Efil4zaggin
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Efil4zaggin | ||
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Studio album by N.W.A. | ||
Released | May 28, 1991 | |
Recorded | July 1990 - March 1991 | |
Genre | Gangsta Rap | |
Length | 76:13 (2003 re-release) | |
Label | Priority | |
Producer(s) | Dr. Dre, DJ Yella |
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Professional reviews | ||
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N.W.A. chronology | ||
100 Miles and Runnin' (1990) |
Efil4zaggin (1991) |
Greatest Hits (1996) |
The 1991 album Efil4zaggin (aka Niggaz4life) was the final released by rap group N.W.A. before their disbandment later the same year. It only features 4 members of the original line-up, as Ice Cube left the group back in 1989.
It reached number 1 on the Billboard 200, although actually debuting at number 2 on the Billboard 200. The only other artist to do this before N.W.A. was Michael Jackson.
In 2003, the CD was re-released in two formats. Both had the EP 100 Miles and Runnin' appended to the end of the original track listing, but one was available with a second disc containing a live DVD featuring music videos.
[edit] The title
"Efil4zaggin" is the phrase "Niggaz 4 Life" reversed, and also likely a reference to the cultural iconic image of zagging when authorised only to zig, or vice versa [1] (cf zig-zag) being a form of rebellion subject to punitive measures by generic authoritarianism -- and zig-zagging being a necessary form of self-defense when fleeing an opponent who is capable of missile fire. (See the album cover image at right, which depicts members of the rap ensemble rising as ghostly forms from their dead bodies surrounded by Police and their "crime-scene" tape.)
The corruption of the word "nigger" as used in the album title is perhaps influenced by censorship measures in the US surrounding the challenging content released by music groups in general, and N.W.A. in particular, introduced at around the time of the release of this album (in fact the previous full-album Straight Outta Compton containing the reflective track Parental Discretion Iz Advised, was one of the first subjected to stickering). A sticker of this type is shown attached to the album cover in the image given here. It is likely that the album would not have had an unrestricted choice of titles for the album, due to both government censorship and record-publisher policy. By obfuscating the "offensive" word, the group were able to lever a small measure of artistic freedom, and raise discussion about the potential merit or lack of such of the censorship policies.
[edit] Track listing
- "Prelude" (Dr. Dre/MC Ren) – 2:27
- "Real Niggaz Don't Die" (The D.O.C./Dr. Dre/Eazy-E/Fekaris/MC Ren/DJ Yella/Zesses) – 3:40
- "Niggaz 4 Life" (The D.O.C./Dr. Dre/MC Ren) – 4:58
- "Protest" – 0:53
- "Appetite for Destruction" (The D.O.C./Dr. Dre/Kokane/MC Ren) – 3:22
- "Don't Drink That Wine" – 1:07
- "Alwayz Into Somethin'" (The D.O.C./Dr. Dre/MC Ren) – 4:29
- "Message to B.A." (Diss To Ice Cube) – 0:48
- "Real Niggaz" (DJ Yella/Dr. Dre/Eazy-E/MC Ren) – 4:27
- "To Kill a Hooker" – 0:50
- "One Less Bitch" (The D.O.C./Dr. Dre) – 4:47
- "Findum, Fuckum, and Flee" (Dr. Dre/Eazy-E/MC Ren/DJ Yella) – 3:55
- "Automobile" (Eazy-E) – 3:15
- "She Swallowed It" (MC Ren) – 4:13
- "I'd Rather Fuck You (featuring CPO)" (Dr. Dre/Eazy-E/DJ Yella) – 3:57
- "Approach to Danger" (The D.O.C./Dr. Dre/MC Ren/DJ Yella) – 2:45
- "1-900-2-Compton" – 1:27
- "The Dayz of Wayback" (The D.O.C./Dr. Dre/MC Ren) – 4:15
[edit] Billboard 200
U.S. Billboard 200 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Week | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | |
Position (from 15/06/1991) | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 13 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 20 | 18 | 19 | 23 | 33 | 35 | 39 | 48 | 58 | 65 | 66 | 74 | 80 | 104 | 112 | 111 | 138 | 138 | |
Week | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | |||||||||||||||
Position (from 04/01/1992) | 148 | 93 | 109 | 132 | 120 | 128 | 124 | 128 | 165 | 161 | 172 | 172 | 186 | 196 | 185 |
Dr. Dre |
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Discography |
Albums |
Solo albums: The Chronic • 2001 • Detox |
N.W.A. albums: N.W.A. and the Posse • Straight Outta Compton • 100 Miles and Runnin' • Efil4zaggin |
Singles |
Mainstream singles: "Deep Cover" • "Nuthin' But a "G" Thang" • "Fuck Wit Dre Day" • "Let Me Ride" • "Lil Ghetto Boy" • "Natural Born Killaz" • "Keep Their Heads Ringin'" • "Been There, Done That" • "East Coast/West Coast Killas" • "Zoom" • "Fuck You" • "Still D.R.E." • "Forgot About Dre" • "The Next Episode" • "Put It On Me" • "Bad Intentions" • "The Wash" |
Featured songs: "Funky Flute" • "We're All In The Same Gang" • "California Love" • "No Diggity" • "Puppet Master" • "Ghetto Fabulous" • "Guilty Conscience" • "U Know" • "Chin Check" • "Hello" • "Just Be A Man About It" • "Fast Lane" • "The Knoc" • "Symphony In X Major" • "Encore" • "Imagine" |
Related articles |
Ruthless • Death Row • Interscope • Aftermath • World Class Wreckin' Cru • N.W.A. (Krazy Dee • Arabian Prince • The D.O.C. • DJ Yella • MC Ren • Ice Cube • Eazy-E) • Snoop Dogg • Mel-Man • Eminem • 50 Cent • The Game • Bishop Lamont |