Mixing
All Money Is Legal
| All Money Is Legal | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Studio album by Amil | ||||
| Released | September 19, 2000 (2000-09-19) | |||
| Recorded | 1999-2000 | |||
| Studio | The Cutting Room, The Hit Factory, Quad Studios (New York City; Playground Studios (Los Angeles | |||
| Genre | Hip hop | |||
| Length | 51:52 | |||
| Label |
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| Producer |
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Amil chronology | ||||
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Singles from All Money Is Legal | ||||
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All Money Is Legal, also known as A.M.I.L.: (All Money Is Legal), is the debut studio album by American rapper Amil. It was released on August 29, 2000, through Roc-A-Fella, Columbia, and Sony Music. Rapper Jay-Z and music executive Damon Dash served as its executive producers with Amil. Record producer Just Blaze also contributed to the record, and later said that his work on the album improved his reputation within Roc-A-Fella.
A hip hop album, All Money Is Legal focuses on wealth and Amil's personal life. It was recorded between 1999 and 2000 at Playground Studios in Los Angeles and at The Cutting Room, The Hit Factory, and Quad Studios in New York City. Though Jay-Z had written Amil's verses for their past collaborations, she developed her own lyrics for all of the album's tracks. While the album primarily consists of Amil rapping, she sings on some tracks.
Reviews of the album were mixed; critics were divided over its production and Amil's verses. Commercially, it peaked at number 45 on the US Billboard 200 chart. Two singles — "I Got That" with vocals from Beyoncé and "4 da Fam" with verses from Memphis Bleek, Beanie Sigel, and Jay-Z — were released from the album and promoted with accompanying music videos. "I Got That" reached number one on the Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Billboard chart, while "4 da Fam" made appearances on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and the R&B/Hip-Hop Streaming Songs Billboard charts. Amil's musical hiatus following the album's release led to Roc-A-Fella dropping the rapper.
Contents
1 Background and recording
2 Composition and sound
3 Release and promotion
3.1 Singles
4 Reception
5 Track listing
6 Credits and personnel
7 Charts
8 Release history
9 References
10 External links
Background and recording
When discussing her collaborations with rapper Jay-Z (pictured in 2011), Amil said: "[He] just put this career in my hands. I went from having nothing at all to wearing diamonds."[1]
At the age of 12, rapper Amil began performing in local talent shows in New York City. While growing up, she cited hip hop group Run-DMC as one of her early inspirations.[2] Amil joined the group Major Coins in 1997, about a year before rapper Jay-Z asked one of its members to sing vocals on his third studio album Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life (1998). He also requested that Amil freestyle on the 1998 single "Can I Get A...".[2] After Major Coins disbanded, Amil chose to pursue a career as a solo artist, and was signed by Roc-A-Fella in 1998.[1][2] In a 2015 article, Son Raw of Fact reported that "there were also a lot of unsavory rumors about how [Amil] got signed to The Roc".[3] Prior to recording All Money Is Legal, she was featured on albums by Mariah Carey, Jermaine Dupri, and Funkmaster Flex, and worked with Jay-Z on the 1999 single "Nigga What, Nigga Who (Originator 99)".[2] Kris Ex of Vibe referred to Amil as one of Jay-Z's protégés.[4]
All Money Is Legal was recorded between 1999 and 2000 at The Cutting Room, The Hit Factory, and Quad Studios in New York City, and Playground Studios in Los Angeles.[5] Amil served as one of the album's executive producers, with Jay-Z and music executive Damon Dash.[5] Record producer Just Blaze also contributed to All Money Is Legal,[6] and felt that his work on the album raised his profile within Roc-A-Fella.[7] While Jay-Z had written Amil's verses for their past collaborations, she developed her own lyrics for all the tracks on the album.[1][5][8] During the production of the album, Jay-Z praised her for having "a talent for song-making".[1]
Composition and sound
All Money Is Legal is a hip hop album that consists of 13 tracks.[9][10] According to Vibe's Andréa Duncan, Amil intended the songs to balance her "onstage gold digger persona" and her more "down to earth personality" in daily life.[1] Throughout the album, she raps about the lives of rappers and celebrities. On "Girlfriend", she worries about infidelity after taking another woman's boyfriend, and then raps about her shame for going "from Gucci sandals back to no-name brands" on "Anyday".[10]
While Amil acknowledges that the album includes songs about showing off one's personal wealth,[1] it also includes tracks that focus on more serious issues.[1][9] For instance, the lyrics in "I Got That" encourage women to become more independent.[9] Inspired by Amil's life,[9] the opening track "Smile 4 Me" includes lyrics such as: "Got my people up north trying to slice the bid / While I'm in love with a nigga with a wife and a kid."[11] It also addresses Amil's past experiences with welfare and shoplifting.[10] In the song "Quarrels", which features a "bass-intense composition",[9] Amil raps about Satan as the heart of business.[1] The track includes additional vocals by R&B singer Thomas.[12] While she primarily raps on the album, Amil sings on some tracks,[9] such as "Get Down".[12] Amil also chose to avoid explicit references to sexuality.[1]
The album contains several features from Jay-Z.[8]David Browne of Entertainment Weekly wrote that "Amil tangles with fellow materialist Jay-Z" for the song "Heard It All".[10] The final track "4 da Fam" includes verses from Jay-Z and rappers Memphis Bleek and Beanie Sigel.[12] On the song, Jay-Z raps about becoming a father in the verse: "I got four nephews and they're all writing ... and I'm having a child, which is more frightening."[13] He also contributed to the track "That's Right" after responding positively to Just Blaze's production during a recording season.[7]
Release and promotion
All Money Is Legal was made available on August 29, 2000, as a cassette, CD, and digital download through Roc-A-Fella, Columbia, and Sony Music.[14][15][16] It was also known as A.M.I.L.: (All Money Is Legal).[1] Following the album's release, Amil was removed from Roc-A-Fella.[17] Media outlets attributed this to disagreements with Jay-Z and her weight gain,[18][19][3] but she denied these reports during a 2011 interview with Vibe.[19][20] Amil explained that she took a hiatus as she has not felt mentally prepared for a music career.[20][21]
Singles
Singer Beyoncé (pictured in 2016) was featured on the album's lead single "I Got That"; critics responded positively to her vocals.[9][22]
"I Got That", which features vocals by singer Beyoncé, was released on July 5, 2000, as the album's lead single.[9][12][18] Commentators compared the song's sound and lyrics to music released by the group Destiny's Child;[22][23] one critic believed it continued a focus on "statement[s] of simple financial and romantic independence".[23] An accompanying music video was released to promote the song,[22] and was featured on the list of the most-played clips on BET for the weeks of August 1 and August 8, 2000.[24][25] The video was also played on The Box during the same two weeks.[24][25] The single received primarily positive reviews from music critics.[9][22][23] In a 2015 article, a reviewer from Spin magazine praised Beyoncé's vocals on the chorus, and described the song as "squelching [and] slithering".[23] A writer from Billboard described "I Got That" as "a catchy enough radio-ready tune".[9] While Dazed's Kathy Iandoli wrote that the single showed Amil had promise as a rapper,[22] a writer from Vibe criticized the collaboration, including "I Got That" on its list of Matches Made in Error.[26] The song reached number one on the Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Billboard chart on September 16, 2000, and remained on the chart for 12 weeks.[27]
"4 da Fam", the album's second single, was released on September 13, 2000;[28][29] an accompanying music video promoted the track.[30] In the same year, "4 da Fam" and "I Got That" were made available as a double A-side.[31] "4 da Fam" peaked at number 99 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Billboard chart on July 22, 2000, and remained on the chart for a week.[32] On the same day, it reached a peak position of 97 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Streaming Songs Billboard chart, staying on the chart for a week.[33] It also peaked at number 29 on the Hot Rap Songs Billboard chart, and remained on the chart for 11 weeks.[34] "That's Right" and "Get Down" were released as promotional singles in 2000; both songs were made available on a 12-inch single and vinyl record.[35][36]
Reception
All Money Is Legal received mixed reviews from critics upon its release. Andréa Duncan commended it for being a "surprisingly diverse and thoughtful collection of tracks".[1] MacKenzie Wilson of AllMusic praised the album's focus on the rapper's personal life, writing that it "delves back into her New York childhood street smarts to deliver a decent first introduction". She also responded positively to Amil's image, and described her as "maintain[ing] her sultry sassiness" through the music.[15] While critical of Amil's vocals, Son Raw wrote that the album contained "a couple of jams" and highlighted "4 da Fam" as a "prime Roc La Familia-era posse cut".[3] Other commentators had more negative opinions of the album.[10][11] David Browne commended Amil's verses, but was critical of the album's production and the lyrics' focus on money.[10] The Washington City Paper's Ta-Nehisi Coates viewed All Money Is Legal as "a schizophrenic work", saying that it kept "swinging from aching honesty to gangsta-bitch schtick"; he criticized Amil for "reducing herself to a prostitute with a microphone" through her lyrics, and felt the album's production was cheap and generic.[11]
Critics labelled the album tracks "Quarrels" and "Smile 4 Me" as highlights of All Money Is Legal.[9][11][37] A Billboard writer described "Quarrels" as engaging and thought-provoking,[9] and an example of "strong-willed, pro-woman songs" written and recorded by female rappers.[37] The commentator also called "Smile 4 Me" a "testament to the MC's lyricism",[9] and Coates cited it as an example of the rapper's success in pulling inspiration from her past to create "melancholy confessionals".[11] Amil said that it was one of her favorite tracks from the album, explaining that she found the tracks about her personal life to be the most appealing.[21]
All Money is Legal sold 29,000 copies in the first week of its release,[38] debuting and peaking at number 45 on the US Billboard 200 chart.[27] It reached its peak position at number 12 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Billboard chart on October 7, 2000, and remained on the chart for eight weeks.[39] The album also peaked at number 45 on the Top Album Sales Billboard chart, and stayed on the chart for six weeks.[40]
Track listing
Credits adapted from the liner notes of All Money Is Legal.[8]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Smile 4 Me" |
| EZ Elpee | 4:26 |
| 2. | "I Got That" (featuring Beyoncé) |
|
| 3:17 |
| 3. | "Get Down" |
| Jon-John | 4:29 |
| 4. | "Ya'll Dead Wrong" |
| Rockwilder | 3:51 |
| 5. | "Heard It All" (featuring Jay-Z) |
|
| 3:27 |
| 6. | "Quarrels" (featuring Carl Thomas) |
|
| 4:10 |
| 7. | "Girlfriend" |
| Rockwilder | 3:14 |
| 8. | "All Money Is Legal (A.M.I.L.)" |
| Fyffe | 3:46 |
| 9. | "That's Right" (featuring Jay-Z) |
| Just Blaze | 4:21 |
| 10. | "Anyday" |
| K-Rob | 4:08 |
| 11. | "Raw" |
| Lofey | 4:11 |
| 12. | "No 1 Can Compare" |
| Omen | 4:15 |
| 13. | "4 da Fam" (featuring Jay-Z, Memphis Bleek and Beanie Sigel) |
| Fyffe | 4:19 |
| Total length: | 51:52 | |||
Sample credits
- "Smile 4 Me" contains a sample from "Summer Love", performed by David Oliver.
- "I Got That" contains a sample from "Seventh Heaven", performed by Gwen Guthrie.
- "Get Down" contains a sample from "Blank Generation", performed by Richard Hell and the Voidoids.
- "Heard It All" contains a sample from the composition "Chitarra Romana", written by Cherubine, Di Lazzaro and Harper.
- "Anyday" contains a sample from "Collage", performed by The Three Degrees.
Credits and personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes of All Money Is Legal and AllMusic:[5][8]
- Management
- Roc-A-Fella Records
- Columbia Records
- Sony Music
- Recording locations
- The Cutting Room (New York City)
- The Hit Factory (New York City)
- Playground Studios (Los Angeles)
- Quad Studios (New York City)
- Credits
Amil – associate executive producer, primary artist, vocals- Samuel Barnes – composer
Beyoncé – featured artist, primary artist- Shawn Carter – composer, executive producer
- Kevin Crouse – mixing
Damon Dash – executive producer- Makeda Davis – composer
- Tyrone Fyfee – producer
- J. Garfield – composer
- Chris Gehringer – mastering
- Jason Goldstein – mixing
- Erwin Gorostiza – art direction
Jay-Z – composer, guest artist, primary artist- M. Johnson – composer
- LeShan Lewis – composer
- Manny Marroquin – mixing
Memphis Bleek – guest artist, performer, primary artist- Monica Morrow – stylist
- Jean-Claude Olivier – composer
- Jon-John Robinson – composer, engineer, producer
Beanie Sigel – guest artist, primary artist- Tamy Smith – composer
- Brian Stanley – engineer, mixing
- D. Stinson – composer
- Carl Thomas – composer, guest artist, primary artist, vocals
- Richard Travali – mixing
- J. Walsh – composer
- Reggie Wells – make-up
- C. Henry Woods – composer
- Carlisle Young – engineer
Charts
| Chart (2000) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200[27] | 45 |
| US Top Album Sales (Billboard)[40] | 45 |
| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[39] | 12 |
Release history
| Country | Date | Format | Label | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | May 8, 2000 (2000-29-08) |
|
| [14][15][16] |
References
^ abcdefghijk Duncan, Andréa (December 2000). "One in A Million". Vibe. 8 (10): 139.
^ abcd Potts, Diana. "Biography: Amil". AllMusic. Archived from the original on August 24, 2017.
^ abc Raw, Son (June 10, 2015). "The Rise and Fall of Roc-A-Fella Records". Fact. Archived from the original on April 4, 2018.
^ Ex, Kris (December 2000). "Jayhova's Witness". Vibe. 8 (10): 129–130, 132–136. Archived from the original on April 3, 2018.
^ abcd "Credits: All Money Is Legal". AllMusic. Archived from the original on May 13, 2016.
