Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous is the debut studio album by American rapper Big L, and the only to be released during his lifetime. It was released on March 28, 1995, by Columbia Records. The recording sessions took place primarily at Powerplay Studios in Queens, New York, in mid-to-late 1994. The album was produced by Buckwild, Lord Finesse, Showbiz, and Craig Boogie. The album title is a play on the television series, Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.
No Limit Top Dogg is the fourth studio album by American rapper Snoop Dogg. It was released May 11, 1999, by No Limit and Priority Records. Following the mixed reception of his previous album, Snoop began to work again with Dr. Dre and returned to the west coast sound of his earlier career while on Death Row Records. The album was generally met with positive reception with many critics citing it as a return to form and his best album since Doggystyle (1993). Many praised the production work for the album with the tracks made by Dr. Dre being highlighted as well as Snoop's delivery while criticism was mainly aimed at the length of the album, the No Limit features, and the lack of new lyrical content. The Source placed the album on their list of the "Top 10 Best Albums of the Year" for 1999.
Boyz n da Hood is the debut studio album by American Southern hip hop group Boyz n da Hood. It was released on June 21, 2005 through Bad Boy South/Atlantic Records. Recording sessions took place at Sho'Nuff Studios, PatchWerk Recording Studios, The Zone, 730 Beat Street, Futuristic Recording Studios and D.A.R.P. Studios in Atlanta and at Circle House Studios in Miami. Production was handled by Jazze Pha, Nitti, Drumma Boy, Crown Kingz Productions, DJ Toomp, Erick Sermon, Horace "Bubba" Mitchell, Jasper Cameron, Keith Mack, Midnight Black, Sanchez Holmes and Swizzo, with P. Diddy and Russell Spencer serving as executive producers. It features guest appearances from Eazy-E, Jazze Pha, Puff Daddy, Rick Ross and Young Malice. The album peaked at number 5 on the Billboard 200 and number-one on both the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and Top Rap Albums charts in the United States. Its lead single, "Dem Boyz", reached number No. 13 on the Hot Rap Songs chart.
"Ain't It Funny (Murder Remix)" is a song by American singer Jennifer Lopez for her remix album J to tha L–O! The Remixes (2002). The song was marketed as a remix of "Ain't It Funny", but is actually an entirely different song with the same title. It features guest vocals from Ja Rule (Jeffrey Atkins) and Caddillac Tah (Tiheem Crocker). It was written by Lopez, Atkins, Tah, Cory Rooney, Irving Lorenzo, and Ashanti. Over a reworking of the beat to Craig Mack's "Flava in Ya Ear" (produced by Easy Mo Bee), Lopez sings about "dropping a boyfriend who keeps messing up".
"Check Yo Self" is the third and final single from American rapper Ice Cube's third solo album, The Predator (1992). It was released on July 13, 1993 by Priority Records, and features New York City rappers Das EFX. It topped both the US Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop and Rap charts while also reaching number 20 on the Hot 100 chart. The song retains two main versions, the original and a remix which utilizes the same beat as Grandmaster Flash's "The Message", titled "Check Yo Self ". The original mix includes a sample from the intro of the Beastie Boys' track "The New Style", which uses the phrase "check it" throughout the chorus.
Positive K is an American MC and songwriter from the Bronx, New York City, New York, and one of the original artists of the First Priority Music camp. He is best known for his hits "I'm Not Havin' It" and his 1992 hit "I Got a Man".
Orange Blossom Special is the 21st album released by musician Johnny Cash on Columbia Records in 1965. The recordings include country and folk standards, such as "The Long Black Veil", "When It's Springtime in Alaska", "Danny Boy" and "Wildwood Flower".
"Streiht Up Menace" is a song and the debut solo single by American rapper MC Eiht. It was released on May 31, 1993 through Jive Records as the second single off the soundtrack of 1993 film Menace II Society. Written and produced by Eiht himself together with fellow Compton's Most Wanted groupmate DJ Slip, it peaked at number 72 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 46 on the Hot R&B Singles. A remix to the song was also heard in the film, but was not included in the soundtrack album.
Algernod Lanier Washington, better known by his stage name Plies, is an American rapper. Born in Fort Myers, Florida, Plies was a wide receiver on the Miami Redskins football team of Miami University in Ohio for two years in 1995 before embarking on a musical career. After a brief transfer to University of Central Florida, he dropped out and signed with South Florida-based record label Slip-n-Slide Records in 2004; after four mixtapes, he signed a joint venture with Atlantic Records two years later.
