Kuruption!
Encyclopedia
Kuruption! is the debut studio album
by rapper Kurupt
. It was released on Antra Records, a label formed after Kurupt left Death Row Records
. It was released as a double album
. Disc one is labeled as "West Coast" and disc two is labeled as "East Coast". It peaked at #8 on the Billboard 200
on October 24, 1998. The album features "Ask Yourself a Question" featuring Dr. Dre, who also appeared in the video, and the single "We Can Freak It". Initially, the album was supposed to feature a song with Snoop Dogg
, titled "Gangsta Shit", but it did not make it to the album due to label politics, between Kurupt's label Antra/A&M, and Snoop's label Priority
/No Limit
at the time.
Another single released from this album was "Give Me What You Got" off of the East Coast disc. This video was low budget, and featured Kurupt in a grimy East Coast club scene.
Commercials for the album appeared regularly on Rap City for around a month leading up to the album's release. The commercials had news theme of THIS WEEK IN KURUPTION NEWS with Kurupt walking down the street when gun shots went off and a news reporter dropping info about the upcoming album.
Kurupt was getting into the business side of rap at the time. He appeared as a guest on Rap City before the albums released, and when asked about his advice to viewers he said two things, "Patience, and Good Business". However the patience did not appear to pay off for Kurupt. As the album fell well short of lofty expectations he had garnered from his albums and record sales in the mid-90's at Death Row Records. The album is reported to have went gold, in comparison to the majority of the albums he appeared on for Death Row in the mid-90's going multi-platinum and receiving critical acclaim.
After the album's release, Kurupt was so pleased with Dr. Dre's addition to the album with "Questions" that he wanted Dre to do all of his next album (he was quoted as saying Dre would do so in an interview yet it never came to be) and a mini-movie was filmed for the song. Yet, the mini-movie was never released, and instead it was all condensed into a music video for the song.
Kuruption also cotained an East Coast remix to the single "We Can Freek It". The song featured Noreaga, who Kurupt had previously held beef with in his "New York, New York" days, with Noreaga responding with the "LA LA" track. However, the "We Can Freek It" remix made little mention of their history as rivals.
Another standout cut on the East Coast disc was "The Life" which featured El-Drex and was produced by Moet. This song offers a rare glimpse into Kurupt's early teenage years, most likely when he was still living in Philadelphia; as Kurupt reminisces fondly upon his first experiences running the streets and getting high on drugs an alcohol. A fair portion of the lyrics on this track Kurupt lifted from a previous unreleased track he did for Warren G called "What We Go Through". The song was on Warren G's Take A Look Over Your Shoulder album, but Daz and Kurupts part was taken off of it because supposedly Suge/Death Row wouldn't approve their appearance on Warren's album.
The West Coast album contained a forgettable track called "Hoe a Housewife" that was later remade for Dr. Dre's "2001" album, and again the song featured Kurupt, this time the track would receive greater critical appeal and mainstream attention.
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by rapper Kurupt
Kurupt
Ricardo Emmanuel Brown , better known by his stage name Kurupt, also known as Kurupt Tha Kingpin, Kurupt Young Gotti or Young Gotstra is an American rapper and former Executive Vice President of Death Row Records...
. It was released on Antra Records, a label formed after Kurupt left Death Row Records
Death Row Records
Death Row Records is a record label founded in 1991 by Marion "Suge" Knight Jr., Andre Young , Tracy Lynn Curry and Michael Harris . It is known to have been home to many popular West Coast hip hop artists such as Dr...
. It was released as a double album
Double album
A double album is an audio album which spans two units of the primary medium in which it is sold, typically records and compact discs....
. Disc one is labeled as "West Coast" and disc two is labeled as "East Coast". It peaked at #8 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
on October 24, 1998. The album features "Ask Yourself a Question" featuring Dr. Dre, who also appeared in the video, and the single "We Can Freak It". Initially, the album was supposed to feature a song with Snoop Dogg
Snoop Dogg
Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school...
, titled "Gangsta Shit", but it did not make it to the album due to label politics, between Kurupt's label Antra/A&M, and Snoop's label Priority
Priority Records
Priority Records is an American record label, owned and operated by EMI, which has made a name for itself dealing primarily in hip hop, pop and world...
/No Limit
No Limit Records
No Limit Records was an American hip-hop record label that was founded in 1990 by hip-hop artist, Percy "Master P" Miller. It was distributed by Priority Records.-No Limit Early years:...
at the time.
Another single released from this album was "Give Me What You Got" off of the East Coast disc. This video was low budget, and featured Kurupt in a grimy East Coast club scene.
Commercials for the album appeared regularly on Rap City for around a month leading up to the album's release. The commercials had news theme of THIS WEEK IN KURUPTION NEWS with Kurupt walking down the street when gun shots went off and a news reporter dropping info about the upcoming album.
