Uncle Sam's Curse

Uncle Sam's Curse
Studio album by Above the Law
Released	July 12, 1994
Recorded	1993–1994
Studio	The Edge Recording (California)
Genre	West Coast hip-hop gangsta rap g-funk
Length	59:57
Label	Ruthless Relativity
Producer	Cold 187um DJ K-oss (co.) KM.G (co.)
Above the Law chronology
Black Mafia Life (1993) Uncle Sam's Curse (1994) Time Will Reveal (1996)
Singles from Uncle Sam's Curse
"Black Superman" Released: June 28, 1994

Uncle Sam's Curse is the third studio album by the American hip hop group Above the Law. ^{[1] [2]} It was released in 1994, the group's final record on Ruthless Records. ^[3] The album peaked at number 15 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and 113 on the Billboard 200. ^[4] Uncle Sam's Curse sold over 250,000 copies.

Audio production was handled by A.T.L.'s Cold 187um with co-producers KM.G and K-oss. The tracks "Return of the Real Shit" and "Black Superman" contain samples from the 1994 film Against the Wall .

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[5]

Trouser Press wrote that "Cold 187um kicks more good grooves as producer, but he can't smooth over the lyrical nonsense." ^[6]

In 2016, LA Weekly called the album "an hourlong, funk-driven study in urban injustice and middle-American anxiety released halfway through the summer of the Brentwood murders, Newt Gingrich's Contract With America and the Major League Baseball strike." ^[7]

Track listing

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Return of the Real Shit"	5:42
2.	"Set Free"	4:49
3.	"Kalifornia" (featuring Kokane)	4:35
4.	"Concreat Jungle"	4:25
5.	"Rain Be for Rain Bo"	4:34
6.	"Everything Will Be Alright" (featuring Kokane)	4:54
7.	"Black Superman"	4:27
8.	"The 'G' in Me"	4:52
9.	"Uncle Sam's Curse"	4:47
10.	"One Time Two Many"	4:49
11.	"Who Ryde" (featuring Tone Lōc & Kokane)	5:30
12.	"Gangsta Madness"	6:46
Total length:		1:00:10

Personnel

• Gregory Fernan Hutchinson — main artist, producer, keyboards, mixing
• Kevin Michael Gulley — main artist, co-producer
• Anthony Stewart — main artist, co-producer
• Jerry Long, Jr. — featured artist (tracks 3, 6, 11)
• Anthony Terrell Smith — featured artist (track 11)
• Mike Smooth — bass, guitar, keyboards
• Jimmy Russell — bass
• Brian Gardner — mastering
• Mark Paladino — mixing
• Michael Miller — photography
• David Bett — art direction
• Allan Wai — design
• Kurt Nagahori — illustration (cover)
• Joanna — backing vocals
• Nicki — backing vocals

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1994) Peak position US Billboard 200 [8] 113 US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums ( Billboard ) [9] 15

Year-end charts Chart (1994) Position US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) [10] 86

References

1. "Above the Law Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
2. Weinstein, Max (September 17, 2014). "'94 Week: The 50 Best Rap Albums Of 1994". Vibe.
3. Hoffmann, Frank W. (August 20, 2005). Rhythm and Blues, Rap, and Hip-hop. Infobase Publishing. ISBN   9780816069804 – via Google Books.
4. "Above the Law – Chart history | Billboard". www.billboard.com. Retrieved March 10, 2017.
5. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Uncle Sam's Curse – Above the Law". AllMusic . Retrieved March 10, 2017.
6. "Above the Law". Trouser Press. Retrieved August 20, 2022.
7. Weekly, L. A. (August 15, 2016). "Why Lost G-Funk Classic Uncle Sam's Curse Is More Relevant Than Ever". LA Weekly.
8. "Above the Law, TLP" . Billboard . Retrieved January 31, 2021.
9. "Above the Law, BLP" . Billboard . Retrieved January 31, 2021.
10. "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1994". Billboard. Retrieved January 31, 2021.