on a track alone gave it a bigger mainstream shot than most- this is right after they did all those big Bobby Brown singles so they were made. "Raedy Or Not" and "Can't Stop" were probably After 7's biggest mainstream/pop hits.

 

[Big Boss]

classic

 

[Dem313wayz]

This song is classic

 

[Moesha’s Overbearing Dad]

Song was fire to me as a preteen going thru that puppy love phase but as a grown man that first verse was Simpin State University… lol i played it to my girl on date night and we laughed at the lyrical breakdown I gave her

Its a Karaoke classic level or two below Can We Talk which is damn near an anthem at this point

 

[-DMP-]

Ngl ove heard this song randomly so many times and never knew the name of the group. Classic cut tho.

 

[bourgeoisie tall freak]

Never seen what these guys looked like. That's a cute video with the dancers lol

 

[Jigganaut]

Was going to go to city winery to see them christmas week . I remember hearing ready or not on the tom Joyner morning show growing up all the time. A black famous group i would imagine.

 

[lurker emeritus]

this worse than that no singin n!gga from after 7

when he violated that lamp in the ready or not video

face the goat...but that video may have needed a better director

 

[DaMos Supreme]

Y’all mentioned the connection to Babyface but fail to mention that two of the members from the trio are his brothers….R.I.P. Melvin

 

[DaMos Supreme]

Heard this one a lot back in the day along with the other songs posted as well

 

[Tommy Gibbs]

it was on the 2 biggest radio stations in our area every hour when it dropped. Kiss 102 and Hot 104.

 

[theflyest]

That was an era where something could be absolutely massive in the black community but have almost zero crossover. Huge song, sold them a good amount of records but only among us. They couldnt follow it up though. Can’t Stop was ok but that’s an instant classic

I came in to say the exact same thing.

It was huge within the black community. I always find these threads kind of weird, because I view this question as basically “did white people like it?”

This is a pure black song. I couldn’t imagine white people liking it.

 

[jadillac]

Heard this one a lot back in the day along with the other songs posted as well

This was such a dope album cut

 

[NormanConnors]

Song was everywhere at the time for the R&B fanbase. Stayed getting play on the radio in Detroit.