Hard Core is the debut studio album by American rapper Lil' Kim, released on November 12, 1996, by Undeas Recordings, Big Beat Records, and Atlantic Records. After achieving success with the hip hop group Junior M.A.F.I.A. and their album Conspiracy (1995), Kim began working on her solo album with the Notorious B.I.G. serving as the executive producer. She collaborated with a number of producers, such as Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs, Stevie J., David "Ski" Willis and Jermaine Dupri, among others. Other rappers, including Jay-Z, Lil' Cease and Puff Daddy were featured on the album.
The Score is the second and final studio album by the hip hop trio Fugees, released worldwide on February 13, 1996, on Columbia Records. The album features a wide range of samples and instrumentation, with many aspects of alternative hip hop that would come to dominate the hip-hop music scene in the mid- to late-1990s. Primarily, The Score's production was handled by Fugees themselves, Jerry Duplessis and Warren Riker, with additional production from Salaam Remi, John Forté, Diamond D, and Shawn King. The album's guest verses are from Outsidaz members Rah Digga, Young Zee, and Pacewon, as well as John Forté, and Diamond D. Most versions of the album feature four bonus tracks, including three remixes of "Fu-Gee-La", and a short acoustic Wyclef Jean solo track entitled "Mista Mista".
Livin' Like Hustlers is the debut album by American hip hop group Above the Law. It was released on February 20, 1990, via Ruthless Records; an advanced promo cassette version was released two months earlier. The ten track record was produced entirely by Dr. Dre and Above the Law and featured a guest performance from N.W.A on the track titled "The Last Song". In addition, Eazy-E served as executive producer of the album. It peaked at number 14 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and number 75 on the U.S. Billboard 200.
40 Dayz & 40 Nightz is the second studio album by American rapper Xzibit. It was released on August 25, 1998, through Loud Records and RCA Records. Recording sessions took place at Sound Castle and at Area51 in Los Angeles, at N-House Studioz and at Record One in Studio City, at Track Record, Inc. in North Hollywood, and at The Enterprise in Burbank. Production was handled by Sir Jinx, Bud'da, A Kid Called Roots, DJ Pen One, E-Swift, Jesse West, Mel-Man, Montage One, Soopafly, The Glove and Xzibit himself. It features guest appearances from fellow Likwit Crew teammates Montage One, Defari, King Tee and Tha Alkaholiks, and the Golden State Project members Ras Kass and Saafir, as well as West Coast rapper Jayo Felony and Staten Island rapper Method Man of the Wu-Tang Clan. The album debuted at number 58 on the Billboard 200 and number 14 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart in the United States, and at number 32 on the UK Hip Hop and R&B Albums Chart.
No Way Out is the debut studio album by American rapper Puff Daddy & The Family. It was released on July 22, 1997, by Arista Records and Puff Daddy's Bad Boy Entertainment. The album's crediting of the Family references the guest appearances from his label-mates at Bad Boy Records.
93 'til Infinity is the debut studio album by American hip-hop group Souls of Mischief. It was released on September 28, 1993, on the Jive label.
Complicated is the second studio album by American singer Nivea, released in the United States on May 3, 2005 on Jive Records. It was primarily produced by her then-husband The-Dream, with additional production from Lil Jon, R. Kelly, Bryan Michael Cox and Jermaine Dupri. The album peaked at No. 37 on the US Billboard 200 album charts and peaked at No. 9 on the R&B chart. Complicated was critically acclaimed, but failed to receive major commercial success, eventually becoming Nivea's lowest selling album to date with just over 100,000 copies sold in the US.
No Need for Alarm is the second solo studio album by American hip hop musician Del the Funky Homosapien. It was released in 1993 through Elektra Records. Recording sessions took place at Hyde Street Studios in San Francisco and at Chung King House of Metal in New York City. The album spawned the two singles "Catch A Bad One", and "Wrong Place" Production was handled by Del himself along with A-Plus, Casual, Domino, Jay-Biz, Snupe and Stimulated Dummies.
"I Get Around" is a song by American rapper 2Pac from his second studio album, Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z... (1993). It was released on June 10, 1993 by Interscope Records as the album's second single and features Shakur's mentor Shock G and Money-B of Digital Underground, Shakur's old group. It was produced by Shock G, who produced it under the alias, The D-Flow Production Squad. AllMusic notes that in the song, Shakur "brags about his sexual conquests". Chart-wise, it was the album's most successful single, reaching numbers eleven and nine on the US Billboard Hot 100 and Cash Box Top 100.
Rasassination is the second studio album by American rapper Ras Kass. It was released on September 22, 1998 via Priority Records. Recording sessions took place at Stu's Kennel, at Audio X Recording Studios and Enterprise Recordings in Burbank, at PatchWerk Recording Studios in Atlanta, at Henchmen Recording Studio and Unique Recording Studios in New York, at Echo Sound in Los Angeles, and at Creator's Way Recording Studio in Chicago. Production was handled by Stu-B-Doo, Klev, Easy Mo Bee, Flip, Jaz-O, Toxic, Twelve, and Ras Kass himself. It features guest appearances from Bad Azz, Dr. Dre, El Drex, Jah-Skillz, Jazze Pha, Kurupt, Mack 10, Phil Da Agony, RZA, Saafir, Twista and Xzibit. The album peaked at number 63 on Billboard 200 and number 11 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums in the United States. Its only single, "Ghetto Fabulous", made it to number 56 on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.
