Murder Was the Case
Encyclopedia
Murder Was the Case is a 1994 short film and soundtrack
album starring Snoop Doggy Dogg. The 18 minute film was directed by Dr. Dre
and Fab Five Freddy
and chronicles the fictional death of Snoop Dogg and his resurrection after making a deal with the Devil
. The album topped the Billboard 200
on the number one spot on November 5, 1994 with 329,000 one week sales as well as on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop albums chart.
The following week it stayed on top with 197,000 copies sold and was certified Gold. The album is certified 2x platinum with 2,030,000 copies sold. The single "What Would U Do" was included on the Natural Born Killers soundtrack
and was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group
in the 38th Annual Grammy Awards in 1996
. The album was re-released with a bonus DVD containing 3 music videos on July 11, 2006.
Tupac Shakur
was paid $200,000 dollars by Death Row Records owner Suge Knight
to record a track for the album. The track was recorded but it was not used on the official soundtrack release. The rumored recording is debated between the song "Pain" which was later used for the Above The Rim soundtrack, "High Til I Die Interscope Version", which was later re-recorded for the Sunset Park album while 2Pac was on Death Row Records, and the Unreleased Version Of R U Still Down. R U Still Down is similar to the version that was released on the 1997 2Pac album "R U Still Down". However, the song has a different beat, unreleased first verse, female chorus, and has re-recorded second and third verses that are similar to verses 1-2 on the R U Still Down album version.
Who Got That Gangsta Shit"
Come When I Call
Woman to Woman
Dollaz & Sense
Eastside-Westside
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
album starring Snoop Doggy Dogg. The 18 minute film was directed by Dr. Dre
Dr. Dre
Andre Romelle Young , primarily known by his stage name Dr. Dre, is an American record producer, rapper, record executive, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is the founder and current CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and a former co-owner and artist of Death Row Records...
and Fab Five Freddy
Fab Five Freddy
Fred Brathwaite , more popularly known as Fab 5 Freddy, is an American Hip hop historian, Hip hop pioneer and former graffiti artist...
and chronicles the fictional death of Snoop Dogg and his resurrection after making a deal with the Devil
Deal with the Devil
Deal With The Devil is the fifth studio album by the American heavy metal band Lizzy Borden released in 2000 .A return to form, featuring a cover by Todd McFarlane.2 covers were recorded...
. The album topped the 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...
on the number one spot on November 5, 1994 with 329,000 one week sales as well as on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop albums chart.
The following week it stayed on top with 197,000 copies sold and was certified Gold. The album is certified 2x platinum with 2,030,000 copies sold. The single "What Would U Do" was included on the Natural Born Killers soundtrack
Natural Born Killers (soundtrack)
Natural Born Killers is the soundtrack to the film Natural Born Killers, produced by Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails. Reznor reportedly produced the soundtrack using a portable Pro Tools in his hotel room while on tour...
and was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group
Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group
The Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group was awarded between 1991 and 2011, alongside the Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance. Previously a single award was presented for Best Rap Performance....
in the 38th Annual Grammy Awards in 1996
Grammy Awards of 1996
The 38th Grammy Awards were held on February 28, 1996. The awards recognized accomplishments by musicians from the previous year. Alanis Morissette was the night's big winner, scoring four trophies, including Album of the Year.-Award winners:...
. The album was re-released with a bonus DVD containing 3 music videos on July 11, 2006.
Tupac Shakur
Tupac Shakur
Tupac Amaru Shakur , known by his stage names 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper and actor. Shakur has sold over 75 million albums worldwide as of 2007, making him one of the best-selling music artists in the world...
was paid $200,000 dollars by Death Row Records owner Suge Knight
Suge Knight
Marion "Suge" Knight, Jr. is the founder and CEO of Black Kapital Records and co-founder and former CEO of Death Row Records. Death Row Records rose to dominate the rap charts after Dr. Dre's breakthrough album The Chronic in 1992. After several years of chart successes for artists including...
to record a track for the album. The track was recorded but it was not used on the official soundtrack release. The rumored recording is debated between the song "Pain" which was later used for the Above The Rim soundtrack, "High Til I Die Interscope Version", which was later re-recorded for the Sunset Park album while 2Pac was on Death Row Records, and the Unreleased Version Of R U Still Down. R U Still Down is similar to the version that was released on the 1997 2Pac album "R U Still Down". However, the song has a different beat, unreleased first verse, female chorus, and has re-recorded second and third verses that are similar to verses 1-2 on the R U Still Down album version.
