Pawns in the Game

Last updated
Pawns in the Game
Pawns in the Game.jpg
Studio album by
Professor Griff and the Last Asiatic Disciples
ReleasedMarch 27, 1990
Recorded1989–1990
StudioSkyywalker Recording Studio (Liberty City, FL)
Genre Political hip hop
Label Luke/Atlantic Records
Producer
Professor Griff chronology
Pawns in the Game
(1990)
Kao's II Wiz*7*Dome
(1991)
Singles from Pawns in the Game
  1. "Pawns in the Game"
    Released: 1990
  2. "The Verdict"
    Released: 1990
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [1]
Robert Christgau C [2]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [3]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide Star full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [4]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [5]

Pawns in the Game is the only studio album by the American musician Professor Griff and the Last Asiatic Disciples, which included Life (Sean Peacock), Patrick X (Sean Smith), B-Wyze (Robert L. Harding, Jr.), Jim "Obie" O'Brien (John Michael O'Brian), and JXL (Jason Wicks). It was released in 1990 via Luke/Atlantic Records. [6] The recording sessions took place at Skyywalker Recording Studio in Liberty City. The production was mainly handled by Griff, with co-producers O'Brien, Beatmaster Clay D (Clay Dixon) and Kerwin "Sleek" Young. Luke Skyywalker served as the executive producer.

Contents

The album peaked at number 127 on the Billboard 200 and number 24 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The title track and "The Verdict" were the only singles released. "Pawns in the Game" entered the Billboard rap singles chart at number 4.

Due to comments made by Griff prior to the album's recording, Pawns in the Game was not carried by every national record chain. [7]

Critical reception

The Chicago Tribune wrote that "although the music is good, and Griff and his crew are proficient rappers, Pawns in the Game is missing the urgency and spunk that fuel Public Enemy`s recordings." [8] MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide called the album "morally irritating." [4] Trouser Press wrote that "although its strong rhythm tracks are gripping enough, the baldly proselytic Pawns in the Game isn’t about entertainment." [9] The Rolling Stone Album Guide wrote that there are "enough hard beats built into the backing tracks to cover for Griff's sometimes shaky delivery." [5]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Richard Griffin, Sean Peacock, Sean Smith, Robert Harding, John Michael O'Brian and Jason Wicks

No.TitleProducer(s)Length
1."Pawns In The Game"
2:27
2."The Verdict"
  • Professor Griff
  • Beat Master Clay D.
4:28
3."Suzi Wants To Be A Rock Star"
  • Professor Griff
  • Beat Master Clay D.
5:17
4."Real African People 'Rap' Part 1"
  • Professor Griff
  • Kerwin "Sleek" Young
3:44
5."Pass The Ammo"
  • Professor Griff
  • Beat Master Clay D.
4:28
6."Real African People 'Rap' Part 2"
  • Professor Griff
  • Kerwin "Sleek" Young
1:21
7."Love Thy Enemy"
  • Professor Griff
  • Kerwin "Sleek" Young
3:59
8."Rap Terrorist"
  • Professor Griff
  • Kerwin "Sleek" Young
  • Jim "Obie" O'Brien
2:33
9."1-900 Ste Oreo Type"
  • Professor Griff
  • Beat Master Clay D.
4:08
10."Last Asiatic Disciples"
  • Professor Griff
  • Beat Master Clay D.
4:13
11."The Word Of God Griff On Duty"
  • Professor Griff
  • Kerwin "Sleek" Young
3:15
12."The V Amendment"
  • Professor Griff
  • Kerwin "Sleek" Young
  • Jim "Obie" O'Brien
3:50
13."The Interview"
  • Professor Griff
  • Kerwin "Sleek" Young
  • Jim "Obie" O'Brien
4:06
14."It's A Blax Thanx"Professor Griff3:15

Charts

Chart (1990)Peak
position
US Billboard 200 [10] 127
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums ( Billboard ) [11] 24

Related Research Articles

<i>Nurse</i> (album) 1992 studio album by Therapy?

