Black Mafia Life
Black Mafia Life is the second studio album by American hip hop group Above the Law. It was released on February 2, 1993, via Ruthless Records. This album is what would be considered the blueprint of the G-Funk sound similar to Dr Dre's The Chronic. The album was recorded in 1991 into 1992 but was held back due to legal issues with Epic and Dr. Dre's departure from Ruthless Records. As on the group's previous works, Livin' Like Hustlers and Vocally Pimpin', this album's audio production was mostly handled by A.T.L. themselves, but this one excluded any contributions from Lay Law. It featured guest appearances from Kokane, Eazy-E, 2Pac, MC Ren, and Money-B. Above the Law member Go Mack left the group after the release of this album.
Black Mafia Life peaked at number six on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and number 37 on the US Billboard 200. Its lead single "V.S.O.P." peaked at number nine on the Hot Rap Singles chart and number 97 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks. In 2022, Rolling Stone placed it at number 167 on their list of the 200 Greatest Hip-Hop Albums of All Time.
Track listing
All tracks produced by Above The LawNotes
- Track 2 contents elements from "(Not Just) Knee Deep" by Funkadelic and "Eulogy and Light" by Funkadelic
- Track 3 contents elements from "Can Move You " by Parliament, "Atomic Dog" by George Clinton and "Back to Life " by Soul II Soul
- Track 4 contents elements from "Synthetic Substitution" by Melvin Bliss
- Track 5 contents elements from "Introducing The Players" by Ohio Players
- Track 6 contents elements from "Freak Of The Week" by Funkadelic and "4 The Funk Of It" by Above The Law
- Track 7 contents elements from "Colour Me Funky" by Parliament, "Bring The Noise" by Public Enemy, "Wino & Junkie" by Richard Pryor, "Scenario " by A Tribe Called Quest & Leaders of the New School and "Let's Have Some Fun" by Bar-Kays
- Track 8 contents elements from "On The Floor" by Fatback Band
- Track 9 contents elements from "Fat Cat" by Bootsy Collins, "Mothership Connection " by Parliament, "Good Old Music" by Funkadelic, "Heaven And Hell Is On Earth" by 20th Century Steel Band and "Niggers Are Scared Of Revolution" by The Last Poets
- Track 10 contents elements from "I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)" by Hall & Oates, "Backstrokin'" by Fatback Band, "Cutie Pie" by One Way, "Genius of Love" by Tom Tom Club and "The Bertha Butt Boogie" by The Jimmy Castor Bunch
- Track 11 contents elements from "Do the Funky Penguin " by Rufus Thomas, "Atomic Dog " by George Clinton, "You're a Customer" by EPMD and "Another Execution" by Above the Law
- Track 12 contents elements from "Bon Bon Vie " by T.S. Monk
- Track 13 contents elements from "Housequake" by Prince and "Keep on Movin'" by Soul II Soul
- Track 14 contents elements from "Heartbeat" by Taana Gardner and "Gigolo" by Fatback Band
Personnel
- Gregory Fernan Hutchinson — producer, scratches, keyboards, mixing
- Kevin Michael Gulley — co-producer, scratches
- Arthur Lee Goodman III — co-producer, scratches
- Anthony Stewart — co-producer, scratches
- Eric Wright — guest vocals, executive producer
- Jerry Long, Jr. — guest vocals
- Tupac Shakur — guest vocals
- Ronald Brooks — guest vocals
- Lorenzo Patterson — guest vocals
- Brian Gardner — mastering
- Donovan Smith — mixing
- Mark Paladino — mixing
- Michael Sims — guitar
- B-Laid Back Edwards — keyboards
- David Elliot — scratches
- D.J. Sno — scratches
- Poet H.B. — scratches
- Mary Ann Dibs — art direction, design
- Julio Estrada — photography
- Mark Machado — artwork
- Digital Underground — backing vocals
- Tha Pimp Clinic — backing vocals
- Tha New Funkateers — backing vocals
Chart positions
;Billboard Music Charts album;Billboard Music Charts singles
- "V.S.O.P."
- "V.S.O.P."