Dice Game (album)

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Dice Game
Studio album by Apollo Brown and Guilty Simpson
Released November 6, 2012 (2012-11-06)
Recorded 2012 at LabCabInRoyalOak
(Royal Oak, Michigan)
Genre Hip hop
Length 50:29
Label Mello Music Group
Producer Michael Tolle (exec.)
Apollo Brown
Apollo Brown chronology
Trophies
(2012)		 Dice Game
(2012)		 Ugly Heroes
(2013)
Guilty Simpson chronology
Random Axe
(2011)		 Dice Game
(2012)		 Highway Robbery
(2013)
Singles from Dice Game
  1. "Truth Be Told"
    Released: October 25, 2012[1]
  2. "Reputation"
    Released: November 7, 2012[2]

Dice Game is a collaborative studio album by Detroit-based producer Apollo Brown and rapper Guilty Simpson. It was released online independently under hip hop label Mello Music Group on November 6, 2012 in digital format,[3] and physical copies were made available on November 13, 2012.[4] Recording sessions for Dice Game took place at LabCabInRoyalOak in Royal Oak, Michigan by Tate McBroom. The album was mixed at The Disc by Magnetic, and was mastered at Studio A by Eric Morgeson in 2012. The record was entirely produced and arranged by Apollo Brown, and features guest appearances from Torae and Planet Asia.[5][6] The album was preceded by Apollo Brown & O.C.'s Trophies (2012).

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
HipHopDX [7]
iHipHop [8]
iStandardProducers [9]
Potholes In My Blog [10]
RapReviews 8/10[11]

Dice Game was met with generally favorable reviews from music critics. Jake Paine of HipHopDX gave the album a four out of five, saying: "Like its title and theme, Dice Game lives in the alley beside the club. It's for those in the know, and want an album that sounds great on the go. Guilty Simpson doesn't attempt any lyrical acrobatics, but rather pulls up a chair with a drink, and tells stories about his life, about his city and about the things he likes. It's simple, but it's highly effective. For the second time this year, Apollo Brown teams up with a veteran emcee associated with great production, and he thrives."[7] Francisco McCurry of Potholes In My Blog gave the album a 3.5 out of five, saying: "Dice Game is about describing rap as a life choice: an unforgiving game of chance that reaps powerful spiritual benefits and insights, but leaves one stressed and weary. Therefore, with Guilty and Apollo fully understanding their strengths as rapper and producer, the songs on the album have an empowered quality. Sure at times the album's tone seems to monotonously bleed from one song to the next and Guilty is not everybody's cup of tea stylistically or technically, but that doesn't derail the album’s forceful momentum."[10]

Regan Flynn of iHipHop gave the album a three out of five, saying: "Presence of the tambourine, flute, organ, violin, cello, piano, and throwback samples like the Temptations' 'Let Your Hair Down' indicate this album is as underground as they come. They just don't make [them] like this much anymore, because most of today's artists follow a very specific and disappointing formula that is a complete departure from what hip-hop used to be – music for and from the heart of the street. After a hiatus a few years ago, Apollo decided to rededicate himself to producing music, and aspired to become a household name in the realm of hip-hop. I'm not sure if that dream will come true, but teaming up with Simpson, who 'wants to make the consumer care about the music again,' is definitely a win for them as well as us."[8] Patrick Taylor of RapReviews gave the album an eight out of ten, saying: "Kendrick Lamar attempted to reinvent gangsta rap on his excellent good kid, m.A.A.d. city. This ain't that kind of album. Instead, Apollo Brown and Guilty Simpson refine and perfect gangsta rap on [Dice Game]. There is a self-awareness and sense of consequences that is missing from an artist like Chief Keef, and the beats show a craftmanship that you don't get from your average street rap mixtape. This is grown man gangsta music, beautifully executed."[11]

Track listing

All tracks were produced by Apollo Brown.

