Uncle Sam's Curse

Uncle Sam's Curse
The cover features a neighborhood prison complex with a watchtower shining a spotlight on the roof of a building. Over the neighborhood is a shroud of purple clouds in the shape of Uncle Sam. The group's name appears beside Uncle Sam and the album title is below the neighborhood, both written in Gothic-style font and colored in red and yellow respectively.
Studio album by
Above the Law
ReleasedJuly 12, 1994
Recorded1993–1994
StudioThe Edge Recording (California)
Genre
Length59:57
Label
Producer
Above the Law chronology
Black Mafia Life
(1993) 		Uncle Sam's Curse
(1994) 		Time Will Reveal
(1996)
Singles from Uncle Sam's Curse
  1. "Black Superman"
    Released: June 28, 1994

Uncle Sam's Curse is the third studio album by the American hip hop group Above the Law.[1][2] It was released in 1994, the group's final record on Ruthless Records.[3] The album peaked at number 15 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and 113 on the Billboard 200.[4] Uncle Sam's Curse sold over 250,000 copies.

Audio production was handled by A.T.L.'s Cold 187um with co-producers KM.G and K-oss. The tracks "Return of the Real Shit" and "Black Superman" contain samples from the 1994 film Against the Wall.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[5]

Trouser Press wrote that "Cold 187um kicks more good grooves as producer, but he can't smooth over the lyrical nonsense."[6]

In 2016, LA Weekly called the album "an hourlong, funk-driven study in urban injustice and middle-American anxiety released halfway through the summer of the Brentwood murders, Newt Gingrich's Contract With America and the Major League Baseball strike."[7]

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."Return of the Real Shit"5:42
2."Set Free"4:49
3."Kalifornia" (featuring Kokane)4:35
4."Concreat Jungle"4:25
5."Rain Be for Rain Bo"4:34
6."Everything Will Be Alright" (featuring Kokane)4:54
7."Black Superman"4:27
8."The 'G' in Me"4:52
9."Uncle Sam's Curse"4:47
10."One Time Two Many"4:49
11."Who Ryde" (featuring Tone Lōc & Kokane)5:30
12."Gangsta Madness"6:46
Total length:1:00:10

Personnel

  • Gregory Fernan Hutchinson — main artist, producer, keyboards, mixing
  • Kevin Michael Gulley — main artist, co-producer
  • Anthony Stewart — main artist, co-producer
  • Jerry Long, Jr. — featured artist (tracks 3, 6, 11)
  • Anthony Terrell Smith — featured artist (track 11)
  • Mike Smooth — bass, guitar, keyboards
  • Jimmy Russell — bass
  • Brian Gardner — mastering
  • Mark Paladino — mixing
  • Michael Miller — photography
  • David Bett — art direction
  • Allan Wai — design
  • Kurt Nagahori — illustration (cover)
  • Joanna — backing vocals
  • Nicki — backing vocals

Charts

References

  1. ^ "Above the Law Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
  2. ^ Weinstein, Max (September 17, 2014). "'94 Week: The 50 Best Rap Albums Of 1994". Vibe.
  3. ^ Hoffmann, Frank W. (August 20, 2005). Rhythm and Blues, Rap, and Hip-hop. Infobase Publishing. ISBN 9780816069804 – via Google Books.
  4. ^ "Above the Law – Chart history | Billboard". www.billboard.com. Retrieved March 10, 2017.
  5. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Uncle Sam's Curse – Above the Law". AllMusic. Retrieved March 10, 2017.
  6. ^ "Above the Law". Trouser Press. Retrieved August 20, 2022.
  7. ^ Weekly, L. A. (August 15, 2016). "Why Lost G-Funk Classic Uncle Sam's Curse Is More Relevant Than Ever". LA Weekly.
  8. ^ "Above the Law, TLP". Billboard. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
  9. ^ "Above the Law, BLP". Billboard. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
  10. ^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1994". Billboard. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
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