Cuts for Luck and Scars for Freedom

Last updated
Cuts for Luck and Scars for Freedom
Cuts for Luck.jpg
Studio album by
Mystic
ReleasedJune 19, 2001 (2001-06-19)
Recorded2000–01
Genre
Length1:16:25
Label GoodVibe Recordings
Producer
Mystic chronology
Cuts for Luck and Scars for Freedom
(2001)		Beautiful Resistance
(2014)
Singles from Cuts for Luck and Scars for Freedom
  1. "The Life"
    Released: May 6, 2003
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [1]
Entertainment Weekly A [2]
HipHopDX 4.5/5 [3]
RapReviews8.5/10 [4]
The Village Voice Scissors icon black.svg [5]

Cuts for Luck and Scars for Freedom is the debut studio album by American Oakland-based rapper and singer Mystic. It was released on June 19, 2001 through GoodVibe Recordings. Production was handled by Dotrix 4000, The Angel, CD, Chops, Relative, Spontaneous, Adam, AmpLive, A-Plus, Manifest, Shock G and Walter Taylor.

Contents

The album peaked at number 170 on the Billboard 200, [6] number 46 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums [7] and number 7 on the Heatseekers Albums in the United States. [8] It elicited generally favourable reviews from music critics, who praised the album's lyrics and themes. [9] [10] [11]

Background

Before recording as a solo artist, Mystic toured with Digital Underground. She was then offered a record deal, but the same day she signed the contract, her father overdosed and died. She wrote the song "Fatherless Child" in memory of him. [12]

Writing and recording

Mystic wrote the song "Fatherless Child" about her childhood, growing up without a father. When recording the song in studio, she brought in his ashes and set them on a makeshift altar. She told Vibe in a 2003 interview that the reaction to the song was enormous, with teenagers e-mailing her to tell her about how distant their fathers were and the lengths some went to get their attention, going so far as to attempt suicide. [13]

Critical reception

The album was met with generally favourable reviews upon its release. Cheo Tyehimba of Entertainment Weekly awarded the album an "A" and called the songs "catchy but meaningful". [2] HipHopDX reviewer gave the album 4.5 out of 5, noticing "the biggest complaint of this album will probably stem from the spoken word and slower final tracks". [3] Steve 'Flash' Juon of RapReviews also praised the album, saying "not a single track could be called weak or musically unlistenable". [4] AllMusic's Matt Conaway awarded the album 4 stars out of possible 5 and noted the album's diversity of musical styles, also praising her "socially relevant and personally revealing topic matter". [1] Robert Christgau, in his Consumer Guide column for The Village Voice , highlighted the song "Ghetto Birds" [5] as a "good song on an album that isn't worth your time or money". [14]

Release

The album was initially released by GoodVibe Records on June 19, 2001. [1] the release was problematic, with distribution problems, [13] but the rights to the album were acquired by Dreamworks Records. The label intended to re-release the album with five new songs, but Interscope Records consumed the label and all plans of re-releasing the album were shelved. [15] [16] On August 2, 2011, the album was re-released by Universal Music Group, to celebrate the album's tenth anniversary. [17]

Commercial performance

The album performed poorly in the United States, debuting at number 190, stalling out at number 170 on the Billboard 200 and failing to enter the top 40 of the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, peaking at 46. However, lead single "The Life" proved a minor hit, spending three months on the Bubbling Under Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles chart, where it reached number 9. The album was more successful on some other charts, however. It peaked at number 3 on CMJ New Music Report's Hip-Hop airplay chart, [18] and topped the Billboard's Pacific Heatseekers chart.

Accolades

The album earned Mystic several accolades and award nominations. In 2001, Kludge magazine ranked it at number seven on their list of best albums of the year. [19] In 2002, the album earned Mystic a nomination for "Best Female Hip-Hop Artist" at the BET Awards; [20] she lost, however, to Missy Elliott. That same year, the album cut "W" was nominated for "Best Rap/Sung Collaboration", a new category, at the Grammy Awards; [21] the song lost to Eve's "Let Me Blow Ya Mind", a collaboration with Gwen Stefani. [22]

Track listing

Songwriters credits are adapted from ASCAP.