"Let's Get Down" is a song by American rapper Bow Wow, released on June 24, 2003 as the first single off his third album Unleashed (2003). The song was written by Shad Moss, Phalon Alexander, Rahman Griffin and a then-unknown T.I. It was produced by Jazze Pha and features rapper Birdman under his former alias "Baby". It's the first song to be released by Bow Wow without the "Lil'" moniker in his name after making his film debut in 2002's Like Mike and releasing his cover of "Basketball" for the film's soundtrack. Bow Wow said that following the name change, he wanted to do the same with his music by contributing more into the songwriting process of the album and release a single that matched his new image.
"I Got a Man" is a song by American hip hop rapper Positive K. It was released in December 1992 as the first single from his debut album The Skills Dat Pay Da Bills.
Skin Deep is the debut studio album by American rapper Solé. It was released on September 28, 1999, through DreamWorks Records. Production was handled by Focus..., Big Trev, Chuckey Charles, Colin Wolfe, Kevin Davis, Rashad Smith, and Christopher "Tricky" Stewart, who also served as executive producer together with Timmy Regisford. It features guest appearances from JT Money, Big Gipp, Bobbi Bosselina, J-Weav, Kandi Burruss, L.O., Ms. Toi, Mr. Raja, Tamar Braxton and Tech N9NE.
"Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)" is a song by American hip hop trio Digable Planets, released as the first single from their debut album, Reachin' (A New Refutation of Time and Space), in November 1992. The black-and-white music video was directed by Morgan Lawley. The song contains a sample from "Stretching" by Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers.
Oz: The Soundtrack is the soundtrack album to the HBO television series Oz. It was released on January 9, 2001, through Nettwerk/Avatar Records and composed of hip hop music.
"Far From Yours" is a song by American rapper O.C. featuring American R&B singer Yvette Michele. It was released in July 1997 via Payday/FFRR Records as the second single from O.C.'s second solo studio album Jewelz. Recording sessions took place at Unique Recording Studios in New York. Production was handled by Buckwild, who utilizes samples from "Tomorrow" by The Brothers Johnson and "For the Listeners" by Eric B. & Rakim.
Fear Itself is the debut solo studio album by American rapper and record producer Casual. It was released on February 1, 1994, via Jive Records. The recording sessions took place between July 1992 and February 1993 at Hyde Street Studios in San Francisco, California. The album was produced by Casual and fellow Hieroglyphics Crew members Domino, Del the Funky Homosapien, and Jay-Biz. It features guest appearances from Del the Funky Homosapien, Pep Love and Saafir. The album debuted at number 108 on the Billboard 200 and number 22 on the Top R&B Albums chart in the United States.
Disturbed is the second album by American rapper Coo Coo Cal. It was released on September 18, 2001, through Tommy Boy Records. Production was mostly handled by Bigg Hank, though Rated X, Bink!, DJ Cipha Sounds, Double 8 and KayGee also contributed production to the album. It features guest appearances from Midwikid, Mr. Do It To Death, Gage, Koffee Brown, Lil' Niq, Mocha, Nothing Typical, Twista, Indo G, Kurupt and Trick Daddy.
Zakiya A. Munnerlyn is a former American R&B/soul singer who released a self-titled studio album on DV8 Records in 1997. Two singles from the album, "Love Like Mine" and "My Love Won't Fade Away", entered Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
American singer Whitney Houston, known as "The Voice", released 57 singles as a leading artist and 4 as a featured artist. Houston is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, with over 220 million records sold worldwide. In the United States, Houston amassed 11 Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles, all of whom have been certified either gold, platinum, multi-platinum or diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America and was one of a selected group of artists to have a top ten single in the Billboard Hot 100 in four different decades. She is currently ranked in seventh place of the artists with the most number one singles in the history of the Billboard Hot 100. Prior to the introduction of digital singles, Houston sold 16.5 million physical singles in the country, the most ever by a female recording artist. In October 2012, the Official Charts Company claimed Houston was the fourth biggest-selling female singles artist of all time with a sales total of 8.5 million singles in that country.
"Who Got da Props" is a song written by American rapper Buckshot and record producer Evil Dee of Da Beatminerz, performed by East Coast hip hop group Black Moon. It was recorded in 1992 and produced by Evil Dee. Pre-production took place at the Dewgarde Crib of Hits with following recording sessions at D&D Studios in New York. It was released in 1992, through Nervous Records as the lead single from the group's debut studio album Enta da Stage, marking the debut on hip hop scene by both the artists and the label. Accompanying music video was directed by Ralph McDaniels.
