God's Favorite (album)

God's Favorite
Studio album by N.O.R.E.
Released	June 25, 2002 (2002-06-25)
Recorded	2001–02
Studio	The Room Lab (Hackensack, NJ) Master Sound Recording Studio (Virginia Beach, VA) South Beach Studios (Miami, FL) Quad Studios (New York, NY) Crackhouse Studios (New York, NY) Right Track Studio (New York, NY) Troposphere Studios (Livingston, NJ) Sony Music Studios (New York, NY) South Coast Recordings (Friendswood, TX)
Genre	Hip hop
Length	76:35
Label	Thugged Out Def Jam Violator
Producer	EZ Elpee Irv Gotti K-Yze L.E.S. SPKilla Swizz Beatz The Neptunes Yogi "Sugar Bear" Graham
N.O.R.E. chronology
Melvin Flynt – Da Hustler (1999) God's Favorite (2002) N.O.R.E. y la Familia...Ya Tú Sabe (2006)
Singles from God's Favorite
"Grimey" Released: October 9, 2001 "Live My Life" Released: December 18, 2001 "Nothin'" Released: May 14, 2002 "Full Mode" Released: November 12, 2002

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
HipHopDX	2.5/5 [2]
NME	[3]
RapReviews	6/10 [4]
Rolling Stone	[5]
Spin	6/10 [6]
Vibe	[7]

God's Favorite is the third studio album by American rapper N.O.R.E.. After six months of label delays, the album was released on June 25, 2002, by Thugged Out Entertainment and Def Jam Recordings.

The album peaked at number 3 on the Billboard 200 albums chart moving 118,000 units in its first week of release. ^[8] In its second week of release, the album sold 64,000 additional copies and dropped to number 8 on the Billboard 200. ^[9]

It was supported with four singles: "Grimey", "Live My Life", "Nothin'" and "Full Mode". The single "Nothin'" reached No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the rapper's biggest hit single and his only to reach the Top 10.

Background

Originally scheduled for a December 4th, 2001 release, the album was delayed to a February 2002 release. The album was ultimately released on June 25, 2002.

Recording sessions took place at The Room Lab in Hackensack, at Mastersound Studio in Virginia Beach, at South Beach Studios in Miami, at Quad Recording Studios, The Crackhouse, Right Track Recording and Sony Music Studios in New York City, at Troposphere Studios in Livingston, and at South Coast Recorders in Friendswood. Production was handled by The Neptunes, Swizz Beatz, SPKilla, K-Yze, Ez Elpee, Irv Gotti, L.E.S. and Yogi Bear.

It features guest appearances from his C-N-N groupmate Capone, Musaliny-N-Maze, Complexion, Gold Oro, DWNLZY, Final Chapter, Ja Rule, Kelis, Mashonda, Troy Outlaw, Busta Rhymes, Cam'ron, Cassidy, Chinky, Fat Joe, Ice-T, Jadakiss, Mike Kyser, Nas, Nelly, Tyson Beckford and Latricia Thompson.

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Hit Me Slime" (featuring Nas, Ice-T, Mike Kyser, Nelly and Tyson Beckford)			2:27
2.	"God's Favorite"	Victor Santiago Kevin Ravenell	Kyze	2:01
3.	"Nothin'" (featuring Pharrell Williams)	Santiago Pharrell Williams Chad Hugo	The Neptunes	4:24
4.	"Grimey"	Santiago Williams Hugo	The Neptunes	4:09
5.	"Nahmeanuheard" (featuring DWNLZY)	Santiago Timothy Barclift Kaseem Dean	Swizz Beatz	4:28
6.	"Mr. CEO" (featuring Musaliny-N-Maze, Gold Oro and Troy Outlaw)	Santiago Musa Abdallah Michael Allen Wilber Spady Troy Muldrow Ravenell	Kyze	5:02
7.	"Big D" (featuring Akinyele, Heather Hunter and Kia)	Santiago Akinyele Adams Lamont Porter	EZ Elpee	5:28
8.	"Live My Life" (featuring Ja Rule)	Santiago Jeffrey Atkins Irving Lorenzo	Irv Gotti	5:15
9.	"Full Mode"	Santiago Williams Hugo	The Neptunes	3:52
10.	"Love Ya Moms" (performed by Capone-N-Noreaga, Musaliny-N-Maze, Gold Oro and Complexion)	Santiago Kiam Holley Abdallah Allen Spady Kenneth Grant Kacy Brooks Edwin Almonte Cyndi Lauper Robert Hyman	SPK	5:05
11.	"Head Bussa"	Santiago Williams	The Neptunes	3:49
12.	"Wanna Be Like Him" (featuring Mashonda)	Santiago Dean	Swizz Beatz	3:48
13.	"Black Clouds" (featuring Complexion)	Santiago Grant Brooks Leshan Lewis Ravenell	L.E.S. Kyze (co.)	3:59
14.	"Banned From Another Club" (featuring Final Chapter)	Santiago Allen Joseph Brandon Burke Almonte	SPK	4:05
15.	"Now I Pray" (featuring Musaliny)	Santiago Abdallah Almonte	SPK	3:37
16.	"Consider This" (featuring Kelis)	Santiago Williams Hugo	The Neptunes	4:09
17.	"Nahmeanuheard (Remix)" (performed by Capone-N-Noreaga, Cam'Ron, Fat Joe and Cassidy)	Santiago Joseph Cartagena Dean Barclift	Swizz Beatz	4:03
18.	"Holla Back Slime" (featuring Busta Rhymes and Jadakiss)			1:26
19.	"The Life of a...(Gangsta)" (performed by Capone and Chinky)	Holley Jeremy Graham	Yogi "Sugar Bear" Graham	5:28
Total length:				76:35

