Livin' Like Hustlers

{{Infobox album

| name = Livin' Like Hustlers

| type = studio

| artist = Above the Law

| cover = Livin' Like Hustlers.jpg

| alt =

| released = February 20, 1990

| recorded = 1989

| studio =

| genre =

| length = 45:52

| label = {{hlist|Ruthless|Epic}}

| producer = {{hlist|Above the Law|Dr. Dre|Laylaw}}

| next_title = Vocally Pimpin'

| next_year = 1991

| misc = {{Singles

| name = Livin' Like Hustlers

| type = studio

| single1 = Murder Rap

| single1date = February 8, 1990

| single2 = Untouchable

| single2date = 1990

}}}}

Livin' Like Hustlers is the debut album by American hip hop group Above the Law.{{Cite web|url=http://www.trouserpress.com/entry.php?a=above_the_law|title=Above the Law|website=Trouser Press|access-date=2020-05-19|archive-date=2004-11-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041107044817/http://www.trouserpress.com/entry.php?a=above_the_law|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://thequietus.com/articles/17426-above-the-law-livin-like-hustlers|title=The Quietus | Features | Anniversary | Is Above The Law's Livin' Like Hustlers The Best Gangsta Rap Album?|website=The Quietus}} It was released on February 20, 1990, via Ruthless Records; an advanced promo cassette version was released two months earlier. The album was produced by Dr. Dre and Above the Law and featured a guest performance from N.W.A on "The Last Song". Eazy-E served as executive producer. It peaked at number 14 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and number 75 on the U.S. Billboard 200.

The album included two hit singles "Murder Rap" and "Untouchable", which both charted at number one on the Hot Rap Songs. The album's lead single, "Murder Rap", also peaked at number 41 on the Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales. In 1998, the album was selected as one of The Source's 100 Best Rap Albums Ever.{{cite magazine |url=http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/source.htm#100albums |title=100 Best Rap Albums |accessdate=November 24, 2007 |magazine=The Source |issue=100 |date=January 1998 |location=New York |issn=1063-2085 |archive-date=August 7, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170807103112/http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/source.htm#100albums |url-status=usurped }}

Critical reception

The Los Angeles Times opined that "Cold 187um and KMG are defeated by their unimaginative writing and sloppy rapping."{{cite news |last1=Mills |first1=David |title=Los Angeles' Gangsters of Rap, Escalating the Attitude |work=Los Angeles Times |date=May 20, 1990 |page=G6}}

In popular culture

"Murder Rap" was featured in the 2009 film Pineapple Express and in the 2004 video game Grand Theft Auto San Andreas.
"Freedom of Speech" appeared on the soundtrack to the 1990 film Pump Up the Volume.

Track listing

All songs produced by Dr. Dre and Above the Law.

{{Track listing

| all_writing =

| extra_column =

| title1 = Murder Rap

| length1 = 4:14

| writer1 = {{hlist|G. Hutchinson|A. Stewart|A. Young||A. Goodman|K. Gulley|L. Goodman}}

| title2 = Untouchable

| length2 = 3:45

| writer2 = {{hlist|G. Hutchinson|K. Gulley|J. Morrison|J. Densmore|Q. Jones|R. Manzarek|R. Krieger}}

| title3 = Livin' Like Hustlers

| length3 = 5:45

| writer3 = {{hlist|G. Hutchinson|K. Gulley|B. Cosby|Q. Jones}}

| title4 = Another Execution

| length4 = 4:21

| writer4 = {{hlist|G. Hutchinson|I. Hayes}}

| title5 = Menace to Society

| length5 = 4:33

| writer5 = {{hlist|G. Hutchinson|A. Stewart|A. Goodman|K. Gulley|G. Burton|J. Constantino|T. Martin}}

| title6 = Just Kickin' Lyrics

| length6 = 4:22

| writer6 = {{hlist|G. Hutchinson|A. Isbell|I. Hayes}}

| title7 = Ballin{{'-}}

| length7 = 4:19

| writer7 = {{hlist|A. Goodman|L. Blackmon}}

| title8 = Freedom of Speech

| length8 = 4:20

| writer8 = {{hlist|G. Hutchinson|L. Goodman|J. Brown}}

| title9 = Flow On (Move Me No Mountain)

| length9 = 3:57

| writer9 = {{hlist|A. Schroeder|J. Ragovoy|G. Hutchinson|K. Gulley}}

| title10 = The Last Song

| note10 = featuring N.W.A.

