Pray IV Reign | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Studio album by | ||||
Released | March 24, 2009 | |||
Recorded | 2007–09 | |||
Genre | Hip hop | |||
Length | 74:45 | |||
Label | ||||
Producer |
| |||
Jim Jones chronology | ||||
| ||||
Deluxe Edition cover | ||||
Singles from Pray IV Reign | ||||
|
Pray IV Reign is the fourth studio album by American hip hop rapper Jim Jones,released on March 24,2009,under E1,Columbia and Sony Music Entertainment. [1] The album,his first not to be released under Diplomat Records,also serves as his first under a major record label. The album includes production from Ron Browz,Chink Santana,No I.D.,Ryan Leslie,Michael Crawford,Triple-A and Young Seph. Jones' fourth album also features guest appearances from Ron Browz,Juelz Santana,NOE,Mel Matrix,Rell,Ludacris,Ryan Leslie,Chink Santana,Bree-Beauty,Starr,Rowana and Oshy.
The album,originally titled Back 2 Back,was his first album with Columbia Records. [2] The album cover was photographed by Thi Chien. There are several different album covers. The first version is the original cover,the second,third and fourth are all the original cover,but with different colored backgrounds,such as red,green and blue. The fifth cover is the Deluxe Edition with a close up of Jim Jones' face.
In a 2008 listening session,a few tracks were revealed. [3] The "Intro" was originally titled "Across 110th Street" and "How to Be a Boss" was originally titled "Follow this Blueprint". On the sixth track,titled "Frienemies",Jones' addresses his strained relationships with Cam'ron and Max B. [4] "My My My" is a song he recorded his deceased friend Stack Bundles. [5] Jim Jones says he likes to call this track "Emotionless Pt. 2",referring to a previous single of his taken from his third album Hustler's P.O.M.E. (2006). According to Jim Jones,"My My My" is one of the hardest songs for him perform because of his emotions. The passing of friend and fellow American rapper Stack Bundles,was one of the main inspirations for the album Pray IV Reign. [6]
A track that was rumored to be on the album was the remix to MGMT's "Electric Feel": [7]
They did a show [at United Palace Theater] up in Washington Heights, the initial conversation was just that it was an honor to meet them, I think they're kinna cool. And from there it led into me saying, It'd be crazy if I remixed "Electric Feel". They were like, Yeah, that would be crazy. So I said, Let me get the beats and shit.
On July 8, 2008, Jones' released a song titled "The Good Shit", featuring production from Ron Browz and a guest appearance from fellow ByrdGang member NOE. [8] [9] It was intended to be the album's first single when it was titled Back 2 Back, but was instead used for promotional purposes. [10]
"Pop Champagne", a song Jones recorded with Ron Browz and Dipset cohort Juelz Santana, was leaked online in the summer of 2008.[ citation needed ] It quickly became a club banger and hit single, peaking at #22 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was released as the album's lead single on September 4, 2008. The song proved to be Jones' second most successful single to date, behind his 2006 hit "We Fly High".
In October 2008, Jim Jones released a promotional video for the album, rapping his verse on his remix to Kid Cudi's "Day 'n' Nite". [11] Jim Jones initially wanted to release the album on December 9, which was coincidentally the same date Jay-Z was going to release The Blueprint 3 and 50 Cent was going to release Before I Self Destruct . [12]
To promote the album, Jones worked with Damon Dash and director J. Kyle Manzay to stage the play Hip-Hop Monologues: Inside the Life and Mind of Jim Jones. The “Hip-Hop Monologues” is a musical theatrical experience, co-written by Jim Jones, using the music from Pray IV Reign, as the platform. An ensemble of professional actors portray various characters from Jones’ past, while Jones performed his new songs in the context of a scripted story. The two-day only play pulled in a packed audience of fans, media, and celebrities. Infused with a live band the performance "Gives you that live instrumentation feel — more like a real Broadway type of feel as opposed to just seeing a hip-hop track. So, you’ll get to hear both the real music from off of the album and then the band comes in and it takes over and it gives you that really funky feeling" said Jones of the play. [13]
On January 1, 2009 a song titled "Na Na Nana Na Na" was premiered and on February 17, was released to iTunes. It serves as the album's second single and features up-and-coming singer Brittney Taylor AKA Bree-Beauty. Jim Jones also teamed up with BET, to promote the album as well. On March 2, 2009, Jim Jones appeared on BET's 106 & Park to premiere the music video for "Na Na Nana Na Na". Later on in the show he announced that from March 2 to March 24, he would be announcing a new item out of his "Swag Bag". The goal for the fans was to keep track of all the items announced each day and once you've collected all the items, you had to log on to BET.com/JimJones on Friday, March 20 to enter the contest for a chance to win Jim Jones’ "Swag Bag". Who ever entered all 24 items correctly won the "Swag Bag" and its items.
