The Hard Road
Encyclopedia
The Hard Road is a 2006 release by Australia
n hip hop
group, the Hilltop Hoods
from Adelaide
, South Australia
. It was released on 1 April (April Fools' Day
) 2006 by Obese Records
. It debuted at #1 on the Australia ARIA
Albums Chart
, unprecedented for an independent label release and for an Australian hip hop
group. This earned The Hard Road the ARIA #1 chart position. The album contains the top 20 single, "Clown Prince
". The album achieved Gold status (35,000 units) on 8 April 2006, a week after release and has now surpassed Platinum status (70,000 units).
The album won the Triple J J Award
in 2006. The award was announced on 1 December. Five songs from the album placed on the annual Triple J Hottest 100
chart announced on 26 January 2007. Songs "Recapturing The Vibe", "Stopping All Stations", "What a Great Night
", "Clown Prince
" and "The Hard Road
" placed #77, #56, #41, #23, and #3 respectively. "An Audience with the Devil" samples the spoken parts (the interview between Suffa and the Devil) from the Millennium
episode "Somehow, Satan Got Behind Me".
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
group, the Hilltop Hoods
Hilltop Hoods
The Hilltop Hoods are an ARIA Award winning Australian hip hop group, from Adelaide, South Australia. Their members are MCs Suffa , MC Pressure , DJ Debris and formerly DJ Next. They have been at the centre of the Australian hip hop scene for the better part of two decades, originally forming back...
from Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
, South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
. It was released on 1 April (April Fools' Day
April Fools' Day
April Fools' Day is celebrated in different countries around the world on April 1 every year. Sometimes referred to as All Fools' Day, April 1 is not a national holiday, but is widely recognized and celebrated as a day when many people play all kinds of jokes and foolishness...
) 2006 by Obese Records
Obese Records
Obese Records is an Australian hip hop record label. It is the largest Australian independent Hip-Hop label, a retail store and a touring and record distribution company.-History:...
. It debuted at #1 on the Australia ARIA
Australian Recording Industry Association
The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956...
Albums Chart
ARIA Charts
The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
, unprecedented for an independent label release and for an Australian hip hop
Australian hip hop
Australian hip hop music began in the early 1980s; originally it was primarily influenced by hip hop music and culture imported via radio and television from the United States of America. However, since the 1990s, a distinctive local style has developed. Australian hip hop is an underground music...
group. This earned The Hard Road the ARIA #1 chart position. The album contains the top 20 single, "Clown Prince
Clown Prince
"Clown Prince" is a single released by Australian hip-hop band, the Hilltop Hoods. The single, the first from their 2006 album The Hard Road, reached #30 in the ARIA charts, becoming the first Hilltop Hoods song to chart on the ARIA Singles Chart. The song also charted at #23 on the Triple J...
". The album achieved Gold status (35,000 units) on 8 April 2006, a week after release and has now surpassed Platinum status (70,000 units).
The album won the Triple J J Award
J Award
The J Award is an award given by influential Australian youth radio station Triple J to Australian Album of the Year. It is judged by a panel of members of the music industry, led by Richard Kingsmill...
in 2006. The award was announced on 1 December. Five songs from the album placed on the annual Triple J Hottest 100
Triple J Hottest 100
The Triple J Hottest 100 is an annual music poll, based on the votes of national Australian radio station Triple J listeners, in order to determine their favourite song of the year. Voting is conducted by the internet and begins roughly two weeks prior to the new year for the previous year's songs...
chart announced on 26 January 2007. Songs "Recapturing The Vibe", "Stopping All Stations", "What a Great Night
What a Great Night
"What a Great Night" is the third single released by Hilltop Hoods from their 2006 album, The Hard Road. It was released as a CD single and as a 12" vinyl.It is a song about the party lifestyle that many people enjoy...
", "Clown Prince
Clown Prince
"Clown Prince" is a single released by Australian hip-hop band, the Hilltop Hoods. The single, the first from their 2006 album The Hard Road, reached #30 in the ARIA charts, becoming the first Hilltop Hoods song to chart on the ARIA Singles Chart. The song also charted at #23 on the Triple J...
" and "The Hard Road
The Hard Road (song)
"The Hard Road" is a song by Australian hip hop band Hilltop Hoods. It is the second single taken from on their 2006 album of the same name. The theme of the song relates to growing up and living in a city, having no direction in life and dealing with the troublesome life associated with urban...
" placed #77, #56, #41, #23, and #3 respectively. "An Audience with the Devil" samples the spoken parts (the interview between Suffa and the Devil) from the Millennium
Millennium (TV series)
Millennium is an American television series created by Chris Carter, creator of The X-Files. Millennium aired on the Fox Network from 1996 to 1999. The series was filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia, though most episodes were ostensibly set in or around Seattle, Washington...
episode "Somehow, Satan Got Behind Me".
