Way 2 Fonky

Last updated
Way 2 Fonky
Way2Fonky.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedJuly 20, 1992
RecordedDecember 1991-April 1992
Genre Hip hop, funk
Length42:41
Label Profile
Producer Courtney Branch (exec.), DJ Quik (also exec.), Tracy Kendrick (exec.)
DJ Quik chronology
Quik Is the Name
(1991)
Way 2 Fonky
(1992)
Safe + Sound
(1995)
Singles from Way 2 Fonky
  1. "Jus Lyke Compton"
    Released: May 29, 1992
  2. "Way 2 Fonky"
    Released: August 28, 1992

Way 2 Fonky is the second studio album by American hip hop artist and producer DJ Quik, released by Profile Records on July 20, 1992. Recording sessions for the album took place during 1991 and 1992. Production was handled by DJ Quik and was executive produced Courtney Branch and Tracy Kendrick.

Contents

The album debuted at number ten on the US Billboard 200 chart on August 8, 1992, selling 120,000 copies in its first week in the United States. [1] The album was certified Gold three months after its release on October 9, 1992 by the RIAA. [2]

Background

DJ Quik was beefing with rapper Tim Dog during this time who dissed him on three tracks "Fuck Compton", "Step To Me",and "DJ Quik Beat Down (Skit)" on his album Penicillin on Wax. He responded to Tim Dog with disses on "Way 2 Fonky" and "Tha Last Word". He was also beefing with MC Eiht; the two had already been beefing for a few years at the time. [3] Tim Dog responded to DJ Quik with "I Don't Give a Fuck" and "Breakin' North" (which is the same shout-out type song like "Tha Last Word") on his second album Do or Die .

Singles

Two singles from the album were released; "Way 2 Fonky" a response to Tim Dog's West Coast diss "Fuck Compton", and "Jus Lyke Compton".

Critical response

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg link
Entertainment Weekly (B) link
Los Angeles Times Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg link
RapReviews.comStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg link
The Source Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg link

Way 2 Fonky received generally positive reviews from music critics. Jonathan Gold of the Los Angeles Times wrote that "Way 2 Fonky" is a great-sounding rap record, with a giant, Jeep-worthy bottom and high, articulated, almost reggae-inflected rhyming. His lyrics celebrate the fun side of the mythical Compton experience where N.W.A.'s dwell on what could go wrong; his sleek, '70s-soul-style grooves, which he produces himself, swing, well . . . way fonky. And though he's easily as obscene as any of his peers, he seems actually to like women. [4] Havelock Nelson of Entertainment Weekly wrote that Unlike those other rap quasars from Compton, N.W.A, DJ Quik doesn't just give us frightening images from Black Cali alleys. This near-platinum poet may involve himself in verbal gunplay and narrate a few violent street adventures, but on his sophomore set Quik is more concerned with getting paid and laid than with gang wars and bloodbaths. As he declares in "America'z Most Complete Artist," I don't go toe to toe, I go ho to ho. Quik's nasty, but he's no fool; he practices safe sex, 'cause HIV don't give a f--- about me. He's even willing to experiment musically and lyrically. Witness the sexually playful reggae track "Me Wanna Rip Your Girl," where he adopts a Jafakean (fake Jamaican) accent. On the album's other tracks, he throws his thin yet effective countrified voice against sampled grooves that for the most part bounce and shake like hard-core Jell-O. [5] Ron Wynn of Allmusic wrote that DJ Quik proved his mettle with "Jus Lyke Compton," a definitive bit of regional touting that proclaimed West Coast rap the style-setter and all others followers. Whether or not you bought the line, you were hooked by the rap. Nothing else on the disc matched this single's intensity and wit, but it helped him earn a second straight gold LP. [6]

