In God We Trust (Brand Nubian album)

Last updated

In God We Trust
In God We Trust (Brand Nubian album).jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedFebruary 2, 1993 (1993-02-02)
Recorded1991–1992
Studio
  • Chung King House Of Metal
  • The Hit Factory
  • Soundtrack Studios
  • Marathon Studios
Genre Hip-hop
Length55:32
Label Elektra
Producer
Brand Nubian chronology
One for All
(1990)
In God We Trust
(1993)
Everything Is Everything
(1994)
Singles from In God We Trust
  1. "Punks Jump Up to Get Beat Down"
    Released: August 1992
  2. "Allah U Akbar"
    Released: 1993
  3. "Love Me or Leave Me Alone"
    Released: 1993
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [1]
Entertainment Weekly B [2]
RapReviews8/10 [3]
The New Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [4]
The Source Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [5]
The Village Voice Rating-Christgau-dud.svg [6]

In God We Trust is the second studio album by American hip-hop group Brand Nubian. It was released on February 2, 1993, via Elektra Records. Recording sessions took place at Chung King House Of Metal, The Hit Factory, Soundtrack Studios and Marathon Studios. Production was handled by Brand Nubian, Diamond D, Rafeal and Sting International, with Dante Ross serving as executive producer. It features a lone guest appearance from Red Fox.

Contents

In the United States, the album debuted at number 12 on the Billboard 200 and number 4 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts. Three singles were released from the album, "Punks Jump Up to Get Beat Down", "Allah U Akbar" and "Love Me or Leave Me Alone". Singles "Punks Jump Up to Get Beat Down" and "Love Me or Leave Me Alone" reached the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at number 77 and 92, respectively.

Background

Lead MC Grand Puba parted ways with the group to pursue a solo career in 1991, following the release of their revered debut One for All leaving Sadat X and Lord Jamar, who enlisted DJ Sincere to join the group. Lyrically, the album contains extremely militant content that reflects the group's identity as Five Percenters, adhering to the philosophy of the Nation of Gods and Earths.

The album was almost entirely produced by Lord Jamar utilizing the Akai MPC, giving the album's taste of hardcore hard-hitting intense beats with soul and jazz samples that he found through Sadat's father record collection. [7]

Critical reception

The album was less successful than the group's debut but still received strong reviews. Its lead single "Punks Jump Up to Get Beat Down" was met with controversy over homophobic content, referencing the Sadat X line "Though I can freak, fly, flow, fuck up a faggot/I don't understand their ways, I ain't down with gays". Music critic Robert Christgau gave the album a "dud" rating, indicating "a bad record whose details rarely merit further thought".

Track listing

All tracks are written by Derek Murphy and Lorenzo Dechalus, except track 6 is written by Perry Murphy Dechalus.

No.TitleProducer(s)Length
1."Allah U Akbar" Brand Nubian 4:50
2."Ain't No Mystery"Brand Nubian4:23
3."Meaning of the 5%"Brand Nubian2:53
4."Pass the Gat"Brand Nubian3:23
5."Black Star Line" (featuring Red Foxx)
5:07
6."Allah and Justice"Brand Nubian2:11
7."The Godz..."Brand Nubian3:50
8."The Travel Jam"Brand Nubian3:53
9."Brand Nubian Rock the Set"Brand Nubian4:07
10."Love Me or Leave Me Alone"Brand Nubian4:35
11."Steal Ya 'Ho"Brand Nubian3:51
12."Steady Bootleggin'"Brand Nubian3:52
13."Black and Blue"Brand Nubian4:01
14."Punks Jump Up to Get Beat Down" Diamond D 4:25
Total length:55:32
Sample credits

Charts

References

  1. Kellman, Andy. "In God We Trust - Brand Nubian | Album | AllMusic". AllMusic . Retrieved June 29, 2025.
  2. Bernard, James (November 27, 1992). "In God We Trust". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved March 2, 2021 via Wayback Machine.
  3. Juon, Steve 'Flash' (March 3, 2020). "Brand Nubian :: In God We Trust – RapReviews". www.rapreviews.com. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
  4. R., P. (2004). Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian David (eds.). (The New) Rolling Stone Album Guide. Simon and Schuster. p. 102. ISBN   978-0-7432-0169-8 via Google Books.
  5. Ricaldo (December 1992). "Record Report". The Source . p. 69.
  6. Christgau, Robert (June 1, 1993). "Consumer Guide". The Village Voice . Retrieved June 29, 2025 via www.robertchristgau.com.
  7. "Sadat X on how Brand Nubian started, his Hip Hop heroes, & being a Five Percenter Juan EP is Life". YouTube . February 3, 2023. Retrieved June 5, 2024.
  8. "The Billboard 200". Billboard . Vol. 105. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. February 20, 1993. ISSN   0006-2510 . Retrieved June 29, 2025.
  9. "Top R&B Albums". Billboard . Vol. 105. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. February 20, 1993. ISSN   0006-2510 . Retrieved June 29, 2025.
  10. "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1993". Billboard . Retrieved June 22, 2018 via Wayback Machine.