The Dark Roads is the debut album by American rapper Seagram, released January 19, 1993 on Rap-A-Lot Records

Rap-A-Lot Records

Rap-a-Lot Records is a Houston hip hop record label. Rap-a-Lot was created in 1986. Sublabels include Smoke-a-Lot Records. The label was founded by James Prince in the mid-1980s and, with its most famous act the Geto Boys, put the South on the hip hop map. Since then, it has maintained its success...

 and Priority Records

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...

. The album features guest performances by labelmates: Scarface

Scarface (rapper)

Brad Terrence Jordan , better known by his stage name Scarface, is an American rapper, and recording artist from Houston, Texas and a member of the Geto Boys. He is originally from South Park, Houston.-Life and career:...

, Ganksta N-I-P

Ganksta N-I-P

Rowdy Williams, better known as Ganksta N-I-P or Ganxsta Nip, is rapper from South Park, Houston, Texas and a member of the South Park Coalition, which he joined in 1987. In 1992 he released his debut album South Park Psycho. This record also help put the South Park Coalition name on the map due...

, Bushwick Bill

Bushwick Bill

Richard Shaw , better known by the stage name Bushwick Bill, is a member of the American hip hop group Geto Boys. He was born in Jamaica, but moved to Brooklyn, NY as a young child.- History :...

 and Willie D

Willie D

Willie D is an American rapper who gained fame as the lead member of the pioneering rap group from Houston, Geto Boys. Despite his reputation for being a hardcore artist who pens often provocative lyrics, Willie D is known for his diligent work in the community and many of his songs contain...

. It peaked at number 74 on the Billboard 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...

.

Along with a single, a music video

Music video

A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...

 was produced for the song, "The Vill".

Background

The album features the violent but intelligent single "The Ville" in which Seagram raps about the hard lifestyle of Oakland G's

Gangster

A gangster is a criminal who is a member of a gang. Some gangs are considered to be part of organized crime. Gangsters are also called mobsters, a term derived from mob and the suffix -ster....

. The album also showcases the song "Straight Mobbin" featuring Gangsta P which was a groundbreaking song for the izzle slang. Seagram and Gangsta P are two of the first known rappers to have recorded an entire song using only izz and izzle words. Rappers such as 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...

 would later use this style into the new millennium. The album is out of print.

Track listing

1. "Straight Mobbin'" (featuring Gangsta P) - 5:53
2. "2 For 1" - 5:01
3. "Get Off My Zipper" - 3:36
4. "Reap What You Sew" (featuring Vell) - 3:53
5. "The Dark Roads" - 5:24
6. "Action Speaks Louder Than Words" (featuring Scarface
   Scarface (rapper)
   Brad Terrence Jordan , better known by his stage name Scarface, is an American rapper, and recording artist from Houston, Texas and a member of the Geto Boys. He is originally from South Park, Houston.-Life and career:...
   
   , Ganksta N-I-P
   Ganksta N-I-P
   Rowdy Williams, better known as Ganksta N-I-P or Ganxsta Nip, is rapper from South Park, Houston, Texas and a member of the South Park Coalition, which he joined in 1987. In 1992 he released his debut album South Park Psycho. This record also help put the South Park Coalition name on the map due...
   
    & Willie D
   Willie D
   Willie D is an American rapper who gained fame as the lead member of the pioneering rap group from Houston, Geto Boys. Despite his reputation for being a hardcore artist who pens often provocative lyrics, Willie D is known for his diligent work in the community and many of his songs contain...
   
   ) - 5:50
7. "I Got Em" (Skit) - 1:03
8. "The Vill" (featuring Vell) - 5:20
9. "Die Hard" - 4:06
10. "Dedication" - 3:57
11. "Squeeze the Trigger" - 5:02
12. "I Don't Give a Fuck" - 4:12
13. "Wages of Sin" - (featuring Bushwick Bill
    Bushwick Bill
    Richard Shaw , better known by the stage name Bushwick Bill, is a member of the American hip hop group Geto Boys. He was born in Jamaica, but moved to Brooklyn, NY as a young child.- History :...
    
     & Ganksta N-I-P
    Ganksta N-I-P
    Rowdy Williams, better known as Ganksta N-I-P or Ganxsta Nip, is rapper from South Park, Houston, Texas and a member of the South Park Coalition, which he joined in 1987. In 1992 he released his debut album South Park Psycho. This record also help put the South Park Coalition name on the map due...
    
    ) 4:07

Chart history

Chart (1993)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard 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...	74

External links

• The Dark Roads at Discogs
  Discogs
  Discogs, short for discographies, is a website and database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. The Discogs servers, currently hosted under the domain name discogs.com, are owned by Zink Media, Inc., and are...