Niggaz4Life

Niggaz4Life (also known as Efil4zaggin as per album cover art, stylized in all caps and horizontally mirrored) is the second and final studio album by gangsta rap group N.W.A, released on May 28, 1991. It was their final album, as the group disbanded later the same year after the departure of Dr. Dre and songwriter The D.O.C. to form Death Row Records; the album features only four members of the original line-up, as Ice Cube and Arabian Prince 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.[2]

Niggaz4Life
Studio album by
N.W.A
ReleasedMay 28, 1991 (1991-05-28)
Recorded1990–1991
StudioAudio Achievements (Torrance, California)
Genre
Length55:35
Label
Producer
N.W.A chronology
100 Miles and Runnin'
(1990)		 Niggaz4Life
(1991)		 Greatest Hits
(1996)
Singles from Niggaz4Life
  1. "Alwayz into Somethin'"
    Released: April 15, 1991
  2. "Appetite for Destruction"
    Released: May 18, 1991
  3. "The Dayz of Wayback"
    Released: 1991

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'", "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' 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, 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,[3] liberal and conservative politicians, and civil rights activist C. Delores Tucker.[4]

Critical Reception

Niggaz4Life received generally negative reviews from critics. 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."[5] Time wrote, "N.W.A. raps nasty and righteous, with real ghetto heat, and doesn't give an inch," calling the album "incendiary" and "grotesque."[2]

Accolades
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[6]
Blender[7]
Robert ChristgauC−[8]
Los Angeles Times[9]
Pitchfork8.8/10[10]
RapReviews9/10[11]
Rolling Stone[12]
The Washington Post(favorable)[13]
  • Ranked #1 in The Source's Top 15 Albums of 1991 list in 1991[14]
  • Ranked #7 in MTV's Greatest Hip-Hop Albums of All Time list in 2005[15]

Commercial performance

The album debuted number 2 on the US Billboard Top LPs chart.[16] It went on to top the Billboard 200, becoming the first album by a rap group to top the chart.[17]

Track listing

Songwriting credits are adapted from the CD liner notes.[18] All songs produced by Dr. Dre and DJ Yella.[18]

No.TitleWriter(s)Performer(s)sLength
1."Prelude"MC RenMC Ren, Above The Law2:27
2."Real Niggaz Don't Die"MC Ren, The D.O.C.MC Ren, Dr. Dre, Eazy-E3:40
3."Niggaz 4 Life"MC Ren, The D.O.C.MC Ren, Dr. Dre, Eazy-E4:58
4."Protest" (Interlude)  0:53
5."Appetite for Destruction"MC Ren, The D.O.C., KokaneMC Ren, Dr. Dre, Eazy-E3:22
6."Don't Drink That Wine" (Interlude)  1:07
7."Alwayz into Somethin'"MC Ren, The D.O.C.MC Ren, Dr. Dre4:24
8."Message to B.A." (Interlude)  0:48
9."Real Niggaz"MC Ren, The D.O.C.MC Ren, Dr. Dre, Eazy-E4:27
10."To Kill a Hooker" (Interlude)  0:50
11."One Less Bitch"MC Ren, The D.O.C.MC Ren, Dr. Dre4:47
12."Findum, Fuckum & Flee"MC Ren, The D.O.C., CPOMC Ren, Dr. Dre, Eazy-E3:55
13."Automobile"Eazy-EDr. Dre, Eazy-E3:15
14."She Swallowed It"MC RenMC Ren4:13
15."I'd Rather Fuck You"Eazy-EEazy-E3:57
16."Approach to Danger"MC Ren, Eazy-EMC Ren, Dr. Dre, Eazy-E2:45
17."1-900-2-Compton" (Interlude) Warren G1:27
18."The Dayz of Wayback"MC Ren, The D.O.C.MC Ren, Dr. Dre4:15
2002 bonus tracks: 100 Miles and Runnin'
No.TitleWriter(s)Performer(s)Length
19."100 Miles and Runnin'"MC Ren, The D.O.C., Cold 187umMC Ren, Dr. Dre, Eazy-E4:32
20."Just Don't Bite It"MC RenMC Ren5:28
21."Sa Prize (Part 2)"MC RenMC Ren, Dr. Dre, Eazy-E5:59
22."Kamurshol"MC RenMC Ren, Dr. Dre, Eazy-E1:56

Sample credits

Appearances
ArtistNotes
MC Renperforms on 11 tracks
Dr. Dreperforms on 9 tracks
Eazy-Eperforms on 9 tracks
DJ Yellaperforms on 1 track

Charts

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[24]
sales since 2002 		Silver 60,000
United States (RIAA)[25] Platinum 1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. Namikas, Michael (July 28, 2015). "efiL4zaggiN: N.W.A.'s 4gotten Masterpiece". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on October 16, 2017. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
  2. Cocks, J.; Donnelly, S.B. (July 1, 1991). "A nasty jolt for the top pops". TIME Magazine.
  3. "Popular music restrictions in america in the late 1980s/early 90s (1991)". Ed Cox. June 9, 1990. Archived from the original on March 28, 2016. Retrieved May 19, 2016.
  4. "Gangsta Misogyny by Edward G. Armstrong - JCJPC, Volume 8, Issue 2". Albany.edu. April 19, 1998. Archived from the original on September 20, 2012. Retrieved May 19, 2016.
  5. Leland, J.; Buckley, L. (July 1, 1991). "Number one with a bullet". Newsweek.
  6. Jason Birchmeier (May 28, 1991). "Niggaz4life - N.W.A | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Archived from the original on September 24, 2016. Retrieved May 19, 2016.
  7. Chairman Mao. "N.W.A: Straight Outta Compton/Efil4Zaggin". Blender. New York. Archived from the original on April 19, 2010. Retrieved August 19, 2015.
  8. "Robert Christgau: CG: N.W.A". Robertchristgau.com. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved May 19, 2016.
  9. Gold, Jonathan (June 2, 1991). "Cringe a Minute (Again) With N.W.A". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on December 29, 2016. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
  10. "N.W.A." Pitchfork. Archived from the original on May 30, 2016. Retrieved May 19, 2016.
  11. "N.W.A. :: Efil4Zaggin :: Ruthless/Priority Records". Rapreviews.com. Archived from the original on April 4, 2016. Retrieved May 19, 2016.
  12. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on October 1, 2007. Retrieved September 4, 2007.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  13. "STRONG WORDS FROM ICE-T AND N.W.A." washingtonpost.com. Archived from the original on June 24, 2016. Retrieved January 1, 2017.
  14. Admin (April 4, 2010). "Rap Research Archive: The Source Awards for 1991". Archived from the original on May 25, 2019. Retrieved May 25, 2019.
  15. "MTV.com". Archived from the original on December 15, 2006. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
  16. Brandon Gaille (February 5, 2015). "25 Good Hip Hop Demographics". BrandonGaille.com. Archived from the original on May 15, 2016. Retrieved May 19, 2016.
  17. Thompson, Derek (May 8, 2015). "1991: The Most Important Year in Pop-Music History". The Atlantic. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
  18. Efil4Zaggin [inside sleeve] (Media notes). N.W.A. Ruthless Records. 261 464.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  19. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
  20. "N.W.A Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
  21. "N.W.A Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
  22. "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1991". Billboard. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
  23. "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1991". Billboard. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
  24. "British album certifications – Nwa – Efil4zaggin". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
  25. "American album certifications – N.W.A. – EFIL4ZAGGIN". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved September 7, 2020.
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