Moment of Truth (Gang Starr album)

Moment of Truth
Studio album by Gang Starr
Released March 31, 1998
Recorded 1996–98;
D&D Studios
New York City
Genre East Coast hip hop, Hardcore Hip Hop [1]
Length 78:30
Label Noo Trybe/Virgin/EMI Records
7243 8 45585 2 9
V2-45545
Producer DJ Premier, Guru
Gang Starr chronology

Hard to Earn
(1994)
Moment of Truth
(1998)
Full Clip: A Decade of Gang Starr
(1999)
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [2]
Rolling Stone [3]
Entertainment Weekly B+[4]
RapReviews [5]

Moment of Truth is the fifth album by hip hop duo Gang Starr.

Overview

Released four years after its previous album, Hard to Earn, this album could be perceived as a comeback, with a newer, updated style of the group's already-established jazz-tinged hip-hop, as stated by Guru in the introduction:

The album is the group's most commercially successful album to date. Moment of Truth debuted at #1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. It went on to sell over 500,000 copies and was certified Gold by the RIAA on May 7, 1998.[6] The lead single, "You Know My Steez," became the duo's second Billboard Hot 100 appearnce in 1997, peaking at #76. Spin magazine ranked it as the #16 album of 1998.[7]

The album features more guest artists than previous Gang Starr releases. Collaborations include songs with Inspectah Deck, Scarface, G-Dep, Freddie Foxxx, K-Ci & JoJo, M.O.P. and more.

The title track also appeared in the soundtrack of the 2001 video game Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX 2.

Track listing

# Title Producer(s) Performer (s) Length
1 "You Know My Steez" DJ Premier, Guru Guru 4:07
2 "Robbin Hood Theory" DJ Premier, Guru Guru 3:44
3 "Work" DJ Premier, Guru Guru 2:57
4 "Royalty" DJ Premier, Guru Guru, K-Ci & JoJo 5:11
5 "Above the Clouds" DJ Premier, Guru Guru, Inspectah Deck 3:41
6 "JFK 2 LAX" DJ Premier, Guru Guru 3:34
7 "Itz a Set Up" DJ Premier, Guru Guru, Hannibal Stax 3:49
8 "Moment of Truth" DJ Premier, Guru Guru 4:07
9 "B.I. vs. Friendship" DJ Premier, Guru Guru, M.O.P. 4:37
10 "The Militia" DJ Premier, Guru Guru, Big Shug, Freddie Foxxx 4:48
11 "The Rep Grows Bigga" DJ Premier, Guru Guru 4:55
12 "What I'm Here 4" DJ Premier, Guru Guru 2:45
13 "She Knowz What She Wantz" DJ Premier, Guru Guru 3:00
14 "New York Strait Talk" DJ Premier, Guru Guru 4:14
15 "My Advice 2 You" DJ Premier, Guru Guru 2:31
16 "Make 'Em Pay" DJ Premier, Guru Guru, Krumbsnatcha 4:21
17 "The Mall" DJ Premier, Guru Guru, G-Dep, Shiggy Sha 3:40
18 "Betrayal" DJ Premier, Guru Guru, Scarface 5:29
19 "Next Time" DJ Premier, Guru Guru 3:06
20 "In Memory Of…" DJ Premier, Guru DJ Premier, Guru 3:50

Samples

Chart positions

Album

Chart (1998) Peak
position
Canadian Albums Chart 14
U.S. Billboard 200 6
U.S. Billboard Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums 1

Singles

Chart positions from Billboard magazine

Year Song Billboard Hot 100 Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks Hot Rap Singles Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales
1997 "You Know My Steez" 76 32 5 2
1998 "The Militia" 68 38

See also

References

Samples

Betrayal -War - Deliver The Word

Next Time -Monk Higgins - A Good Man Is Gone

Above The Clouds -John Dankworth - Two-Piece Flower