Accolades

Chris Rock ranked "Way 2 Fonky" twenty-fourth on a 2005 list for Rolling Stone on the Top 25 Hip-Hop Albums of all time. [7] [8]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."America'z Most Complete Artist" DJ Quik 3:30
2."Mo' Pussy"DJ Quik3:40
3."Way 2 Fonky"Blake
  • DJ Quik
  • Rob "Fonksta" Bacon [c]
3:20
4."Jus Lyke Compton"
  • Rob Bacon
  • Blake
  • DJ Quik
  • Rob "Fonksta" Bacon [c]
4:10
5."Quik'z Groove II (For U 2 Rip 2)"BlakeDJ Quik2:32
6."Me Wanna Rip Ya Girl"BlakeDJ Quik4:37
7."When You're a Gee" (featuring Playa Hamm)
DJ Quik4:07
8."No Bullshit" (featuring K.K.)DJ Quik1:56
9."Only fo' tha Money" (featuring 2nd II None)
DJ Quik3:58
10."Let Me Rip Tonite"
  • Barnett
  • Blake
  • Bonner
  • Jones
  • McDonald
  • Middlebrooks
  • Morrison
  • Napier
  • Noland
  • Pierce
  • Webster
DJ Quik4:16
11."Niggaz Still Trippin'" (featuring 2nd II None, AMG, Hi-C & JFN)
  • Barnett
  • Blake
  • Davis
  • Johnson
  • Jason Lewis
  • McClein
  • Najar
  • Peters
  • Phillips
  • Smith
  • Spri
  • Crawford Wilkerson
DJ Quik4:07
12."Tha Last Word"BlakeDJ Quik2:28
Sample credits

Personnel

Credits for Way 2 Fonky adapted from Allmusic. [9]

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1992)Peak
position
US Billboard 200 [10] 10
US Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums [10] 13

Year-end charts

Chart (1992)Position
US Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums [11] 64

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA) [2] Platinum1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MC Eiht</span> American rapper and actor

Aaron Bernard Tyler, better known by his stage name MC Eiht, is an American rapper and actor. Many of his songs are based on his life in Compton. His stage name was partly inspired by the numeral in KRS-One's name. He chose Eiht for its links to "hood culture", including Olde English 800 and .38 caliber firearms. He is the de facto leader of West Coast hip hop group Compton's Most Wanted, which also included fellow Compton-based rappers Boom Bam, The Unknown DJ, Tha Chill, DJ Mike T, DJ Slip and Ant Capone. He is also known for his role as A-Wax in the 1993 film Menace II Society, as well as playing the character Ryder in the 2004 video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Compton's Most Wanted</span> American hip hop group

Compton's Most Wanted (C.M.W.) is an American gangsta rap group and part of the early West Coast hip hop scene. The leaders of the group are MC Eiht and Tha Chill.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DJ Quik</span> American rapper and producer

David Marvin Blake, better known by his stage names DJ Quik or Da Quiksta, is an American rapper and producer, known for his production in the G-funk style of West Coast hip-hop. Blake has collaborated with Snoop Dogg, Kurupt, Tupac, Chingy, R. Kelly and Shaquille O'Neal, among others. Blake's stage name reflects his ability to produce songs in a short period of time. Some of his top songs include "Dollaz + Sense", "Tonite", "Born and Raised in Compton" and "Jus Lyke Compton".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tim Dog</span> American rapper (1967–2013)

Timothy J. Blair, better known by his stage name Tim Dog, was an American rapper from the Bronx, New York, who rose to notoriety during the early 1990s with his debut LP Penicillin on Wax and the celebrated diss track "Fuck Compton". Tim had already appeared on songs with the Ultramagnetic MCs and went on to form a duo, Ultra, with member Kool Keith. "Fuck Compton" appeared in XXL magazine's "Top 25 Diss Tracks of All Time" and earned Tim Dog critical acclaim from progressive hip-hop producer Blockhead, who said Tim Dog's "The Dog's Gonna Getcha" is "quite possibly the hardest song ever made." Nas references Tim Dog on his track "Where Are They Now?" from his 2006 album Hip Hop Is Dead, and despite Tim Dog's feud with Dr. Dre, Eminem name-checked him on the track "Ricky Ticky Toc".