Cuts for Luck and Scars for Freedom
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Intro"
 Shock G 1:00
2."Ghetto Birds"
  • Ludlum
  • Angel C
The Angel5:27
3."Neptune's Jewels"
Adam4:45
4."The Gottas"
  • Ludlum
  • Carl Gold
CD5:35
5."The Life"
 A-Plus 3:48
6."Once a Week"
  • Ludlum
  • Gold
CD3:37
7."Dave Ghetto"  Chops 1:30
8."Forever and a Day"
  • Ludlum
  • Mark Vesuvio Guglielmo
Manifest4:38
9."D Boy"
  • Ludlum
  • Dontrell Lee Mayfield
Dotrix 40003:48
10."You Say, I Say"
  • Ludlum
  • Walter Ray Taylor
Walter Taylor4:51
11."A Dream"
  • Ludlum
  • Mayfield
Dotrix 40004:59
12."W" (featuring Planet Asia)
  • Relative
  • Spontaneous
4:31
13."Fallen Angels"
  • Ludlum
  • Mayfield
Dotrix 40005:38
14."Girlfriend Sistagirl"
 AmpLive 3:57
15."Fatherless Child"
Chops5:44
16."OK....Alright"
  • Ludlum
  • Angel C
The Angel4:34
17."Spoken Peace"
  • Ludlum
  • Lavella
  • Palmer
  • Relative
  • Spontaneous
3:34
18."Destiny Complete"
  • Ludlum
  • Angel C
The Angel4:29
Total length:1:16:25

Charts

Chart (2001)Peak
position
US Billboard 200 [6] 170
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums ( Billboard ) [7] 46
US Heatseekers Albums ( Billboard ) [8] 7

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Conaway, Matt. "Mystic - Cuts for Luck and Scars for Freedom Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic". AllMusic . Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  2. 1 2 Tyehimba, Cheo (August 10, 2001). "Mystic, Cuts for Luck and Scars for Freedom". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  3. 1 2 "Mystic - Cuts For Luck And Scars For Freedom". HipHopDX . July 18, 2001. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  4. 1 2 Juon, Steve 'Flash' (August 28, 2001). "Mystic :: Cuts for Luck and Scars for Freedom – RapReviews". www.rapreviews.com. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  5. 1 2 Christgau, Robert (January 29, 2002). "Consumer Guide: Throw Your Hands in the Air". The Village Voice . Retrieved November 11, 2023– via www.robertchristgau.com.
  6. 1 2 "The Billboard 200". Billboard . Vol. 113, no. 36. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. September 8, 2001. p. 87. ISSN   0006-2510 . Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  7. 1 2 "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums". Billboard . Vol. 113, no. 37. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. September 15, 2001. p. 42. ISSN   0006-2510 . Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  8. 1 2 "Heatseekers". Billboard . Vol. 113, no. 36. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. September 8, 2001. p. 89. ISSN   0006-2510 . Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  9. ↑ Rabin, Nathan (April 19, 2002). "Mystic: Cuts For Luck And Scars For Freedom". The A.V. Club . Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  10. ↑ Quinlan, Thomas (May 1, 2001). "Mystic Cuts for Luck and Scars for Freedom | Exclaim!". Exclaim! . Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  11. ↑ Cowie, Del F. (August 1, 2001). "Mystic Cuts For Luck Scars For Freedom | Exclaim!". Exclaim! . Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  12. ↑ Hannaham, James (October 2001). "Incoming: Mystic". Spin . 17 (10): 49. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
  13. 1 2 Mendez Berry, Elizabeth (June 2003). "Back to Life". Vibe . 11 (6): 104–110. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
  14. ↑ Christgau, Robert. "Key to Icons". www.robertchristgau.com. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  15. ↑ King, Jamilah (August 18, 2014). "Mystic's 13-Year Journey Toward 'Beautiful Resistance'". Color Lines. Retrieved June 10, 2017.
  16. ↑ Mitchell, Gail (May 25, 2002). "Rhythm, Rap, and the Blues". Billboard. Vol. 114, no. 21. p. 25.
  17. ↑ Horowitz, Steven (July 6, 2011). "Mystic To Reissue Debut "Cuts For Luck And Scars For Freedom" To Digital Retail". HipHopDX .
  18. ↑ "Hip-Hop Chart for week ending 12/4/2001". CMJ . 69 (743): 16. 17 November 2001. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
  19. ↑ Perez, Arturo. "Top 10 Albums of 2001". Kludge . Archived from the original on July 22, 2004. Retrieved November 25, 2015.
  20. ↑ "Aaliyah Tops BET Awards Nominations". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. May 15, 2002. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
  21. ↑ Keast, Darren. "Smooth Operator". SFWeekly. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
  22. ↑ "Complete List Of Grammy Nominees". CBS News . January 4, 2002. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
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