The Los Angeles Times thought that "even the strongest songs are more well-crafted than inspirational, and the cleverest verbal forays are undercut by the musical retrenchment."[11]Trouser Press wrote that "the music on The Real Rock is more sophisticated in terms of technology and styling, but the songs are hit-and-miss."[13]The Washington Post declared that "the album's highlight ... is an inspired remake of Sly Stone's 'Family Affair', which mixes slap bass, scratching, soul singing and speed-rapping into an imaginative defense of black music, black neighborhoods and the black family."[5] The Philadelphia Daily News called Shinehead "the most captivating and versatile of the reggae-rap artists."[14]
AllMusic called the album "one of the best rap releases of 1990," writing that "the East Coast resident wisely avoids being predicable."[8]
