| Riches, Royalty, Respect | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | May 31, 2011 | |||
| Recorded | 2010–2011 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 47:33 | |||
| Label | Fat Beats | |||
| Producer |
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| Kool G Rap chronology | ||||
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| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [1] |
| HipHopDX | [2] |
| iHipHop | [3] |
| Rap Reviews |    [4] |
| XXL | [5] |
Riches, Royalty, Respect is the fifth solo album by American hip-hop recording artist Kool G Rap, released on May 31, 2011 by Fat Beats.
Riches, Royalty, Respect has a more vintage, soulful sound than much of Kool G Rap's previous work, with notable 1970s artists such as Al Green and Lee Moses sampled on the album, although his usual hardcore, Mafioso sound also features prominently throughout. Production was overseen by mostly lesser-known producers, with some exceptions like The Alchemist, DJ Infamous and Marley Marl. Offer You Can't Refuse , an eight track EP, was released in January 2011 as a prelude to the album. [6]
A music video for the song "In Too Deep" was uploaded to YouTube by FatBeatsRecords on June 20, 2011.
Riches, Royalty, Respect received generally mixed to positive reviews from music critics. Andy Kellman of AllMusic gave the album 3.5 stars out of five, saying "The production lineup for Riches, Royalty, Respect is not quite as impressive as that of 2007's Half a Klip , which boasted DJ Premier. G Rap instead leans on beats from an assortment of up-and-comers while enlisting DJ Supa Dave, the Alchemist, and career-long associate Marley Marl. Although G Rap's flow is not as energizing as it once was -- it now packs a heft that is both considerable and measured -- he can still spin a tale, draw up a fleshed-out concept, and epitomize hardcore rap as well as any MC half his age. The rugged and more dramatic beats -- 'In Too Deep,' 'Sad,' and the Havoc-assisted 'American Nightmare' -- bring out the best in G Rap. His mere presence is enough to carry the weaker tracks". [1] Andres Vasquez from HipHopDX also gave the album 3.5 out of five and stated "G Rap can still hang, using his patented multisyllabic style to perfection throughout, flashing this skill frequently. Lyrically, G Rap also shows his sharp lyricism on 'Sad,' one of the album's most interesting, heartfelt cuts over a Lee Moses sample. 'Pages of My Life' also shows more of this introspection. Here, G Rap shows why veteran emcees should still have an integral voice in our culture. Of course, the right beats are important in backing every emcee. For his support, G Rap went for mostly lesser-known producers (with some exceptions like Alchemist and Marley Marl) who had a similar vision. Taking off with the throwback theme in place, each producer drops a soulful sample laden track, a Memory Lane for all who take this album for a spin. 'In Too Deep,' 'The Meaning to Your Love,' 'Sad,' 'Pages of My Life,' and 'Da Real Thing' all showcase this nostalgic vibe properly. By providing the soulful instrumentals, it allows G Rap to do what he does best with no distractions". [2]
Robert Baker at iHipHop gave Riches, Royalty, Respect a score of three out of five and commented "Though he has remained low key for a number of years, G Rap doesn't show any fatigue on Riches, Royalty, Respect. In fact, Giancana shows fans that he can still whip up delectable hood stories from the bubbling Pyrex pot that we all love. However, the album is far from flawless, and as most fans can agree, the true Achilles heel of all G Rap albums is not its lyricism, but its production. Nonetheless, Riches, Royalty, Respect is better than half the garbage that overflows the commode nowadays. Yet, just as any legend in the game, G Rap is cursed with having his work constantly mounted against prior releases that have all received critical acclaim. With that said, G Rap's latest installment is mediocre at best." [3]
Rap Reviews' Matt Jost scored the album as a 7.5 out of ten and noted "On the face of it, Riches, Royalty, Respect delivers the goods. 'In Too Deep' conjures up the familiar portrait of the artist as a cold-blooded, cocaine-slinging hustler entrapped by the trap. Producer DJ Supa Dave sets the scenery to music by digging deep into symphonic soul. Yet like virtually all comebacks from rap's elder statesmen, Riches, Royalty, Respect reveals certain shortcomings that may or may not have been present before but become apparent as rap history advances. Advocates of the arform will argue that Kool G Rap and most of today's successful rap acts are worlds apart artistically. They are absolutely right, but for a Kool G Rap the bar is placed higher than chart positions and numbers of social media followers". [4]