Nurse is the first major label album released by the rock band Therapy? It was released in 1992 on A&M Records.

<i>Wild Planet</i> 1980 studio album by the B-52s

Wild Planet is the second studio album by American new wave band the B-52's, released in 1980 by Warner Bros. Records.

<i>Discipline</i> (King Crimson album) 1981 studio album by King Crimson

Discipline is the eighth studio album by English progressive rock band King Crimson, released on 22 September 1981 by E.G. Records in the United Kingdom and by Warner Bros. Records in the United States.

<i>Peace in Our Time</i> (Big Country album) 1988 studio album by Big Country

Peace in Our Time is the fourth studio album by Scottish band Big Country, released in 1988.

<i>Secrets of the I Ching</i> 1983 studio album by 10,000 Maniacs

Secrets of the I Ching is the first album by American alternative rock band 10,000 Maniacs, released in 1983 by Mark Records. While the album also contained the band's own Christian Burial Music imprint, the label itself was fictitious.

<i>Rebirth of a Nation</i> 2006 studio album by Public Enemy and Paris

Rebirth of a Nation is a collaborative studio album by American hip hop group Public Enemy and rapper/producer Paris. Its title is a reference to the 1915 white supremacist film The Birth of a Nation as well as one of the group's prior albums, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back. Despite the Public Enemy branding on the album, many tracks were written and produced by Paris; the album itself was deemed a "special project" by Chuck D in order to differentiate it from other Public Enemy works. It was released on March 7, 2006 through Guerrilla Funk Recordings with distribution via Caroline Distribution. The album was mixed and mastered at Data Stream Studio in San Francisco, California. The album features guest appearances from Dead Prez, MC Ren, Kam, Sister Souljah, The Conscious Daughters, Immortal Technique and Professor Griff. Rebirth of a Nation peaked at number 180 on the Billboard 200 albums chart in the United States and sold 5,592 units in its first week out.

<i>Growing Up in Public</i> (Lou Reed album) 1980 studio album by Lou Reed

Growing Up in Public is the tenth solo studio album by American rock musician Lou Reed, released in April 1980 by Arista Records.

<i>Kill at Will</i> 1990 EP by Ice Cube

Kill at Will is an extended play by American rapper Ice Cube, released in 1990 via Priority Records. It was released soon after AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted and capitalized on Cube's newfound solo success.

<i>Rough Mix</i> 1977 studio album by Pete Townshend and Ronnie Lane

Rough Mix is an album by the Who's guitarist Pete Townshend and former Small Faces and Faces bassist Ronnie Lane. The album was released in September 1977 as Polydor 2442 in the UK and MCA 2295 in the US. It peaked at number 44 on the UK album chart, and at number 45 on the Billboard 200.

<i>One for All</i> (Brand Nubian album) 1990 studio album by Brand Nubian

One for All is the debut studio album by American hip hop group Brand Nubian, released on December 4, 1990, by Elektra Records. The album was highly acclaimed for its politically charged and socially conscious content. Sales never matched the wide acclaim — the album has only sold 350,000 copies as of May 2013 — but it has remained in print since its 1990 release. The album is mainly produced by Brand Nubian, but it also features production by Skeff Anselm, Stimulated Dummies, and Dave "Jam" Hall. The album's production contains many motifs of hip hop's golden age including James Brown-sampled breakbeats and funky R&B loops. The album is broken down track-by-track by Brand Nubian in Brian Coleman's book Check the Technique.

<i>He Got Game</i> (soundtrack) 1998 soundtrack album / Studio album by Public Enemy

He Got Game is a soundtrack and sixth studio album by American hip hop group Public Enemy, released on April 28, 1998, under Def Jam Recordings. It was released as the soundtrack to Spike Lee's 1998 film of the same name and was the group's last album for Def Jam until 2020's What You Gonna Do When the Grid Goes Down. He Got Game was produced by members of the Bomb Squad, along with producers Abnes Dubose, Danny Saber, D. R. Period, and Jack Dangers.

