''Exclusive Audio Footage'' is the unreleased debut

studio album An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track cartridge, 8-track or Cassette tape, cassette), or digital distribution, dig ...

from

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...

hip hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hip- ...

duo

Clipse Clipse, also known as the Clipse, is an American hip-hop, hip hop duo from Virginia Beach, Virginia. Formed in 1994, it consists of brothers No Malice, Gene "Malice" and Pusha T, Terrence "Pusha T" Thornton. Pusha T was known as Terrar during t ...

. The album spawned one single and music video "The Funeral", which hit airwaves in 1999. Promotional CD and vinyl copies exist and the LP has been leaked online on several occasions. In 2004, counterfeit vinyl pressings of the album were released. The album artwork is taken from the 2002

Lord Willin' ''Lord Willin is the debut studio album by the American Hip-hop, hip hop duo Clipse. The album was released on August 20, 2002, in the United States by Star Trak Entertainment, Star Trak and Arista Records, Arista. Recording sessions took place ...

photo shoot because of the promo CDs and vinyl of the album not containing any visible artwork, over time and through other bootleg copies the image was used as the album's default cover. In 2022, the album, fully produced by

The Neptunes The Neptunes were an American record production duo composed of Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, formed in Virginia Beach, Virginia, in 1992. Williams often provided backing vocals and music video appearances on the duo's productions, while H ...

, was released on streaming platforms, comprising 20 songs.

Background

''Exclusive Audio Footage'' was meant to be the debut album of

, after the group signed with

Elektra Records Elektra Records (or Elektra Entertainment) is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group, founded in 1950 by Jac Holzman and Paul Rickolt. It played an important role in the development of contemporary folk and rock music between the ...

. The album's only single was "The Funeral". It failed to catch success, and its label, Elektra, decided to indefinitely shelve the album.

was released from its record contract not long afterward. At the time of the album's release,

member

Pusha T Terrence LeVarr Thornton (born May 13, 1977), better known by his stage name Pusha T, is an American rapper. He rose to prominence as one half of the Virginia-based hip hop duo Clipse, which he formed with his older brother No Malice, Malice. M ...

was known as "Terrar" and

No Malice Gene Elliott Thornton Jr. (born August 18, 1972), better known by his stage name Malice (formerly Malicious and later No Malice), is an American rapper from Virginia Beach, Virginia. He is best known for being one half of hip hop duo Clipse, a ...

was known as "Malice". ''Exclusive Audio Footage'' also marked the beginning of the Clipse's recording partnership with

. Most of the album's content is very similar to the Clipse's following albums ''

'' and '' Hell Hath No Fury'', focusing on the duo' drug-dealing pasts, though it was much more "theatrical" and "movie-esque" than either of its following albums.

Critical reception

In a contemporaneous review, Kim Osorio of '' The Source'' praised the album, calling it a "delightful deviation" from the usual hip-hop sound of the late 1990s. She highlighted the group's "concept-driven lyrics and original, fast-paced rhyme style", but named the album's production as its best part, as she believed that it helps Clipse stand out among other artists and improves "a few mediocre moments" of the album.

Track listing

All tracks produced by

. ;Notes * On some editions of the album, there is a twenty-first/twenty-second track titled "Got Caught Dealin' - Part 2" featuring Pharrell, this track along with "The Funeral" and the original "Got Caught Dealin'" were all released as promo CD singles throughout 1999.

References

{{Authority control Clipse albums Elektra Records albums 1999 debut albums 2022 albums Albums produced by the Neptunes