^ Hay, Kameron (August 3, 2017). "5 Crazy Roc-A-Fella Revelations From ItstheReal's Live Podcast". Complex. Archived from the original on August 4, 2017.
^ ab Blanco, Alvin Aqua (August 21, 2013). "Just Blaze Credits Amil With Making Him A Go-To Roc-A-Fella Producer [Video]". Hip-Hop Wired. Retrieved December 11, 2017.
^ abcd All Money Is Legal (inlay cover). Amil. Roc-A-Fella Records, Columbia Records, and Sony Music. September 19, 2000.
^ abcdefghijklm
"Reviews & Previews". Billboard. 112 (39): 35–36. September 23, 2000. Archived from the original on December 11, 2017.
^ abcdef Browne, David (September 18, 2000). "All Money Is Legal". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on December 11, 2017.
^ abcde Coates, Ta-Nehisi (November 10, 2000). "All Money Is Legal". Washington City Paper. Archived from the original on December 11, 2017.
^ abcd Johnson, Elon (May 25, 2000). "Amil Taps Jay-Z, Beyoncé, More for "Money"". MTV. Archived from the original on December 11, 2017.
^ Markman, Rob (January 9, 2012). "Jay-Z Takes on Fatherhood: From 'Glory' to 'Can't Be Life'". MTV. Archived from the original on December 15, 2017.
^ ab Kenon, Marci (August 19, 2000). "You've Come A Long Way, Baby". Billboard. 112 (34): 36, 46. Archived from the original on December 11, 2017.
^ abc Wilson, MacKenzie. "AllMusic Review: All Music Is Legal". AllMusic. Archived from the original on October 12, 2016.
^ ab "Releases: All Music Is Legal". AllMusic. Archived from the original on May 13, 2016.
^ Jean-Baptiste Jr., Renaud (June 6, 2015). "Where Are They Now? The Roc-A-Fella Records Edition". VH1. Archived from the original on June 4, 2017.
^ ab Preezy (September 15, 2017). "10 Classic Beyonce Collaborations That Wouldn't Happen in 2017". The Boombox. Archived from the original on October 1, 2017.
^ ab Hova, Tray (August 18, 2011). "V Exclusive: Amil Debunks Twitter Debut + Talks Jay-Z and Nicki Minaj". Vibe. Archived from the original on July 14, 2017.
^ ab "Amil – "Remember"". Uproxx. March 17, 2014. Retrieved December 11, 2017.
^ ab Ramirez, Erika (March 31, 2014). "Ladies First: 31 Female Rappers Who Changed Hip-Hop". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 14, 2017.
^ abcde Iandoli, Kathy (April 23, 2014). "Beyoncé's most overlooked features". Dazed. Archived from the original on March 30, 2015.
^ abcd "Every Beyoncé Song, Ranked". Spin. August 19, 2015. Archived from the original on June 26, 2017.
^ ab "Video Monitor". Billboard. 112 (34): 96. August 19, 2000. Archived from the original on November 8, 2014.
^ ab "Video Monitor". Billboard. 112 (35): 93. August 26, 2000. Archived from the original on June 28, 2014.
^ "Matches Made in Error". Vibe. 8 (10): 59. December 2000. Archived from the original on June 28, 2014.
^ abc "Search results". Billboard.
^ Cowie, Del F. (August 23, 2009). "Jay-Z: Beyond Reasonable Doubt". Exclaim!. Archived from the original on March 29, 2016.
^ "4 Da Fam (Explicit Album Version) [Explicit]". Amazon. September 13, 2000. Archived from the original on March 14, 2017.
^ Hay, Carla (July 29, 2000). "MTV, Refac Team to Create Consumer Electronics Line". Billboard. 112 (31): 97. Archived from the original on December 11, 2017.
^ "I got that : 4 da fam". WorldCat. Archived from the original on December 16, 2017.
^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (4 da Fam)". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 15, 2017.
^ "R&B/Hip-Hop Streaming Songs (4 da Fam)". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 15, 2017.
^ "Hot Rap Songs (4 da Fam)". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 15, 2017.
^ "That's Right" / "Get Down" (inlay cover). Amil. Roc-A-Fella Records, Columbia Records, and Sony Music. 2000.
^ "That's right ; Get down". WorldCat. Archived from the original on December 16, 2017.
^ ab "Moments to Remember". Vibe. 9 (11): 37. January 2001. Archived from the original on December 12, 2017.
^ Lavin, Will (June 24, 2016). "Does Jay Z have a problem marketing female artists? Former Roc Nation singer Bridget Kelly weighs in". International Business Times. Archived from the original on August 27, 2016.
^ ab "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (A.M.I.L.)". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 15, 2017.
^ ab "Top Album Sales (A.M.I.L.)". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 15, 2017.
External links
All Money is Legal at Discogs
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