''Poverty's Paradise'' is the fourth album from Naughty by Nature, released on May 30, 1995, as their final album under

Tommy Boy Records Tommy Boy Entertainment is an American independent record label and multimedia brand founded in 1981 by Tom Silverman. The label is credited with helping and launching the music careers of Queen Latifah, Afrika Bambaataa, Stetsasonic, Digital U ...

. It peaked at number 3 on the ''Billboard'' 200 and number 1 on the

Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a music chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales in the United States and is compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The chart debuted as Hot R&B LPs in the issue dated J ...

. A single released from the album, "

Feel Me Flow "Feel Me Flow" is a 1995 single by hip hop group Naughty by Nature from their fourth album ''Poverty's Paradise''. The song was the most successful single from the album, peaking at number 3 on Hot Rap Singles in mid-June and at number 17 on th ...

", achieved major success, peaking at number 17 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, two other singles "

Craziest "Craziest" is the second single released from Naughty by Nature's fourth album, ''Poverty's Paradise''. The song was a mild success on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks, peaking at 51 and 27 on the charts respectively ...

" and "

Clap Yo Hands "Clap Yo Hands" is the first single released from Naughty by Nature's fourth album, ''Poverty's Paradise''. It was released in 1995 and was written and produced by the group. "Clap Yo Hands" was not as successful as the album's next two singles, ...

”, achieved minor success, the former peaking at number 51 on the Hot 100. At the

Grammy Awards of 1996 The 38th Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 28, 1996, at Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles. The awards recognized accomplishments by musicians from the previous year. Alanis Morissette was the main recipient, being awarded four trophies, in ...

it won the award for

Best Rap Album The Grammy Award for Best Rap Album is an award presented to recording artists for quality albums with rapping at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards. Honors in several categories ...

, which was a new category that year.

Critical reception

James Bernard of ''

Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...

'' praised both Treach and Vinnie for their commanding presence throughout the track listing and felt the record was prime for summer replays, saying "Dominated by rollicking bass lines, chant-along choruses, and the catchy, tight rhyme schemes that are Naughty’s trademark, ''Poverty'' is tailor-made for low driving on the beach."

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 ...

Stephen Thomas Erlewine Stephen Thomas Erlewine (; born June 18, 1973) is an American music critic and senior editor for the online music database AllMusic. He is the author of many artist biographies and record reviews for AllMusic, as well as a freelance writer, occ ...

said that " r their third album, Naughty By Nature do little to truly change their style. Some of the beats are little slower and funkier, some of the rhymes are more dexterous, some of the rhythms are a little more complex -- yet nothing distinguishes ''Poverty's Paradise'' from the group's two previous, and superior, records." Martin Johnson of the ''

Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television ar ...

'' said about the album: "Yes, there are many radio-friendly anthemic numbers that could make a nifty summer soundtrack, but the real strength of this record is its consistency; there are no weak spots. Most tracks roll by with New Jersey-styled funk and rollicking rhymes from Treach and Kay Gee, whose lyrics depict the 'hood without romanticizing it." Cheo H. Coker, writing for ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...

'', gave note of the record following the same formula as the group's previous efforts: "a few party-starting tracks ("Clap Yo Hands," "Craziest"), some social commentary ("Chain Remains," "Holding Fort") and a barrage of lyrical fury ("Klickcow, Klicow," "Respect Due")", but said that it retains their "sheer funkability" thanks to the "production stylistics" of Kay Gee's work, Vinnie's "improved rhyme skills," and Treach remaining consistent in his vocal conviction, saying "there's emotional substance behind the flashy verbal pyrotechnics."

Track listing

Samples

*"Intro Skit" **"Soul Sister Brown Sugar" by

Sam & Dave Sam & Dave were an American soul and R&B duo who performed together from 1961 until 1981. The tenor (higher) voice was Sam Moore (born 1935) and the baritone/tenor (lower) voice was Dave Prater (1937–1988). Nicknamed "Double Dynamite", "The ...