Reception
- Rolling StoneRolling StoneRolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
(12/29/94-1/12/95, p. 178) - "...[It] isn't the trailblazer that Dre's The Chronic was last year. But it is rap very nearly as strong. Featuring West Coast stalwarts...and new discoveries..., Dre and Dat Nigga Daz present gangsta- and R&B-infected fare that slams..." - Entertainment WeeklyEntertainment WeeklyEntertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
(11/11/94, p. 76) - "...confirms...Dr. Dre as the new king of pop. In addition to the ominous remix of Snoop's title song, Dre reunites with Ice Cube...Dre's G-funk sound may be the hardest in the land, but it's also the most gut-wrenchingly soulful..." - Rating: A - Q magazine (1/95, p. 258) - 3 Stars - Good - "...While most ears will be tuned to the bile'n'beats of `Natural Born Killaz'...the best track here is from Snoop's young protege, Nate Dogg....One of West Coast rap's more imaginative albums."
- The SourceThe Source (magazine)The Source is a United States-based, monthly full-color magazine covering hip-hop music, politics, and culture, founded in 1988. It is the world's second longest running rap periodical, behind United Kingdom-based publication Hip Hop Connection. The Source was founded as a newsletter in 1988...
(1/95, p. 85) - 4 Stars - Slammin' - "...while Jodeci duets with Tha Dogg Pound and an all-star cast to try their hand at the G-Funk sound, Dre begins plotting his next move...heavy-metal bass meets chunky keyboards..." - NMENMEThe New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
(12/24/94, p. 23) - Ranked #8 in NME's list of the 10 best compilation albums of 1994. - NMENMEThe New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
(10/15/94, p. 53) - 7 - Very Good - "...anyone expecting this to signal Dre's decline is kidding themselves. Murder Was the Case shows the old dogg has plenty of new tricks..."
Track listing
| # | Title | Performer(s) | Producer(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Murder Was the Case" (Remix) | Snoop Dogg Snoop Dogg Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school... |
Dr. Dre Dr. Dre Andre Romelle Young , primarily known by his stage name Dr. Dre, is an American record producer, rapper, record executive, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is the founder and current CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and a former co-owner and artist of Death Row Records... |
| 2 | "Natural Born Killaz Natural Born Killaz "Natural Born Killaz" is a single from the reunited duo of Dr. Dre and Ice Cube originally intended for the scrapped album 'Heltah Skeltah'. It is the first time the two had been on a single together since their rap group N.W.A had split up. The single was released in 1994 in the US and 1995 in the... " |
Dr. Dre Dr. Dre Andre Romelle Young , primarily known by his stage name Dr. Dre, is an American record producer, rapper, record executive, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is the founder and current CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and a former co-owner and artist of Death Row Records... ; Ice Cube Ice Cube O'Shea Jackson , better known by his stage name Ice Cube, is an American rapper and actor. He began his career as a member of the hip-hop group C.I.A. and later joined the rap group N.W.A. After leaving N.W.A in December 1989, he built a successful solo career in music, and also as a writer,... |
Dr. Dre Dr. Dre Andre Romelle Young , primarily known by his stage name Dr. Dre, is an American record producer, rapper, record executive, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is the founder and current CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and a former co-owner and artist of Death Row Records... ; Sam Sneed Sam Sneed Sam Sneed is a producer and rapper. He originally got his start working as a producer for K-Solo and the Hit Squad.-Death Row Records:... |
| 3 | "What Would U Do What Would You Do (Tha Dogg Pound song) "What Would You Do" is the debut single from Death Row Records duo Tha Dogg Pound, released in 1994 as the B-side to the Dr. Dre and Sam Sneed single "U Better Recognize", along with DJ Quik's "Dollaz + Sense." It had appeared on the soundtrack to Murder Was the Case the year before, alongside... " |
Tha Dogg Pound Tha Dogg Pound Tha Dogg Pound is a rap group made up of Daz Dillinger and Kurupt. They were signed to Death Row Records in their early careers and were key to the label's success. The group made their 1992 rap debut on Dr. Dre's The Chronic, on various songs. They also appeared on Snoop Dogg's debut album... ; Snoop Dogg Snoop Dogg Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school... |
