The Element of Surprise | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | August 25, 1998 | |||
Recorded | 1997–1998 | |||
Genre | West Coast hip-hop | |||
Length | 107:59 | |||
Label | ||||
Producer | ||||
E-40 chronology | ||||
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Singles from The Element of Surprise | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Source | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Element of Surprise is the fourth studio album by American rapper E-40. It was released on August 25, 1998, by Sick Wid It Records and Jive Records. The album features production by Ant Banks, Bosko, Mike Mosley, Rick Rock, Sam Bostic, Studio Ton & Tone Capone. It peaked at number 4 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and at number 13 on the Billboard 200. [3] The album features guest performances by fellow members of The Click: B-Legit, D-Shot and Suga-T, as well as Jayo Felony, C-Bo, Mack 10, WC, Busta Rhymes, Levitti and Master P. The second to last track, "Ballin' Outta Control", originally appeared on the 1993 extended play, The Mail Man .
Along with a single, a music video was produced for the song "Hope I Don't Go Back", featuring Otis & Shug. A second single, "From the Ground Up", was also released as a music video, featuring Too Short and K-Ci & JoJo. The album eventually went Gold. In 2013 E-40 ranked what he considers to be his ten best albums, and named The Element of Surprise as his best album overall. [4]
The Element of Surprise debuted and peaked at number 13 on the Billboard 200 , with first week sales nearing 78,000 units. [5] To date, the album has been certified Gold by the RIAA for selling and shipping 500,000 copies.
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
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1. | "The Element of Surprise" | Rick Rock | 4:21 | |
2. | "Trump Change" |
| Big Tyme | 4:30 |
3. | "All Tha Time" (featuring B-Legit) |
| Bosko | 3:21 |
4. | "Dump, Bust, Blast" |
| Bosko | 4:11 |
5. | "Hope I Don't Go Back" |
| Ant Banks | 4:38 |
6. | "$999,999 + $1 = A Mealticket" |
| Rick Rock | 4:32 |
7. | "Money Scheme" (featuring Jayo Felony) |
| Bosko | 6:20 |
8. | "Zoom" |
| Bosko | 4:09 |
9. | "Mayhem" (featuring A-1) |
| Rick Rock | 5:09 |
10. | "Personal" (featuring D-Shot, Suga T, The Mossie, and Levitti) |
| Studio Ton | 4:31 |
11. | "My Hoodlumz & My Thugz" (featuring Mack 10 and WC) |
| Keith Kinlow | 4:44 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
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1. | "Do It to Me" (featuring Busta Rhymes) |
| Tone Capone | 3:40 |
2. | "Lieutenant Roast a Botch" (featuring Sylk-E. Fyne) |
| Studio Ton | 4:41 |
3. | "It's On, On Sight" (featuring C-Bo) |
| Funk Daddy | 4:13 |
4. | "From the Ground Up" (featuring K-Ci & JoJo, and Too Short) |
| Ant Banks | 4:52 |
5. | "Flashin'" |
| Studio Ton | 4:54 |
6. | "Doin' Dirt Bad" (featuring B-Legit) |
| Bosko | 4:24 |
7. | "Broccoli" |
| Ant Banks | 4:07 |
8. | "Jump My Bone" |
| Bosko | 3:57 |
9. | "Back Against the Wall" (featuring Master P) |
| Bosko | 4:16 |
10. | "To Da Beat" |
| Studio Ton | 4:12 |
11. | "Dirty Deeds" |
|
| 3:46 |
12. | "Ballin' Outta Control" |
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| 4:22 |
13. | "One More Gen" |
| Sam Bostic | 6:09 |
Sample credits
Chart (1998) | Peak position |
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US Billboard 200 [6] | 13 |
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) [7] | 4 |
Chart (1998) | Position |
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US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) [8] | 89 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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United States (RIAA) [9] | Gold | 500,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |