Rhythm-al-ism

Rhythm-al-ism is the fourth studio album by American West Coast hip hop recording artist and producer DJ Quik, released on November 10, 1998, by Arista Records and was certified Platinum by the RIAA on July 7, 1999. It peaked at number 63 on the US Billboard 200 chart. He recorded the album at Skip Sailor Recordings in Los Angeles, and worked with producer G-One. The album featured the singles "You'z a Ganxta", "Hand In Hand" featuring 2nd II None & El DeBarge, and "Down, Down, Down" featuring Suga Free, Mausberg & AMG.

Background and recording

In an interview with Complex, DJ Quik spoke on the background and recording process of Rhythm-al-ism stating, “With the Rhythm-al-ism album, even though it didn't have a home because Profile Records was going through something and I was fighting them for back royalties and they had me on suspension because they didn't want to pay me. I understood, those were some big checks, I wouldn't want to pay DJ Quik either. "I think that's when I lost my rough edges, I lost the gangster and became like an R&B pretty boy. "The name Rhythm-al-ism alone tells you what I was doing. I was mixing up rhythms. I was meshing R&B with hip-hop and jazz. And a little bit of comedy".^[1]

Critical response

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	link
Los Angeles Times	link
The Source	link
RapReviews.com	link
USA Today	link

Rhythm-al-ism received mixed reviews from contemporary music critics. At Allmusic rated the album at 2 and a half stars and wrote that Considering its guest list -- packed with enough star power (El DeBarge, Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg, Peter Gunz, Hi-C, AMG, and 2nd II None) to fill a "Wrestlemania" card -- Rhythm-al-ism promises more than it actually delivers. Its cleverest moments ("Medley for a 'V' (The Pussy Medley)") address colloquialisms for genitalia and all the wonderful things it's good for. "Down, Down, Down," "I Useta Know Her," and "No Doubt" (rhymes with: "I got something for your mouth") are plain nasty. Just what rap needs: one more guy boasting about his majestic penis and how good he is at treating women like gutter trash.^[2] Los Angeles Times gave the album 3 stars.^[3]

Commercial performance

The album debuted at number sixty three on the US Billboard 200 and spent 29 weeks on the chart. It also debuted at number thirteen on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts and spent 39 weeks on the chart as well.^[4] The album was certified Platinum on July 27, 1999 by the RIAA for selling over 1,500,000 copies.

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Rhythm-al-ism (Intro)"	David Blake	DJ Quik	1:40
2.	"We Still Party"	Blake	DJ Quik	5:13
3.	"So Many Wayz" (featuring 2nd II None & Peter Gunz)	George Archie, Darius Barnett, Blake, Kelton L. McDonald, Peter Pankey	DJ Quik, G-One (co.)	5:41
4.	"Hand In Hand" (featuring 2nd II None & El DeBarge)	Barnett, Blake, Eldra Patrick DeBarge, McDonald	DJ Quik	4:18
5.	"Down, Down, Down" (featuring Suga Free, AMG & Mausberg)	Blake, Johnny Burns, Jason Lewis, Dejuan Walker	DJ Quik	4:43
6.	"You'z a Ganxta"	Blake	DJ Quik	4:21
7.	"I Useta Know Her" (featuring AMG)	Blake, Lewis	DJ Quik	3:50
8.	"No Doubt" (featuring Playa Hamm & Suga Free)	Blake, Wilbert Milo, Walker	DJ Quik	4:22
9.	"Speed"	Blake, Lewis, Maurice White, Verdine White	DJ Quik	3:20
10.	"Whateva U Do"	Archie, Blake, Smokey Robinson	DJ Quik, G-One (co.)	7:47
11.	"Thinkin' Bout U"	Blake	DJ Quik	4:04
12.	"El's Interlude" (featuring El DeBarge)	Blake, DeBarge	DJ Quik	4:06
13.	"Medley For A "V" (The Pussy Medley)" (featuring Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg, Hi-C, 2nd II None, AMG & El DeBarge)	Archie, Barnett, Blake, Calvin Broadus, DeBarge, Nathaniel Hale, Lewis, McDonald, Crawford Wilkerson	DJ Quik, G-One (co.)	6:26
14.	"Bombudd II"	Blake	DJ Quik	2:59
15.	"Get 2Getha Again" (featuring 2nd II None, AMG, Hi-C & El DeBarge)	Barnett, Blake, DeBarge, Lewis, McDonald, Wilkerson	DJ Quik	4:40
16.	"Reprise (Medley For A "V")"	Archie, Blake	DJ Quik, G-One (co.)	2:40
Total length:				70:10

