Quality is the first studio album by American rapper Talib Kweli. The album was released on November 19, 2002, by Rawkus Records. It received wide critical acclaim and had some commercial appeal from the song "Get By", produced by Kanye West. Kludge magazine included it on their list of best albums of 2002.
At the Speed of Life is the debut studio album by American rapper Xzibit. It was released on October 15, 1996, through Loud/RCA Records. The recording sessions took place at Tha Concentration Camp and The Compound in Los Angeles and Ameraycan Studios in North Hollywood. The album was produced by Craig Sherrad, E-Swift, Thayod Ausar, Diamond D, DJ Muggs, DJ Pen One, and Saafir. It features guest appearances from Hurricane G, J-Ro, King T, Ras Kass, Saafir, Tash and Ron Hightower.
Smif-N-Wessun, also known as Cocoa Brovaz and Tek-N-Steele, is an American hip hop duo from Brooklyn, New York City. It is composed of rappers Tekomin "Tek" Williams from Bedford–Stuyvesant and Darrell "Steele" Yates from Brownsville. The duo comprise one quarter of supergroup Boot Camp Clik, together with Buckshot, Heltah Skeltah and Originoo Gunn Clappaz. Both members are known for their Jamaican Patois during their raps, which was more evident during the earlier stages of their career.
Dah Shinin' is the debut studio album by American East Coast hip hop duo Smif-N-Wessun. It was released on January 10, 1995, via Wreck/Nervous Records. Recording sessions took place at D&D Studios in New York City. Production was handled by Da Beatminerz. It features a guest appearance from the Boot Camp Clik. The album peaked at number 59 on the Billboard 200. The production is the signature Beatminerz sound which is elevated from their work on Black Moon’s 1993 effort ‘Enta da Stage’. The album spawned 4 singles: Bucktown/Let’s Git It On, Wrekonize/Sound Bwoy Burriel, Wrekonize (Remix)/Sound Bwoy Burriel (edit) and Wontime. A track known as ‘Nothin’ Move but The Money’ was left of the release of the album due to sample clearance issues and was released on white label as a result.
Da Storm is the first studio album by American hip hop trio Originoo Gunn Clappaz. It was released on October 29, 1996, through Duck Down/Priority Records. Recording sessions took place at Chung King Studios, at D&D Studios, at Platinum Island Studios and at Unique Studios in New York, and at WPGC FM in Washington. Production was handled by Da Beatminerz, DJ Ogee, E-Swift, Shaleek and Steele. It features guest appearances from Bad Vybes, M.S., Sadat X, Sean Black and the Representativz. The album peaked at number 47 on the Billboard 200 and number 10 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. Two singles were released from the album: "No Fear" and "Hurricane Starang".
For the People is the debut album by American hip hop supergroup Boot Camp Clik. It was released on May 20, 1997, via Priority Records and re-released as Still For the People on April 24, 2007, via Duck Down Music. The recording sessions took place from September 1996 to March 1997 at D&D Studios and at Chung King Studios in New York. The production was handled by Mark "Boogie" Brown, Buckshot, Shawn J Period, Tony Touch, BJ Swan, Shaleek, EZ Elpee, Squia and Louieville Sluggah. The album peaked at number 15 on the Billboard 200 and number 4 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
The Rude Awakening is the second studio album by American hip hop duo Smif-N-Wessun. It was released on March 31, 1998, via Priority Records under the name Cocoa Brovaz. The duo was forced to drop their original name after they were sued by the Smith & Wesson firearms company. Production was handled by several record producers, including Da Beatminerz, Sean C, Self, Shaleek, Shawn J Period and member Steele.
Basic Training is a greatest hits album by American hip hop collective Boot Camp Clik, composed of singles released by Black Moon, Smif-N-Wessun, Heltah Skeltah and Originoo Gunn Clappaz between 1992 and 1999. It was released on March 14, 2000 via Priority Records. Production was handled by Da Beatminerz, BJ Swan, Black Market, Cuzin Bawb, E-Swift, Mark "Boogie" Brown, Self and Starang Wondah, with Buckshot and Drew "Dru-Ha" Friedman serving as executive producers.
Total Eclipse is the third studio album by American hip hop group Black Moon. It was released on October 7, 2003 through Duck Down Music. Recording sessions took place at the Dewgarde Crib of Hits in New York, at Tha Entaprize, at CDR Studios, and at D.I.R.T. Factory in Norfolk. Production was primarily handled by Da Beatminerz, as well as Dan The Man, Coptic, DJ Static, Kleph Dollaz, MoSS, Nottz, Oshta Hunter and Tone Capone. It features guest appearances from Smif-N-Wessun, Sean Price and Starang Wondah.
Enigma is the second solo studio album by American rapper Keith Murray. It was released on November 26, 1996, via Jive Records. Recording sessions took place at Mirror Image Recordings in Long Island. Production was handled by Erick Sermon, who also served as executive producer, Ty Fyffe, The Ummah and Rod 'KP' Kirkpatrick. It features guest appearances from 50 Grand, Kel-Vicious, Erick Sermon, Busta Rhymes, Dave Hollister, Jamal and Redman. The album peaked at number thirty-nine on the Billboard 200 and number six on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart in the United States. Its lead single "The Rhyme" made it to number 59 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, number 12 on the Hot Rap Songs and number 3 on the Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales charts.