Jones partnered with iTunes, which had a "Countdown to Jim Jones Pray IV Reign". On February 17, they released the second single "Na Na Nana Na Na". On March 3, they released "Precious" featuring vocals and production from Ryan Leslie, on March 17, the song titled "Frenemies" was released, and on March 24, the entire album was released. The lead single from Pray IV Reign, "Pop Champagne", which spent two weeks as America's #1 urban single, was also incorporated into the countdown and was already available for sale.
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Allmusic | [14] |
Artistdirect | [15] |
Beats Per Millennium | (5.3/10) [16] |
Entertainment Weekly | (C+) [17] |
HipHopDX | [18] |
PREFIXMAG.Com | (4/10) [19] |
RapReviews | (8/10) [20] |
Slant | [21] |
Spin | [22] |
XXL | (XL) [23] |
XXL gave the album a 4/5, stating that the album is an extreme improvement with many heartfelt tracks, but many disappointments. XXL complimented the lead single, "Pop Champagne", "My My My", and the promo singles "Precious" and "Frenemies", but disliked the second single "Na Na Nana Na Na", "Pop Off" and "This Is the Life". [23]
Alex Thornton of HopHopDX liked the songs "How to Be a Boss" with Ludacris saying it stole the show, "Precious" with Ryan Leslie and "My My My". He also liked the lead single "Pop Champagne" but like most critics he hated the second single "Na Na Nana Na Na" [18]
The album debuted at #9 on the Billboard 200 with 42,982 copies sold in its first week released. [24]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Intro" (featuring Starr) | Andre Parker, Aqueelah McCummings, Ernest Wilson, Gene McDaniels, Joseph Jones | No I.D., Chink Santana (co.) | 5:14 |
2. | "Pulling Me Back" (featuring Chink Santana) | Charles Bobino III, Demetri Duncan, Dexter Randall, Jones, Parker | TrackSlayerz, Chink Santana (co.) | 3:45 |
3. | "Let It Out" | Dave West, Jones | Supa Dave West | 4:08 |
4. | "How to Be a Boss" (featuring Ludacris and NOE) | Duane Bridgeford, Christopher Bridges, Jones, Rondell Turner | Ron Browz | 5:07 |
5. | "Medicine" (featuring NOE and Chink Santana) | Bridgeford, Jones, Parker | Chink Santana | 5:36 |
6. | "Frienemies" | Ernest Isley, Christopher Jasper, Jones, Marvin Isley, O'Kelly Isley, Parker, Ronald Isley, Rudolph Isley | Chink Santana | 4:16 |
7. | "Precious" (featuring Ryan Leslie) | Anthony Leslie, Jones, Parker | Ryan Leslie | 4:10 |
8. | "Blow the Bank" (featuring Oshy and Starr) | Jones, Michael Crawford, Thomas Byrd | Magnedo7 | 3:46 |
9. | "This Is for My Bitches" (featuring Oshy) | Byrd, Jones, Ronald Ferebee, Jr. | Young Yonny | 3:44 |
10. | "Girlfriend" (featuring Juelz Santana and Oshy) | Bridgeford, Byrd, Jones, LaRon James, Parker | Chink Santana | 4:51 |
11. | "This Is the Life" (featuring Starr) | Bridgeford, Charles King, McCummings, Jones, Andre Atkins, Michael Floyd | Triple-A | 4:18 |
12. | "My My My" (featuring Rawana) | Ayinde Thomas, Jones, Teraike Crawford | Chris Styles, Cylla, Dangerous LLC | 4:28 |
13. | "Pop Off" (featuring NOE and Mel Matrix) | Bridgeford, Jones, Joseph Holmes | Young Seph | 4:12 |
14. | "Pop Champagne" (with Ron Browz featuring Juelz Santana) | James, Jones, Turner | Ron Browz | 3:35 |
15. | "Rain" (featuring Rell, NOE, and Starr) | Bridgeford, Gerrell Gaddis, Jones, Turner | Ron Browz | 5:33 |
16. | "Na Na Nana Na Na" (featuring Bree-Beauty) | Bridgeford, Brittney Taylor, Jed Cappelli, Jones, Matthew Friedman | ILLFONICS | 3:59 |
Chart (2009) | Peak position |
---|---|
U.S. Billboard 200 [29] | 9 |
U.S. Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums [30] | 2 |
U.S. Billboard Top Rap Albums [31] | 1 |
Pray IV Reign: The Mixtape | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Mixtape by | ||||
Released | March 3, 2009 | |||
Recorded | 2008–2009 | |||
Genre | Hip hop | |||
Label | Columbia, Sony | |||
Producer | Harley Is Majik, Ryan Leslie | |||
Jim Jones chronology | ||||
|
Jim Jones released a mixtape, titled Pray IV Reign: The Mixtape, on March 3, 2009 to promote the album. Most of the songs on the mixtape are tracks that failed to make the album's final track listing. [32] [33]
No. | Title | Producer | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Trippin" (featuring Laylee) | 4:44 | |
2. | "Shorty" (featuring NOE and Rell) | 5:39 | |
