R&G : The Masterpiece is the seventh studio album by American rapper Snoop Dogg. It was released on November 16, 2004, by Doggystyle Records, making its first on Star Trak Entertainment and Geffen Records. Recording sessions took place from November 2003 to September 2004 in each of several recording studios. The album's production was handled from The Neptunes, The Alchemist, Lil Jon, Hi-Tek, Warryn Campbell, and L.T. Hutton, among others.
Ill Na Na is the debut studio album by American rapper Foxy Brown. It was released by Def Jam Recordings on November 19, 1996, and reissued on September 29, 1997, in the UK with an additional song "Big Bad Mamma". Brown began working on the album after being discovered by the production team Trackmasters and appearing on a number of singles by other artists, such as LL Cool J, Case and Jay Z. The immediate success of the singles led to a bidding war at the beginning of 1996, and in March, Def Jam Recordings won and signed the then 17-year-old rapper to the label. Mostly produced by Trackmasters, Ill Na Na features guest appearances from Blackstreet, Havoc, Method Man, Kid Capri and Jay Z. Lyrically, the album mainly focuses on themes of fashion, sex and mafia.
Grand Champ is the fifth studio album by American rapper DMX. It was released on September 16, 2003 by The Island Def Jam Music Group, Def Jam Recordings, and Ruff Ryders Entertainment. The album was produced by multiple producers, including Swizz Beatz, Dame Grease, Kanye West, and No I.D. It features guest appearances from 50 Cent, Cam'ron, Eve, Styles P, Monica, and Jadakiss, among others.
"Think of You" is a song by American musician Usher. It was co-written by Usher alongside LaFace Records labelmate Donell Jones and Bad Boy singer Faith Evans for his self-titled debut album (1994). The song samples a groove from the instrumental track "Tidal Wave" (1975) by American jazz musician Ronnie Laws, also featuring vocals from rapper Biz Markie's "Just Rhymin' With Biz" (1987). Lyrically, "Think of You" finds the protagonist going through a breakup and dealing with conflicting feelings about his ex.
King, is the fourth studio album by American rapper T.I., released on March 28, 2006, through Grand Hustle Records and Atlantic Records. Recording sessions for the album took one and a half years to complete in late 2005 according to T.I. in an interview with MTV News. Production was handled by several high-profile record producers, including DJ Toomp, Just Blaze, Mannie Fresh, Swizz Beatz, Keith Mack, Travis Barker, The Neptunes, Kevin "Khao" Cates, Nick "Fury" Loftin, and Tony Galvin, among others. The album also serves as the soundtrack to T.I.’s feature film debut, ATL.
"I Need Love" is the second single from LL Cool J's second album, Bigger and Deffer. The single reached number 1 on the Hot Black Singles and number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 while becoming one of the first rap songs to enjoy mainstream popularity in the UK, rising to number 8 in the UK Singles Chart. The single won a Soul Train Music Award for Best Rap Single in 1988 Soul Train Music Awards. The song was listed as number 13 on About.com's Top 100 Rap Songs.
"Get Ur Freak On" is a song by American rapper Missy Elliott. It was written and produced by Elliott and Timbaland for her third studio album Miss E... So Addictive (2001). Based on heavy bhangra elements, a popular music and dance form from the region of Punjab in India, the song features a six-note base that is a Punjabi melody played on a tumbi and rhythm and bassline played on tabla.
Music is the fourth solo studio album by American rapper Erick Sermon. It was released on October 30, 2001 via J Records, making it his debut album on the label. Production was handled entirely by Sermon, except for the song "It's Nuttin'", which was produced by Rockwilder. The album features guest appearances from Keith Murray, Redman, Cadillac Tah, Daytona, Khari, LL Cool J, Marvin Gaye, Olivia, Scarface and Sy Scott.
He's Keith Murray is the fourth solo studio album by American rapper Keith Murray. It was released on April 29, 2003, through Def Jam Recordings, making it his only studio album for the label. Recording sessions took place at Fox Hole Studios, Mirror Image in New York City, The Music Grinder in Los Angeles, L.I.T.E. Studios in Long Island, Patchwerk Studios in Atlanta, and Bearsville Sound Studios in Bearsville, New York. Production was handled by Erick Sermon, Jamie Foxx, DJ Clark Kent, DJ Khalil, Jazze Pha, Just Blaze, Keith Murray, Omen, Poke and Tone, Qur'an Goodman, Ruggedness, and Pete Rock. It features guest appearances from Def Squad, Jamie Foxx, Busta Rhymes, Joe Hooker, Kel-Vicious and Jessica Rivera.
