''Niggaz4Life'' (also known as ''Efil4zaggin'' as per album

cover art Cover art is a type of artwork presented as an illustration or photograph on the outside of a published product such as a book (often on a dust jacket), magazine, newspaper ( tabloid), comic book, video game (box art), music album (album art), ...

, stylized in

all caps In typography, all caps (short for "all capitals") refers to text or a font in which all letters are capital letters, for example: "THIS TEXT IS IN ALL CAPS". All caps may be used for emphasis (for a word or phrase). They are commonly seen in ...

and horizontally

mirrored ''Mirrored'' is the debut studio album by American experimental rock band Battles. It was released on May 14, 2007 in the United Kingdom, and on May 22, 2007 in the United States. ''Mirrored'' marked the first album in which the band incorporated ...

) is the second and final studio album by

gangsta rap Gangsta rap or gangster rap, initially called reality rap, emerged in the mid- to late 1980s as a controversial hip-hop subgenre whose lyrics assert the culture and values typical of American street gangs and street hustlers. Many gangsta rappe ...

group

N.W.A N.W.A (an abbreviation for Niggaz Wit Attitudes) was an American hip hop group whose members were among the earliest and most significant popularizers and controversial figures of the gangsta rap subgenre, and the group is widely considered ...

, released on May 28, 1991. It was their final album, as the group disbanded later the same year after the departure of

Dr. Dre Andre Romelle Young (born February 18, 1965), known professionally as Dr. Dre, is an American rapper and record producer. He is the founder and CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and Beats Electronics, and previously co-founded, co-owned, and ...

and songwriter

The D.O.C. Tracy Lynn Curry (born June 10, 1968), better known as The D.O.C., is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer. In addition to a solo career, he was a member of the Southern hip hop group Fila Fresh Crew and later collaborated with ga ...

to form

Death Row Records Death Row Records is an American record label that was founded in 1991 by The D.O.C., Dr. Dre, Suge Knight, and Dick Griffey. The label became a sensation by releasing multi-platinum hip-hop albums by West Coast-based artists such as Dr. Dre ('' ...

; the album features only four members of the original line-up, as

Ice Cube An ice cube is a small piece of ice, which is typically rectangular as viewed from above and trapezoidal as viewed from the side. Ice cubes are products of mechanical refrigeration and are usually produced to cool beverages. They may be produc ...

and

Arabian Prince Kim Renard Nazel (born June 17, 1965), better known by his stage names Arabian Prince or Professor X, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and DJ. He is best known as a founding member of N.W.A. Early life Nazel was born i ...

had already left the group in 1989 and 1988 respectively. ''Niggaz4Life'' debuted at number 2 on the ''Billboard'' 200, but in its second week peaked at number 1. In 1992, several months after the release of the album, N.W.A released a video named '' Niggaz4Life: The Only Home Video'', which chronicled the making of the album and its three music videos, "

Alwayz into Somethin' "Alwayz Into Somethin'" is a song by American hip hop group N.W.A, performed by Dr. Dre and MC Ren featuring Admiral D. It is the lead single from their second studio album, ''Niggaz4Life''. The song also appeared on the '' N.W.A's Greatest Hits ...

", "Appetite for Destruction" and "Approach to Danger". In 2002, the CD was re-released in two formats. Both had the EP ''

100 Miles and Runnin' ''100 Miles and Runnin'' is an EP from the American gangsta rap group N.W.A. Released on August 14, 1990, this EP of five tracks reflects an evolution of N.W.A's sound and centers on the single "100 Miles and Runnin'."Jason Birchmeier"N.W.A: ...

'' appended to the end of the original track listing, but one was available with a DVD copy of ''Niggaz4Life: The Only Home Video''. In comparison to its predecessor, the album was also heavier on

misogyny Misogyny () is hatred of, contempt for, or prejudice against women. It is a form of sexism that is used to keep women at a lower social status than men, thus maintaining the societal roles of patriarchy. Misogyny has been widely practiced fo ...

, for which it became notorious. The songs on the album's second half featured more profanity, sexist themes, and references to various sexual acts, provoking the ire of the

PMRC The Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC) was an American committee formed in 1985 with the stated goal of increasing parental control over the access of children to music deemed to have violent, drug-related or sexual themes via labeling albums ...

liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...

and

conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization i ...

politicians, and

civil rights Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from infringement by governments, social organizations, and private individuals. They ensure one's entitlement to participate in the civil and political life of ...

activist C. Delores Tucker.

