The Black Tie Affair is the second studio album

Studio album

A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...

 by Canadian rapper

Rapping

Rapping refers to "spoken or chanted rhyming lyrics". The art form can be broken down into different components, as in the book How to Rap where it is separated into “content”, “flow” , and “delivery”...

 Maestro Fresh-Wes

Maestro (rapper)

Wesley Williams , better known as Maestro and formerly Maestro Fresh-Wes, is a Canadian rapper, record producer, and actor. His pioneering status and outstanding achievements have led to him being referred to as the "Godfather of Canadian hip hop".In 1989 he became the first Canadian rapper to have...

, released in 1991 on Attic

Attic Records (Canada)

Attic Records was a Canadian independent record label, founded in 1974 by Alexander Mair and Tom Williams. The label was known for developing Canadian talent, including Anvil, Lee Aaron, Maestro Fresh Wes, The Nylons, Teenage Head, and Triumph...

/LMR Records

LeFrak-Moelis Records

LeFrak-Moelis Records was a New York City-based record label founded by The LeFrak Organization and music industry veteran Herb Moelis...

. Singles from the album include "Nothin' at All" and "Conductin' Thangs", which was nominated for Rap Recording of the Year

Juno Award for Rap Recording of the Year

The Juno Award for Rap Recording of the Year has been awarded since 1991, and is awarded for the best rap album in Canada. It was awarded under the title Best Rap Recording from 1993 to 2002....

 at the 1992 Juno Awards

Juno Awards of 1992

The Juno Awards of 1992, representing Canadian music industry achievements of the previous year, were awarded on 29 March 1992 in Toronto at a ceremony in the O'Keefe Centre. Rick Moranis was the host for the ceremonies, which were broadcast on CBC Television from 9 pm Eastern.Nominations were...

. Most of the production was handled by Main Source

Main Source

Main Source was an innovative, acclaimed Toronto and New York-based hip hop group comprising Toronto natives Sir Scratch, K-Cut, and Queens native Large Professor...

's DJ

Disc jockey

A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...

 K-Cut.

Reception

In Canada, the album was certified gold

Canadian Recording Industry Association

Music Canada is a Toronto-based, non-profit trade organization that was founded 9 April 1963 to represent the interests of companies that record, artists, manufacture, production, promotion and distribution of music in Canada...

 with over 50,000 copies sold. RapReviews.com gave it an 8/10 rating, calling Maestro "conscious in the very sense of the word," also stating "the result is an album that reflects both the era's climate and the rapper's personal situation." The song "Nothin' at All" was praised for being "both accusatory and motivational."

Track listing

#	Title	Producer(s)	Featured guest(s)	Length
1.	"Hors d'Oeuvres"	Peter & Anthony Davis, Maestro Fresh-Wes		0:48
2.	"On the Jazz Tip"	K-Cut Main Source Main Source was an innovative, acclaimed Toronto and New York-based hip hop group comprising Toronto natives Sir Scratch, K-Cut, and Queens native Large Professor...		3:44
3.	"Conductin' Thangs"	K-Cut	Christine Hamilton, Dawn Cumberbatch, Simone Denny Simone Denny Simone Denny is a Canadian Pop/Dance/House/Techno vocalist, who was born and raised in Toronto, Ontario.-Personal background:Simone Denny was born in Toronto, Ontario. She is of Guyanese and Surinamese heritage...	4:36
4.	"Watchin' Zeroes Grow"	Peter & Anthony Davis, Maestro Fresh-Wes		5:23
5.	"Private Symphony (Remix)"	Sir Scratch Main Source Main Source was an innovative, acclaimed Toronto and New York-based hip hop group comprising Toronto natives Sir Scratch, K-Cut, and Queens native Large Professor... , K-Cut	Carlos Morgan, Dex Danclair, Steve Easton, Tyrone Gabriel, Washington Savage	5:05
6.	"Poetry Is Black"	K-Cut		4:13
7.	"The Black Tie Affair"	K-Cut		4:30
8.	"V.I.P.'s Only"	K-Cut	K-4CE	3:52
9.	"L.T.D. Makes a Toast"	K-Cut		1:49
10.	"The Maestro Zone"	K-Cut		5:15
11.	"Nothin' at All"	Peter & Anthony Davis, Maestro Fresh-Wes	George Banton	5:01
12.	"Pass the Champagne"	Peter & Anthony Davis, Maestro Fresh-Wes	Farley Flex Farley Flex Farley Flex is a Canadian music promoter, artist manager, and motivational speaker. He is best known for being a judge on the reality television series Canadian Idol.... , K-Skam, Spark, The Special Blend, Thrust Thrust (rapper) Chris France , better known by his stage name Thrust, is a Canadian rapper from Toronto, Ontario. He is most known for his appearance on the Rascalz' 1998 single "Northern Touch" which also features Kardinal Offishall, Choclair, and Checkmate...	4:55
13.	"An After Dinner Mint"	Peter & Anthony Davis, Maestro Fresh-Wes		1:40
14.	"Care for a Night Cap?"	Peter & Anthony Davis, Maestro Fresh-Wes		1:08

Samples

• "Poetry Is Black" – Contains a sample of "Exhibit A" by Boogie Down Productions
  Boogie Down Productions
  Boogie Down Productions was a hip hop group that was originally composed of KRS-One, D-Nice, and DJ Scott La Rock. DJ Scott La Rock was murdered on August 27, 1987, months after the release of BDP's debut album, Criminal Minded. The name of the group, Boogie Down, derives from a nickname for the...
  
  
• "V.I.P.'s Only" – Contains a sample of "Cold Feet" by Albert King
  Albert King
  Albert King was an American blues guitarist and singer, and a major influence in the world of blues guitar playing.-Career:...
  
  
• "Watchin' Zeroes Grow" – Contains a sample of "Flat Backing" by Blue Mitchell
  Blue Mitchell
  Richard Allen Mitchell was an American jazz, rhythm and blues, soul, rock, and funk trumpeter, known for many albums recorded as leader and sideman for Riverside, Blue Note and then Mainstream Records.-Biography:...
  
  
• "The Black Tie Affair" – Contains a sample of "Sunshine Alley" by Stanley Turrentine
  Stanley Turrentine
  Stanley William Turrentine, also known as "Mr. T" or "The Sugar Man", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist.-Biography:Turrentine was born in Pittsburgh's Hill District into a musical family...
  
  

Chart positions

Album

Chart (1991)	Peak position
Canadian RPM RPM (magazine) RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,... Albums Chart	20

Singles

Year	Single	Peak position
		RPM Singles Chart RPM (magazine) RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,...
1991	"Conductin' Thangs"	42

Personnel

• Dawn Cumberbatch – Vocals
• Anthony Davis – Producer
• Peter Davis – Producer
• Chris Gehringer – Mastering
• Maestro Fresh-Wes – Performer
• Carlos Morgan – Vocals
• Anton Pukshansky – Keyboards, Mixing
• Washington Savage – Vocals
• Lascelles Stephens – Vocal Arrangement
• Rob White – Assistant Engineer