Murda Muzik is the fourth studio album by American hip hop duo Mobb Deep, which was released on August 17, 1999, through Columbia Records and Loud Records.[2] It features one of the group's best-known tracks, "Quiet Storm." It is also the duo's most commercially successful album to date, for shipping over 1 million copies in the United States and was certified Platinum by the RIAA on October 26, 1999,[3] debuting at #3 on the Billboard 200 charts. Murda Muzik also garnered positive reviews from The Source and Allmusic, among others. A censored version of the album, titled Mobb Muzik, was released simultaneously.

Murda Muzik
Studio album by
ReleasedAugust 17, 1999[1]
Genre
Length72:26
Label
Producer
Mobb Deep chronology
Hell On Earth
(1996)
Murda Muzik
(1999)
Infamy
(2001)
Singles from Murda Muzik
  1. "Quiet Storm"
    Released: March 14, 1999
  2. "It's Mine"
    Released: August 31, 1999
  3. "U.S.A. (Aiight Then)"
    Released: March 21, 2000

Background

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The release of Murda Muzik was originally planned for the beginning of 1999, but Loud Records switched distributors from RCA to Columbia. Murda Muzik was shelved until this deal was finalized. Within this time the album was heavily bootlegged and Mobb Deep had to record new songs to make sure fans would still buy the album. The duo recorded 5 new songs:

  • Spread Love
  • I'm Going Out (featuring Lil' Cease)
  • Can't Fuck Wit (featuring Raekwon)
  • It's Mine (featuring Nas)
  • Quiet Storm (Remix) (featuring Lil' Kim)

These songs replaced earlier recorded tracks.

Critical reception

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The duo toured on the Family Values Tour for the album. Appearing on the second edition in 1999 with other Nu Metal, Hip Hop and Rap Rock acts at the time, they supported the first half of the tour; appearing on the first 12 dates alongside headliners Limp Bizkit with support from Filter, Staind, The Crystal Method, Run-DMC, Korn from September 21st - October 8th.

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [1]
Christgau's Consumer GuideB−[4]
Entertainment WeeklyC+[5]
RapReviews8.5/10[6]
Rolling Stone     [7]
The Source     [8]
Spin8/10[9]

Bootleg tracks

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Murda Muzik leaked in early 1999. The following tracks were on multiple bootlegs that didn't make the final cut.

Full tracks:

  • Feel My Gat Blow
  • Thrill Me (featuring Big Noyd)
  • 3 The Hard Way (featuring Big Noyd) = also called "You Fuckin’ Wit" and "3 From NYC"
  • This One (featuring Big Noyd) = also called "Pyramid Points."
  • Perfect Plot (featuring Big Noyd) = also called "Mobb Coming Thru" and "We Got The Drop"
  • Pile Raps = also called Power Rap
  • Nobody Likes Me
  • Shiesty (featuring Big Noyd) = also called "Fuck That Bitch"
  • QB Meets Southside" (featuring Sticky Fingaz and X1)

Remixes of retail tracks:

  • Deer Park ft. Cormega (What's Ya Poison with intro) = also called "How You Want It"
  • Hoe Gonna Be a Hoe with intro
  • Streets Raised Me (OG Mix) (also called "That True Shit") = different sounding hook. There supposedly is also a version where children are singing the hook.
  • Street Kingz (featuring Nas) = U.S.A. (Aiight Then) with a Nas verse. Colombia didn't want to clear Nas for two songs. They had to cut his verse from U.S.A. (Aiight then) since he also appears on the It's Mine song.
  • White Lines (Quiet Storm without Havoc on the hook). Prodigy talked in between verses, it was mastered in a way that this talking sounded like it came out of a megaphone.
  • Thug Muzik = Has a verse of Mike Delorean from Bars & Hooks instead of Prodigy.
  • Murda Muzik = Longer track with a final verse from Prodigy that ultimately ended up on Thug Muzik in the retail release. There's also a version without that final verse but a freestyle from Cormega instead.

