4 Tha Hard Way | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | October 21, 1997 | |||
Genre | West Coast hip hop, gangsta rap, G-funk | |||
Label | Noo Trybe | |||
Producer | Al Eaton, Alonzo Jackson, Ant Banks, C-Funk, Daniel LeMelle, G-Man Stan, K Lou, Les G, Mike City, Premiere Music, Rick James, Studio Ton | |||
Rappin' 4-Tay chronology | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Source | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
4 Tha Hard Way is the fourth album by the West Coast hip hop artist Rappin' 4-Tay, released by Noo Trybe Records in 1997. [3] The album features production from Bay Area producer Ant Banks, [2] as well as guest appearances from the likes of Tupac Shakur, Rick James, E-40 and Master P. The entire album is dedicated to the memory of Tupac Shakur.[ citation needed ] The album debuted on the Billboard 200 chart at number 169, [4] with 7,000 copies sold in the first week. At the time of the release, Rappin' 4-Tay considered 4 Tha Hard Way his best album and was surprised by its low sales, with his manager blaming the label for changing the release date and not doing any promotion. [3]
Alex Henderson of AllMusic noted the album's "positive and congenial tone" and tendency towards "melodic, R&B-flavored tracks", concluding that it was "decent, but not remarkable". [1] Miguel Burke of The Source thought that the best moments on the albums are the songs performed solo by Rappin' 4-Tay, where he "stray[s] away from the redundant topic of being a player", but criticized the album for its lack of a hit song, resulting in an album that fails to reach the level of the classic West Coast hip hop albums. [2]
No. | Title | Length |
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1. | "Playaz Dedication" | 4:49 |
2. | "One Nite" | 4:03 |
3. | "Beats for Sale" (skit) | 0:44 |
4. | "What's Wrong Wit' the Game" (featuring E-40) | 4:15 |
5. | "Money Makes the Man" (featuring J. Mess & Sauce) | 3:53 |
6. | "Where You Playin' At" | 4:31 |
7. | "Cold Blooded" (featuring Rick James) | 4:10 |
8. | "Just Came Up" (skit) | 0:17 |
9. | "Back At Cha" | 3:57 |
10. | "Playa 4 Life" (featuring Master P) | 4:14 |
11. | "What Fo'" | 5:25 |
12. | "Ain't Nobody Coachin'" (featuring Frankie J) | 3:46 |
13. | "Brin' the Beat Back" (featuring Lil' Fly) | 3:31 |
14. | "Lay Ya Gunz Down" | 4:54 |
15. | "The Biggie (skit)" | 0:27 |
16. | "The Biggie" (featuring Screwface) | 4:06 |
17. | "Shake It" (featuring The Conscious Daughters) | 4:26 |
18. | "The Element Of Surprise" (featuring San Quinn & Messy Marv) | 4:21 |
19. | "Thinkin' About You" (featuring Carl "C.D." Douglas) | 4:06 |
20. | "4-Tha Hard Way" | 3:33 |
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