Tresvant sang lead on many of the New Edition lead singles including "Candy Girl", "Cool It Now" and "If It Isn't Love". Tresvant led the group from 1983 to 1989.
Despite the success of groupmates Bobby Brown, Bell Biv DeVoe, and Johnny Gill, Tresvant was cautious about his own solo career. Signing to MCA Records, Tresvant let his apprehension be known in several interviews.
Nevertheless, well-known producers Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis were confident in his abilities after having worked with him on the album Heart Break. They wrote the song "Sensitivity" for him which hit #1 on the R&B charts, #4 on the Hot 100 and it went gold. His self-titled album released shortly after in 1990 and went platinum as well, topping the R&B charts. The album scored two more hits with "Stone Cold Gentleman" reaching #3 on the R&B charts and "Do What I Gotta Do" which reached #2.
Tresvant appeared in the movie House Party 2 in 1991 and the play, "The Man Of Her Dreams" in 2002. In 1993, he released his second album, It's Goin' Down. The album gave Tresvant greater involvement as he produced many of the tracks himself. However, perhaps due to limited promotion, the album failed to perform commercially as well as the debut.
On September 18, 2004, he married Amber Serrano.
Ralph's third solo album, Rizz Wa Faire, was released March 7, 2006. The first single from the album was "My Homegirl".
Who's The Mack
Ralph Tresvant Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
{Who's the mack}
{Straight up}
Who's the mack now
Straight mackin'
{Straight up}
Come on
(Who's the mack) (Who's the mack)
(Who's the mack)
(Who's the mack) Oh... (Who's the mack)
(Who's the mack)Yeah, straight up and down, you know what I'm about (Who's the mack)
(Who's the mack) Cold mackin'
(Who's the mack) Yeah (Who's the mack)
(Who's the mack) Ooh
(Who's the mack) Who's the mack, baby
(Yeah, baby, tell me, baby) Who, you're damn right (Who's the mack)
(Who's the mack) You know what I'm about
(Who's the mack) Let me blast for you (Ho)
Spring, summer, winter, fall
Who do you call
When you need a man to hold you, squeeze you
Do it all, (Come on, ooh), and baby
(Who's the mack) Anytime you want it, baby
(Who's the mack) Anytime you need it
(Who's the mack) When you got to have it, baby
((Who's the mack) Ho
What I wouldn't do
Baby, but what I'd do
In your land of milk and honey
So sweet, open up and let me in
(Who's the mack) Who's the mack (Who's the mack)
(Who's the mack) Hey...hey...hey...
(Who's the mack) (Who's the mack)
(Who's the mack) Straight up, baby
(Who's the mack) (Who's the mack) Who's all that
(Who's the mack) (Who's the mack) R-I-Z-Z-Y, the mack
(Who's the mack) (Who's the mack)
(Who's the mack) Who's the mack, baby
(Who's the mack now, baby) (Who's the mack) Now let me tell some'in', baby (Oh)
Go deep inside your love
I feel it runnin'
I'll keep it comin' (Didn't I turn you on)
I'll keep it comin' (Didn't I turn you on), who, tell me
(Who's the mack) Who's the mack, baby, anytime you want it, baby
(Who's the mack) Anytime you need it, girl
(Who's the mack) You got to have it, baby
(Who's the mack) Ho
What I wouldn't do
Baby, but what I'd do
In your land of milk and honey
It's so sweet (Open up and let me in)
(Who's the mack) Anytime you want me, baby
(Who's the mack) Don't you gotta have it (Oh, yeah)
(Who's the mack) Anything you need
(Who's the mack) Oh
When I do what I do
Make your fantasies come true
Marinate, saturate
Let me put you on my plate, baby
(Who's the mack) Now, baby (Who's the mack) stone cold mack
(Who's the mack) (Who's the mack) That's me, damn right, yeah
(Who's the mack) (Who's the mack) R-I-Z-Z-Y
(Who's the mack) (Who's the mack) Tell me
(Who's the mack) (Who's the mack)
Who's the mack now, baby (Who's the mack)
Who's the mack, oh
Close the door
Let me in demonstrate
I won't make no mistakes
‘Cause I'm the king of stimu-sexualte
(Who's the mack) Anytime you want it, baby
(Who's the mack) Anytime you need it, baby, woo
(Who's the mack) Don't you got to have it, baby
(Who's the mack) Oh
What I wouldn't do
Baby, but what I'd do
Up and down, and ‘round and ‘round, ah
Close your eyes, baby
I'm about to take you there
To Loveland (Oh)
Spring, summer, winter, fall
Who do you call (Now tell me, baby)
(Who's the mack) When you want it
(Who's the mack) When you need it
(Who's the mack) Gotta have it
(Who's the mack) (Who's the mack) Stone cold mack
(Who's the mack) (Who's the mack) Tell me, I've been mackin' now, baby
(Who's the mack) Who's the mack, baby (Who's the mack), come on, oh...oh...
