
1st Born Second
Bilal
- 2 x LP
- Label
- Music On Vinyl
1st Born Second is the debut album by the American singer-songwriter Bilal, originally released on July 27, 2001, by Interscope Records.
Bilal recorded the album at Electric Lady Studios in New York with a host of record producers, including Aaron Comess, Dr. Dre, Mike City, Megahertz, Raphael Saadiq, and J Dilla.
Reviewing for PopMatters, Neal hailed the album as "one of the most significant debuts in black pop during the past 25 years". Vibe's Tamika Andeson called it "one of the best R&B albums of the year".
According to AllMusic's Andy Kellman, "at that point, the closest points of comparison were D'Angelo and Maxwell, yet Bilal was more dynamic than the former and less mannered than the latter. 1st Born Second carried an energy that neither one of those singers, as hot as they were at the time, could boast."