<i>Quik Is the Name</i> 1991 studio album by DJ Quik

Quik Is The Name is the debut studio album by American hip hop artist and producer DJ Quik, released by Profile Records on January 15, 1991. Production was mainly handled by DJ Quik himself along with his executive producers Courtney Branch and Tracy Kendrick. Recording sessions took place throughout 1990 at Westlake Recording Studios in Los Angeles, California, with a production budget of $30,000.

<i>Rhythm-al-ism</i> 1998 studio album by DJ Quik

Rhythm-al-ism is the fourth studio album by American West Coast hip hop recording artist and producer DJ Quik, released on November 24, 1998, by Arista Records and was certified Gold by the RIAA on July 7, 1999. It peaked at number 63 on the US Billboard 200 chart. He recorded the album at Skip Sailor Recordings in Los Angeles, and worked with producer G-One. The album featured the singles "You'z a Ganxta", "Hand In Hand" featuring 2nd II None & El DeBarge, and "Down, Down, Down" featuring Suga Free, Mausberg (deceased) & AMG.

The following is a discography of solo production by DJ Quik.

<i>We Come Strapped</i> 1994 studio album by MC Eiht featuring CMW

We Come Strapped is the debut studio album by American rapper MC Eiht and the fourth album by his group Compton's Most Wanted. It was released on July 19, 1994, through Epic Street. Recording sessions took place at X-Factor Studios in Long Beach, California. Production was handled primarily by Compton's Most Wanted members MC Eiht and DJ Slip, except for one song, "Compton Bomb", produced by Ric Roc. It features contributions from William "Willie Z" Zimmerman on the keyboards, Josh Achziger on guitar, Carla Evans on vocals, and guest appearances from rappers Redman and Spice 1.

<i>Music to Driveby</i> 1992 studio album by Comptons Most Wanted

Music to Driveby is the third studio album by American gangsta rap group Compton's Most Wanted. It was released on September 29, 1992 through Orpheus/Epic Records. Recording sessions took place at Big Beat Soundlabs in Los Angeles and at Slips X Factor Studios in Inglewood from May 18 to June 9, 1992. Production was handled by members DJ Slip, MC Eiht and DJ Mike T, as well as The Unknown DJ and Ric Roc. It features contributions from William "Willie Z" Zimmerman on background vocals, keyboards, saxophone and harmonica, EMmage on backing vocals, and guest appearance by Scarface of Geto Boys.

<i>Menace II Society</i> (soundtrack) 1993 soundtrack album by Various artists

Menace II Society (The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is the soundtrack for Albert and Allen Hughes' 1993 teen hood drama film Menace II Society. It was released on May 26, 1993 via Jive Records, and consists primarily of hip hop music. The album is composed of sixteen songs and features performances by Boogie Down Productions, Brand Nubian, Da Lench Mob, DJ Quik, Hi-Five, Juanita Stokes, Kenya Gruv, MC Eiht of Compton's Most Wanted, Mz Kilo, Pete Rock & CL Smooth, The Cutthroats, The Dangerous Crew, UGK and YG'z.

<i>Penicillin on Wax</i> 1991 studio album by Tim Dog

Penicillin on Wax is the debut studio album by American New York-based rapper Tim Dog. It was released on November 12, 1991 via Ruffhouse Records. Production was handled by several record producers, including Ced-Gee, TR Love and Moe Love from Ultramagnetic MC's, Bobby Crawford, Louis Flores, and Tim Dog himself. Fellow rapper Kool Keith made guest appearances on two tracks.

