Hard to Earn
Encyclopedia
Hard to Earn is the fourth album from the hip hop
duo Gang Starr
. It was released in March of 1994 and featured the singles "Mass Appeal", "DWYCK" and "Code of the Streets." Musically the album is constructed around a harder, more stripped-down sound that is distinctively less melodic than the duo's previous work.
Guest appearances on the album come from Group Home
, Jeru The Damaja
, and Big Shug
. At the time, all were part of the Gang Starr Foundation
, which made the album a stepping-stone for future DJ Premier-helmed projects by Group Home and Jeru. The single "DWYCK" also featured hip hop duo Nice & Smooth
.
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
duo Gang Starr
Gang Starr
Gang Starr was an influential East Coast hip hop duo that consisted of the late MC Guru and DJ/producer DJ Premier. Their style combined elements of New York jazz and hip hop.-Background:...
. It was released in March of 1994 and featured the singles "Mass Appeal", "DWYCK" and "Code of the Streets." Musically the album is constructed around a harder, more stripped-down sound that is distinctively less melodic than the duo's previous work.
Guest appearances on the album come from Group Home
Group Home
Group Home is a hip hop duo, composed of members Lil' Dap and Melachi the Nutcracker . They came to prominence as members of the Gang Starr Foundation. Lil' Dap made his rhyming debut on Gang Starr's 1992 classic Daily Operation on the song "I'm the Man"...
, Jeru The Damaja
Jeru the Damaja
Kendrick Jeru Davis, known as Jeru the Damaja is an American rapper and recording artist who has worked extensively with Guru and DJ Premier of Gang Starr, whom he has known since high school.-Biography:...
, and Big Shug
Big Shug
Big Shug is a hip hop artist from Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of the Gang Starr Foundation collective.-Biography:...
. At the time, all were part of the Gang Starr Foundation
Gang Starr Foundation
Gang Starr Foundation is a collective of east coast rappers led by the hip hop group Gang Starr. It was founded by The Vikar and established in 1993.-Current members:*Afu-Ra*Big Shug*Freddie Foxxx*Vic BlackGang Starr...
, which made the album a stepping-stone for future DJ Premier-helmed projects by Group Home and Jeru. The single "DWYCK" also featured hip hop duo Nice & Smooth
Nice & Smooth
Nice & Smooth was an East Coast hip hop duo from New York that consists of Greg Nice and Smooth B . The duo released four albums from the late 1980s to the mid 1990s...
.
Track listing
| # | Title | Songwriters | Producer(s) | Performer (s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Intro (The First Step)" | DJ Premier, Guru | *Instrumental* | |
| 2 | "ALONGWAYTOGO" | Christopher Martin, Keith Elam | DJ Premier, Guru | Guru |
| 3 | "Code Of The Streets" | Christopher Martin, Keith Elam | Guru, DJ Premier | Guru |
| 4 | "Brainstorm" | Christopher Martin, Keith Elam | DJ Premier, Guru | Guru |
| 5 | "Tonz 'O' Gunz" | Christopher Martin, Keith Elam | DJ Premier, Guru | Guru |
| 6 | "The Planet" | Christopher Martin, Keith Elam | DJ Premier, Guru | Guru |
| 7 | "Aiiight, Chill..." | Christopher Martin, Keith Elam | DJ Premier, Guru | *Skit* , Nas |
| 8 | "Speak Ya Clout" | Christopher Martin, Keith Elam, Jeru Kendrick Davis, Heath | DJ Premier, Guru | Jeru the Damaja Jeru the Damaja Kendrick Jeru Davis, known as Jeru the Damaja is an American rapper and recording artist who has worked extensively with Guru and DJ Premier of Gang Starr, whom he has known since high school.-Biography:... , Lil' Dap, Guru |
| 9 | "DWYCK" | Christopher Martin, Keith Elam, Greg Mays, Daryl Barnes | DJ Premier, Guru | Guru, Nice & Smooth Nice & Smooth Nice & Smooth was an East Coast hip hop duo from New York that consists of Greg Nice and Smooth B . The duo released four albums from the late 1980s to the mid 1990s... |
| 10 | "Words From The Nutcracker" | Christopher Martin, Keith Elam, Felder | DJ Premier, Guru | Melachi the Nutcracker |
| 11 | "Mass Appeal Mass Appeal (song) Mass Appeal is a song by the rap duo Gang Starr from the album Hard to Earn. It made 67 on the Billboard Hot 100 and for R&B/Hip-Hop songs it peaked at number 42. It was featured on the soundtrack of the video game Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4. This single contains DJ Premier's quintessential... " |
Christopher Martin, Keith Elam | DJ Premier, Guru | Guru |
| 12 | "Blowin' Up The Spot" | Christopher Martin, Keith Elam | DJ Premier, Guru | Guru |
| 13 | "Suckas Need Bodyguards" | Christopher Martin, Keith Elam | DJ Premier, Guru | Guru, Melachi the Nutcracker |
| 14 | "Now You're Mine" | Christopher Martin, Keith Elam | DJ Premier, Guru | Guru |
| 15 | "Mostly Tha Voice" | Christopher Martin, Keith Elam | DJ Premier, Guru | Guru |
| 16 | "F.A.L.A." | Keith Elam, Cary Guy | DJ Premier, Guru | Big Shug Big Shug Big Shug is a hip hop artist from Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of the Gang Starr Foundation collective.-Biography:... , Guru |
| 17 | "Comin' For Datazz" | Christopher Martin, Keith Elam | DJ Premier, Guru | Guru |
| 18 | "Doe In Advance" [Japan-only Bonus Track] | Christopher Martin, Keith Elam | DJ Premier, Guru | Guru |
Album chart positions
| Year | Album | Chart positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums | ||
| 1994 | Hard to Earn | 25 | 2 |
Singles chart positions
| Year | Song | Chart positions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks | Hot Rap Singles | Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales | ||
| 1994 | DWYCK | - | - | 25 | 12 |
| Mass Appeal | 67 | 42 | 10 | 3 | |
| Code of the Streets | - | 83 | 33 | 5 | |
| Suckas Need Bodyguards | - | - | 44 | 18 |