• Sheldon Reynolds – guitars (3, 4, 6, 8, 11, 13, 15, 17), backing vocals (3, 4, 8, 17), drum programming (8)


• Sonny Emory – drums (17)


• Les Pierce – keyboards (2, 3, 15), synthesizers (2, 3, 15), drum programming (2, 3), arrangements (2, 3, 15), additional keyboards (13)


• Robert Brookins – keyboards (4, 13), synthesizers (4, 13), drum programming (4, 13), arrangements (4, 13), synthesizer programming (13)


• Ian Prince – keyboards (6), synthesizers (6), synthesizer programming (6), drum programming (6), arrangements (6)


• Billy Young – keyboards (10, 12, 16), synthesizers (10, 12, 16), synthesizer programming (10, 12), drum programming (10, 12), arrangements (12)


• Morris "Butch" Stewart – horn arrangements (2), keyboards (11), synthesizers (11), synthesizer programming (11), drum programming (11), arrangements (11)


• Maurice White – percussion (1, 6, 8, 10, 11, 15, 17), lead vocals (2–4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 13, 15, 17), backing vocals (3, 4, 8, 10–13, 17), horn arrangements (4), arrangements (8, 10, 12, 17), vocoder (15), kalimba (15)


• Ralph Johnson – percussion


• Frankie Blue – guitars (2, 3, 15), percussion (15)


• Kuk Harrell – percussion (11)


• Verdine White – bass (3, 8, 11)


• Dick Smith – guitars (10, 17)


• Michael McKnight – synthesizer programming (6, 8, 9, 16), keyboards (8), synthesizers (8)


• Bill Meyers – horn arrangements (3, 4, 6, 10, 15, ), keyboards (8, 10, 12), synthesizers (8–10, 12), arrangements (8), acoustic piano (9), synthesizer programming (10)


• Philip Bailey – backing vocals (2–4, 8, 10–13, 17), lead vocals (12)


• The Boys – backing vocals (3)
  Sylvester "Sly Stone" Stewart – lead vocals (4)


• Jeanette Hawes – backing vocals (6, 13, 15)


• Josie James – backing vocals (6, 15)


• Wanda Vaughn – backing vocals (6, 15)


• Andrew Woolfolk – alto saxophone (2–4, 11, 15), tenor saxophone (2–4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 15, 17)


• Gary Bias – tenor saxophone (2–4, 6, 8, 11, 15), alto saxophone (3, 4, 7, 10, 11, 15, 17)


• Reggie C. Young – trombone (2, 3, 6, 8, 10, 11, 15, 17)


• Ray Brown – trumpet (2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 17)


• Billy Savage – synthesizer programming (4)


• Michael "Patches" Stewart – trumpet (2, 8, 10, 11, 17)


• Oscar Brashear – trumpet (3, 4, 6, 15), flugelhorn (6)


• Jerry Hey – trumpet (3, 15)


• MC Hammer – rap (8, 13)

Bobby Colomby – executive producer
Maurice White – producer
Frankie Blue – co-producer (2, 3, 15), recording
Les Pierce – co-producer (2, 3, 15), recording
Robert Brookins – producer (4, 13)
Ian Prince – co-producer (6)
Bill Meyers – producer (9)
Morris "Butch" Stewart – co-producer (11)
John Agnello – recording
Mitch Gibson – recording
Jesse Kanner – recording, assistant engineer
Paul Klingberg – recording
David Luke – recording
Robert Macias – recording
Dave Rideau – recording
Bryan Bunyan – assistant engineer
Bob Loftus – assistant engineer
Ray Pyle – assistant engineer
Rail Rogut – assistant engineer
Billy Savage – assistant engineer
Jeff Welch – assistant engineer
Jon Gass – mixing at Elumba Recording (Los Angeles, California)
Donnell Sullivan – mix assistant
Eddy Schreyer – mastering at Future Disc (Hollywood, California)
Richard Salvato – studio coordinator
Charles Freeman – production assistant
Angela E. Bland – production secretary
David Coleman – art direction
Todd Gray – inside cover photography
Chris Cuffaro – additional photography
Von Thomas – additional photography
Dennis Trantham – additional photography
Louis Wells – wardrobe stylist
Larry Fisher – hair stylist
Tara Posey – make-up
Tom Hulett – management