Track listing
- "Recapturing The Vibe" - 3:26
- "Clown PrinceClown Prince"Clown Prince" is a single released by Australian hip-hop band, the Hilltop Hoods. The single, the first from their 2006 album The Hard Road, reached #30 in the ARIA charts, becoming the first Hilltop Hoods song to chart on the ARIA Singles Chart. The song also charted at #23 on the Triple J...
" - 3:52 - "The Hard RoadThe Hard Road (song)"The Hard Road" is a song by Australian hip hop band Hilltop Hoods. It is the second single taken from on their 2006 album of the same name. The theme of the song relates to growing up and living in a city, having no direction in life and dealing with the troublesome life associated with urban...
" - 4:06 - "Stopping All Stations" - 3:52
- "Conversations from a Speakeasy" (featuring Omni) - 3:28
- "What a Great Intro" - 0:24
- "What a Great NightWhat a Great Night"What a Great Night" is the third single released by Hilltop Hoods from their 2006 album, The Hard Road. It was released as a CD single and as a 12" vinyl.It is a song about the party lifestyle that many people enjoy...
" - 3:07 - "City of Light" - 3:40
- "Obese Lowlifes" (featuring Mystro and Braintax) - 2:24
- "Circuit Breaker" - 3:29
- "Breathe" - 3:15
- "The Blue Blooded" (featuring Blue Blooded Allstars) - 4:47
- "Monsters Ball" - 4:19
- "An Audience with the Devil" - 4:06
- "The Captured Vibe" (featuring DJ Reflux) - 2:12
- "I Can't Take It" (Deluxe Version Bonus Track)
Secret track and extra material
- Video clip of the first single "Clown Prince" is available for viewing on the CD.
- Untitled secret track ("Ya Feel Big?", which works only on some stereos) - to access this track, start on track 1, "Recapturing the Vibe", and scan backwards. The song is about Hilltop Hoods' rise to fame and the struggles they endured because of this rise.
Singles
- "Clown PrinceClown Prince"Clown Prince" is a single released by Australian hip-hop band, the Hilltop Hoods. The single, the first from their 2006 album The Hard Road, reached #30 in the ARIA charts, becoming the first Hilltop Hoods song to chart on the ARIA Singles Chart. The song also charted at #23 on the Triple J...
" - 2006 - "The Hard RoadThe Hard Road (song)"The Hard Road" is a song by Australian hip hop band Hilltop Hoods. It is the second single taken from on their 2006 album of the same name. The theme of the song relates to growing up and living in a city, having no direction in life and dealing with the troublesome life associated with urban...
" - 2006 - "What a Great NightWhat a Great Night"What a Great Night" is the third single released by Hilltop Hoods from their 2006 album, The Hard Road. It was released as a CD single and as a 12" vinyl.It is a song about the party lifestyle that many people enjoy...
" - 2006 - "Recapturing The Vibe" - 2007
Song credits
Due to the MCs Suffa and Pressure performing different verses and choruses of varying songs, the sections done by DJ Debris and the large number of guest artists featured on the album, what follows is an extensive list of song credits.- "Recapturing The Vibe" - 3:26
- Produced by Suffa
- Verse 1: Pressure
- Verse 2: Suffa
- Scratches by DJ Debris
- "Clown Prince" - 3:52
- Produced by Debris
- Verse 1: Suffa
- Verse 2: Pressure & ct
- Verse 3: Suffa & Pressure
- Scratches by DJ Debris
- Contains samples of "Laying Pipe" by PornosonicPornosonicPornosonic started in 1971 when Ron Jeremy met Don Argott, an L.A. session musician. Pornosonic wrote and performed some of the most well-received music for the adult film world over the next 20 years. They produced many credited and uncredited tracks for well known films...
, "Excursions" by A Tribe Called QuestA Tribe Called QuestA Tribe Called Quest is an American hip hop group, formed in 1985, and is composed of rapper/producer Q-Tip , rapper Phife Dawg , and DJ/producer Ali Shaheed Muhammad. A fourth member, rapper Jarobi White, left the group after their first album but rejoined in 2006...
and "Things Done Changed" by Notorious B.I.G.
- "The Hard Road" - 4:06
- Produced by Suffa
- Verse 1: Suffa
- Verse 2: Pressure
- Verse 3: Suffa
- Scratches by DJ Debris
- Contains a sample of "Out in the Woods" by Leon RussellLeon RussellClaude Russell Bridges , known professionally as Leon Russell, is an American musician and songwriter, who has recorded as a session musician, sideman, and maintained a solo career in music....
- "Stopping All Stations" - 3:52
- Produced by Suffa
- Performed by Pressure
- Scratches by DJ Debris
- Contains samples of "Ego Trippin' (Part II)" by De La SoulDe La SoulDe La Soul is an American hip hop trio formed in 1987 on Long Island, New York. The band is best known for their eclectic sampling, quirky lyrics, and their contributions to the evolution of the jazz rap and alternative hip hop subgenres...
and "1-800 Suicide" by GravediggazGravediggazGravediggaz is an American hip hop group from New York City, well known for its dark sense of humor and abrasive, menacing soundscapes. The group was formed in 1994 and was effectively a supergroup, bringing together Prince Paul , Frukwan , Too Poetic and RZA...