<i>Jahmekya</i> 1991 studio album by Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers

Jahmekya is a studio album by the reggae group Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers, released in 1991.

<i>Lyle Lovett and His Large Band</i> 1989 studio album by Lyle Lovett

Lyle Lovett and His Large Band is Lyle Lovett's third album, released in 1989. Lovett won the Grammy Award for Best Male Country Vocal Performance for the album.

<i>Kaos II Wiz*7*Dome</i> 1991 studio album by Professor Griff

Kao's II Wiz-7-Dome is the second album by emcee Professor Griff. The album was released on July 23, 1991, on Luke/Atlantic Records and was produced by Professor Griff, Luke Skyywalker, and Kavon Shah. The album was even less commercially successful than his previous album, Pawns in the Game, only making it to #70 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. One single was released, titled "Jail Sale," but it did not make it to any of the Billboard charts. The number seven refers to the Nation of Gods and Earths, of which Griff is a member.

<i>Ones on the Way</i> (album) 1972 studio album by Loretta Lynn

One's on the Way is the nineteenth solo studio album by American country music singer-songwriter Loretta Lynn. It was released on March 6, 1972, by Decca Records.

<i>The Real Macaw</i> 1983 studio album by Graham Parker

The Real Macaw is an album by Graham Parker, released in 1983.

<i>Radio One</i> (album) 1988 live album by The Jimi Hendrix Experience

Radio One is a live album by The Jimi Hendrix Experience. It was released posthumously in November 1988 by Rykodisc and compiles tracks recorded between February and December 1967 for broadcasts by BBC Radio. The album peaked at number 30 on the UK Albums Chart while it charted at number 119 on the Billboard 200 in the United States. After Hendrix's family gained control of his legacy, Radio One was supplanted by the more comprehensive BBC Sessions in 1998.

<i>Show Some Emotion</i> (album) 1977 studio album by Joan Armatrading

Show Some Emotion is the fourth studio album by British singer-songwriter Joan Armatrading, released in 1977 on A&M. It reached No. 6 on the UK Albums Chart, No. 52 on the US Billboard 200 albums chart, and No. 18 on the Australian Kent Music Report albums chart.

<i>Shades in Bed</i> 1979 studio album by The Records

Shades in Bed is the debut album by the British power pop band the Records, released in 1979 by Virgin Records. The album features their best-known song "Starry Eyes."

<i>Here Come the Snakes</i> 1989 studio album by Green on Red

Here Come the Snakes is an album by the American band Green on Red, released in 1989. The album cover photo, titled "Afterward from the Democratic Forest", is by William Eggleston.

References

  1. Heilman, Dan. "Pawns in the Game - Professor Griff & the Last Asiatic Disciple | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic . Retrieved November 27, 2020.
  2. Christgau, Robert. "Robert Christgau: Album: Professor Griff and the Last Asiatic Disciples: Pawns in the Game". robertchristgau.com. Retrieved November 27, 2020.
  3. Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 6. MUZE. p. 669.
  4. 1 2 MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1999. p. 904.
  5. 1 2 The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 564.
  6. Baker, Greg (July 11, 1990). "The Education of Professor Griff". Miami New Times.
  7. Harrington, Richard (April 15, 1990). "THE SINGLE-MINDED PROFESSOR" via www.washingtonpost.com.
  8. Tanzilo, Robert. "PROFESSOR GRIFF AND THE LAST ASIATIC DISCIPLES". chicagotribune.com.
  9. "Public Enemy". Trouser Press. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  10. "Billboard 200 Chart: Week of May 12, 1990". Billboard . Retrieved November 27, 2020.
  11. "Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Chart: Week of May 19, 1990". Billboard . Retrieved November 27, 2020.