It's a Compton Thang
It's a Compton Thang! is the debut studio album by American gangsta rap group Compton's Most Wanted.[1][2] It was released in 1990 through Orpheus Records.[3]
| It's a Compton Thang! | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | June 19, 1990 | |||
| Studio | Thllss Studios (Los Angeles, California) | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 46:44 | |||
| Label | Orpheus Records | |||
| Producer | ||||
| Compton's Most Wanted chronology | ||||
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| Singles from It's a Compton Thang! | ||||
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Recording sessions took place at Thllss Studios in Los Angeles with audio engineer Mike "Webeboomindashit" Edwards and producers DJ Slip and The Unknown DJ. It was mastered at The Other Room in Queens, New York, by Jack Skinner. Ant Capone was supposed to be part of the group, but left prior to this album due to contractual and managing issues, and was replaced by DJ Mike T.
The album peaked at number 133 on the Billboard 200 and at number 32 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart in the United States.
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [4] |
Old School Rap and Hip-hop wrote that "the true beauty of It's a Compton Thang is the initial synthesis of former electro legend the Unknown DJ with future gangsta icon MC Eiht as well as the pleasant reminder that West Coast gangsta rap was once more about old-fashioned fun than cheap thrills."[5] The Washington Post thought that the album "lacks the sonic punch and the verbal verve of N.W.A."[6]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "One Time Gaffled Em Up" | 3:55 |
| 2. | "I'm wit Dat" | 4:56 |
| 3. | "Final Chapter" | 4:37 |
| 4. | "I Give Up Nothin'" | 3:03 |
| 5. | "This Is Compton" | 4:32 |
| 6. | "Rhymes Too Funky Part 1 (Live at Lonzo's 1988)" | 2:29 |
| 7. | "Duck Sick" | 4:32 |
| 8. | "Give It Up" | 4:09 |
| 9. | "Late Night Hype" | 4:49 |
| 10. | "I Mean Biznez" | 3:47 |
| 11. | "It's a Compton Thang" | 5:11 |
| Total length: | 47:03 | |
Personnel
- Aaron Tyler – lyrics, vocals
- Terry Keith Allen – producer, arranger
- Michael Bryant – scratches
- Andre Manuel – keyboards, producer, arranger, executive producer
- Darryl "Lyrrad" Davis – additional keyboards, design
- Mike "Webeboomindashit" Edwards – engineering
- Jack Skinner – mastering
- Henry Marquez – art direction
- Phil Bedel – photography
- Weldon Cochren – production coordinator
- Lynda Simmons – project coordinator
Charts
| Chart (1990) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200[7] | 133 |
| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[8] | 32 |
References
- "Comptons Most Wanted".
- Reeves, Marcus (March 17, 2009). Somebody Scream!: Rap Music's Rise to Prominence in the Aftershock of Black Power. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. ISBN 9781466822153 – via Google Books.
- Weinstein, Max. "Today in Hip-Hop: Compton's Most Wanted Drop 'It's a Compton Thang' - XXL". XXL Mag.
- "It's a Compton Thang - Compton's Most Wanted | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic.
- Woodstra, Chris; Bush, John; Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (June 15, 2008). Old School Rap and Hip-hop. Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN 9780879309169 – via Google Books.
- Mills, David (September 2, 1990). "RECORDINGS" – via www.washingtonpost.com.
- "Compton's Most Wanted Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved August 5, 2016.
- "Compton's Most Wanted Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved August 5, 2016.