Wild Cowboys is the debut solo studio album by American rapper Sadat X of Brand Nubian. It was released on July 15, 1996, via Loud Records. The recording sessions took place at Chung King Studios, at D&D Studios, at Platinum Island Studios and at Greene St. Recording in New York, and at Chris Biondo Studios in Washington, D.C. It was produced by Sadat, Diamond D, Buckwild, DJ Ogee, Ali Malek, Ant Greene Father Time, Da Beatminerz, Dante Ross, DJ Alamo, Minnesota, Pete Rock, and Showbiz. It features guest appearances from Shawn Black, DV Alias Khrist, Deda, Grand Puba, Kool Chuck, Money Boss Players, Tec, Sha Sha and Regina Hall. The album peaked at number 83 on the Billboard 200 and number 13 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums.
Trey Day is the second studio album by American R&B recording artist Trey Songz. It was released on October 1, 2007, by Atlantic Records. Recording for the album began in mid-2006, with Songz again reteaming with longtime collaborator Troy Taylor. With the singer aiming for the album to be more mainstream-oriented than his debut album I Gotta Make It (2005), he also consulted a wider range of producers to work with him, including Bryan-Michael Cox, Danja, Stargate and R. Kelly.
Brother Arab is the debut studio album by American hip hop recording artist Arabian Prince. It was released on November 28, 1989, through Orpheus Records with distribution via EMI USA, a division of Capitol Records. The recording sessions took place at Trax Recording Studios in Hollywood. The album was produced by Tim "That Guy" Reid II and Kim "Arabian Prince" Nazel. The album spawned three singles: "She's Got a Big Posse", "Situation Critical" and "Gettin' Down"/"Dope Thang". Its lead single, "She's Got a Big Posse", peaked at number 9 on the Hot Rap Songs.
"MC's Act Like They Don't Know" is a hardcore hip hop song written and performed by American rapper KRS-One. It was released on August 28, 1995 via Jive Records as the lead single from his second solo studio album KRS One. Recording sessions took place at D&D Studios in New York. Production was helmed by DJ Premier.
"Tres Delinquentes" is the debut single by American hip hop group Delinquent Habits from their debut studio album Delinquent Habits. It was written by Ivan "Ives Irie" Martin, David "Kemo The Blaxican" Thomas, Alejandro "O.G. Style" Martinez and Solomon "Sol Lake" Lachoff, with production helmed by O.G. Style. It was recorded at PMP Studio in Hollywood, California, and released through RCA Records on April 7, 1996 as a lead single from the album. It samples the jazz song "The Lonely Bull", performed by Herb Alpert. Reaching a peak position of number 35 on the US Billboard Hot 100, the single remained on the chart for a total of twenty weeks. There are English and Spanish versions of the song.
The Beginning of the End... is the debut studio album by American hip hop group UTP. It was released on May 18, 2004, through Rap-A-Lot Records. Recording sessions took place at Stone House in Los Angeles, at Studio Center in Miami, and at UTP Studios in New Orleans. Production was handled by Derek "Grizz" Edwards, Slice Tee, Donald "XL" Robertson, Ad Future, and Juvenile. It features guest appearances from Partners-N-Crime, Ms. Tee and Big Zuse.
"Tha Block Is Hot" is the debut single by American rapper Lil Wayne, and features fellow American rappers B.G. and Juvenile. It was released on October 23, 1999 via Cash Money Records as the lead single from the former's debut solo studio album of the same name (1999). Recording sessions took place at Cash Money Studios in Metairie, Louisiana. Production was handled by Mannie Fresh with executive producers Ronald "Slim" Williams and Birdman.
The Imperial is the only studio album by American hip hop group Flipmode Squad. It was released on September 1, 1998, via Elektra Records. The recording sessions took place at Soundtrack Studios in New York. The album was produced by DJ Scratch, Busta Rhymes, Da Beatminerz, L.E.S., M.D., Rockwilder, Swizz Beatz, and Tony Touch. It features a guest appearance from Buckshot on "We Got U Opin, Pt. 2".
"Gotta Get Mine" is a song performed by American rappers MC Breed and Tupac Shakur. It was released on June 3, 1993, through Wrap Records with distribution via Ichiban Records, as a lead single from MC Breed's second solo studio album The New Breed. Its lyrics were written by Breed, 2Pac and The D.O.C., and the music was composed by Colin Wolfe and Warren G. It was produced by Warren G, Colin Wolfe and MC Breed.
"Unify" is the song written and performed by American hip hop recording artists Kid Capri, Snoop Dogg and Slick Rick. It was recorded at Larrabee Studio in Los Angeles, at Bearsville Studio in Bearsville and at The Hit Factory in New York City, and released in 1998 through Track Masters/Columbia Records as the only single from Kid Capri's sophomore studio album Soundtrack to the Streets. It was produced by Kid Capri himself, and contains a sample from "One Mint Julep" written by Rudy Toombs. Its remix version was produced by Poke & Tone, and contains portions of "Good Times" written by Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers.