Alvin Blanco of XXL gave the album three out of five, saying "For the most part, the Queens native relies on his signature style, where he shines, weaving yarns about illicit scenarios that often include shady vixens looking for a come up. Though the album includes beats from Alchemist and old Juice Crew buddy Marley Marl, a lack of star-level production hinders the release a bit. Even so, a legion of lesser-known beatsmiths build a capable enough backdrop to showcase G Rap's New York grittiness". [5]
| No. | Title | Producer | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Pimptro" | Blastah Beatz | 1:50 |
| 2. | "Ya Chic Chose Me" | The Insurgency | 3:35 |
| 3. | "In Too Deep" (featuring Heather Walker) | DJ Supa Dave | 3:13 |
| 4. | "70's Gangsta" | Leaf Dog | 3:19 |
| 5. | "Pillow Talk" | DJ Supa Dave | 2:39 |
| 6. | "The Meaning to Your Love" | LEVEL 13 | 2:53 |
| 7. | "Sad" | DJ Supa Dave | 3:09 |
| 8. | "Maggie" | Simply Smashin | 3:52 |
| 9. | "$ Ova Bitches" | Marley Marl | 2:41 |
| 10. | "G On" | The Insurgency | 2:34 |
| 11. | "Pages of My Life" | DJ Supa Dave | 2:38 |
| 12. | "Goin In" | Gordon “H.U.M.P.” Humphrey | 4:18 |
| 13. | "American Nightmare" (featuring Havoc) | The Alchemist | 3:12 |
| 14. | "Da Real Thing" (featuring Heather Walker) | LEVEL 13 | 3:10 |
| 15. | "Harmony Homicide" | Infamous | 4:31 |
Marlon Lu'Ree Williams, better known by his stage name Marley Marl, is an American DJ, record producer, rapper and record label founder, primarily operating in hip hop music. Marlon grew up in Queensbridge housing projects located in Queens, New York. He performed in local talent shows during the early days of rap music, further fueling his interest.
Rapping is an artistic form of vocal delivery and emotive expression that incorporates "rhyme, rhythmic speech, and [commonly] street vernacular". It is usually performed over a backing beat or musical accompaniment. The components of rap include "content", "flow", and "delivery". Rap differs from spoken-word poetry in that it is usually performed off-time to musical accompaniment. It also differs from singing, which varies in pitch and does not always include words. Because they do not rely on pitch inflection, some rap artists may play with timbre or other vocal qualities. Rap is a primary ingredient of hip-hop music, and so commonly associated with the genre that it is sometimes called "rap music".
Nathaniel Thomas Wilson, better known by his stage name Kool G Rap, is an American rapper. He began his career in the mid-1980s as one half of the group Kool G Rap & DJ Polo and as a member of the Juice Crew. He is widely considered to be one of the most influential and skilled MCs of all time, and a pioneer of mafioso rap/street/hardcore content and multisyllabic rhyming. On his album The Giancana Story, he stated that the "G" in his name stands for "Giancana", but on other occasions he has stated that it stands for "Genius".
Antonio Hardy, better known by his stage name Big Daddy Kane, is an American rapper, producer and actor who began his career in 1986 as a member of the Juice Crew. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential and skilled MCs in hip hop. Rolling Stone ranked his song "Ain't No Half-Steppin'" number 25 on its list of The 50 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs of All Time, calling him "a master wordsmith of rap's late-golden age and a huge influence on a generation of MCs".
Duval Clear, better known by his stage name Masta Ace, is an American rapper and record producer from New York City. A lead member of Mr. Magic's hip hop collective Juice Crew, he is best known for his guest appearance alongside Kool G Rap, Craig G and Big Daddy Kane on the group's 1988 posse cut "The Symphony". He is noted for his distinct voice and rapping proficiency.
The Bridge Wars was a hip hop music rivalry during the mid-to-late 1980s and early 1990s, that arose from a dispute over the true birthplace of hip hop music and retaliation over the rejecting of a record for airplay. The Bridge Wars originally involved the South Bronx's Boogie Down Productions, led by KRS-One, and Marley Marl's Juice Crew, hailing from Queensbridge. KRS-One and Marley Marl have since officially retired the feud, with the release of their collaborative 2007 album Hip Hop Lives.
The Juice Crew was an American hip hop collective made up largely of Queensbridge, New York–based artists in the mid-to-late 1980s. Founded by radio DJ Mr. Magic, and housed by Tyrone Williams' record label Cold Chillin' Records, the Juice Crew helped introduce New School artists MC Shan, Big Daddy Kane, Biz Markie, Roxanne Shante, Masta Ace, Tragedy, Craig G and Kool G Rap. The crew produced many answer records and engaged with numerous "beefs" – primarily with rival radio jock Kool DJ Red Alert and the South Bronx's Boogie Down Productions, as well as the "posse cut", "The Symphony".
