Legal Drug Money is the debut studio album by American hip hop group the Lost Boyz. It was released on June 4, 1996, via Universal Records. Recording sessions took place at Greene St. Recording, Quad Recording Studios and D&D Studios in New York. Production was handled by Big Dex, Mr. Sex, Easy Mo Bee, Big L, "Buttnaked" Tim Dawg, Dwarf the Black Prince, Pete Rock, member Mr. Cheeks, and Charles Suitt serving as co-producer and executive producer.
| Legal Drug Money | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | June 4, 1996 | |||
| Recorded | 1994-1996 | |||
| Studio |
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| Genre | Hip hop | |||
| Length | 1:11:03 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Producer |
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| Lost Boyz chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Legal Drug Money | ||||
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| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Muzik | [2] |
| RapReviews | 7.5/10[3] |
| The Source |  [4] |
The album peaked at number six on the Billboard 200 and topped the Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart in the United States. It was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America on August 7, 1996.
It featured six singles: "Lifestyles of the Rich & Shameless", "Jeeps, Lex Coups, Bimaz & Benz", "Renee", "Music Makes Me High", "The Yearn" and "Get Up". Five of the album's singles made it to US Billboard Hot 100. "Renee" previously was included in Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood: The Soundtrack and received Gold status by the RIAA. Slightly different version of the song "The Yearn" appeared on 1996 benefit compilation album America Is Dying Slowly.
Track listing edit
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Intro" | Mr. Cheeks | 1:25 | ||
| 2. | "The Yearn" |
| Pete Rock | 3:49 | |
| 3. | "Music Makes Me High" |
|
| 4:31 | |
| 4. | "Jeeps, Lex Coups, Bimaz & Benz" |
| Osten S. Harvey Jr. | Easy Mo Bee | 4:32 |
| 5. | "Lifestyles of the Rich & Shameless" | Kelly | Harvey Jr. | Easy Mo Bee | 4:21 |
| 6. | "Renee" | Kelly | Garfield Duncan | Mr. Sex | 4:54 |
| 7. | "All Right" | Kelly | Dexter Archer | Big Dex | 5:50 |
| 8. | "Legal Drug Money" |
|
| Big Dex | 5:40 |
| 9. | "Get Up" | Kelly | Duncan | Mr. Sex | 4:04 |
| 10. | "Is This Da Part" | Kelly |
| Easy Mo Bee | 3:45 |
| 11. | "Straight From Da Ghetto" |
|
|
| 3:47 |
| 12. | "Keep It Real" | Kelly | Archer |
| 4:11 |
| 13. | "Channel Zero" | Kelly | Archer | Big Dex | 5:37 |
| 14. | "Da Game" | Kelly | Big Dex | 3:43 | |
| 15. | "1, 2, 3" |
| Dwarf The Black Prince | Dwarf The Black Prince | 6:53 |
| 16. | "Lifestyles of the Rich and Shameless (Remix)" | Kelly | Mr. Sex | 4:01 | |
| Total length: | 1:11:03 | ||||
- Notes
- Sample credits[5]
- Track 1 contains elements from "Summer Madness" written by Alton Taylor, Robert "Spike" Mickens, Robert "Kool" Bell, Dennis "Dee Tee" Thomas, Richard "Ricky West" Westfield, George Brown, Claydes Charles Smith and Ronald Bell and performed by Kool & the Gang
- Track 3 contains a sample from "Bounce, Rock, Skate, Roll" written by Vaughan Mason and performed by Vaughan Mason & Crew
- Track 5 contains elements from "Jealousy" performed by Club Nouveau
- Track 8 contains elements from "Whispering Pines" performed by Crusaders
- Track 9 interpolates "What You Gonna Do With My Lovin" by Stephanie Mills, and contains samples from "Funky Sensation" written by Kenton Nix and performed by Gwen McCrae
- Track 10 contains samples from "Slow Down" written by Carl McIntosh, Steve Nichol and Jane Eugene, "The Look Of Love" by Isaac Hayes, and "Jealousy" by Club Norveau
- Track 11 contains elements from "Risin' to the Top" written by Keni Burke, Allan W. Felder and Norma Jean Wright