3. | "Religion" | Harley Is Majik | 5:22 |
4. | "Medicine" (featuring NOE and Chink Santana) | 5:36 | |
5. | "Fast Money" (featuring Mel Matrix and Sandman) | 4:02 | |
6. | "Uptown" (featuring Rell) | 4:27 | |
7. | "Precious" (featuring Ryan Leslie) | Ryan Leslie | 4:10 |
8. | "My Life" (featuring Chink Santana and NOE) | 5:50 | |
9. | "Catch Up" (featuring Oshy) | 2:28 |
Charts (2009) | Peak position |
---|---|
U.S. Top Rap Albums | 11 [31] |
U.S. Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums | 38 [30] |
Cam'ron Giles, known mononymously as Cam'ron, is an American rapper. Beginning his career in the early-1990s as Killa Cam, Giles signed with Lance "Un" Rivera's Untertainment, an imprint of Epic Records to release his first two studio albums Confessions of Fire (1998) and S.D.E. (2000); the former received gold certification by the RIAA. After leaving Epic, Giles signed with Roc-A-Fella Records in 2001 to release his third studio album, Come Home with Me, the following year. It received platinum certification by the RIAA and spawned the singles "Oh Boy" and "Hey Ma", which peaked at numbers four and three on the Billboard Hot 100, respectively. His fourth studio album, Purple Haze (2004) was met with similar success and likewise received gold certification by the RIAA.
LaRon Louis James, better known by his stage name Juelz Santana, is an American rapper and member of East Coast hip hop group, the Diplomats. He is best known for his appearances on group cohort Cam'ron's 2002 singles "Oh Boy" and "Hey Ma," which peaked at numbers four and three on the Billboard Hot 100, respectively. His guest appearance on Chris Brown's 2005 single, "Run It!" peaked atop the chart for five weeks and received triple platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). As a lead artist, he is also known for his 2005 single "There It Go ," which peaked at number six on the chart and received platinum certification by the RIAA.
Rufus Johnson, better known by his stage name Bizarre, formerly Bizarre Kid, is an American rapper and producer, best known for his work with the Detroit-based hip hop group D12.
Joseph Guillermo Jones II, better known by his stage name Jim Jones, is an American rapper and record executive. He is a founding member of the hip hop collective the Diplomats, which he formed in 1997 with fellow Harlem native Cam'ron.
The Diplomats is an American hip hop collective formed in 1997 by childhood friends Cam'ron and Jimmy Jones in Harlem, New York. The group was originally composed of Cam'ron, Jim Jones and Freekey Zekey, all of whom grew up together in Harlem. In 1999, fellow Harlem-based rapper Juelz Santana joined the group.
Andre Parker, known by his stage name Chink Santana, is an American R&B musician and producer from Washington, D.C. His achievements include co-producing Ashanti, the debut album from the singer of the same name, as well as working on her follow-up, Chapter II. He also co-wrote and produced tracks on Judgement Days, the second album by English singer/rapper Ms. Dynamite. He was also part of the making of Jim Jones' album, Hustler's P.O.M.E. .
Diplomat Records is an American hip hop record label co-founded by Harlem rappers Jim Jones and Cam'ron.
Terrence LeVarr Thornton, better known by his stage name Pusha T, is an American rapper. He rose to prominence as one half of the Virginia-based hip hop duo Clipse, which he formed with his older brother No Malice. Mainly active from 1994 to 2010, the duo were discovered by Pharrell Williams and signed with his record label Star Trak Entertainment, an imprint of Arista Records in 2001. They released three studio albums—Lord Willin' (2002), Hell Hath No Fury (2006) and Til the Casket Drops (2009)—to mild commercial success; the former spawned the Billboard Hot 100-top 40 singles "Grindin'" and "When the Last Time", for which they became best known.
Back on My B.S. is the eighth studio album by American rapper Busta Rhymes. It was released on May 19, 2009, through Flipmode and Universal Motown. The production on the album was handled by multiple producers including Pharrell Williams, DJ Scratch, Danja and Cool & Dre among others. The album also features guest appearances by T-Pain, Jamie Foxx, Akon, Lil Wayne, Mary J. Blige, T.I. and many more.
