Things Go Better with RJ and AL | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | ||||
Studio album by | ||||
Released | April 4, 2006 [1] | |||
Genre | Hip hop | |||
Length | 42:28 | |||
Label | Rhymesayers Entertainment | |||
Producer | RJD2 | |||
Soul Position chronology | ||||
| ||||
Singles from Things Go Better with RJ and AL | ||||
|
Aggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 64/100 [1] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Exclaim! | mixed [3] |
HipHopDX | 4.5/5 [4] |
Now | NNNN [5] |
Phoenix New Times | favorable [6] |
Pitchfork | 6.3/10 [7] |
PopMatters | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Prefix | 6.0/10 [9] |
RapReviews.com | 9/10 [10] |
XLR8R | favorable [11] |
Things Go Better with RJ and AL is the second studio album by American hip hop duo Soul Position. It was released on Rhymesayers Entertainment on April 4, 2006. It peaked at number 45 on the Billboard Independent Albums chart. [12]
At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average score out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 64% based on 7 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews". [1]
Marisa Brown of AllMusic gave the album 4 stars out of 5, saying, "Soul Position don't deviate much from their combination of original rhymes and interesting, thoughtful music, but there's really no need to when it sounds so good." [2] Mosi Reeves of Phoenix New Times called it "a solid banger from start to finish." [6] Noel Dix of Exclaim! said, "Soul Position definitely have what it takes to make an incredible album, but given the fact their best effort thus far is an EP, maybe RJ and Blueprint should limit their collaborations to six solid joints at a time from now on." [3]
In 2018, Henry Adaso of ThoughtCo placed "The Cool Thing to Do" at number 99 on the "100 Best Rap Songs of the 2000s" list. [13]
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "The Beginning" | 0:44 |
2. | "No Gimmicks" | 3:12 |
3. | "Hand-Me-Downs" | 3:17 |
4. | "The Extra Mile" | 3:37 |
5. | "Blame It on the Jäger" | 3:12 |
6. | "I Need My Minutes" | 3:11 |
7. | "Keep It Hot for Daddy" | 3:13 |
8. | "I'm Free" | 2:26 |
9. | "Keys" | 4:18 |
10. | "The Cool Thing to Do" | 3:01 |
11. | "Priceless" | 3:35 |
12. | "Drugs, Sex, Alcohol, Rock-n-Roll" | 4:10 |
13. | "Things Go Better" | 4:32 |
Chart | Peak position |
---|---|
US Independent Albums ( Billboard ) [12] | 45 |
Ian Matthias Bavitz, better known by his stage name Aesop Rock, is an American rapper and producer residing in Portland, Oregon. He was at the forefront of the new wave of underground and alternative hip hop acts that emerged during the late 1990s and early 2000s. He was signed to El-P's Definitive Jux label until it went on hiatus in 2010. In a 2010 retrospective, betterPropaganda ranked him at number 19 at the Top 100 Artists of the Decade.
Ramble Jon Krohn, better known by his stage name RJD2, is an American musician based in Columbus, Ohio. He is the owner of record label RJ's Electrical Connections. He has been a member of groups such as Soul Position, MHz Legacy, and Icebird. His stage name derives from the popular Star Wars droid R2-D2.
Stefon Leron Alexander, better known by his stage name P.O.S, is an American hip hop artist from Minneapolis, Minnesota. He has been a member of groups such as Doomtree, Building Better Bombs, Gayngs, Marijuana Deathsquads, Cenospecies, Four Fists, and Shredders.
Soul Position is an American alternative hip hop duo hailing from Columbus, Ohio. It consists of DJ/producer RJD2 and rapper Blueprint. The duo has released two albums and one EP on Rhymesayers Entertainment.
Curtis Eugene Cross, better known by his stage name Black Milk, is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer.
8 Million Stories is the first studio album by American hip hop duo Soul Position. It was released on Fat Beats Records under license from Rhymesayers Entertainment on October 7, 2003. It peaked at number 91 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
Juggaknots is an American hip hop group from New York City. It consists of siblings Breeze Brewin', Queen Herawin, and Buddy Slim. The group has collaborated with Mr. Len, Sadat X, and Prince Paul.
One A.M. is the first studio album by American rapper Diverse. It was released on Chocolate Industries in 2003. The album features production by RJD2, Prefuse73, Madlib, and Jeff Parker. Guest appearances include Vast Aire, Lyrics Born, and Jean Grae.
Exiting Arm is the third studio album by American hip hop sextet Subtle. It was released on Lex Records in 2008. It is "the latest chapter in the story of Hour Hero Yes, the middle-class rapper whose rise and struggles are chronicled told on 2004's A New White and 2006's For Hero: For Fool."
Rejuvenation is a studio album by American rapper Abstract Rude. It was released on Rhymesayers Entertainment on April 7, 2009. Production is handled by Vitamin D.
Us is the fourth studio album by American rapper Brother Ali. It was released on Rhymesayers Entertainment on September 22, 2009. The album is entirely produced by Ant.
The Stimulus Package is a collaborative studio album by Philadelphia rapper Freeway and Seattle producer Jake One. It was released on Minneapolis indie hip hop label Rhymesayers Entertainment on February 16, 2010. The album included two singles, "Know What I Mean" and "She Makes Me Feel Alright", both of which have had videos made for them. The package was designed by Brent Rollins of the ego trip collective. The album debuted at number 63 on the Billboard 200, selling over 9,000 units in its first week.
Revolutions per Minute is the second studio album by American hip hop duo Reflection Eternal, released May 18, 2010, on Blacksmith Records and Rawkus Records. Composed of rapper Talib Kweli and DJ/hip hop producer Hi-Tek, it is the duo's follow-up to their collaborative debut Train of Thought (2000).
The Next Logical Progression is the third solo studio album by American rapper Gift of Gab. It was released on Quannum Projects on March 27, 2012.
Together/Apart is the third studio album by American hip hop artist Grieves. It was released on Rhymesayers Entertainment in 2011. The album features guest appearances from Brother Ali and Krukid.
Albert Shepard, better known by his stage name Blueprint, is an American rapper from Columbus, Ohio. He is a founder of Weightless Recordings.
The Death of Frequent Flyer is a studio album by American rapper Psalm One. It was released on Rhymesayers Entertainment in 2006.
Nick Rodriguez, better known by his stage name M.E.D., is an American rapper from Oxnard, California. He was formerly known as Medaphoar. He has been signed to Stones Throw Records.
Val Anthony Ronald Lawrence, known professionally as Ron "Amen-Ra" Lawrence, is an American record producer.
Supreme Blientele is the second studio album by American rapper Westside Gunn from Buffalo, New York. It was released on June 22, 2018 through Griselda Records with distribution by Empire Distribution. Its titles allude to Ghostface Killah's album Supreme Clientele and the Canadian professional wrestler Chris Benoit. Production was handled by Daringer, The Alchemist, Pete Rock, Harry Fraud, Sadhugold, Roc Marciano, Statik Selektah, 9th Wonder and Nephew Hesh. The album includes guest appearances from Anderson .Paak, Benny the Butcher, Bro AA Rashid, Busta Rhymes, Conway the Machine, Crimeapple, Elzhi, Keisha Plum, Jadakiss and Roc Marciano.