No. TitleWriter(s) Length
1. "Freezing Dice"  Byron Simpson 00:21
2. "Reputation"  B. Simpson 03:11
3. "Let's Play"  B. Simpson 03:13
4. "One Man"  B. Simpson 03:28
5. "I Can Do No Wrong"  B. Simpson 03:21
6. "Potatoes" (featuring Torae)B. Simpson, Torae Carr 02:51
7. "Change"  B. Simpson 03:14
8. "Dear Jane"  B. Simpson 03:17
9. "Lose You"  B. Simpson 03:02
10. "Ink Blotches"  B. Simpson 03:04
11. "Neverending Story"  B. Simpson 03:15
12. "The Cook Up"  B. Simpson 03:46
13. "Truth Be Told"  B. Simpson 03:26
14. "Nasty" (featuring Planet Asia)B. Simpson, Jason Green 03:44
15. "Wrong Hand"  B. Simpson 03:18
16. "How Will I Go"  B. Simpson 03:58
Total length:
 50:29

Personnel

Credits for Dice Game adapted from AllMusic,[12] and the album liner notes.[5]

Charts

Chart (2012) Peak
position
US Top Heatseekers Albums 39[13]
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums 201[14]

Release history

Physical releases
Region Date Label Format Edition Catalog Ref.
United States November 13, 2012 (2012-11-13) Mello Music Group CD Standard MMG 032CD [15]
December 11, 2012 (2012-12-11) 2xLP Vinyl MMG 032LP [16][17]
2xLP + 7" Vinyl Deluxe MMG 032DLX [18][19]

References

  1. ↑ "Apollo Brown & Guilty Simpson - Truth Be Told". DJBooth. 2012-10-25. Retrieved 2012-11-09. 
  2. ↑ Bustard, Andy (2012-11-06). "Guilty Simpson: "Reputation" (Prod. Apollo Brown)". Prefix. Retrieved 2012-11-09. 
  3. ↑ "iTunes - Music - Dice Game by Guilty Simpson & Apollo Brown". iTunes. Retrieved 2012-11-09. 
  4. ↑ "Apollo Brown & Guilty Simpson "DICE GAME" (CD)". Mello Music Group. Retrieved 2012-11-09. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Dice Game (Media notes). Mello Music Group. 2012.
  6. ↑ "Apollo Brown / Guilty Simpson - Dice Game CD Album". CD Universe. Retrieved 4 Nov 2013. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Paine, Jake (12 Nov 2012). "Apollo Brown & Guilty Simpson - Dice Game | Read Hip Hop Reviews, Rap Reviews & Hip Hop Album Reviews". HipHopDX. Retrieved 4 Nov 2013. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Flynn, Regan (13 Nov 2012). "Album Review: Apollo Brown & Guilty Simpson "Dice Game"". iHipHop. Retrieved 4 Nov 2013. 
  9. ↑ Jeremiah (10 Nov 2012). "Track-By-Track Review: Apollo Brown & Guilty Simpson – Dice Game". iStandardProducers.com. Retrieved 4 Nov 2013. 
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 McCurry, Francisco (20 Nov 2012). "Guilty Simpson & Apollo Brown – Dice Game". Potholes In My Blog. Retrieved 4 Nov 2013. 
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Taylor, Patrick (13 Nov 2012). "Apollo Brown & Guilty Simpson :: The Dice Game :: Mello Music Group". RapReviews. Retrieved 4 Nov 2013. 
  12. ↑ "Dice Game – Apollo Brown Guilty Simpson: Credits". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Credits. Retrieved 2012-12-13. 
  13. ↑ "Guilty Simpson - Chart history | Top Heatseekers". Billboard. Retrieved 4 Nov 2013. 
  14. ↑ "Guilty Simpson - Chart history | Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums". Billboard. Retrieved 4 Nov 2013. 
  15. ↑ "Dice Game - Apollo Brown, Guilty Simpson". AllMusic. Retrieved 4 Nov 2013. 
  16. ↑ "Apollo Brown & Guilty Simpson - Dice Game (2xLP)". Mello Music Group. Retrieved 4 Nov 2013. 
  17. ↑ "Apollo Brown / Guilty Simpson Dice Game (LP - Mellow Music Group)". AllMusic. Retrieved 4 Nov 2013. 
  18. ↑ "Apollo Brown & Guilty Simpson - Dice Game (Deluxe 2xLP)". Mello Music Group. Retrieved 4 Nov 2013. 
  19. ↑ "Apollo Brown & Guilty Simpson - Dice Game (Deluxe Edition) 2LP + 7". Vinyl Digital. Retrieved 4 Nov 2013. 
Guilty Simpson
Studio albums
Collaboration albums
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