"Can't You See" is a 1995 song by American R&B girl group Total, released as their debut single. The track was released from the New Jersey Drive soundtrack and also later appeared on their debut album, Total. After making their recording debut on his tracks "Juicy", "One More Chance" and "One More Chance" ", The Notorious B.I.G. returned the favor with an intro rap verse to the song. The track was written and arranged by Terri & Monica's Terri Robinson, produced entirely by Sean "Puffy" Combs with instrumentation provided by associates Rashad Smith, Herb Middleton and Chucky Thompson and contains a sample from James Brown's "The Payback". The track was a success both on the mainstream US Billboard Hot 100 chart, reaching number thirteen and the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, where it made number three. The song also peaked at number forty-three on the UK Singles Chart, where it charted for two weeks.
"Close the Door" is a hit song written by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff. It was a hit for Teddy Pendergrass in 1978, and was released from his second solo album, Life Is a Song Worth Singing.
"Funkin' for Jamaica (N.Y.)" is a song by jazz trumpeter Tom Browne. The single—a memoir of the Jamaica neighborhood in the New York City borough of Queens where Browne was born and raised—is from his second solo album, Love Approach. Browne got the idea for the song while he was at his parents' home. The vocals for the single were performed by Toni Smith, who also helped compose the song. The song hit number one on the US Billboard R&B chart for a month. "Funkin' for Jamaica" peaked at number nine on the dance chart and made the top 10 on the UK Singles Chart, but it never charted on the Billboard Hot 100.
"The Most Beautifullest Thing in This World" is a song by American rapper Keith Murray. It was released on October 10, 1994 through Jive Records as the lead single from Murray's debut studio album The Most Beautifullest Thing in This World. Written by Murray and Erick Sermon, it was produced by the latter, who also provided background vocals. The song utilizes samples of the 1983 hit record "Between the Sheets" originally performed by The Isley Brothers, "Bootsy Gets Live" by Bootsy Collins and "Slow Down" by Brand Nubian.
"The Rhyme" is a song by American rapper Keith Murray. It was released on October 21, 1996 through Jive Records as the only single from Murray's second studio album Enigma. The original version was again produced by Erick Sermon, who utilized samples from Maze's "Before I Let Go" and Run-DMC's "Sucker M.C.'s", with the remix produced by Jay Dee. The official music video for the song was directed by Brian Luvar.
"Right Above It" is a hip hop song by American rapper Lil Wayne, released as the first single off his eighth studio album, I Am Not a Human Being (2010). The song features vocals from Canadian and Young Money rapper Drake, and is produced by American hip-hop producer Kane Beatz. The song is also written by rapper and producer Andrew Canton. The song achieved reasonable chart success, particularly in the United States where it peaked at number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the Hot Digital Songs chart, and also charted modestly internationally.
"Give It 2 You" is the third and final single released from Da Brat's debut album, Funkdafied, the first album from a female rapper to go platinum.
"Mercy" is a song by American rapper Kanye West featuring fellow American rappers Big Sean, Pusha T, and 2 Chainz. The song, released April 3, 2012 through GOOD Music and Def Jam, serves as the lead single from the compilation album Cruel Summer (2012). The song's production was handled by Lifted, with additional production from West, Mike Dean, and Mike Will Made It, and additional instrumentation from Hudson Mohawke. The song heavily samples the dancehall song "Dust a Sound Boy" by Super Beagle. The song received mostly positive reviews from music critics who praised the bombastic production, the varying quality of the verses, and the wordplay of the individual rappers. The song was featured on the soundtrack for NBA 2K13.
"Home Alone" is a single by American musician R. Kelly, released from his third solo studio album, R. The song features rapper Keith Murray and uncredited vocals from Kelly Price. It was also produced by G-One & DJ Quik. "Home Alone" was the fifth single from the album and charted at number 65 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Its chart success was better abroad, reaching the top 40 in Canada, France and the United Kingdom. In Canada it topped the RPM Dance Chart.
"Sicko Mode" is a song by American rapper Travis Scott. It features vocals from Canadian rapper Drake, who was credited on Apple Music but not on the Billboard Hot 100 or Spotify. It was originally released by Epic Records on August 3, 2018, as the third track from Astroworld (2018), before being released as the second single on August 21. It features additional uncredited vocals by fellow American rappers Swae Lee and the late Big Hawk.
"I Did It" is a song by American record producer DJ Khaled, featuring American rappers Post Malone, Megan Thee Stallion, Lil Baby, and DaBaby. The song was serviced to US radio on June 1, 2021, as the fourth single from Khaled's twelfth studio album, Khaled Khaled. It samples "Layla" by Derek and the Dominos.
