Soul Strut 100: # 82 - Gang Starr - Hard To Earn
RAJ
tenacious local 7,783 Posts
I will slowly be unveiling the Top 100 Soul Strut Related Records as Voted by the Strutters Themselves.
# 82 - Gang Starr - Hard To Earn
Please discuss your reactions to this record. The thread will be archived later here.
About
Hard to Earn is the fourth album from the hip hop duo Gang Starr. It was released in March 1994 and featured the singles "Mass Appeal", "DWYCK" and "Code of the Streets." Musically the album is constructed around a harder, more stripped-down sound that is distinctively less melodic than the duo's previous work.
Guest appearances on the album come from Group Home, Jeru The Damaja, and Big Shug. At the time, all were part of the Gang Starr Foundation, which made the album a stepping-stone for future DJ Premier-helmed projects by Group Home and Jeru. The single "DWYCK" also featured hip hop duo Nice & Smooth.
Hard to Earn is also the duo's first album to carry the "Parental Advisory" label.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hard_to_Earn
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RANK THE ALBUMS OF THE HIP HOP HEAVYWEIGHTS
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Favorite Gangstarr (Did We Do This Already)?
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# 82 - Gang Starr - Hard To Earn
Please discuss your reactions to this record. The thread will be archived later here.
About
Hard to Earn is the fourth album from the hip hop duo Gang Starr. It was released in March 1994 and featured the singles "Mass Appeal", "DWYCK" and "Code of the Streets." Musically the album is constructed around a harder, more stripped-down sound that is distinctively less melodic than the duo's previous work.
Guest appearances on the album come from Group Home, Jeru The Damaja, and Big Shug. At the time, all were part of the Gang Starr Foundation, which made the album a stepping-stone for future DJ Premier-helmed projects by Group Home and Jeru. The single "DWYCK" also featured hip hop duo Nice & Smooth.
Hard to Earn is also the duo's first album to carry the "Parental Advisory" label.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hard_to_Earn
Related Threads
RANK THE ALBUMS OF THE HIP HOP HEAVYWEIGHTS
Guru gets grumpy about gangstarr
Favorite Gangstarr (Did We Do This Already)?
Hip-hop vinyl essentials
Media
Comments
See Vic Juris.
^^This
This tape, wutang, and doggystyle were the only tapes i had for like a whole year.
Love this album.
^^^this statement can be made, replacing the sample x infinity to the end of time. premier is god.
Agreed!
2. ALONGWAYTOGO alright
3. Code Of The Streets - argueably the "best" Gangstarr song evar
4. Brainstorm - I forget
5. Tonz 'O' Gunz - above average
6. The Planet - I forget
7. Aiiight Chill... I forget
8. Speak Ya Clout - is this the posse cut? I think Jeru kills it & somebody kills PSK beat?
9. DWYCK - no words
10. Words From The Nutcracker - pre-cursor to genius
11. Mass Appeal - No words
12. Blowin' Up The Spot - huh
13. Suckas Need Bodyguards - huh
14. Now You're Mine - i likey
15. Mostly Tha Voice - you right about that shit, cause it aint the cadence
16. F.A.L.A. - average
17. Comin' For Datazz - huh
Hard to Earn is the shit, thumbs up and little kicks galore:
Now Your Mine is very underrated.
That's "I'm the Man" off Daily Operation. Great cut.
This just came up on my iPod yesterday. What a great record. Primo caught that AWB loop perfectly.
Like some of the folks upthread, I prefer Daily Operation, but Hard to Earn is an amazing album. Premier had fully developed his sound by this point as was absolutely on fire, and this album had some of Guru's best work on it as well.
There is way too much filler for me compared to the last two albums. The first joint is whatever.
By this album they were losing a little UMPH for me.
Hard To Earn doesnt get credit for DWYCK.
DWYCK was outta the '92 DAILY OPERATION-era Take It Personal 12" B-Side. And mad played by Hard to Earn two whole years later.
Kinda like Rebel without a Pause was a B-side from the first PE album and then attached to the next album a minute later.
Plus Big Shug virus.
step in the arena too
daily operation maybe one baby step behind those two
and hard to earn a baby step behind daily op
at time of release i probably listened to daily op the most, but it didnt age as well for me as moment of truth and step
I hold Hard to Earn and Daily Operation in the same respect as I do Nation of Millions and Fear of a Black Planet.
Do you like anything pre-94?
Mostly tha voice is still a smoker...
huh