Track listing

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Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.[10]

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Intro"  0:44
2."Streets Raised Me" (featuring Big Noyd & Chinky)Havoc4:33
3."What's Ya Poison" (featuring Cormega)
Havoc3:45
4."Spread Love"
  • Muchita
  • Johnson
Havoc4:04
5."Let a Ho Be a Ho"MuchitaHavoc3:35
6."I'm Going Out" (featuring Lil' Cease)
Havoc3:45
7."Allustrious"
  • Muchita
  • Johnson
Havoc4:09
8."Adrenaline"
  • Muchita
  • Johnson
Havoc4:42
9."Where Ya From" (featuring 8Ball)
T-Mix4:02
10."Quiet Storm"Havoc4:25
11."Where Ya Heart At"
Havoc4:27
12."Noyd Interlude"  0:19
13."Can't Fuck Wit" (featuring Raekwon)
Havoc4:12
14."Thug Muzik" (featuring Infamous Mobb & Chinky)The Alchemist4:34
15."Murda Muzik"
  • Muchita
  • Johnson
Havoc4:11
16."The Realest" (featuring Kool G Rap)
The Alchemist4:27
17."U.S.A. (Aiight Then)"
  • Robert Taylor
  • Muchita
  • Johnson
  • Epitome
  • Shamello
  • Buddah
4:04
18."It's Mine" (featuring Nas)
Havoc4:24
19."Quiet Storm (Remix)" (featuring Lil' Kim)
  • Havoc
  • Jonathan "Lighty" Williams
4:04

Samples

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Intro

  • "Crime Inc. Theme" by Giles Swayne
  • contains an excerpt from a speech of Ronald Reagan[11]

Adrenaline

Where Ya Heart At

It's Mine

Quiet Storm

The Realest

I'm Going Out

Thug Muzik

What's Ya Poison

Where Ya From

Quiet Storm (Remix)

Charts

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Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[20] Platinum 1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^ a b DiBella, M.F.. Murda Muzik at AllMusic
  2. ^ "Murda Muzik (1999)". Genius. Retrieved March 1, 2017.
  3. ^ "Gold & Platinum - RIAA". RIAA. Retrieved March 1, 2017.
  4. ^ Christgau, Robert (November 30, 1999). "Consumer Guide: Turkey Shoot". The Village Voice. p. 126. Retrieved July 7, 2024.
  5. ^ Sinclair, Tom (September 3, 1999). "The Week: Music". Entertainment Weekly. No. 501. p. 70. Archived from the original on November 29, 2014. Retrieved February 26, 2010.
  6. ^ Chandler, Justin 'Tha Shiznute' (March 13, 2007). "Mobb Deep :: Murda Muzik :: Loud Records". RapReviews.
  7. ^ Ex, Kris (April 15, 1999). "Tiny Terrors". Rolling Stone. No. 810. p. 107. Archived from the original on May 14, 2008. Retrieved July 7, 2024.
  8. ^ Rodriguez, Carlito (May 1999). "Record Report: Mobb Deep – Murda Muzik". The Source. No. 116. New York. pp. 207–208.
  9. ^ Gross, Joe (November 1999). "Reviews: Mobb Deep – Murda Muzik". Spin. SPIN Media LLC – via Google Books.
  10. ^ Murda Muzik (booklet). Loud, Columbia. 1999.
  11. ^ "Remarks at Ceremonies Marking the 75th Anniversary of the Federal Bureau of Investigation". Reagan.utexas.edu. July 26, 1983. Archived from the original on June 4, 2011. Retrieved March 2, 2012.
  12. ^ "Mobb Deep Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard.
  13. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Mobb Deep – Murda Muzik" (in Dutch). Hung Medien.
  14. ^ "Longplay-Chartverfolgung at Musicline" (in German). Musicline.de. Phononet GmbH.
  15. ^ "Mobb Deep | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart.
  16. ^ "Mobb Deep Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard.
  17. ^ "Mobb Deep Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard.
  18. ^ "1999 Year-End Charts – Billboard 200 Albums". Billboard. Retrieved May 14, 2016.
  19. ^ "1999 Year-End Charts – Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Albums". Billboard. Retrieved May 14, 2016.
  20. ^ "American album certifications – Mobb Deep – Murda Muzik / Mobb Muzik". Recording Industry Association of America.
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