• (co.) Co-producer

Sample credits

"We Still Party" contains samples of "Verb: That's What's Happening" by Zachary Sanders.
"Speed" contains samples of "Mom" by Earth, Wind & Fire, "Rapper Dapper Snapper" by Edwin Birdsong and "You and Love Are the Same" by The Grassroots.
"Whateva U Do" contains a sample of "So In Love" by Smokey Robinson.
"I Useta Know Her" contains a sample of "Flash Light (Extended)" by Parliament.
"Down, Down, Down" contains a sample of "So Fine" by Howard Johnson.
"You'z a Ganxta" contains a sample of "Rapper's Delight" by Sugarhill Gang.
"Get 2Getha Again" contains a sample of "Do It, Fluid" by The Blackbyrds.

Personnel

Credits for Rhythm-al-ism adapted from liner notes.^[5]

2nd II None – composer, performer, primary artist
AMG – composer, performer, primary artist
Del Atkins – bass
Robert Bacon – guitar
Agnes Baddoo – stylist
Kenneth Crouch – fender rhodes, piano
El DeBarge – composer, guest artist, performer, primary artist
Dee – background vocals
DJ Quik – bass, composer, drums, executive producer, mixing, percussion, primary artist, producer, synthesizer
Sheppard Lane – executive producer
Nate Dogg – composer, guest artist
Charles Green – horn
Bernie Grundman – mastering
Peter Gunz – composer, guest artist, performer, primary artist
Playa Hamm – guest artist, performer, primary artist

Anthony Harrison, Jr. – art direction
Hi-C – composer, guest artist, performer, primary artist
Stan Jones – guitar
Dionne Knighton – background vocals
Mausberg – guest artist, primary artist
Eric McCaine – percussion
Chris Puram – assistant engineer
Snoop Dogg – composer, guest artist, performer, primary artist
Suga Free – composer, guest artist, performer, primary artist
Ron Townsend – flute
Marvin Watkins – guitar
Maurice White – composer
Verdine White – composer
Michael Wong – photography

Charts

Album

Chart (1998)^[6]	Peak position
US Billboard 200	63
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums	13

Year-end charts

Chart (1999)	Position
US Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums^[7]	61

Singles

Song	Chart (1998–99)	Peak position
"You'z a Ganxta"	US Billboard Hot R&B Airplay^[8]	66
"You'z a Ganxta"	US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs^[9]	59
"Hand in Hand"	US Billboard Hot R&B Airplay^[10]	54
	US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs^[11]	66
	US Billboard Rhythmic Top 40^[12]	38
"Down, Down, Down"	US Billboard Hot R&B Airplay^[13]	51
"Down, Down, Down"	US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs^[14]	59

Certifications


Region	Certification	Sales/shipments
United States (RIAA)^[15]	Gold	500,000^{^}
^*sales figures based on certification alone ^{^}shipments figures based on certification alone ^xunspecified figures based on certification alone

Release history

Region	Date	Label	Format
United States^[16]	November 10, 1998	Arista Records	CD, Cassette, LP
Canada^[17]	November 23, 1998	Arista Records	CD, Cassette
United Kingdom^[18]	November 24, 1998	Arista Records	CD, Cassette

References

DJ Quik

Discography, Production discography

Studio albums	Quik Is the Name Way 2 Fonky Safe + Sound Rhythm-al-ism Balance & Options Under tha Influence Trauma The Book of David

Collaboration albums	Blaqkout (with Kurupt)

Mixtapes	The Trauma Mixtape The Audiobiography of David Blake

Singles	"Born and Raised In Compton" "Tonite" "Quik Is the Name" "Jus Lyke Compton" "Way 2 Fonky" "Safe + Sound" "Dollaz + Sense" "You'z a Ganxta" "Hand In Hand" "Down, Down, Down" "Pitch in on a Party" "Put It on Me" "Trouble" "Black Mercedes" "Fandango" "Get Down" "Ladies & Thugs" "Luv of My Life" "Real Women" "Nobody"

Featured singles	"Let's Get Down" "Strait Playin'" "Up N' Da Club" "Focus" "Buck Bounce" "Not Really Lookin" "John Doe" "Rise To Glory" "L.O.V.E."

Related articles	The Fixxers