Kurupt was getting into the business side of rap at the time. He appeared as a guest on Rap City before the albums released, and when asked about his advice to viewers he said two things, "Patience, and Good Business". However the patience did not appear to pay off for Kurupt. As the album fell well short of lofty expectations he had garnered from his albums and record sales in the mid-90's at Death Row Records. The album is reported to have went gold, in comparison to the majority of the albums he appeared on for Death Row in the mid-90's going multi-platinum and receiving critical acclaim.
After the album's release, Kurupt was so pleased with Dr. Dre's addition to the album with "Questions" that he wanted Dre to do all of his next album (he was quoted as saying Dre would do so in an interview yet it never came to be) and a mini-movie was filmed for the song. Yet, the mini-movie was never released, and instead it was all condensed into a music video for the song.
Kuruption also cotained an East Coast remix to the single "We Can Freek It". The song featured Noreaga, who Kurupt had previously held beef with in his "New York, New York" days, with Noreaga responding with the "LA LA" track. However, the "We Can Freek It" remix made little mention of their history as rivals.
Another standout cut on the East Coast disc was "The Life" which featured El-Drex and was produced by Moet. This song offers a rare glimpse into Kurupt's early teenage years, most likely when he was still living in Philadelphia; as Kurupt reminisces fondly upon his first experiences running the streets and getting high on drugs an alcohol. A fair portion of the lyrics on this track Kurupt lifted from a previous unreleased track he did for Warren G called "What We Go Through". The song was on Warren G's Take A Look Over Your Shoulder album, but Daz and Kurupts part was taken off of it because supposedly Suge/Death Row wouldn't approve their appearance on Warren's album.
The West Coast album contained a forgettable track called "Hoe a Housewife" that was later remade for Dr. Dre's "2001" album, and again the song featured Kurupt, this time the track would receive greater critical appeal and mainstream attention.
Disc One: West Coast
- "This One's for U" (Produced by Studio Ton)
- "Make Some Noize" (Produced by Priest "Soopafly" Brooks)
- "Put That On Something" (featuring Freeze) (Produced by Devante Swing)
- "Play My Cards" (featuring Blaqthoven) (Produced by DJ Battlecat)
- "We Can Freak It" (featuring Baby S & Andre Wilson) (Produced by DJ Battlecat)
- "Fresh" (Produced by Daz Dillinger)
- "C-Walk" (featuring Tray Dee & Slip Capone) (Produced by Daz Dillinger)
- "Ho's a Housewife" (featuring Fuss & Paul) (Produced by Kurupt)
- "Can't Let That Slide" (featuring RoscoeRoscoe (rapper)David Williams , better known by his stage name Roscoe, is a rapper from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Los Angeles, California. His 2003 album, Young Roscoe Philaphornia, appeared on Billboard's Billboard 200 at #148....
) (Produced by Twin) - "That's Gangsta" (Produced by Warren G)
- "Another Day" (featuring Gonzoe & Slip Capone) (Produced by DJ Muggs)
- "Ask Yourself a Question" (featuring Dr. DreDr. DreAndre Romelle Young , primarily known by his stage name Dr. Dre, is an American record producer, rapper, record executive, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is the founder and current CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and a former co-owner and artist of Death Row Records...
) (Produced by Dr. Dre)
Disc Two: East Coast
- "It's a Set Up" (Produced by D-Moet)
- "Light Shit Up" (featuring BuckshotBuckshot (rapper)Buckshot is an underground rapper, famous as the leader of Hip Hop supergroup Boot Camp Clik, and the group Black Moon. He has released one solo album, two with producer 9th Wonder, four albums with Black Moon and four albums with the Boot Camp Clik.- Biography :Born and raised in Brooklyn...
) (Produced by Easy Mo Bee) - "Game" (Produced by D-Moet)
- "Gimmewhutchagot" (featuring Barshawn) (Produced by Med)
- "If You See Me" (featuring Mr. Short KhopMr. Short KhopMr. Short Khop, or simply Short Khop is an American rapper. He encountered Ice Cube in front of a 7 Eleven convenience store in South Central, California. Ice Cube eventually struck a deal with the newcomer, and soon Short Khop made guest appearances in Ice Cube's 1998 War & Peace - Volume 1 ...
, Baby S, El-Drex & Trigga) (Produced by Storm) - "The Life" (featuring El-Drex) (Produced by D-Moet)
- "No Feelings" (featuring Slop & Patacico) (Produced by D-Moet)
- "It's Time" (featuring Deadly VenomsDeadly VenomsDeadly Venoms is an all-female hip hop group formed in 1997 and originally consisting of N-Tyce, J-Boo, Champ MC, Finesse...
) (Produced by Storm ) - "I Wanna..." (featuring Ralik Royale, Snake, Floyd & Drea) (Produced by Devante Swing)
- "Who Do U Be" (featuring Shelene) (Produced by DJ Rice, Dave "Jam" Hall)
- "We Can Freak It (East Coast Remix)" (featuring NoreagaN.O.R.E.Victor Santiago, Jr., best known by his stage name N.O.R.E. or Noreaga , is an American rapper of Puerto Rican descent...
)
Chart history
| Chart | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
8 |
| Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999... |
4 |