*"Poverty's Paradise" **"Poverty's Paradise" by

24 Carat Black 24-Carat Black (sometimes styled as The 24-Carat Black) was an American soul and funk band who recorded in the early 1970s. Although they only released one album at the time, the late 1973 concept album ''Ghetto: Misfortune's Wealth'' produce ...

*"Clap Yo Hands" **"I Thank You" by

**" Eric B. is President" by Eric B. & Rakim **"

Devotion Devotion or Devotions may refer to: Religion * Faith, confidence or trust in a person, thing, or concept * Anglican devotions, private prayers and practices used by Anglican Christians * Buddhist devotion, commitment to religious observance * Cat ...

(Live)" by

Earth, Wind & Fire Earth, Wind & Fire (EW&F or EWF) is an American band whose music spans the genres of jazz, R&B, soul, funk, disco, pop, big band, Latin, and Afro pop. They are among the best-selling bands of all time, with sales of over 90 million re ...

*"City of Ci-Lo" **"Bones Fly from Spoon's Hand" by

Lightnin' Rod Jalaluddin Mansur Nuriddin (July 24, 1944 – June 4, 2018) was an American poet and musician. He was one of the founding members of The Last Poets, a group of poets and musicians that evolved in the 1960s out of the Harlem Writers Workshop in ...

*"Hang Out and Hustle" **"Hang out and Hustle" by

Sweet Charles "Sweet" Charles Sherrell (born Charles Emanuel Sherrell, March 8, 1943) is an American bassist known for recording and performing with James Brown. Biography Born in Nashville, Tennessee, Sherrell began his career playing drums with fellow Na ...

*"Feel Me Flow" **"Find Yourself" by The Meters *"Craziest" **"That's All That Matters Baby" by

Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band is an American soul and funk band. Formed in the early 1960s, they had the most visibility from 1967 to 1973 when the band had 9 singles reach Billboard's pop and/or rhythm and blues charts, ...

*"Sunshine" **"Everybody Loves the Sunshine" by

Roy Ayers Roy Ayers (born September 10, 1940) is an American funk, soul, and jazz composer, vibraphone player, and music producer. Ayers began his career as a post-bop jazz artist, releasing several albums with Atlantic Records, before his tenure at Pol ...

*"World Go Round" **" People Make the World Go Round" by

Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a ...

**"What You Do to Me" by Tony Williams *"Klickow-Klickow" **"Funky Worm" 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 ...

*"Slang Bang" **"Inside My Love" by

Minnie Riperton Minnie Julia Riperton Rudolph (November 8, 1947 – July 12, 1979) was an American singer-songwriter best known for her 1975 single "Lovin' You" and her four octave D3 to F7 coloratura soprano range. She is also widely known for her use o ...

*"Shout Out" **"Our Love Has Died" by

*"Connections" **"Hard Times" by

Baby Huey Baby Huey is a gigantic and naïve duckling cartoon character. He was created by Martin Taras for Paramount Pictures' Famous Studios, and became a Paramount cartoon star during the 1950s. Huey first appeared in ''Quack-a-Doodle-Doo'', a ''Novel ...

& "The What" by

The Notorious B.I.G. Christopher George Latore Wallace (May 21, 1972 – March 9, 1997), better known by his stage names the Notorious B.I.G., Biggie Smalls, or simply Biggie, was an American rapper. Rooted in East Coast hip hop and particularly gangsta ...

feat.

Method Man Clifford Smith, Jr. (born March 2, 1971), better known by his stage name Method Man, is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He is known as a member of the East Coast hip hop collective Wu-Tang Clan. He is also half of t ...

Album chart positions

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Singles chart positions

Certifications

References

{{Authority control 1995 albums Naughty by Nature albums Tommy Boy Records albums Grammy Award for Best Rap Album