Critical Reception

Upon release, ''Niggaz4Life'' generally polarized music critics, as many were divided over its lyrics especially in the 2nd half of the album. The Source, the most prominent Hip Hop publication at the time, declared it one of their albums of the year but more “mainstream” publications like Rolling Stone condemned the album. In a two star review (out of five), Rolling Stone critic Arion Berger attacked Niggaz4Life as “so hateful toward women, and in such a pathetic and sleazy manner, that it’s simply tiresome.” Mark Blackwell, of Spin magazine, similarly opined in his interview of N.W.A. that Niggaz4Life “wears thin pretty fast. The main problem is that the old ‘niggas’ and ‘bitches’ thing – whether offensive or not – is getting a little tired” before conceding that “Dre and Yella’s production is peerless.” In a negative review, Newsweek deemed the album "by N.W.A standards, is a mediocre work, a retreat from cinematic storytelling into simple punk bluster."

Time Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, to ...

wrote, "N.W.A. raps nasty and righteous, with real ghetto heat, and doesn't give an inch," calling the album "incendiary" and "grotesque." Later DJ Yella said: “I do like the second album better than the first. The first one had more hits, but production-wise I like this one better. It would have been great if Cube would have got on that album. But it sounds better, we put more into it.” The album received more positive reviews since then especially for the production. Tom Doggett from Rap Reviews said: “Niggaz4life is a frightening album, jammed with explosive beats, visceral skits, and inciting rhymes. There is an overwhelming sense of sensual stimulation that overcomes the room when this album is playing. The eighteen tracks move by effortlessly, jumping from shootout skits to Ice Cube disses to revolting accounts of sexual acts. Even if you are turned off, it is impossible to deny the kinetic force that exudes from this album“ Jesse Ducker from Albumism also praised the production and said: ”Efil4zaggin stands as a very dope, albeit flawed, piece of work.“

Accolades

*Ranked #1 in ''

The Source ''The Source'' is an American hip hop and entertainment website, and a magazine that publishes annually or . It is the world's longest-running rap periodical, being founded as a newsletter in 1988 by Jonathan Shecter. David Mays was the ma ...

''s ''Top 15 Albums of 1991'' list in 1991 *Ranked #7 in

MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...

's ''Greatest Hip-Hop Albums of All Time'' list in 2005 :

Commercial performance

The album debuted number 2 on the US ''Billboard'' Top LPs chart. It went on to top the ''Billboard'' 200, becoming the first album by a rap group to top the chart.

Track listing

Songwriting credits are adapted from the CD liner notes. All songs produced by

and DJ Yella.

Sample credits

;"Prelude" *"Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic" by

Isaac Hayes Isaac Lee Hayes Jr. (August 20, 1942 – August 10, 2008) was an American singer, actor, songwriter, and composer. He was one of the creative forces behind the Southern soul music label Stax Records, where he served both as an in-house songwri ...

*"The Breakdown (Part II)" by

Rufus Thomas Rufus C. Thomas, Jr. (March 26, 1917 – December 15, 2001) was an American rhythm-and-blues, funk, soul and blues singer, songwriter, dancer, DJ and comic entertainer from Memphis, Tennessee. He recorded for several labels, including Chess Rec ...

;"Real Niggaz Don't Die" * "UFO" by

ESG ESG may refer to : Groups * Election Support Group, an internationally sponsored organization analyzing and supporting the electoral process in Pakistan * ES Guelma, an Algerian football club based in Guelma * Escuela Superior de Guerra (Argenti ...

* "Different Strokes" by

Syl Johnson Sylvester Johnson (born Sylvester Thompson; July 1, 1936 – February 6, 2022) was an American blues and soul singer, musician, songwriter and record producer. His most successful records included "Different Strokes" (1967), " Is It Because I' ...

* "Die Nigger!!!" by

The Last Poets The Last Poets are several groups of poets and musicians who arose from the late 1960s African-American civil rights movement's black nationalism. The name is taken from a poem by the South African revolutionary poet Keorapetse Kgositsile, who bel ...

* "Rise Above" by Black Flag * "Long Red" by

Mountain A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited Summit (topography), summit area, and ...

* " I Just Want to Celebrate" by Rare Earth * "

Synthetic Substitution "Synthetic Substitution" is a 1973 song by Melvin Bliss. Originally starting life as a throwaway B-side, with "Reward" as the A-Side, the song failed to chart anywhere on its initial release because of the collapse of Opal Productions, the parent c ...

" by

Melvin Bliss Melvin McClelland (June 1, 1945-July 26, 2010) was a rhythm and blues singer known for his 1973 in music, 1973 song "Reward/Synthetic Substitution", the B-side of which was heavily sampled

* "Hook and Sling" by

Eddie Bo Edwin Joseph Bocage (September 20, 1930 – March 18, 2009), known as Eddie Bo, was an American singer and pianist from New Orleans. Schooled in jazz, he was known for his blues, soul and funk recordings, compositions, productions and arrang ...

