''Judgement Day'' is the second studio album by American rapper

Esham Esham is an American rapper from Detroit, Michigan. Esham released his debut studio album, '' Boomin' Words from Hell'', in 1989. Since then, he has gone on to release 15 studio albums in total and is best known as a representative of the hip ...

, released April 9, 1992. On June 6, 2006, a ''Judgement Day'' box set was issued, containing both original volumes and previously unreleased material.

Production

Reel Life Productions Reel Life Productions, also known as Gothom Records, is an independent record label based in Detroit, Michigan most associated with the hip hop subgenre horrorcore. The label was founded in 1989 by James H. Smith and his younger brother, rapper E ...

founder and

's brother James Smith decided that Esham should record a double album following the release of

Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. Th ...

's ''

Love Symbol Album ''Love Symbol'' is the fourteenth studio album by American recording artist Prince, and the second of two that featured his backing band the New Power Generation. It was released on October 13, 1992, by Paisley Park Records and Warner Bros. Rec ...

''. Smith thought that if an R&B artist could record a

double album A double album (or double record) is an audio album that spans two units of the primary medium in which it is sold, typically either records or compact disc. A double album is usually, though not always, released as such because the recording i ...

, a rapper should record a double album. However, it is not the first double album in hip hop, as previously

DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince were an American hip hop duo from West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, consisting of rapper Will Smith (the Fresh Prince) and disc jockey Jeff Townes (DJ Jazzy Jeff). Active full time from 1986 to 1994 and occasion ...

released ''

He's the DJ, I'm the Rapper ''He's the DJ, I'm the Rapper'' (also known as ''I'm the Rapper, He's the DJ'' due to the way the title is printed) is the second studio album by hip hop duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince. It was the first double album in hip hop music, in it ...

'', which was a double album in its original vinyl configuration.

Music

While the lyrical content of ''Judgement Day'' is similar to that of Esham's debut, '' Boomin' Words from Hell'', the music features a heavier use of

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...

samples.

Release history

''Judgement Day'' was released separately in two volumes, ''Day'' and ''Night'', on April 9, 1992. On June 6, 2006, a ''Judgement Day'' box set was released, featuring both original volumes remastered, two volumes of previously unreleased material, the exclusive album ''Martyr City'', an illustrated booklet with a short autobiography written by Esham detailing the days of the original ''Judgement Day'' release as well as a background story for ''Martyr City'', a live concert DVD, deluxe packaging and a

Certificate of Authenticity A certificate of authenticity (COA) is a seal or small sticker on a proprietary computer program, t-shirt, jersey, or any other memorabilia or art work, especially in the world of computers and sports. It is commonly a seal on paper authentic ...

Reception

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

's Jason Birchmeier wrote that ''Judgement Day, Vol. 1'' "may not be his most well-crafted work, but it certainly stands as his most inspired work of the '90s", while ''Vol. 2'' "isn't quite as strong as the first volume, suffering mostly from a number of weak tracks ..the first volume doesn't rely quite so much on cheap shock, instead focusing on evocative horror motifs, making ''Judgement Day, Vol. 2'' the less important of the two."

Track listing

References

{{Authority control 1992 albums 2006 compilation albums Albums produced by Esham Esham albums Reel Life Productions albums Horrorcore albums