A carbon black reinforced rubber composition which contains hydrophilic sorbitan monostearate and specialized tackifying resin and a pneumatic rubber tire having a visually observable rubber component, such as for example a rubber sidewall, of said rubber composition. The surface of said rubber composition, namely the tire sidewall rubber component, in its uncured state contains said hydrophilic sorbitan monostearate on its surface together with said specialized tackifying resin to promote enhanced building tack and thereby counteract building tack loss by the sorbitan monostearate having been exposed to moisture (moisture exposed surface) during the processing of the rubber composition, particularly after its high shear processing such as, for example, extrusion.