| length10 = 6:21

| writer10 = {{hlist|G. Hutchinson|A. Goodman|K. Gulley|L. Goodman|A. Young|E. Wright|L. Patterson}}

| total_length = 45:52

}}

Sample credits

"Murder Rap" contains elements from "Ironside" by Quincy Jones (1971), "Hook and Sling - Part I" by Eddie Bo (1969), "Keep Your Distance" by Babe Ruth (1976), "Funky Drummer" by James Brown (1970) and "Sister Sanctified" by Stanley Turrentine & Milt Jackson (1972)
"Untouchable" contains elements from "Light My Fire" by Young-Holt Unlimited (1969), "Ironside" by Quincy Jones (1971), "Funky Drummer" by James Brown (1970), "Fuck tha Police" by N.W.A (1988)
"Livin' Like Hustlers" contains elements from "Hikky Burr" by Quincy Jones & Bill Cosby (1971), "The Champ" by The Mohawks (1968), "Hot (I Need to Be Loved, Loved, Loved, Loved)" by James Brown (1975), "Comm. 2" by The D.O.C. (1989) and "The Big Beat" by Billy Squier (1980)
"Another Execution" contains elements from "Do Your Thing" by Lyn Collins (1972), "Good Old Music" by Funkadelic (1970) and "Afro-Strut" by the Nite-Liters (1972)
"Menace to Society" contains elements from "Let a Woman Be a Woman, Let a Man Be a Man" by Dyke and the Blazers (1969), "I Got You (I Feel Good)" by James Brown (1965) and "Once You Get It", "This House Is Smokin'", "Do You Like It" by B.T. Express (1974)
"Just Kickin' Lyrics" contains elements from "Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic" by Isaac Hayes (1969), "More Peas" by Fred Wesley & the J.B.'s (1973), "Papa Was Too" by Joe Tex (1966)
"Ballin'" contains elements from "Why Have I Lost You" by Cameo (1977)
"Freedom of Speech" contains elements from "The Message from the Soul Sisters" by Myra Barnes (1970) and "Funky Drummer" by James Brown (1970)
"Flow On" contains elements from "Move Me No Mountain" by Love Unlimited (1974) and "Paid in Full" by Eric B. & Rakim (1987)
"The Last Song" contains elements from "Baby Let Me Take You (In My Arms)" by the Detroit Emeralds (1972) and "Gangsta Gangsta" by N.W.A (1988)

Personnel

Gregory Fernan Hutchinson - lead vocals, additional vocals, producer
Kevin Michael Gulley - lead vocals, additional vocals, producer
Arthur Lee Goodman III - additional vocals, producer
Larry Goodman - additional vocals, producer, management
Anthony Stewart - additional vocals, producer
Eric Wright - guest vocals, executive producer
Andre Young - guest vocals, producer
Lorenzo Patterson - guest vocals
Michael Sims - additional vocals, guitar, bass
Andre "L.A. Dre" Bolton - keyboards
Brian Gardner - mastering
Donovan Smith - engineering
Helane Freeman - art direction
Peter Dokus - photography

Charts

=Weekly charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
scope="col"\| Chart (1990) ! scope="col"\| Peak position
scope="row"\| US Billboard 200{{cite magazine\|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/search?artistname=Above+The+Law&charttitle=&label=&chartcode=TLP\|title=Above The Law, TLP\|magazine=Billboard\|accessdate=March 31, 2021\|url-access=subscription}} \| 75
scope="row"\| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard){{cite magazine\|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/search?artistname=Above+The+Law&charttitle=&label=&chartcode=BLP\|title=Above The Law, BLP\|magazine=Billboard\|accessdate=March 31, 2021\|url-access=subscription}} \| 14

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

scope="col"| Chart (1990)

! scope="col"| Peak
position

scope="row"| US Billboard 200{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/search?artistname=Above+The+Law&charttitle=&label=&chartcode=TLP|title=Above The Law, TLP|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=March 31, 2021|url-access=subscription}}

| 75

scope="row"| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/search?artistname=Above+The+Law&charttitle=&label=&chartcode=BLP|title=Above The Law, BLP|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=March 31, 2021|url-access=subscription}}

| 14

=Year-end charts=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
scope="col"\| Chart (1990) ! scope="col"\| Position
scope="row"\| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard){{cite magazine\|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1990/top-r-and-b-hip-hop-albums\|title=Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1990\|magazine=Billboard\|accessdate=March 31, 2021\|archive-date=July 26, 2020\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200726093618/https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1990/top-r-and-b-hip-hop-albums\|url-status=live}} \| 50

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

scope="col"| Chart (1990)

! scope="col"| Position

scope="row"| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1990/top-r-and-b-hip-hop-albums|title=Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1990|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=March 31, 2021|archive-date=July 26, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200726093618/https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1990/top-r-and-b-hip-hop-albums|url-status=live}}

| 50