As the World Burns is the debut studio album by American hip hop group Arsonists. It was released on August 24, 1999, via Matador Records.[1] The recording sessions took place at Gallco Enterprises, at D&D Studios and at Ozone Studios in New York, and at The Fire Place. The production was handled by members Q-Unique, Freestyle, MC D-Stroy and Swel Boogie, except one song produced with DJ Spin One. The album peaked at number 78 on the US Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. Its single "Pyromaniax" peaked at number 43 on the US Billboard Hot Rap Songs chart.

As the World Burns
Studio album by
ReleasedAugust 24, 1999 (1999-08-24)
Studio
GenreHip hop
Length60:51
LabelMatador
Producer
  • Q-Unique
  • Freestyle
  • MC D-Stroy
  • Swel Boogie
  • DJ Spin One
Arsonists chronology
As the World Burns
(1999)
Date of Birth
(2001)
Singles from As the World Burns
  1. "Session"
    Released: 1996
  2. "Venom / Seed"
    Released: 1997
  3. "Blaze / Geembo's Theme / Flashback"
    Released: January 19, 1998
  4. "Backdraft"
    Released: January 12, 1999
  5. "Pyromaniax"
    Released: July 5, 1999

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [2]
The A.V. Clubfavorable[3]
Christgau's Consumer Guide [4]
Exclaim!mixed[5]
NME     [6]
Pitchfork7.7/10[7]
Vibefavorable[8]

Jordan N. Mamone of CMJ New Music Report said: "The mood and the beats can get a little outlandish, but generally, the minor-key strings and time-capsule scratches admirably push hip-hop into the future while taking cues from its past".[1]

In 2015, Fact placed it at number 72 on the "100 Best Indie Hip-Hop Records of All Time" list.[9]

Track listing

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No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Intro"Q-Unique1:37
2."Backdraft"
  • Quiles
  • Robert Wallace
  • Geraldo Barreto
  • David Melendez
  • Swel Boogie
  • Freestyle
  • D.J. Spin One
3:11
3."Shit Ain't Sweet"
  • Quiles
  • Barreto
  • Melendez
Freestyle4:03
4."Pyromaniax"
  • Quiles
  • Barreto
  • Melendez
  • Swel
Q-Unique4:21
5."Underground Vandal"WallaceQ-Unique2:23
6."Blaze"
Q-Unique2:46
7."Venom"
Q-Unique2:53
8."Frienemies"Melendez
  • Q-Unique
  • Freestyle
  • D-Stroy
2:05
9."Lt. Worf & Chewbacca"
  • Barreto
  • Kinetic
Q-Unique1:47
10."Session"
  • Quiles
  • Wallace
  • Melendez
  • Swel
D-Stroy3:50
11."Shaboing"
  • Quiles
  • Wallace
  • Melendez
  • Swel
Freestyle3:48
12."Rhyme Time Travel"
Q-Unique2:49
13."Live to Tell"
D-Stroy3:26
14."Seed"
  • Quiles
  • Wallace
  • Barreto
  • Kinetic
Q-Unique3:04
15."Lunchroom Take-Out"
  • Swel
  • GR8 Scott
  • Q-Unique
  • Swel
3:50
16."Worlds Collide"
  • Quiles
  • Wallace
  • Barreto
  • Melendez
  • Swel
Freestyle4:24
17."Flashback"
Freestyle3:00
18."D-Sturbed Words"MelendezD-Stroy2:06
19."Geembo's Theme"
  • Quiles
  • Melendez
  • Q-Unique
  • D-Stroy
2:03
20."Halloween"Freestyle4:01
21."In Your Town"
  • Quiles
  • Wallace
  • Melendez
D-Stroy3:43
Total length:1:00:51

Charts

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Chart (1999) Peak
position
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[10] 78

References

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  1. ^ a b Mamone, Jordan N. (September 6, 1999). "Arsonists - As The World Burns (Matador)". CMJ New Music Report: 22.
  2. ^ Conaway, Matt. "Arsonists - As the World Burns". AllMusic. Retrieved December 16, 2015.
  3. ^ Rabin, Nathan (April 19, 2002). "The Arsonists: As The World Burns". The A.V. Club. Retrieved December 16, 2015.
  4. ^ Christgau, Robert. "Consumer Guide: Arsonists". Christgau's Consumer Guide. Retrieved June 1, 2018.
  5. ^ Cowie, Del F. (October 1, 1999). "Arsonists: As The World Burns". Exclaim!. Retrieved December 16, 2015.
  6. ^ "As The World Burns". NME. September 12, 2005. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
  7. ^ Wisdom, James P. (April 16, 2004). "Arsonists: As the World Burns: Pitchfork Review". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on April 16, 2004. Retrieved April 2, 2023 – via Wayback Machine.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  8. ^ Callahan-Bever, Noah (October 1999). "The Arsonists 'As The World Burns'". Vibe: 187.
  9. ^ "72. Arsonists - As the World Burns (Matador, 1999)". Fact. February 25, 2015. Retrieved December 16, 2015.
  10. ^ "Arsonists Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
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