The Imperial (Flipmode Squad album)

The Imperial
Studio album by Flipmode Squad
Released	September 1, 1998 (1998-09-01)
Studio	Soundtrack (New York City)
Genre	Hip hop
Length	1:14:32
Label	Flipmode Violator Elektra
Producer	Busta Rhymes Da Beatminerz DJ Scratch L.E.S. M.D. Rockwilder Swizz Beatz Tony Touch
Busta Rhymes chronology
When Disaster Strikes... (1997) The Imperial (1998) Extinction Level Event: The Final World Front (1998)
Rampage chronology
Scout's Honor… by Way of Blood (1997) The Imperial (1998) Have You Seen? (2006)

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"The Imperial Intro"			5:00
2.	"To My People"	Trevor Smith William Lewis Roger McNair Rashia Fisher Leroy Jones George Spivey	DJ Scratch	4:56
3.	"Settin' It Off"	Smith Lewis McNair Fisher Jones Douglas Brinson	M.D.	4:22
4.	"Run for Cover"	Smith Lewis McNair Fisher Jones Wayne Notise Kasseem Dean	Swizz Beatz	3:29
5.	"I Got Your Back"	Smith Lewis McNair Fisher Jones Spivey	DJ Scratch	5:49
6.	"This Is What Happens"	McNair Fisher Spivey	DJ Scratch	5:30
7.	"Everybody on the Line Outside"	Smith McNair Notise Spivey	DJ Scratch	5:06
8.	"Last Night"	Smith Lewis	Busta Rhymes	3:59
9.	"Where You Think You Goin'"	Smith Lewis McNair Fisher Jones Notise Spivey	DJ Scratch	4:40
10.	"We Got U Opin, Pt. 2" (featuring Buckshot)	Smith Lewis McNair Fisher Jones Notise Kenyatta Blake Walter Dewgarde	Da Beatminerz	5:02
11.	"Straight Spittin"	Smith Lewis McNair Fisher Jones Notise Joseph Hernandez	Tony Touch	4:43
12.	"Money Talks"	Smith Lewis McNair Fisher Spivey	DJ Scratch	4:26
13.	"Cha Cha Cha"	Smith Lewis Fisher Jones Spivey	DJ Scratch	4:11
14.	"Hit Em Wit da Heat"	Smith Lewis McNair Fisher Jones Notise Dana Stinson	Rockwilder	4:17
15.	"Do for Self"	Lewis Jones Spivey	DJ Scratch	5:22
16.	"Everything"	Smith Lewis McNair Fisher Jones	L.E.S.	3:40
Total length:				1:14:32

Personnel

Flipmode Squad

• Trevor "Busta Rhymes" Smith – performer (tracks: 2–5, 7–14, 16), producer (track 8), arranging (tracks: 2–16), executive producer
• William "Spliff Star" Lewis – performer (tracks: 2–5, 8–16)
• Roger "Rampage" McNair – performer (tracks: 2–7, 9–12, 14, 16)
• Rashia "Rah Digga" Fisher – performer (tracks: 2–6, 9–14, 16)
• Leroy "Baby Sham" Jones – performer (tracks: 2–5, 9–11, 13–16)
• Wayne "Lord Have Mercy" Notise – performer (tracks: 4, 7, 9–11, 14)

Technical

• Kenyatta "Buckshot" Blake – performer (track 10)
• George "DJ Scratch" Spivey – producer (tracks: 2, 5–7, 9, 12, 13, 15), arranging (tracks: 2, 5, 6, 9, 12, 13), executive producer
• Douglas "M.D." Brinson – producer (track 3)
• Kasseem "Swizz Beatz" Dean – producer (track 4)
• Walter "Mr. Walt" Dewgarde – producer & arranging (track 10)
• Joseph "Tony Touch" Hernandez – producer (track 11)
• Dana "Rockwilder" Stinson – producer (track 14)
• Leshan "L.E.S." Lewis – producer (track 16)
• Vinnie Nicoletti – recording (tracks: 2–5, 7–13, 15, 16), mixing (tracks: 2, 3, 5–9, 12–14, 16)
• Robert Burnette – recording (tracks: 4, 6, 7, 14), mixing (track 11)
• Andre DeBourg – recording (track 7)
• Dominick Barbera – mixing (tracks: 4, 10, 15)
• Eduardo Larez – assistant engineering (tracks: 2, 7, 9, 11), assistant recording (tracks: 4, 5, 10, 12, 13, 15, 16), assistant mixing (tracks: 4, 7, 11, 12)
• Rich Tapper – assistant engineering (tracks: 3, 10), assistant mixing (tracks: 2, 5, 6, 8, 9, 13, 14, 16)
• Jin Won Lee – assistant engineering (track 3), assistant recording (tracks: 5, 14), assistant mixing (track 15)
• Cathy Rich – assistant engineering (track 6)
• Sheldon Guide – assistant engineering (track 9), assistant recording (track 4)
• Tom Passetti – assistant recording (track 8)
• Darren Rapp – assistant recording (track 14)
• Tom Coyne – mastering
• Rick Posada – executive producer
• Gregory Burke – art direction, design
• Alli Burke – art direction
• Amy Guip – photography
• Kevin "Webb" Welch – A&R direction, management
• Lisa Aird – A&R coordination

Charts

Chart (1998)	Peak position
UK Albums (OCC) [4]	85
US Billboard 200 [5]	15
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) [6]	3

References

1. Gallucci, Michael. "The Imperial Album - Flipmode Squad | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic . Retrieved February 3, 2021.
2. Diehl, Matt (November 13, 1998). "The Imperial Album". Entertainment Weekly . Archived from the original on December 9, 2022. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
3. Davis, André LeRoy "Dre" (October 1998). "Record Report: Flip Mode Squad – The Imperial". The Source . No. 109. New York. p. 220.
4. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
5. "The FlipMode Squad Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
6. "The FlipMode Squad Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved February 3, 2021.

External links

• Flipmode Squad – The Imperial at Discogs (list of releases)