The Book of David

The Book of David
Studio album by DJ Quik
Released April 19, 2011
Recorded 2009-2010
Genre Hip hop
Length 69:69
Label Mad Science, Fontana
Producer DJ Quik (also exec.)
DJ Quik chronology
BlaQKout
(2009)
The Book of David
(2011)
Singles from The Book of David
  1. "Luv of My Life"
    Released: March 8, 2011[1]
  2. "Real Women"
    Released: March 29, 2011[2]
  3. "Nobody"
    Released: April 19, 2011

The Book of David[3] is the eighth studio album by American rapper and producer DJ Quik, released April 19, 2011 on Mad Science and Fontana Distribution.[4]

The album debuted at fifty five on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 9,700 copies in its first week in the United States.[5]

Contents

Background

During an interview with Chuey Martinez for KIIS-FM in April 2010, DJ Quik had confirmed that he's done recording the album he's just waiting for the samples to clear also in the interview he stated I figure how to come back to music I've done every Breakbeat every Drum pattern that you can possible do and all the while i feel like i got away from the music that made me want to get into the industry from people like Prince, The Time, The Force M.D.s you know some of these 80's hip hop kind of records and even Michael Jackson used the Roland TR-808 drum machine so i kind of got back into raw drum machines going back the old drums cause they all got character, so this record is kind of an old feel type of record me king of singing like Prince a little like this record i did with Suga Free this is me singing on that record it's just me trying new and fun things that people like me and around me like stating this is the reunion of me and Suga Free after our beef the past few years with many more songs to come also saying he's producing his next upcoming album.[6] On September 27, 2010 a track titled "G-Shit" featuring BlaKKazz K.K. was leaked.[7]

“The whole idea behind this project was not just to make another rap album, I wanted to focus on the overall musical performance process…not just the rapping part. It’s a smart album, it’s everything I wanted it to be.”

DJ Quik[8]

In an interview with Mariel Concepcion from Billboard DJ Quik spoke about the album saying "Lyrically, I'm just kind of being defensive on this album; I'm pointing out some people that have really pissed me off along the way," he says. One of those people might be his sister, who put him in prison for assault in 2006. Rumors about Quik being on drugs or "afraid of the competition" -- most specifically Dr. Dre and his forthcoming "Detox" album—have floated around in the past couple of years as to why he hadn't released music since 2005's "Trauma." But Quik, who learned how to play bass guitar in the interim, says that while those speculations might serve for a better story, the real reason is that a few years ago he was awarded custody of his daughter. Still, not all is drama on "David." First single "Luv of My Life" (featuring Gift Reynolds), soon-to-be-released second single "Real Women" (featuring Jon B.) (an accompanying video is currently being shot in Hawaii) and "Time Stands Still" (featuring Dwele) (about a long-distance relationship) all relate to matters of the heart. The marketing plan to roll out "David" carries the same personal theme, according to Rona Mercado, VP of marketing and strategy at the Cashmere Agency, which handles DJ Quik's marketing and publicity. While he does get personal on the album, Quik hopes, if nothing else, that fans will appreciate the workmanship he put into the album. "I know we're in a singles world with iTunes and all, but this record is an ode to the sonically genius," he says. "I hope to affect the industry again and I'm willing to work hard for it."[9]

Confirmed guests include Ice Cube, Bizzy Bone, Bun B, Jon B., Kurupt, Dwele and Gift Reynolds have been added as confirmed guests, along with the aforementioned Suga Free.[10][11]

Recording

DJ Quik stated this was one of his quickest, fastest and smartest records he's ever done he stated in an interview that he started recording for the album in November 2009 and finished in February 2010 and he said a big reason for it being done so fast was his Co-writers from David Foreman getting the ideas out real quick and Jon B. helping with some of the greatest R&B hits they help me speed the album up faster being since I've been out of retail for 5 years If you don't come back in with something to offer and with something worth the wait then i would humbly get out of the game and get another gig,[12] He also stated he had recorded tracks with artists such as Bizzy Bone, WC, Bun B, Ice Cube, Jon B., Dwele and Suga Free he also stated the album is finished and ready to be released there's just a few samples that need to be cleared.[13]

DJ Quik revealed in March 2011 that the recording for the album had already been done for over a year now and the reason why it's taken so long was due to the legal work from clearing samples and guest collaborators signing off, He also revealed how he's one of the only artists to ever get a sample clearance from the 1978 musical film Grease and he also explained how his direction for the album was saying "I didn't approach it to try to do anything new as a matter a fact I tried to do everything old by doing antiquated music by artists such as El DeBarge, Curtis Mayfield, Luther Vandross."[14]