Dat Nigga Daz |
| 4 | "21 Jumpstreet" | Snoop Dogg Snoop Dogg Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school... ; Tray Deee Tray Deee Tray Deee is a rapper who was once signed to Death Row Records and later signed with Snoop Dogg's label Dogghouse Records .-Career:... |
Dat Nigga Daz |
| 5 | "One More Day" | Nate Dogg Nate Dogg Nathaniel Dwayne Hale , better known by his stage name Nate Dogg, was an American musician. He is noted for his membership of rap trio 213 and his solo career in which he collaborated with Dr. Dre, Warren G, Tupac and Snoop Dogg on many hit releases. Nate Dogg released three solo albums, G-Funk... |
Dat Nigga Daz |
| 6 | "Harvest for the World" | Jewell Jewell (singer) Jewell is a female R&B singer who was signed to Death Row Records from 1992-1996. She was working part-time - though still unsigned - for IV Life Records. She had a video and charting hit "Woman to Woman", that reached 72nd on the Billboard Hot 100... |
Dr. Dre Dr. Dre Andre Romelle Young , primarily known by his stage name Dr. Dre, is an American record producer, rapper, record executive, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is the founder and current CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and a former co-owner and artist of Death Row Records... |
| 7 | "Who Got Some Gangsta Shit?" | Snoop Dogg Snoop Dogg Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school... ; Tha Dogg Pound Tha Dogg Pound Tha Dogg Pound is a rap group made up of Daz Dillinger and Kurupt. They were signed to Death Row Records in their early careers and were key to the label's success. The group made their 1992 rap debut on Dr. Dre's The Chronic, on various songs. They also appeared on Snoop Dogg's debut album... ; Lil' C-Style; Swoop G |
Soopafly Soopafly Priest Joseph Brooks, better known by his stage name Soopafly, is a hip hop producer and rapper from Long Beach, California. He is a member of the DPGC.- Early life:The oldest of three children, Brooks grew up in Long Beach... |
| 8 | "Come When I Call" | Danny Boy Danny Boy (artist) Danny Boy or DB is the stage name of Chicago native Danny Boy Steward, a contemporary African-American soul singer. He was signed to Death Row Records when he was just 15. He made his debut on 1994's Murder Was the Case soundtrack with the R&B charter Come When I Call... |
DJ Quik DJ Quik David Martin Blake , better known by his stage name DJ Quik, is an MC and record producer. According to Quik himself, his stage name reflects his ability to produce records in short time.... |
| 9 | "U Better Recognize U Better Recognize U Better Recognize was Sam Sneed's first and only single while he was on Death Row Records. The B-Side was Come When I Call by Danny Boy-Single Information:U Better Recognize featuring Dr. Dre, in 1994... " |
Sam Sneed Sam Sneed Sam Sneed is a producer and rapper. He originally got his start working as a producer for K-Solo and the Hit Squad.-Death Row Records:... ; Dr. Dre Dr. Dre Andre Romelle Young , primarily known by his stage name Dr. Dre, is an American record producer, rapper, record executive, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is the founder and current CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and a former co-owner and artist of Death Row Records... |
Sam Sneed Sam Sneed Sam Sneed is a producer and rapper. He originally got his start working as a producer for K-Solo and the Hit Squad.-Death Row Records:... ; Dr. Dre Dr. Dre Andre Romelle Young , primarily known by his stage name Dr. Dre, is an American record producer, rapper, record executive, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is the founder and current CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and a former co-owner and artist of Death Row Records... |
| 10 | "Come Up to My Room" | Jodeci Jodeci Jodeci is an American band, whose repertoire includes R&B, soul music, and new jack swing. The group consists of two pairs of brothers from Hampton, Virginia and Charlotte, North Carolina: Cedric & Joel Hailey and Donald & Dalvin DeGrate, all respectively known by their stage names: K-Ci & Jojo,... ; Tha Dogg Pound Tha Dogg Pound Tha Dogg Pound is a rap group made up of Daz Dillinger and Kurupt. They were signed to Death Row Records in their early careers and were key to the label's success. The group made their 1992 rap debut on Dr. Dre's The Chronic, on various songs. They also appeared on Snoop Dogg's debut album... |
