Bobby Brown was in the stratosphere of popularity in 1988. His second studio album, Don't Be Cruel not only solidified him as a solo artist, but catapulted him to mainstream success with three number one hits, My Prerogative, Don't Be Cruel, and Every Little Step. There's also the honorable mention of Roni, which peaked at number two, held back from the number one spot by Karyn White's Superwoman, and Rock Wit'cha, which peaked at number three.
This was followed by an onscreen appearance in the Ghostbusters II film, as well as several contributions to the soundtrack. The song, On Our Own, would also become a number one hit on the Billboard R&B Charts.
For a young kid like me, at the time, Bobby Brown was the new hot act. A fresh face among the crowd of other artists of the time. All the while, never dawning on me until my older years his history with New Edition, and surprising me all the more to find he had an album prior to Don't Be Cruel.
1986's King Of Stage hit my radar several years ago, and I considered multiple times picking it up, but never did. In fact, I never even added it to my Discogs want list. Instead, I just tucked it in the back of my mind, periodically looking at the various listings on ebay, but ultimately moving on.
About a week ago, my girl and I picked up the biopic, Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody, and while watching it, I once again found myself looking at his solo debut on ebay. I had recalled in previous searches that while it wasn't an expensive album, it was a bit more than I wanted to pay. So, when I found one for around ten bucks, I went ahead and grabbed it.
As I dug into the history of it all, I was surprised to see that Brown actually had a number one hit from this album as well. That track being, Girlfriend. As a ballad, I felt it was not only a terrible way to start the album off as the opening track, but in general didn't find it to be all that good. Admittedly, I was worried that I had once again bought a dud.
Things do pick up relatively quickly, and songs such as Girl Next Door, Love Obsession, and the title track, King Of Stage, all shine through. This is the Bobby Brown I want to hear. A bit of pop, funk, and R&B, all encased in a solid beat that gets your head bobbing, and your toes tapping.
When the track Seventeen fired up, a good one by the way, I swear I've heard it before, but I couldn't tell you when. It's very familiar in the back of my mind, but I can't pinpoint why. Regardless, I'm glad to have it among the bunch.
King Of Stage is definitely not the opus that was Don't Be Cruel, but it's a solid standalone. I think what benefits this album, specifically to me, is the time and history with Brown. I don't see this as the type of album I'd pick up without knowing who he was, and having heard the massive hits he would later produce. In a way, it was also fun to hear something "new" from him. I think that's part of the appeal to picking up music from artists you know, but have never heard. It's like visiting an old friend, picking up where you left off, but also experiencing something different.
Beyond that, there's not much more to say. If you're reading this, I'm sure you know already who Bobby Brown is, about the turmoil that was his marriage to Whitney Houston, the drug addiction, his time with New Edition, and so forth. Basically, what I'm saying is that there's not much more I think I could add that you don't already know.
I know there are complaints from Whitney fans about the biopic released in 2022, specifically for skirting around certain subjects, and the overall accuracy of some of the events. However, I would still recommend checking it out if your a fan of her or Bobby. I'd also offer that picking apart biopics for accuracy would be futile in general. I don't think any of them are necessarily true facts. Rather, I like to call them the history of an artist or band, as they wish it happened, but not necessarily how it did.
Speaking of such, who's excited about the April 24, 2026 release of Michael? That movie is going to shatter box office records, and I can already see all the awards coming to the cast and crew. Not to mention the impact it's going to have on Michael's album sales. It's all going to be massive, like Thriller all over again.
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