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 ...
by American
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- ...
rapper
Rapping (also rhyming, flowing, spitting, emceeing, or MCing) is an artistic form of vocal delivery and emotive expression that incorporates "rhyme, rhythmic speech, and ommonlystreet vernacular". It is usually performed over a backing ...
88-Keys
Charles Misodi Njapa (born March 5, 1976), known professionally as 88-Keys, is an American record producer and rapper from New York City.
Biography
Born in New York City to West African parents from Cameroon, he was raised in the Eastchester se ...
. Released on November 11, 2008, the album features guest appearances by
Kanye West
Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer and record producer. One of the most prominent figures in hip-hop, he is known for his varying musical style and polarizing cultural and political commentary. After ...
,
Kid Cudi
Scott Ramon Seguro Mescudi (born January 30, 1984), also known by his stage name Kid Cudi ( ; formerly stylized as KiD CuDi), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, actor, and fashion designer. Born and raised in Clevelan ...
,
J*Davey
J*Davey is an American music duo from Los Angeles, California. The group consists of vocalist Jack Davey and keyboardist/ producer Brook D'Leau,Redman,
Bilal __NOTOC__
Bilal may refer to:
People
* Bilal (name), or Belal or Bilel, including a list of people with the name
* Bilal ibn Rabah, a companion of Muhammad, made calls for prayers
* Bilal (American singer)
* Bilal (Lebanese singer)
Places
* Bi ...
,
Phonte
Phonte Lyshod Coleman, known mononymously as Phonte (born December 28, 1978), is an American rapper, singer, and producer. He is also a member of Team Supreme, that co-hosts the Questlove Supreme podcast.
Phonte is a member of the North Caroli ...
alternative rock
Alternative rock (also known as alternative music, alt-rock or simply alternative) is a category of rock music that evolved from the independent music underground of the 1970s. Alternative rock acts achieved mainstream success in the 1990s w ...
group Shitake Monkey.
Concept
The album tells the story of an investigation surrounding the death of a man named Adam who was murdered in his
Harlem
Harlem is a neighborhood in Upper Manhattan, New York City. It is bounded roughly by the Hudson River on the west; the Harlem River and 155th Street on the north; Fifth Avenue on the east; and Central Park North on the south. The greater ...
loft apartment. During a recent interview in regards to the album's concept 88' stated:
The story is told instrumentally, while the featured artists help get the story across. 88' has described that his inspiration for the project derived from the thought, "What gives me pleasure?"
Aside from tracks, the album's investigative story is told through visual means, particularly DCN 27 News pieces that were distributed on multiple video-sharing sites. In the faux news bulletins, local news reporter Chip Adams interviews various artists who apparently knew Adam to a certain extent and provide their feedback on his death.
The viral series includes cameos by Q-Tip, Consequence, Kid Cudi and Shitake Monkey.
The album's lead single, "
Stay Up! (Viagra)
"Stay Up! (Viagra)" is the first single released from producer-rapper 88-Keys' debut album '' The Death of Adam'' and features the album's co-executive producer Kanye West. The song samples "All Night Loving" by British R&B three-piece band Im ...
", features 88's executive producer of the project,
Kanye West
Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer and record producer. One of the most prominent figures in hip-hop, he is known for his varying musical style and polarizing cultural and political commentary. After ...
:
Track listing
Samples
*"Nice Guys Finish Last"
**"It's Too Late to Be Nice to Her Now" by Townsend, Townsend, Townsend and Rogers
*"Stay Up! (Viagra)"
**"All Night Loving" by
Imagination (band)
Imagination were an English trio, who came to prominence in the early 1980s. They had hits in 28 countries, earning four platinum discs, nine gold discs, and more than a dozen silver discs around the world between 1981 and 1983.
History Ba ...
*"(Awww Man) Round 2?"
**"Now Is the Time to Say Goodbye" by
Freda Payne
Freda Charcilia Payne (born September 19, 1942Some sources give a birth year of 1945, but this appears to be an error as all sources agree that she is older than her sister Scherrie, born 1944.) is an American singer and actress. Payne is best ...
*" Dirty Peaches"
**"The Note You Never Wrote" by Wings
*" Burning Bush"
**"Fire" by Temptations
*" Ho Is Short For Honey"
**" Mrs Vandebilt" by Wings
*"M.I.L.F."
**"Mother Beautiful" by
Sly & the Family Stone
Sly and the Family Stone was an American band formed in San Francisco, California, in 1966 and active until 1983. Their work, which blended elements of funk, soul, psychedelic rock, gospel, and R&B, became a pivotal influence on subsequent Amer ...
*"Another Victim"
**"Lovin You Just Ain't The Same" by
Tony Wilson
Anthony Howard Wilson (20 February 1950 – 10 August 2007) was a British record label owner, radio and television presenter, nightclub manager and impresario, and a journalist for Granada Television, the BBC and Channel 4.
As a co-founder ...