Spice 1 (album) explained

Spice 1 is the debut studio album by American rapper Spice 1.^[1] It was released on April 14, 1992, on Jive Records. It was certified gold by the RIAA.^[2] The album was produced by Ant Banks, Blackjack, E-A-Ski & CMT, and Spice 1. It peaked at number 14 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and at number 82 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers.^[3] One single, "Welcome to the Ghetto", peaked at number 39 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and at number 5 on the Billboard Rap Songs.^[4]

Along with singles, music videos were produced for four songs: "In My Neighborhood",^[5] "Welcome to the Ghetto",^[6] "187 Proof"^[7] and "East Bay Gangsta".^[8] Richie Rich makes a cameo appearance in "Welcome to the Ghetto". "East Bay Gangsta" and "Welcome to the Ghetto" were B-sides on the other singles.

Critical reception

AllMusic - "...His style, an appropriate mix of irony, disdain, acceptance and confusion, never succumbs to the situation or seeks to justify or downplay the sense of impending doom."

Entertainment Weekly (7/24/92, p. 60) - "...Spice 1's lyrics are clever enough to make you forget you've heard it all before...his tales unfold with the drama of short stories..."

The album was included in The Sources 100 greatest hip hop albums.

Samples

Welcome to the Ghetto

• "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)" by Marvin Gaye
• "No One's Gonna Love You" by the S.O.S. Band

187 Pure

• "Take Me to the Mardi Gras" by Bob James

City Streets

• "Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get" by the Dramatics

F***ed in the Game

• "Make Me Believe in You" by Curtis Mayfield

In My Neighborhood

• "Reach for It" by George Duke

Money Gone

• "Time for a Change" by Mel Brown

Money or Murder

• "Joy by Isaac Hayes

Peace to My Nine

• "One Nation Under a Groove" by Funkadelic

Young N****

• "Mothership Connection (Star Child)" by Parliament
• "Us" by Ice Cube

Note: The sample credits contain a disclaimer from George Clinton disparaging the lyrical content of the song, yet stating the sample was allowed due to the message of music as a free agent of change inherent in "Mothership Connection." This type of note was uncommon for most artists who were sampling.

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1992)	Peak position
US Billboard 200 (Billboard)[9]	82
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[10]	14

Year-end charts

External links

• Spice 1 at Discogs
• Spice 1 at MusicBrainz
• Spice 1 at Tower Records

Notes and References

1. News: Scanlon . Tom . The New Motown: Call it 'Oaktown' . Los Angeles Times . Nov 22, 1992 . Calendar . 3.
2. News: Gold & Platinum - RIAA. RIAA. August 19, 2017. en-US.
3. Spice 1 Billboard Albums
4. Spice 1 Billboard Singles
5. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-rXU7kmqEk Spice 1 - "In My Neighborhood" (official video)
6. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AB8Xd_Qhxhc Spice 1 - "Welcome to the Ghetto" (official video)
7. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwNOySGi3KE Spice 1 - "187 Proof" (official video)
8. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrXZq927WQE Spice 1 - "East Bay Gangsta" (official video)
9. Web site: Spice 1, TLN. Billboard. April 19, 2021. subscription.
10. Web site: Spice 1, BLP. Billboard. April 19, 2021. subscription.
11. Web site: Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1992. Billboard.com. April 19, 2021.