Summary
Return of the Boom Bap is the debut solo studio album by American rapper KRS-One, released on September 28, 1993 by Jive Records. Recording sessions took place at D&D Studios and at Battery Studios in New York. Production was handled by DJ Premier, Kid Capri, Norty Cotto, Showbiz and KRS-One himself. It features guest appearances from Ill Will and Kid Capri. The album peaked at number 37 on the Billboard 200 and number 5 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums in the United States.
| Return of the Boom Bap | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | September 28, 1993 | |||
| Recorded | 1993 | |||
| Studio |
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| Genre | ||||
| Length | 55:47 | |||
| Label | Jive | |||
| Producer |
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| KRS-One chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Return of the Boom Bap | ||||
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| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Chicago Tribune |  [2] |
| Entertainment Weekly | B+[3] |
| NME | 8/10[4] |
| Q | [5] |
| Rolling Stone | [6] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [7] |
| The Source | 4/5[8] |
| Spin Alternative Record Guide | 8/10[9] |
| The Village Voice | A−[10] |
The album produced two singles: "Outta Here" and "Sound of da Police". The latter reached number 89 on the US Billboard Hot 100. The track "P Is Still Free" appeared on the Menace II Society (The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) labeled as a B.D.P. track. The track "Black Cop" was originally released as a 12" single and a track for the CB4 (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), thus also labeled as a B.D.P. track.
In 1998, the album was selected as one of The Source's 100 Best Rap Albums. According to KRS-One, the album has sold over 300,000 copies.[11]
Critical reception edit
Robert Christgau stated: "His best, because the music has finally subsumed the lyrics—with outside guidance from Gang Starr's DJ Premier and others, the rapmaster's bassy beats and monophonic hooks have never sounded more catchy or more his own. Horn blats, 'Three Blind Mice' guitar, siren imitation, human beat-box, whatever—all recur hypnotically and leave you hungry for more. Nor have the words fallen off. The history he teaches is mostly his own. And a couple of times he just kills the cops."[12]
Track listing edit
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "KRS-ONE Attacks" | DJ Premier | 2:50 | |
| 2. | "Outta Here" |
| DJ Premier | 4:28 |
| 3. | "Black Cop" | Parker | KRS-One | 2:59 |
| 4. | "Mortal Thought" |
| DJ Premier | 3:19 |
| 5. | "I Can't Wake Up" |
|
| 3:34 |
| 6. | "Slap Them Up" (featuring Ill Will) |
|
| 3:58 |
| 7. | "Sound of da Police" | Showbiz | 4:18 | |
| 8. | "Mad Crew" | Parker | KRS-One | 4:24 |
| 9. | "Uh Oh" |
| KRS-One | 4:05 |
| 10. | "Brown Skin Woman" |
| Kid Capri | 4:38 |
| 11. | "Return of the Boom Bap" | Parker | KRS-One | 3:46 |
| 12. | ""P" Is Still Free" |
| DJ Premier | 4:56 |
| 13. | "Stop Frontin'" (featuring Kid Capri) | Kid Capri | 3:19 | |
| 14. | "Higher Level" |
| DJ Premier | 5:13 |
| Total length: | 55:47 | |||
- Sample credits
- Track 7 contains a sample of "Inside-Looking Out" written by Eric Burdon, Chas Chandler and Alan Lomax and performed by Grand Funk Railroad
- Track 9 contains a sample of "Kill the Bitch" written by Karen Christina Chin, Wycliffe Johnson and Cleveland Browne and performed by Sasha
- Track 13 contains a sample of "Poinciana" written by Buddy Bernier, Nat Simon and Frederick Russell Jones and performed by Ahmad Jamal
- Track 14 contains a sample of "Blackula" written and performed by Gene Page
Charts edit
Album chart positions edit
| Chart (1993) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200[13] | 37 |
| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[14] | 5 |
Singles chart positions edit
| Year | Song | Chart positions | |||
| Billboard Hot 100 | Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks | Hot Rap Singles | Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales | ||
| 1993 | Outta Here | – | #61 | #5 | #10 |
| 1993 | Sound of Da Police | #89 | #79 | #17 | #6 |
References edit
- ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Return of the Boom Bap – KRS-One". AllMusic. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
- ^ Preston, Rohan B. (December 23, 1993). "KRS-One: Return of The Boom Bap (Jive)". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
- ^ Bernard, James (October 15, 1993). "Return of the Boom Bap". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on May 12, 2008. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
- ^ "KRS-One: Return of the Boom Bap". NME. September 25, 1993. p. 36.
- ^ "KRS-One: Return of the Boom Bap". Q. No. 86. November 1993. p. 125.
- ^ Ehrlich, Dimitri (November 25, 1993). "Return Of The Boom Bap". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
- ^ Relic, Peter (2004). "Boogie Down Productions". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. p. 94. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
- ^ Atco (November 1993). "KRS-One: Return of the Boom Bap". The Source. No. 50. p. 82. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
- ^ hampton, dream (1995). "Boogie Down Productions". In Weisbard, Eric; Marks, Craig (eds.). Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. pp. 51–52. ISBN 0-679-75574-8.
- ^ Christgau, Robert (October 19, 1993). "Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
- ^ "KRS-One Tells the Story & Meaning Behind the '93 Album "Return of the Boom Bap"". 13 January 2012.
- ^ Robert Christgau: CG: krs-one
- ^ "KRS-One Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
- ^ "KRS-One Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
External links edit
- KRS-One – Return Of The Boom Bap at Discogs (list of releases)