* "Big Beat" by

Billy Squier William Haislip Squier (, born May 12, 1950) is an American rock musician and singer who had a string of arena rock and crossover hits in the early 1980s. His best-known songs include "The Stroke", "Lonely Is the Night", "My Kinda Lover", "In t ...

* "Triple Threat" by Z-3 MC's ;"Niggaz 4 Life" * "Die Nigger!!!" by

* "Sir Nose d'Voidoffunk (Pay Attention - B3M)" by

Parliament In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...

* "

Flashlight A flashlight ( US, Canada) or torch ( UK, Australia) is a portable hand-held electric lamp. Formerly, the light source typically was a miniature incandescent light bulb, but these have been displaced by light-emitting diodes (LEDs) since the ...

" by

* "N.T." by

Kool & the Gang Kool & the Gang is an American R&B/soul/funk band formed in Jersey City, New Jersey, in 1964 by brothers Robert "Kool" Bell and Ronald Bell, with Dennis "Dee Tee" Thomas, Robert "Spike" Mickens, Charles Smith, George Brown, and Ricky West. T ...

* " (Don't Worry) If There's a Hell Below, We're All Going to Go" by

Curtis Mayfield Curtis Lee Mayfield (June 3, 1942 – December 26, 1999) was an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer, and one of the most influential musicians behind soul and politically conscious African-American music.

* "Niggers Are Scared of a Revolution" by

* " Cissy Strut" by The Meters * "Fool Yourself" by

Little Feat Little Feat is an American rock band formed by lead vocalist and guitarist Lowell George and keyboardist Bill Payne in 1969 in Los Angeles. George disbanded the group because of creative differences shortly before his death in 1979. Surviving ...

;"Appetite for Destruction" * "Think (About It)" by

Lyn Collins Gloria Lavern Collins (June 12, 1948 – March 13, 2005), better known as Lyn Collins, was an American soul singer best known for working with James Brown in the 1970s and for the influential 1972 funk single, " Think (About It)". A favorite ...

* "Funky Stuff" by Kool and the Gang * "Get Me Back on Time, Engine No. 9" by Wilson Pickett * "Niggers vs. the Police" by

Richard Pryor Richard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor Sr. (December 1, 1940 – December 10, 2005) was an American stand-up comedian and actor. He reached a broad audience with his trenchant observations and storytelling style, and is widely regarded as on ...

;"Don't Drink That Wine" * "I've Been Watching You (Move Your Sexy Body)" by Parliament * "If It Ain't Ruff" by

;"Alwayz into Somethin'" * "Stone to the Bone" by

James Brown James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006) was an American singer, dancer, musician, record producer and bandleader. The central progenitor of funk music and a major figure of 20th century music, he is often referred to by the honor ...

* "Storm King" by Bob James * "Sneakin' in the Back" by

Tom Scott and The L.A. Express ''Tom Scott and The L.A. Express'' is a Jazz/Fusion album released in 1974 by Tom Scott backed by the L.A. Express. Track listing #"Bless My Soul" (Sample, Guerin, Carlton, Bennett, Scott) - 4:09 #"Sneakin' in the Back" (Sample, Guerin, Carlto ...

* "Remember" by

Jimi Hendrix James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942September 18, 1970) was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. Although his mainstream career spanned only four years, he is widely regarded as one of the most ...

* "

" by

* "Just Wanna Make A Dream Come True" by

Mass Production Mass production, also known as flow production or continuous production, is the production of substantial amounts of standardized products in a constant flow, including and especially on assembly lines. Together with job production and batch ...

;"Message to B.A." * "Prelude" by N.W.A ;"Real Niggaz" * "Give it Up" by Kool & the Gang * "Got to Be Real" by

Cheryl Lynn Cheryl Lynn (born Lynda Cheryl Smith; March 11, 1957) is an American singer. She is best known for her songs during the late 1970s through the mid-1980s, including the 1978 R&B/disco song "Got to Be Real". Lynn's singing career began with her ...

* "Gashman" by The Last Poets * "The Lovomaniacs" by Boobie Knight & the Universal Lady ;"To Kill a Hooker" * "Can't Stay Away" by

Bootsy Collins William Earl "Bootsy" Collins (born October 26, 1951) is an American bass guitarist and singer. Rising to prominence with James Brown in the early 1970s, and later with Parliament-Funkadelic, Collins established himself as one of the leading n ...

;"One Less Bitch" * "Zimba Ku" by

Black Heat Black Heat was a 1970s funk band founded by King Raymond Green and discovered by Phillip Guilbeau. Their albums include ''Black Heat (album), Black Heat'' (with guest artist David "Fathead" Newman), ''No Time to Burn, No Time To Burn'' and ''Keep o ...

* "Funkin' 4 Jamaica" by Tom Browne * "I'm Gonna Love You Just a Little More, Babe" by

Barry White Barry Eugene Carter (September 12, 1944 – July 4, 2003), better known by his stage name Barry White, was an American singer and songwriter. A two-time Grammy Award winner known for his bass voice and romantic image, his greatest success came ...