On My Way to Church is the debut studio album by American rapper and record executive Jim Jones. The album was released on August 24, 2004, through Diplomat Records and Koch Records. The production on the album was handled by various producers including Chad Hamilton, Boola, Ryan Press, Heatmakerz and Jones himself among others. The album also features guest appearances by T.I., Cam'ron, Bun B, Juelz Santana and more.
The discography of American rapper Juelz Santana consists of two studio albums, one compilation album, seven mixtapes, and 22 singles.
American rapper Jim Jones has released seven studio albums, five collaborative albums, three compilation albums, two extended plays (EPs), nineteen mixtapes and 47 singles. Jones is perhaps best known for being a member of East Coast hip hop group The Diplomats, with whom he recorded several mixtapes with before releasing their debut album Diplomatic Immunity, in 2003. In August 2004, Jones released his solo debut album On My Way to Church, under Diplomat Records and E1 Music. The album was preceded by the release of the singles "Certified Gangstas" and "Crunk Muzik", the latter of which features his Dipset-cohorts Juelz Santana and Cam'ron, and also supported the release of Dipset's second album Diplomatic Immunity 2 (2004).
Jermaine Coleman, better known by his stage name Maino, is an American rapper and radio personality. After an ineffective tenure with Universal Motown Records, he signed with Atlantic Records to release his 2008 debut single, "Hi Hater", which entered Billboard's Hot Rap Songs, Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Bubbling Under Hot 100 charts. His 2009 follow-up single, "All the Above" peaked within the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 and received platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Both songs preceded the release of his debut studio album If Tomorrow Comes… (2009), which peaked at number 25 on the Billboard 200. Its sequel, The Day After Tomorrow (2012) peaked at number 94 and was supported by the single "Let It Fly".
"Pop Champagne" is a song by American hip hop recording artist Ron Browz, originally released independently in June 2008. It is most famous for a remix with fellow American rappers Jim Jones and Juelz Santana that was officially released as a single on September 4, 2008 by Columbia and Universal Motown Records. The remixed version of the song serves as the lead single from Jones' fourth studio album Pray IV Reign (2009). "Pop Champagne" received mixed reviews from critics, but proved to be Jones' second most successful single to date, behind his 2006 hit "We Fly High".
"Arab Money" is a song by American rapper Busta Rhymes, released as the lead single from his eighth studio album Back on My B.S. (2009). It features production and vocals by fellow New York-based rapper Ron Browz.
Rondell Edwin Turner, better known by his stage name Ron Browz, is an American rapper, singer, and record producer from Harlem, New York. He gained major recognition for his production work on fellow New York rapper Nas' 2001 diss track, "Ether". Browz has since adopted the nickname "Ether Boy", namesake of his record label, founded in 2009.
"Na Na Nana Na Na" is a song by American hip hop recording artist Jim Jones, released as the second single from his fourth studio album, Pray IV Reign (2009). The song features vocals from Brittney "Bree-Beauty" Taylor and was produced by production duo ILLFONICS. The title of the song refers to "nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah" the lexigraphic representation of a common children's chant often used in taunting.
Duane Stacy Bridgeford, better known by his stage name NOE, is an American hip hop recording artist from Baltimore, Maryland. He is best known for his affiliation with Jim Jones and his involvement in East Coast hip hop group ByrdGang. He was featured on most of the songs for M.O.B.: The Album (2008) and was a prominent writer and featured artist on Jim Jones' Pray IV Reign (2009). His song, “Done Did It,” is licensed to ABC’s number one crime drama Detroit 1-8-7 for the first episode, which was watched by 13 million viewers.
The Nacirema Dream is the debut studio album by American rapper Papoose. The album was first announced to be released under Jive Records in 2006, but after many delays and label issues, it was released on March 26, 2013, through Honorable Records and Fontana Records. The album features guest appearances from Mobb Deep, Erykah Badu, Jim Jones, Jadakiss, Remy Ma, Mavado, DJ Premier and Ron Browz among others. The album was supported by the three singles "On Top of My Game" featuring Mavado, "What's My Name" featuring Remy Ma, and "Get At Me" featuring Ron Browz. Upon release the album received generally positive reviews and debuted at number 97 on the U.S. Billboard 200.
"We Fly High" is a song by American rapper Jim Jones, released as the lead single from his third studio album, Hustler's P.O.M.E. (2006). The song is Jim Jones' highest-charting single to date, charting at number five on the Billboard Hot 100. It was written by Jones and produced by Zukhan Bey who produced his previous single, "Baby Girl".