Release and promotion

On June 10, 2011 to promote the album DJ Quik performed with The Roots on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon with guest stars Jason Lee and Emma Roberts.[15]

Singles

"Luv of My Life" featuring Gift is the first official single from the album.[16] The song was premiered on Power 106 LA on February 1, 2011.[17] The song was released to iTunes on March 8, 2011.[18] The music video was shot in a strip club on April 3, 2011, and released on April 21, 2011.[19][20]

"Real Women" featuring Jon B. is the second official single from the album.[21] The song was released to iTunes on March 29, 2011.

"Nobody" featuring Suga Free, and Ty$ was set to be the first single after appearing on KIIS-FM on March 15, 2011. The song was later released as the last single on April 19, 2011.

Reception

Commercial performance

The album debuted at number fifty five on the US Billboard 200 chart, with first-week sales of 9,700 copies in the United States.[22] It also entered at number 5 on Billboard's Top Rap Albums, number 12 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and number 4 on Independent Albums.[23] In its second week, it dropped to number ninety nine on the Billboard 200 with sales of 4,200.[24]

Critical response

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [25]
Pitchfork Media (8.4/10)[26]
RapReviews (8.5/10)[27]
Spin (7/10)[28]
The Smoking Section [29]
DJBooth.net [30]

Spin Magazine's Christopher R. Weingarten spoke on the album saying it's from an incredible year that never existed, blending baroque '80s roller jams, velvety '90s slow-rides, contemporary Dam-Funk swooshwave, and a breakdown with the late P-Funk guitarist Garry Shider. For every vintage Quik banger, there's a rhythmically unique implosion of backmasked "Paul Revere" drums and Madvillainous drone ("Poppin'"). Lyrically, he's back to his old tricks - shitting on haters, shouting out himself, somehow rhyming "orange" and having "diamonds like kablooie."[31]

Track listing

The track listing was confirmed by Amazon.com.[32]

No. Title Writer(s) Producer(s) Length
1. "Fire and Brimstone"   David Blake DJ Quik 3:47
2. "Do Today" (featuring Jon B. & BlaKKazz K.K.) Blake DJ Quik 4:21
3. "Ghetto Rendezvous"   Blake DJ Quik 3:34
4. "Luv of My Life" (featuring Gift Reynolds) Blake, George Archie DJ Quik, G-One 4:08
5. "Babylon" (featuring BlaKKazz K.K. & Bizzy Bone) Blake, Bryon Anthony McCane, Jr. DJ Quik 3:38
6. "Killer Dope"   Blake DJ Quik 4:50
7. "Real Women" (featuring Jon B.) Blake DJ Quik 4:03
8. "Poppin'" (featuring BlaKKazz K.K.) Blake DJ Quik 3:40
9. "Hydromatic" (featuring Gift Reynolds & Jon B.) Blake, Jacobs DJ Quik 2:57
10. "Across The Map" (featuring Bizzy Bone & Bun B) Bernard Freeman, Blake, McCane DJ Quik 2:58
11. "Nobody" (featuring Suga Free & Ty$) Blake DJ Quik 3:37
12. "Boogie Till You Conk Out" (featuring Ice Cube) Blake, O'Shea Jackson DJ Quik 3:07
13. "Flow for Sale" (featuring Kurupt) Blake DJ Quik 2:54
14. "So Compton" (featuring BlaKKazz K.K.) Blake DJ Quik 3:39
15. "Time Stands Still" (featuring Dwele) Andwele Gardner, Blake DJ Quik 4:29
16. "The End?" (featuring Garry Shider) Blake DJ Quik 5:19
17. "Quik's Groove 9"   Blake DJ Quik 4:01
Sample credits

Personnel

Credits for The Book of David adapted from Allmusic.[33]