- "Conversations from a Speakeasy" featuring Omni - 3:28
- (M. Lambert/D. Smith/B. Francis/J. McDonald)
- Produced by Suffa
- Verse 1: Pressure
- Verse 2: Omni
- Verse 3: Suffa
- Scratches by DJ Debris
- Contains a sample of "You Gots to Chill" by EPMDEPMDEPMD is an American hip hop group from Brentwood, New York. The group's name is a concatenation of the members' name "E" and "PMD" or an acronym for "Erick and Parrish Making Dollars", referencing its members, emcees Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith...
- "What a Great Intro" - 0:24
- "What a Great Night DNR" - 3:06
- Produced & performed by Suffa
- Scratches by DJ Debris
- Contains a sample of "For Pete's Sake" by Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth
- "City of Light" - 3:40
- Produced by Suffa
- Verse 1: Suffa
- Verse 2: Pressure
- Scratches by DJ Debris
- Bass guitar by Chris Lambert
- Electric guitar by Nick Lambert
- "Obese Lowlifes" featuring MystroMystroKevin Amarfio is a British hip hop MC better known by the name Mystro.-History:Mystro first recorded appearance was in 1998, as the featured artist on Cane's "The Struggle" 12". In 1999, Mystro released the "Kiss That Arse Goodnight" single, featuring Jargon and Skinnyman, on Deal Real Records...
and BraintaxBraintaxBraintax was a British hip hop artist and producer. Joe Christie had also recorded or appeared under the pseudonyms Brando Flux and Joey Brains. All of his releases were on his own record label, Low Life Records....
- 2:24- (M. Lambert/D. Smith/B. Francis/K. Dafarmo/J. Christie)
- Produced by Suffa
- Verse 1: Mystro
- Verse 2: Pressure
- Verse 3: Braintax
- Verse 4: Suffa
- Scratches by DJ Debris
- Contains samples of "These Walls Don't Lie" by PromoePromoePromoe is a Swedish rapper, and member of Swedish hip hop group Looptroop Rockers, formed in Västerås, Sweden, 1992. He released his fourth album in 2009 entitled Kråksången, and later the same year followed up with the mixtape Bondfångeri...
- "Circuit Breaker" 3:29
- (M. Lambert/D. Smith/B. Francis/D. Rankine)
- Produced by Trials
- Verse 1: Suffa
- Verse 2: Pressure
- Scratches by DJ Debris
- Contains samples of "Professor BootyProfessor Booty"Professor Booty" is a song by American hip hop group the Beastie Boys, released as the fifth and final single from their third studio album Check Your Head.The sample at the start of the track is taken from the 1983 film Wild Style.-MCA vs...
" by Beastie BoysBeastie BoysBeastie Boys are an American hip hop trio from New York City. The group consists of Mike D who plays the drums, MCA who plays the bass, and Ad-Rock who plays the guitar....
and "Buddy" by De La Soul
- "Breathe" - 3:15
- Produced by Suffa
- Performed by Pressure
- Scratches by DJ Debris
- Bass Guitar by Chris Lambert
- Trumpet by Phil Ingram
- Contains a sample of "Unbelieveable" by Notorious B.I.G.
- "The Blue Blooded" featuring Blue Blooded Allstars - 4:47
- (M. Lambert/D. Smith/B. Francis/R. Mortimer/D. Rankine/A. Baker/L. Latukefu/P. Ridge/J. Laroner/D. Young/T. Staff/R. Warren/M. Honson)
- Produced by Suffa
- Introduction: Trials
- Verse 1: Suffa
- Verse 2: Mortar
- Verse 3: Trials and Sesta
- Verse 4: Hau
- Verse 5: DraphtDraphtDrapht is an Australian hip hop singer from Perth, Western Australia. Drapht is a member of the Syllaboliks crew, which comprises fellow Australian hip hop artists from Perth.-Biography:...
- Verse 6: Vents
- Verse 7: Muphin and Pegz
- Verse 8: Robby Balboa
- Verse 9: Honz
- Verse 10: Pressure
- "Monsters Ball" - 4:19
- (M. Lambert/D. Smith/B. Francis/A. Simmons)
- Produced by Simplex
- Verse 1: Suffa
- Verse 2: Pressure
- "An Audience with the Devil" - 4:06
- (M. Lambert/D. Smith/B. Francis/D. Rankine)
- Produced by Trials
- Performed by Suffa
- Contains samples from an episode of MillenniumMillennium (TV series)Millennium is an American television series created by Chris Carter, creator of The X-Files. Millennium aired on the Fox Network from 1996 to 1999. The series was filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia, though most episodes were ostensibly set in or around Seattle, Washington...
entitled "Somehow, Satan Got Behind Me"
- "The Captured Vibe" featuring DJ Reflux - 2:12
- (M. Lambert/D. Smith/B. Francis/D. Yates)
- Produced by Suffa
- Scratches by DJ Reflux
Chart positions
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Australian ARIA ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... Albums Chart |
1 |