Knowledge Is King | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | May 30, 1989 | |||
Studio | Soundtrack Studios (New York, NY) Unique Recording Studios, New York City | |||
Genre | Hip hop | |||
Length | 44:32 | |||
Label | Jive | |||
Producer |
| |||
Kool Moe Dee chronology | ||||
|
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [1] |
Robert Christgau | B+ [2] |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [3] |
Knowledge Is King is the third solo studio album by American rapper Kool Moe Dee, released on May 30, 1989, via Jive Records.
The album was recorded at Soundtrack Studios in New York City, New York. Production for the album was handled by Teddy Riley, LaVaba Mallison, Pete Q. Harris, and Kool Moe Dee himself. The record peaked at number 25 on the Billboard 200 [4] and number 2 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. [5] It is his second best-selling album, achieving gold certification by the RIAA on August 22, 1989 (his previous album How Ya Like Me Now was certified platinum). [6]
The album spawned four charted singles: "Let's Go", "All Night Long", "I Go to Work", and "They Want Money". "They Want Money" went the most successful single of the effort, peaking at #3 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, #2 on the Hot Rap Songs and #91 on the UK Singles Chart. "I Go to Work" peaked at #13 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and #5 on the Hot Rap Songs. "All Night Long" peaked at #70 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, and "Let's Go", a diss track towards Kool Moe Dee's foe LL Cool J, peaked at #11 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "They Want Money" | 3:52 | |
2. | "The Avenue" | M. Dewese | 3:46 |
3. | "I Go to Work" | M. Dewese | 4:40 |
4. | "All Night Long" | M. Dewese | 4:11 |
5. | "Knowledge is King" |
| 3:38 |
6. | "I'm Hittin' Hard" | M. Dewese | 4:34 |
7. | "Get the Picture" |
| 5:19 |
8. | "I'm Blowin' Up" | M. Dewese | 4:55 |
9. | "The Don" | M. Dewese | 5:10 |
10. | "Pump Your Fist" | M. Dewese | 4:27 |
11. | "Let's Go" | M. Dewese | 5:24 |
Total length: | 44:32 |
Notes
Sample credits
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
| Singles
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United States (RIAA) [13] | Gold | 500,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
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