The Body-Hat Syndrome is the third full-length studio album by American hip hop Digital Underground. It was released on October 5, 1993 via Tommy Boy Records. Production was handled by Digital Underground inner production team, the D-Flow Production Squad. The album peaked at number 79 on the Billboard 200 and number 16 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums in the United States.
Tha Streetz Iz a Mutha is the second studio album by the American rapper Kurupt. It was released in 1999 through Antra Records with distribution from Artemis Records.
Married to the Game is the fifteenth studio album by American rapper Too Short. It was released on November 4, 2003 through Jive Records, making it his 12th album on the label. Recording sessions took place at The Hit Factory Criteria and Circle House Studios in Miami, The Enterprise in Burbank, Sound On Sound Recording in New York, Stankonia Recording in Atlanta and Westlake Audio in Los Angeles. Production was handled by Dez, Lil Jon, Ant Banks and Jazze Pha, with Too $hort serving as executive producer. It features guest appearances from Cutty Cartel, Devin the Dude, Jagged Edge, Jazze Pha, Lil' Jon & the East Side Boyz, Noreaga, Oobie and Petey Pablo. The album peaked at number 49 on the Billboard 200 and number 7 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums in the United States. Its lead single, "Shake That Monkey", made it to number 84 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 56 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. The album's second single, "Choosin'", reached number 61 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.
Joe Budden is the debut studio album by American rapper Joe Budden. It was released on June 10, 2003, by On Top, distributed by Def Jam. Recording sessions took place from 2002 to 2003, with production by Dub B aka White Boy, along with the other high-profile producers such as Just Blaze and Lofey. The album features guest appearances from Lil' Mo, Busta Rhymes and 112. Upon the record's release, it was met with favorable reviews from music critics. Joe Budden debuted at number 8 on the US Billboard 200, selling 95,000 units in its first week, later the record sold 420,000+ copies in the United States. It also entered at number 55 on the UK Albums Chart.
Delinquent Habits is the first studio album by the American hip hop group Delinquent Habits. It was released on June 4, 1996, by RCA, on the RCA/Loud subsidiary, PMP Records. The album was produced by Alejandro "O.G. Style" Martinez, except for one track produced by Eric Bobo. It has guest appearances provided by Sen Dog and Hurricane G on the track "Underground Connection". The album peaked at number 74 on the US Billboard 200 and at number 31 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. Two singles were released, "Tres Delinquentes" and "Lower Eastside".
The Hemp Museum is the second solo studio album by American rapper B-Legit. It was released on November 26, 1996 through Sick Wid It/Jive Records. Production was handled by Studio Ton, Mike Mosley, Kevin Gardner, Redwine, Femi Ojetunde, Emgee, Tone Capone and B-Legit himself, who also served as executive producer. It features guest appearances from C-Bo, Levitti, Celly Cel, Daryl Hall, E-40, Kurupt, A-1 and Funk Mobb.
"Mistadobalina" is a song by American hip hop musician Del tha Funky Homosapien. It was released as the second single from his 1991 debut album, I Wish My Brother George Was Here. The single peaked at number 6 on the Billboard Hot Rap Songs chart, as well as number 55 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. In 2011, Willy Staley of Complex placed it at number 19 on the "50 Greatest Bay Area Rap Songs" list.
Jonathan Owens, known by his stage name Casual, is an American rapper, producer, and one of the founding members of the alternative hip hop collective Hieroglyphics. He also reads and has been studying Egyptian Hieroglyphics for many years, makes videos on the subject on his YouTube channel Smash Rockwell as well writing about it on his blog Rap God. As a rapper Casual initially became known for his freestyle battle rhymes in the Bay Area hip hop scene and later developing into a solo artist. He is known for diverse lyrics, a complex multisyllabic East Coast influenced flow but with a distinctive Oakland accent. Casual's debut album Fear Itself released on Jive records in 1994 when he was 17 years old garnered both critical and commercial success. Along with Del the Funkee Homosapien Casual went on to become one of the most prominent and recognizable faces of the Hieroglyphics crew, releasing three albums all on the Hieroglyphics crew's own label, Hiero Imperium. He has released thirteen solo albums as of 2023.
Ready to Die is the debut studio album by American rapper The Notorious B.I.G., released on September 13, 1994, by Bad Boy Records and Arista Records. The album features productions by Bad Boy founder Sean "Puffy" Combs, Easy Mo Bee, Chucky Thompson, DJ Premier, and Lord Finesse, among others. It was recorded from 1993 to 1994 at The Hit Factory and D&D Studios in New York City. The partly autobiographical album tells the story of the rapper's experiences as a young criminal, and was the only studio album released during his lifetime, as he was murdered sixteen days before the release of his second album Life After Death in 1997. The album features a sole guest appearance from Wu-Tang Clan member Method Man.
Shine is the fifth studio album by American rapper Wale. It was released on April 28, 2017, by his label, Every Blue Moon, distributed by Maybach Music Group and Atlantic Records. The production on the album was handled by multiple producers including Cool & Dre, Kane Beatz, Diplo, Lee Major, Nez & Rio and Christian Rich among others. The album also features guest appearances by Dua Lipa, Chris Brown, Travis Scott, Lil Wayne, Wizkid, J Balvin and G-Eazy among others.