Percy Lee Chapman, known by his stage name Tragedy Khadafi, is an American rapper and record producer. Chapman hails from the Queensbridge Housing Projects in Queens, New York City, and helped spawn other hip hop artists such as Mobb Deep, Capone-N-Noreaga, Nas. He is documented to be the first to use the phrase "illmatic" in 1988 on a record called "The Rebel", from the Marley Marl album In Control, Volume 1, which was an inspiration and influence on fellow New York rapper Nas.
Cold Chillin' Records was a record label that released music during the golden age of hip hop from the late 1980s to the early 1990s. A producer-and-crew label founded by manager Tyrone Williams and run by Len Fichtelberg, most of the label's releases were by members of the Juice Crew, a loosely knit group of artists centered on producer Marley Marl. In 1998, the label shut down, and the majority of its expansive catalog was bought by Massachusetts-based LandSpeed Records.
Wanted: Dead or Alive is the second album by the hip hop duo Kool G Rap & DJ Polo. The album was released a year after the duo's debut, Road to the Riches, and received greater acclaim from most music critics. The singles "Streets of New York" and "Erase Racism" received notable airplay on Yo! MTV Raps and the former is credited by Nas as being influential on his song "N.Y. State of Mind" from his critically acclaimed album Illmatic.
Road to the Riches is the debut album by hip hop duo Kool G Rap & DJ Polo, which was released in 1989 on then-prominent hip hop label Cold Chillin' Records. The album is notable for being one of the blueprints for the mafioso rap trend with the title track "Road to the Riches," which received strong rotation on the TV show Yo! MTV Raps, and was later featured on the old-school hip hop radio station Playback FM from the game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Most of the songs, however, are not crime-related. Other popular songs included "It's a Demo" and "Poison." In 1998, Road to the Riches was selected as one of The Source's "100 Best Albums".
Screwball is an American underground hip hop quartet from New York City, composed of rappers Hostyle, KL, Blaq Poet and Solo. The group has released two studio albums, Y2K: The Album in 1999 and Loyalty in 2001, and a compilation album Screwed Up in 2004.
Half a Klip is the fourth album by American rapper Kool G Rap, released on February 5, 2008, by Chinga Chang, Latchey and Koch Records. It was the first new solo release from Kool G Rap in six years, and its producers included DJ Premier, Marley Marl, Domingo, and Marks. KL of Screwball, D-Roc and Haylie Duff appeared as a guest vocalists.
Domingo Padilla, better known as Domingo, is an American hip hop producer from Brooklyn, New York of Latino descent. He has produced for some well-known hip hop artists such as Das EFX, Immortal Technique, and Rakim, among others. He is closely associated with Kool G Rap.
John R. Austin II, better known by his stage name Ras Kass, is an American rapper. He is a member of the hip hop supergroup The HRSMN, along with Canibus, Killah Priest, and Kurupt in 2014. He is also a member of the group Golden State Warriors with Xzibit and Saafir. About.com ranked him No. 30 on their list of the Top 50 MCs of Our Time (1987–2007), while Pitchfork Media called him "one of the best rappers of all time".
The following is a discography of production credited to Marley Marl.
Offer You Can't Refuse is an EP album by American rapper Kool G Rap, released independently on February 2, 2011. The first new solo release from Kool G Rap in three years, its producers included The Alchemist and Domingo, and Scar Child and Havoc appeared as guest vocalists.
"The Symphony" is a rap song produced by Marley Marl featuring Juice Crew members Masta Ace, Kool G Rap, Craig G and Big Daddy Kane. The track appears on Marley Marl's 1988 Cold Chillin' Records release In Control, Volume 1. Rolling Stone ranked "The Symphony" the 48th greatest hip-hop song of all time, calling it "the first truly great posse cut".
"It's a Demo" is the 1986 debut single by American hip hop duo Kool G Rap & DJ Polo. Originally a non-album single with "I'm Fly" as a B-side, a remix of the track was featured on the duo's 1989 album Road to the Riches and later on the compilation albums Killer Kuts (1994), The Best of Cold Chillin' (2000), Greatest Hits (2002) and Street Stories: The Best of Kool G Rap & DJ Polo (2013).
"Talk Like Sex" is a song by American hip hop duo Kool G Rap & DJ Polo, originally recorded for their 1990 album Wanted: Dead or Alive and later released as the second single from 1996's Rated XXX. It was also featured on the compilation albums The Best of Cold Chillin' (2000), Greatest Hits (2002) and Street Stories: The Best of Kool G Rap & DJ Polo (2013).
