4 Tha Hard Way is the fourth album by the West Coast hip hop artist Rappin' 4-Tay, released by Noo Trybe Records in 1997.[3] The album features production from Bay Area producer Ant Banks,[2] as well as guest appearances from the likes of Tupac Shakur, Rick James, E-40 and Master P. The entire album is dedicated to the memory of Tupac Shakur.[citation needed] The album debuted on the Billboard 200 chart at number 169,[4] with 7,000 copies sold in the first week. At the time of the release, Rappin' 4-Tay considered 4 Tha Hard Way his best album and was surprised by its low sales, with his manager blaming the label for changing the release date and not doing any promotion.[3]
| 4 Tha Hard Way |
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| Released | October 21, 1997 (1997-10-21) |
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| Genre | West Coast hip hop, gangsta rap, G-funk |
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| Label | Noo Trybe |
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| Producer | Al Eaton, Alonzo Jackson, Ant Banks, C-Funk, Daniel LeMelle, G-Man Stan, K Lou, Les G, Mike City, Premiere Music, Rick James, Studio Ton |
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Off Parole
(1996) | 4 Tha Hard Way
(1997) | Bigga Than Da Game
(1998) |
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Alex Henderson of AllMusic noted the album's "positive and congenial tone" and tendency towards "melodic, R&B-flavored tracks", concluding that it was "decent, but not remarkable".[1] Miguel Burke of The Source thought that the best moments on the albums are the songs performed solo by Rappin' 4-Tay, where he "stray[s] away from the redundant topic of being a player", but criticized the album for its lack of a hit song, resulting in an album that fails to reach the level of the classic West Coast hip hop albums.[2]
Track listing
| Title |
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| 1. | "Playaz Dedication" | 4:49 |
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| 2. | "One Nite" | 4:03 |
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| 3. | "Beats for Sale" (skit) | 0:44 |
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| 4. | "What's Wrong Wit' the Game" (featuring E-40) | 4:15 |
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| 5. | "Money Makes the Man" (featuring J. Mess & Sauce) | 3:53 |
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| 6. | "Where You Playin' At" | 4:31 |
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| 7. | "Cold Blooded" (featuring Rick James) | 4:10 |
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| 8. | "Just Came Up" (skit) | 0:17 |
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| 9. | "Back At Cha" | 3:57 |
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| 10. | "Playa 4 Life" (featuring Master P) | 4:14 |
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| 11. | "What Fo'" | 5:25 |
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| 12. | "Ain't Nobody Coachin'" (featuring Frankie J) | 3:46 |
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| 13. | "Brin' the Beat Back" (featuring Lil' Fly) | 3:31 |
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| 14. | "Lay Ya Gunz Down" | 4:54 |
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| 15. | "The Biggie (skit)" | 0:27 |
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| 16. | "The Biggie" (featuring Screwface) | 4:06 |
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| 17. | "Shake It" (featuring The Conscious Daughters) | 4:26 |
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| 18. | "The Element Of Surprise" (featuring San Quinn & Messy Marv) | 4:21 |
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| 19. | "Thinkin' About You" (featuring Carl "C.D." Douglas) | 4:06 |
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| 20. | "4-Tha Hard Way" | 3:33 |
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References
External links
