| The Beatnuts | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | June 21, 1994 (1994-6-21) | |||
| Recorded | May 1993 – March 1994 | |||
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| Genre | Hip hop | |||
| Length | 58:21 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Producer |
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| The Beatnuts chronology | ||||
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| Singles from The Beatnuts | ||||
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The Beatnuts is the self-titled full-length debut album by American hip hop triothe Beatnuts. It was released on June 21, 1994, viaViolator/Relativity Records.[1] The recording sessions took place at LGK Studios inLeonia, New Jersey, at Soundtrack Studios andGreene St. Recording inNew York. The album wasproduced by the Beatnuts, except for one song produced byLucien. It features guest appearances from Gab Gotcha of Triflicts,Grand Puba andMiss Jones. The album reached number 182 on theBillboard 200 and number 28 on theTop R&B/Hip Hop Albums in the United States. Two singles were released: "Props Over Here", which peaked at number 39 on the USHot Rap Singles, and "Hit Me with That". The music video for "Props Over Here" was directed byAbraham Lincoln Lim.
The album's title is sometimes mistakenly referred to asStreet Level, because those words appear on the album cover; however, the words "Street Level" do not appear anywhere else on the CD (in the liner notes or on the CD spine label). The song "Psycho Dwarf" previously appeared on the 1993Intoxicated Demons: The EP. It is the last Beatnuts album to include Fashion, who left the group to pursue a solo career under the alias Al' Tariq.
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [2] |
| Entertainment Weekly | B[3] |
| RapReviews | 8/10[4] |
| (The New) Rolling Stone Album Guide | [5] |
| The Source | |
The Washington Post noted that "the Beatnuts stance is hard but not impenetrable, though the laid-back geniality of the first single, 'Props Over Here', seems a little forced and radio-friendly."[6]
In 2012, the album was listed at No. 23 onComplex magazine's "The 50 Greatest Debut Albums in Hip-Hop History".[7] In 2014, the album was listed at No. 19 onVibe's "The 50 Best Rap Albums of 1994" list.[8]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Performer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Intro" | Jerry Tineo | The Beatnuts | 1:47 |
| 2. | "Ya Don't Stop" |
| Lucien | 3:06 |
| 3. | "Props Over Here" |
| The Beatnuts | 3:59 |
| 4. | "Hellraiser" |
| The Beatnuts | 3:10 |
| 5. | "Are You Ready" (featuringGrand Puba) |
| V.I.C. | 3:14 |
| 6. | "Superbad" |
| The Beatnuts | 3:57 |
| 7. | "Straight Jacket" |
| The Beatnuts | 3:57 |
| 8. | "Let Off a Couple" |
| The Beatnuts | 1:43 |
| 9. | "Rik's Joint" (featuringMiss Jones) |
| The Beatnuts | 4:01 |
| 10. | "Fried Chicken" |
| The Beatnuts | 3:57 |
| 11. | "Yeah You Get Props" |
| The Beatnuts | 3:29 |
| 12. | "Get Funky" |
| The Beatnuts | 3:37 |
| 13. | "Hit Me with That" |
| The Beatnuts | 3:36 |
| 14. | "2-3 Break" (featuring Gab Gotcha) |
| The Beatnuts | 3:17 |
| 15. | "Lick the Pussy" |
| The Beatnuts | 4:18 |
| 16. | "Sandwiches" |
| The Beatnuts | 1:33 |
| 17. | "Psycho Dwarf" |
| The Beatnuts | 5:25 |
| Total length: | 58:21 | |||
| Chart (1994) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| USBillboard 200[9] | 182 |
| USTop R&B Albums (Billboard) | 28 |
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