  • G-One - Composer, Vocals
  • David Balfour - Fender Rhodes
  • David Blake - Composer
  • Jonathan "JP" Chavez - Design, Packaging
  • DJ Quik - Drum Machine, Drums, Editing, Engineer, Executive Producer, Keyboards, Mixing, Operation, Pro-Tools, Producer, Programming, Sequencing
  • Dave Foreman - Bass, Guitar, Keyboards
  • Bernard Freeman - Composer
  • Andwele Gardner - Composer
  • O'Shea Jackson - Composer
  • J. Jacobs - Composer
  • Justin Li - A&R
  • Kiki Luster - Project Assistant
  • Terrace Martin - Keyboards
  • Bryon McCane - Composer
  • Jorge Peniche - Design, Packaging, Photography
  • Russell Redeaux - Management
  • Derrick "D-Loc" Walker - Percussion
  • William "Fuzzy Fantabulous" West - Project Assistant

Chart positions

Chart Position
US Billboard 200[34] 55
US Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Albums[35] 12
US Billboard Rap Albums[36] 5
US Billboard Independent Albums[37] 4

References

  1. ^ http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/luv-of-my-life-single/id422765221
  2. ^ http://itunes.apple.com/album/real-women-feat-jon-b-single/id426877520?v0=9988&ign-mpt=uo%3D1
  3. ^ http://www.wordlyfe.com/post/660749361/dj-quik-during-a-listening-of-his-upcoming-album///
  4. ^ http://www.facebook.com/#!/DJQuik/posts/192756424090563
  5. ^ http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.14870/title.hip-hop-album-sales-the-week-ending-4-24-2011
  6. ^ http://hiphopwired.com/2010/04/17/dj-quik-readies-new-solo-album//
  7. ^ http://www.dubcnn.com/media/audio/djquik-gshit/
  8. ^ http://www.dubcnn.com/cgi-bin/coranto/viewnews.cgi?id=EkAAElEpZuDxifIkbN
  9. ^ http://www.billboard.com/#/news/dj-quik-kids-should-join-the-army-not-gangs-1005083472.storyN
  10. ^ http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.13918/title.dj-quik-readies-book-of-david-album-for-april-20-features-bizzy-bone
  11. ^ http://www.dubcnn.com/cgi-bin/coranto/viewnews.cgi?id=EkAAElEpZuDxifIkbN
  12. ^ http://hiphopwired.com/2010/04/17/dj-quik-readies-new-solo-album//
  13. ^ http://hiphopwired.com/2010/04/17/dj-quik-readies-new-solo-album//
  14. ^ http://www.thesource.com/blog/post/54866/Video%3A-DJ-Quik-Explains-Book-Of-David-Delay?thesource-prod=ton2oblrqnunkqktfqcdkehnq5
  15. ^ http://www.latenightwithjimmyfallon.com/video/friday-june-10-2011/1333315/
  16. ^ http://twitter.com/djquik/status/31209925233348608
  17. ^ http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/DJQuik/posts/163652190354432
  18. ^ http://twitter.com/djquik/status/42718940165713920
  19. ^ http://rapradar.com/2011/04/05/behind-the-scenes-dj-quik-luv-of-my-life/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
  20. ^ http://www.redbullusa.com/cs/Satellite/en_US/Video/dj-quik-music-021242999419447
  21. ^ http://www.shockhound.com/albums/798169-dj-quik-mp3s-real-women--feat--jon-b--
  22. ^ http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.14870/title.hip-hop-album-sales-the-week-ending-4-24-2011
  23. ^ http://www.billboard.com/#/album/dj-quik/the-book-of-david/1486498
  24. ^ http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.14954/title.hip-hop-album-sales-the-week-ending-5-1-2011
  25. ^ http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-book-of-david-r2153845/review
  26. ^ http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/15369-the-book-of-david/
  27. ^ http://www.rapreviews.com/archive/2011_04_bookofdavid.html
  28. ^ http://www.spin.com/reviews/dj-quik-book-david-mad-sciencefontana
  29. ^ http://smokingsection.uproxx.com/TSS/2011/05/review-of-dj-quiks-the-book-of-david
  30. ^ http://www.djbooth.net/index/albums/review/dj-quik-book-of-david-04181101/
  31. ^ http://www.spin.com/reviews/dj-quik-book-david-mad-sciencefontana
  32. ^ http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004V86HNG
  33. ^ http://allmusic.com/album/the-book-of-david-r2153845/credits
  34. ^ http://www.billboard.com/#/album/dj-quik/the-book-of-david/1486498
  35. ^ http://www.billboard.com/#/album/dj-quik/the-book-of-david/1486498
  36. ^ http://www.billboard.com/#/charts/rap-albums?chartDate=2011-05-07
  37. ^ http://www.billboard.com/#/album/dj-quik/the-book-of-david/1486498