(Now baby, oh) (Who's the mack) (Who's the mack), can Rizzo mack
(Who's the mack) (Who's the mack) Stone to the bone
(Who's the mack) (Who's the mack) Oh...oh...hey...yeah...ah....
(Who's the mack) (Who's the mack) Who's the, damn right
R-I-Z-Z-Y is bad mother
In Ralph Tresvant's song "Who's the Mack," the singer boasts about his prowess with the ladies and declares himself the ultimate "mack." He asks who the best is, and answers unequivocally that it's him. He offers to be there for his lover anytime she needs him and promises to fulfill her desires. He refers to himself as "stone cold mack" and "king of stimu-sexualte," indicating his confidence and swagger.
The lyrics suggest that the song is about sexual prowess and the desire to impress women. Tresvant's smooth vocals and the funky beat of the track only add to this feeling. It's clear that the message of the song is that Ralph Tresvant is confident in his abilities as a lover and seeks to impress with his seductive prowess.
Line by Line Meaning
Who's the mack
Who is the ultimate player in the game of love and romance
Straight up
Absolutely, without a doubt
Who's the mack now
Who is the current king of seduction
Straight mackin'
Engaging in effortless and skillful flirting
Come on
Encouraging the listener to join in the fun
Can I try to tell you, baby
Can I attempt to explain to you who truly holds the crown of smooth talk
(Who's the mack)
Continuing to question and contemplate who the true mack is
Oh...
Expressing intrigue and excitement at the thought of discovering who the mack really is
Yeah, straight up and down, you know what I'm about (Who's the mack)
Asserting one's confidence in their seduction skills and reminding others that they know what they are capable of
Cold mackin'
Cool and collected smooth talk, often resulting in success with the opposite sex
Let me blast for you
Allowing oneself the opportunity to show off their flirting abilities
Spring, summer, winter, fall
Who do you call
When you need a man to hold you, squeeze you
Do it all, (Come on, ooh), and baby
Highlighting the importance of having a reliable partner for all seasons, someone who can provide physical and emotional support whenever needed
Anytime you want it, baby
Anytime you need it
When you got to have it, baby
(Ho
Promising to be available for intimate moments with one's partner whenever they desire it
What I wouldn't do
Baby, but what I'd do
In your land of milk and honey
So sweet, open up and let me in
Expressing a willingness to do anything for the one they desire, and encouraging them to share their heart and body
Who's all that
R-I-Z-Z-Y, the mack
Introducing oneself as the best of the best, with a clever play on words using one's name
Go deep inside your love
I feel it runnin'
I'll keep it comin' (Didn't I turn you on)
I'll keep it comin' (Didn't I turn you on), who, tell me
Suggesting that one will provide intense pleasure and satisfaction for their partner, and requesting confirmation of their success
Anything you need
Stating that one will be able to provide for their partner in every way possible
When I do what I do
Make your fantasies come true
Marinate, saturate
Let me put you on my plate, baby
Promising to fulfill one's deepest desires and seduce them expertly, using sensual language and imagery
Close the door
Let me in demonstrate
I won't make no mistakes
‘Cause I'm the king of stimu-sexualte
Asking for a private moment to reveal one's seductive prowess, and claiming to be the master of stimulating desire
Up and down, and ‘round and ‘round, ah
Close your eyes, baby
I'm about to take you there
To Loveland (Oh)
Insinuating that one will provide a thrilling and pleasurable experience, and invoking the idea of a romantic getaway
When you want it
When you need it
Gotta have it
Repeating earlier claims of being available for intimacy whenever the partner desires it
Stone to the bone
Describing oneself as being so skilled and confident in seduction that they are practically invincible
Tell me, I've been mackin' now, baby
Asking for acknowledgement of one's seductive exploits and confirming that they are indeed the mack
Who's the mack now, baby
Reasserting dominance and questioning if anyone can step up to the challenge of taking the title of mack away
Come on, oh...oh...
Encouraging the listener to continue engaging and enjoying the seductive journey
Can Rizzo mack
Playfully touting one's skills and wondering if anyone else can truly compete
Who's the, damn right
Reaffirming one's self-assuredness and claiming the title of mack with pride
R-I-Z-Z-Y is bad mother
Ending the song with a clever play on words, suggesting that one is skilled and confident in seduction, and leaving the listener with a memorable final phrase.
Contributed by Brayden J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.