- Track 12 interpolates "You're The One I Need" written by Barry White and Smeed Hudman as recorded by Barry White
- Track 14 contains elements from "Playing Your Game, Baby" performed by Barry White
Personnel edit
- Terrance "Mr. Cheeks" Kelly – lyrics, vocals (tracks: 4-7, 9-14, 16), producer (track 1)
- Raymond "Freaky Tah" Rogers – lyrics (tracks: 1, 2, 8, 15), additional lyrics (track 3), vocals (tracks: 4-7, 9-14, 16)
- Eric "Pretty Lou" Ruth – additional vocals (track 8), backing vocals (track 14)
- Ronald "Spigg Nice" Blackwell – additional vocals (track 8), backing vocals (track 14)
- Peter "Pete Rock" Philips – producer & mixing (track 2)
- Garfield "Mr. Sexxx" Duncan – producer (tracks: 3, 6, 9, 16), recording (tracks: 3, 16), mixing (tracks: 3, 9, 16), production coordinator
- Osten "Easy Mo Bee" Harvey Jr. – producer (tracks: 4, 5, 10)
- Dexter "Big Dex" Archer – producer (tracks: 7, 8, 12-14), mixing (tracks: 12, 14)
- Tim "Buttnaked Tim Dawg" Patterson – lyrics (tracks: 4, 11), producer (track 11), mixing (tracks: 1, 4, 5, 7, 11, 13, 15), A&R, stylist
- Lamont "Big L" Coleman – producer (track 12)
- Dwarf The Black Prince – producer (track 15)
- Charles Suitt – co-producer (track 3), executive producer, A&R, management
- Joe Quinde – mixing (tracks: 1, 4, 5, 7, 11-15)
- Jamie Staub – engineering (track 2)
- Chris Barnett – recording (tracks: 3, 16), mixing (tracks: 3, 9, 16)
- Michael Sarsfield – mastering
- Sandie Lee Drake – art direction
- Kenny Gravillis – design
- Danny Clinch – photography
- Kathy Baylor – A&R
- Dino Delvaille – A&R
- Todd Ellerby – management
- Lisa Lindo – stylist
- Ericka Riggs – make-up
Charts edit
Certifications edit
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA)[11] | Gold | 500,000^ |
|
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
Singles edit
| Year | Song | Chart positions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Hot 100[12] |
US Hot R&B[13] |
US Hot Rap |
US Hot Dance Sales | ||
| 1995 | "Lifestyles of the Rich & Shameless" | 91 | 60 | 10 | 20 |
| "Jeeps, Lex Coups, Bimaz & Benz" | 67 | 63 | 11 | 21 | |
| 1996 | "Renee" | 33 | 13 | 3 | 2 |
| "Music Makes Me High" | 51 | 28 | 5 | 3 | |
| 1997 | "Get Up" | 60 | 31 | 6 | 4 |
See also edit
References edit
- ^ Gizzi, Dan. "The Lost Boyz - Legal Drug Money Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
- ^ Ashon, Will (August 1996). "The Lost Boyz: Legal Drug Money" (PDF). Muzik. No. 15. p. 127. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 April 2022. Retrieved 16 July 2022.
- ^ Jost, Matt (October 27, 2009). "Lost Boyz :: Legal Drug Money :: Universal Records". www.rapreviews.com. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
- ^ Lewis, Miles Marshall (June 1996). "THE LOST BOYZ :: Legal Drug Money :: MCA". The Source. No. 81. p. 76.
- ^ Lost Boyz (1996). Legal Drug Money (liner notes). Universal Records. U2-53010.
- ^ "Lost Boyz | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
- ^ "Lost Boyz, TLP". Billboard. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
- ^ "Lost Boyz, BLP". Billboard. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
- ^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1996". Billboard. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
- ^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1996". Billboard. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
- ^ "American album certifications – Lost Boyz – Legal Drug Money". Recording Industry Association of America.
- ^ "The Lost Boyz - Chart history | Billboard". www.billboard.com. Retrieved December 23, 2016.
- ^ "The Lost Boyz - Chart history | Billboard". www.billboard.com. Retrieved December 23, 2016.
External links edit
- Legal Drug Money at Discogs (list of releases)