Leftover tracks

• "Livest Niggas"
• "Full Mode (Remix)" (performed by Capone-N-Noreaga and Musaliny-N-Maze)
• "Nothin' (Remix)" (performed by Capone-N-Noreaga, Musaliny-N-Maze, Foxy Brown, Puff Daddy, Final Chapter, and Pharrell Williams)

Sample credits

• Track 10 contains a sample from "Time After Time" written by Cyndi Lauper and Robert Hyman as performed by Cyndi Lauper.

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2002) Peak position Canadian Albums (Nielsen SoundScan) [10] 29 Canadian R&B Albums (Nielsen SoundScan) [11] 9 French Albums (SNEP) [12] 98 UK R&B Albums (OCC) [13] 27 US Billboard 200 [14] 3 US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums ( Billboard ) [15] 3

Year-end charts Chart (2002) Position Canadian R&B Albums (Nielsen SoundScan) [16] 89 Canadian Rap Albums (Nielsen SoundScan) [17] 47 US Billboard 200 [18] 177 US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) [19] 52

References

1. Birchmeier, Jason. "N.O.R.E. - God's Favorite Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic". AllMusic . Retrieved October 28, 2023.
2. Regis, Marlon (July 8, 2002). "N.O.R.E. - God's Favorite". HipHopDX . Retrieved October 28, 2023.
3. "N.O.R.E : God's Favourite". NME . September 12, 2005. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
4. Juon, Steve 'Flash' (July 2, 2002). "N.O.R.E. :: God's Favorite :: Def Jam Recordings". www.rapreviews.com. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
5. Caramanica, Jon (August 8, 2002). "Reviews > CDs > N.O.R.E God's Favorite". Rolling Stone . Archived from the original on February 11, 2003. Retrieved June 13, 2015– via Wayback Machine.
6. Ryan, Chris (August 2002). "Reviews". Spin . Vol. 18, no. 8. SPIN Media LLC. p. 116. ISSN   0886-3032.
7. Callahan-Bever, Noah (January 2002). "Revolutions". VIBE . Vibe Media Group. p. 124.
8. D'Angelo, Joe (July 3, 2002). "Nellyville Tops In Town On Billboard Chart". MTV . Archived from the original on August 24, 2022. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
9. D'Angelo, Joe (July 10, 2002). "Nelly Hangs Onto #1, Murder Inc. Crew Makes Big Debut On Albums Chart". MTV . Archived from the original on September 6, 2023. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
10. "Albums : Top 100". Jam! . July 25, 2002. Archived from the original on December 10, 2004. Retrieved April 13, 2023.
11. "R&B : Top 50". Jam! . August 1, 2002. Archived from the original on August 4, 2002. Retrieved April 13, 2023.
12. "Lescharts.com – N.O.R.E. – God's Favorite". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
13. "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
14. "The Billboard 200". Billboard . Vol. 114, no. 28. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. July 13, 2002. p. 84. ISSN   0006-2510 . Retrieved October 28, 2023.
15. "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums". Billboard . Vol. 114, no. 28. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. July 13, 2002. p. 34. ISSN   0006-2510 . Retrieved October 28, 2023.
16. "Canada's Top 200 R&B; albums of 2002". Jam! . Archived from the original on October 12, 2003. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
17. "Top 100 rap albums of 2002 in Canada". Jam! . Archived from the original on October 12, 2003. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
18. "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2002". Billboard. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
19. "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2002". Billboard. Retrieved August 6, 2020.

External links

• N.O.R.E. – God's Favorite at Discogs (list of releases)