This is the discography of DJ Quik, an American hip-hop artist and Record producer. This list includes all of the official album and single releases, including his albums, Quik Is the Name, which debuted at No. 29 on the US Billboard 200 chart, and No. 9 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums in 1991. Way 2 Fonky, which debuted at No. 10 on the US Billboard 200 chart, and No. 13 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums in 1992. Safe + Sound, which debuted at No. 14 on the US Billboard 200 chart, and No. 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums in 1995. Rhythm-al-ism, which debuted at No. 63 on the US Billboard 200 chart, and No. 13 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums in 1995. Balance & Options, which was his first album not to chart and not to receive a RIAA certification in 2000. Under tha Influence, which debuted at No. 27 on the US Billboard 200 chart, and No. 7 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums in 2002. Trauma, which debuted at No. 43 on the US Billboard 200 chart, No. 13 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, No. 9 on the Rap Albums, and No. 1 on the Independent Albums in 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fuck Compton</span> 1991 single by Tim Dog

"Fuck Compton" is a diss track written and performed by American rapper Tim Dog, released in 1991 through Ruffhouse Records as the lead single from the rapper's debut studio album Penicillin on Wax. It is a diss track criticizing the West Coast hip hop scene, including the Compton-based group N.W.A and its members Eazy-E and Dr. Dre as well as the latter's then-girlfriend Michel'le. The song is often credited for igniting the East Coast–West Coast rivalry of the 1990s. Production was handled by Ultramagnetic MCs' member Ced-Gee and Tim Dog himself. The song peaked atop of the US Billboard Hot Rap Songs chart. Later in 2018 it was place at #19 on Complex's "The 50 Best Hip-Hop Diss Songs" list.

<i>Greatest Hits: Live at the House of Blues</i> 2006 live album by DJ Quik

Greatest Hits: Live at the House of Blues is a live album released by rapper and producer, DJ Quik. It was recorded in February 2006 during a series of sold-out shows, and released later that year. A 'Clean' edition was also released.

Phillip Martin III in San Antonio, Texas, also known by the stage name Nino, is an American rapper, producer, director, screenwriter, film editor, entrepreneur and music distributor. Martin has co-authored two books and directed two movies.

<i>The Book of David</i> 2011 studio album by DJ Quik

The Book of David is the eighth studio album by American rapper and producer DJ Quik, released April 19, 2011 on Mad Science and Fontana Distribution.

"Way 2 Fonky" is the second single released off DJ Quik's second studio album, Way 2 Fonky.

"Jus Lyke Compton" is the first single released off DJ Quik's second studio album, Way 2 Fonky. The song is produced by DJ Quik and Rob "Fonksta" Bacon.

"M.A.A.D City" is a song by American rapper Kendrick Lamar, from his second studio album Good Kid, M.A.A.D City (2012). The song, which appears as the eighth track on the album, features a guest appearance from fellow Compton native and West Coast rapper MC Eiht. The song was produced by Top Dawg in-house producers THC and Sounwave for the first part of the instrumental, and Terrace Martin for the second part. The song peaked at number 75 on the Billboard Hot 100.

References

  1. "Top 200 Albums | Billboard". Billboard. 1992-08-08. Retrieved 2016-04-18.
  2. 1 2 "American album certifications – DJ Quik – Way 2 Fonky". Recording Industry Association of America.
  3. Bullant (2007-03-08). "Streets On Beats: Battle On Wax - MC Eiht Vs DJ Quik". Streets On Beats. Retrieved 2016-04-18.
  4. Gold, Jonathan (1992-08-02). "DJ Quik Celebrates Compton and Women : ***1/2 DJ QUIK "Way 2 Fonky" Profile". Los Angeles Times. ISSN   0458-3035 . Retrieved 2016-04-18.
  5. "Way 2 Fonky | EW.com". Entertainment Weekly's EW.com. Retrieved 2016-04-18.
  6. "Way 2 Fonky Allmusic Review". Allmusic. 1992-08-28. Retrieved 2013-08-23.
  7. "Chris Rock's Top 25 Hip Hop Albums". Rateyourmusic.com. Retrieved 2008-06-15.
  8. "Top 25 Albums". chrisrock.com. Retrieved 2011-07-17.
  9. "Way 2 Fonky - DJ Quik | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic .
  10. 1 2 "Way 2 Fonky - DJ Quik | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic .
  11. https://www.billboard.com/artist/dj-quik/chart-history/r%26b/hip-hop-albums [ dead link ]