Gang Starr – Hard To Earn
Label: | Chrysalis – 7243 8 28435 1 1, ERG – 7243 8 28435 1 1 |
|---|---|
Format: | |
Country: | UK & Europe |
Released: | |
Genre: | Hip Hop |
Style: |
Tracklist
| A1 | Intro (The First Step) | 0:54 | |
| A2 | Alongwaytogo | 4:13 | |
| A3 | Code Of The Streets | 3:29 | |
| A4 | Brainstorm | 3:02 | |
| A5 | Tonz 'O' Gunz | 3:55 | |
| B1 | The Planet | 5:16 | |
| B2 | Aiiight Chill... | 3:13 | |
| B3 | Speak Ya Clout | 3:35 | |
| B4 | DWYCK | 4:03 | |
| C1 | Words From The Nutcracker | 1:29 | |
| C2 | Mass Appeal | 3:41 | |
| C3 | Blowin' Up The Spot | 3:10 | |
| C4 | Suckas Need Bodyguards | 4:05 | |
| D1 | Now You're Mine | 2:55 | |
| D2 | Mostly Tha Voice | 3:38 | |
| D3 | F.A.L.A. | 4:17 | |
| D4 | Comin' For Datazz | 4:02 |
Companies, etc.
- Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Chrysalis Records, Inc.
- Copyright © – Chrysalis Records, Inc.
- Marketed By – EMI
- Distributed By – EMI
- Recorded At – D&D Studios
- Mixed At – D&D Studios
- Mastered At – Masterdisk
- Pressed By – EMI Records
Credits
- A&R – Duff Marlowe
- Art Direction – Henry Marquez
- Design [Package] – Marc Cozza
- Engineer – Eddie Sancho (tracks: A1 to D1, D3, D4), Kieran Walsh (tracks: D2)
- Engineer [Assistant] – David Carpenter, Joe Quinde, Luc Allen, Louis Tineo*, Max Vargus*
- Lyrics By – Big Shug (tracks: D3), Greg Nice (tracks: B4), Guru, Jeru The Damaja (tracks: B3), Lil Dap* (tracks: B3), Melachi The Nutcracker (tracks: C1), Smooth B. (tracks: B4)
- Mastered By – Tony Dawsey
- Mixed By – DJ Premier
- Photography By – Daniel Hastings
- Producer – DJ Premier, Guru
- Written-By – C. Guy* (tracks: D3), C. Martin*, D. Barnes* (tracks: B4), G. Mays* (tracks: B4), J. Felder* (tracks: C1), J. Heath* (tracks: B3), K. Elam*, K. J. Davis* (tracks: B3)
Notes
Chrysalis/ERG.
Track A4 "Brainstorm" not listed on the label.
Track A4 "Brainstorm" not listed on the label.
Barcode and Other Identifiers
- Barcode (Scanned): 7 24382 84351 1
- Barcode (String): 724382843511
- Matrix / Runout (Side A): 8288701 A-01-1-1 D
- Matrix / Runout (Side B): 8288701 B-01-1-1 D
- Matrix / Runout (Side C): 8288711 C-01-1-1 D
- Matrix / Runout (Side D): 8288711 D-01-1-1 D
Other Versions (5 of 41)
View All| Title (Format) | Label | Cat# | Country | Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Recently Edited | Hard To Earn (Cassette, Promo) | Chrysalis | none | UK | 1993 | ||
Recently Edited | Hard To Earn (CD, Album) | Chrysalis, Chrysalis | 7243 8 28435 2 8, F2-28435 | US | 1994 | ||
| Hard To Earn (2×LP, Album, Stereo) | Chrysalis, Chrysalis, ERG, ERG | F1-28435, 7243 8 28435 1 1 | US | 1994 | |||
Recently Edited | Hard To Earn (CD, Album, Club Edition) | Chrysalis, Columbia House | CDP-528435 | US | 1994 | ||
| Hard To Earn (Cassette, ) | Chrysalis | CTTC 38 | UK | 1994 |
Recommendations
Reviews
25 years ago, Gang Starr’s fourth studio album was released and today has left a lasting impression on many hip hop fans in the community. In 1993 - at the time of this LP’s recording, DJ Premier’s production was evolving through a renaissance period where in hindsight he worked on and produced many classic projects. That year, he produced titles on albums including KRS-One’s – Return Of The Boom Bap, Nas’s – Illmatic, The Notorious B.I.G. – Ready To Die and solely produced LP’s Jeru The Damaja’s – The Sun Rises In The East and of course, Gang Starr’s – Hard To Earn.
Around the same time, Guru is getting frustrated and aggravated at comments about Gang Starr that they are a one-dimensional hip-hop group in that they only release alternative and jazz hip-hop music. Guru wanted to prove that they could create something other than jazz hip-hop with this project, so they embarked on creating something raw and gritty.
There are some fantastic stories behind individual tracks on this project including: Guru was completely plastered when he recorded “ALONGWAYTOGO”, Guru produced the original version of “Code Of The Streets” for a TV documentary and Premier remastered it for the album and also DJ Premier and Guru had a fist fight over an argument so the song “Now You’re Mine” which was made for the second movie soundtrack “White Men Can’t Jump” Guru was actually rapping about DJ Premier and Guru allegedly made eye contact with Premier for the entirety of the recording.
Stand out songs: Code Of The Streets, Speak Ya Clout, DYWCK, Mass Appeal and Now You’re Mine.
This LP is spread out of 2 LPs and is overall a decent release. There isn’t any surface noise, warping and has a relatively balanced sound. This pressing plays through quite nicely, and I don’t really have anything bad to say about it.
5/5 for the album, 4/5 for the pressing.
Might be the pinnacle of GangStarr Albums (with Daily Operation running a close second).
Release
For sale on Discogs
Sell a copy65 copies from $29.81