Dat Nigga Daz; Devante Swing |
| 11 | "Woman to Woman" | Jewell Jewell (singer) Jewell is a female R&B singer who was signed to Death Row Records from 1992-1996. She was working part-time - though still unsigned - for IV Life Records. She had a video and charting hit "Woman to Woman", that reached 72nd on the Billboard Hot 100... |
DJ Quik DJ Quik David Martin Blake , better known by his stage name DJ Quik, is an MC and record producer. According to Quik himself, his stage name reflects his ability to produce records in short time.... ; G-One |
| 12 | "Dollaz + Sense" | DJ Quik DJ Quik David Martin Blake , better known by his stage name DJ Quik, is an MC and record producer. According to Quik himself, his stage name reflects his ability to produce records in short time.... |
DJ Quik DJ Quik David Martin Blake , better known by his stage name DJ Quik, is an MC and record producer. According to Quik himself, his stage name reflects his ability to produce records in short time.... |
| 13 | "The Eulogy" | Slip Capone; CPO Capital Punishment Organization Capital Punishment Organization, most commonly referred to as CPO, was a gangster rap group which consisted of rapper Lil' Nation , DJ Train and producer Young D. They released a single album in 1990, To Hell and Black, which included production from MC Ren of N.W.A. and distributed by Capitol... |
Sam Man |
| 14 | "Horny" | B-Rezell | Kevin Lewis; Marc McWilliams |
| 15 | "Eastside-Westside" (Remix) | Young Soldierz Young Soldierz Young Soldierz was an American rap group formed by members of the Bloods & Crips recording project.- Biography :Young Soldierz came together during the making of the Bloods & Crips project called Bangin' on Wax on Dangerous Records selling 500,000 copies... |
Big Wy; Lil' Stretch |
| 16 | "Hot One" (cassette only bonus track) | O.F.T.B. | O.F.T.B. |
Samples
21 Jumpstreet- "Nobody Can Be You (But You)" by Steve ArringtonSteve ArringtonSteve Arrington , is an American singer, songwriter, drummer, record producer, engineer and minister, who grew up in Dayton, Ohio.-Biography:...
Who Got That Gangsta Shit"
- "P.S.K. What Does It Mean" by Schoolly DSchoolly DJesse B. Weaver Jr. , better known by the stage name Schoolly D, is an American rapper from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.- Career :...
Come When I Call
- "Let Me Love You" by Michael HendersonMichael HendersonMichael Henderson is an American bass guitarist and vocalist best known for his bass playing with Miles Davis in the early 1970s, on early fusion albums such as A Tribute to Jack Johnson, Pangaea, and Live-Evil.- Biography :He was one of the first notable bass guitarists of the fusion era as well...
Woman to Woman
- "Woman to Woman" by Shirley BrownShirley BrownShirley Brown is an American soul singer, best known for her million-selling single "Woman to Woman" which was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1975.-Woman to Woman:...
Dollaz & Sense
- "I Like (What You're Doing to Me)" by Young & Company
Eastside-Westside
- "Dazz" by BrickBrick (band)Brick is a former American band that created a successful merger of funk and jazz in the 1970s. Their most popular single was "Dazz", which was released in 1976.-History:...
Chart positions
Album - Billboard (North America)| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | The Billboard 200 | 1 |
Credits
- Executive Producer: Suge Knight
- Soundtrack director: Dr. Dre
- Overseer: Dat Nigga Daz.
- Recorded at Can-Am Studios
- Mixed at Dr. Dre's studio
- Death Row Engineers: Kesten Wright, Tommy D, Daughtery & Danny Alfonso.
- Photographers: Yoko Sato, Simone Green
Cover versions
- Jeremy MessersmithJeremy MessersmithJeremy Messersmith is an indie pop musician based in Minneapolis, Minnesota.-Biography:Jeremy Messersmith was born in Charleston, and grew up in the Tri-Cities area of Washington. He moved to Minneapolis in 1999 to attend North Central University...
with Andy Thompson performed a cover of "Murder Was the Case" at The Cake Shop in Minneapolis, MN for a 'Murder and Death' concept show on 1/10/2010.
- South Park MexicanSouth Park MexicanCarlos Coy , better known by his stage name South Park Mexican, is an American rapper, founder of Dope House Records, and convicted felon...
's song "Woodson N' Worthin" is a cover of "Murder Was the Case".
External links
See also
- List of number-one albums of 1994 (U.S.)
- List of number-one R&B albums of 1994 (U.S.)