;"Findum, Fuckum & Flee" * "

Rapper's Delight "Rapper's Delight" is a 1979 hip-hop track by the Sugarhill Gang, produced by Sylvia Robinson. Although it was shortly preceded by the Fatback Band's "King Tim III (Personality Jock)", "Rapper's Delight" is credited for introducing hip-hop mus ...

" by the

Sugarhill Gang Sugar Hill may refer to: Places In the United States: * Sugar Hill, Georgia, a city * Sugar Hill, New Hampshire, a town * Sugar Hill, Manhattan, New York, a section of Harlem * Sugar Hill (New York), a mountain in Schuyler County * Sugar Hill, P ...

* "The Breakdown, Pt. 1" by

;"Automobile" * "My Automobile" by Parliament ;"She Swallowed It" * "Cardova" by The Meters * "I'm Gonna Love You Just a Little More, Babe" by Barry White * "That Girl is a Slut" by

Just-Ice Joseph Williams Jr. (born June 22, 1965), better known by the stage name Just-Ice, is an American rapper from New York City. A former bouncer at punk clubs, Williams was the first of the New York rappers to embrace gangsta rap, and when he bur ...

* "Slack Jawed Leroy" by Leroy & Skillet with

LaWanda Page LaWanda Page (born Alberta Peal; October 19, 1920September 14, 2002) was an American actress, comedian, and dancer whose career spanned six decades. Crowned "The Queen of Comedy" or "The Black Queen of Comedy", Page melded blue humor, signifyin ...

;"I'd Rather Fuck You" * "I'd Rather Be with You" by

;"Approach to Danger" * "AJ Scratch" by

Kurtis Blow Kurtis Walker (born August 9, 1959), professionally known by his stage name Kurtis Blow, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record/film producer, b-boy, DJ, public speaker and minister. He is the first commercially successful rapper ...

* "Get up & Get Down" by

The Dramatics The Dramatics are an American soul music vocal group, formed in Detroit, Michigan, in 1964. They are best known for their 1970s hit songs " In the Rain" and "Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get", both of which were Top 10 Pop hits, as well as their late ...

* "Get Me Back on Time, Engine No. 9" by

Wilson Pickett Wilson Pickett (March 18, 1941 – January 19, 2006) was an American singer and songwriter. A major figure in the development of soul music, Pickett recorded over 50 songs which made the US R&B charts, many of which crossed over to the ''Bill ...

* " God Made Me Funky" by

The Headhunters The Headhunters are an American jazz fusion band formed by Herbie Hancock in 1973. The group fused jazz, funk, and rock music. History (and name) Hancock had grown dissatisfied with his prior band, Mwandishi, and wanted to make a band with a st ...

* "Scorpio" by

Lalo Schifrin Boris Claudio "Lalo" Schifrin (born June 21, 1932) is an Argentine-American pianist, composer, arranger and conductor. He is best known for his large body of film and TV scores since the 1950s, incorporating jazz and Latin American musical elemen ...

* "This Is It" by

Jimmy Spicer James Bromley Spicer (May 12, 1958 – September 27, 2019) was an American hip hop recording artist who released a number of old school rap singles during the late 1970s and early 1980s including the classic "Dollar Bill Y'all," for which he wa ...

;"1-900-2-Compton" * "

P. Funk (Wants to Get Funked Up) "P. Funk (Wants to Get Funked Up)" is a funk song by Parliament. It is the first track on their 1975 album '' Mothership Connection'' and was the first single to be released from the album. It was also released as the B-side of the album's seco ...

" by Parliament ;"The Dayz of Wayback" * "Troglodyte" by

Jimmy Castor Bunch James Walter Castor (January 23, 1940 – January 16, 2012) was an American funk, R&B, and soul musician. He is credited with vocals, saxophone and composition. He is best known for songs such as "It's Just Begun", "The Bertha Butt Boogie", and ...

* "Impreach the President" by The Honey Drippers * "Players Balling (Players Doin' Their Own Thing)" by

Ohio Players Ohio Players is an American funk band, most popular in the 1970s. They are best known for their songs "Fire (Ohio Players song), Fire" and "Love Rollercoaster", and for their erotic album covers that featured nude or nearly nude women. Many of t ...

* "On the Ill Tip" by

LL Cool J James Todd Smith (born January 14, 1968), known professionally as LL Cool J (short for Ladies Love Cool James), is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He is one of the earliest rappers to achieve commercial success, along ...

* "Surprises" by

* "Niggaz4Life" by

Appearances

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Niggaz4life N.W.A albums 1991 albums Albums produced by Dr. Dre Ruthless Records albums G-funk albums Gangsta rap albums by American artists