My Balls and My Word

{{Infobox album

| name = My Balls and My Word

| type = Studio

| artist = Young Bleed

| cover = My Balls and My Word.jpg

| alt =

| released = {{Start date|1998|1|20}}

| recorded = 1996–1997

| studio =

| genre = {{hlist|Southern hip hop|gangsta rap}}

| length = {{Duration|m=57|s=19}}

| label = {{hlist|No Limit|Priority}}

| producer = {{hlist|Beats by the Pound|Happy Perez|Pimp C}}

| prev_title =

| prev_year =

| next_title = My Own

| next_year = 1999

| misc = {{Singles

| type = studio

| single1 = How Ya Do Dat

| single1date = September 13, 1997

| single2 = Times So Hard

| single2date = April 11, 1998

}}

My Balls and My Word is the debut studio album by American rapper Young Bleed. It was released on January 20, 1998,{{Citation needed |date=May 2024}} through No Limit/Priority Records. The production was handled by Happy Perez and Beats by the Pound, with Master P and C-Loc serving as executive producers.{{Cite AV media notes|title=My Balls and My Word|author=Young Bleed|year=1998|type=liner notes|publisher=No Limit Records/Priority Records|id=P2 50738}} It features guest appearances from Lay-Lo, C-Loc, Master P, Lee Tyme, Lucky Knuckles, Fiend and Mystikal. The album was a success,{{cite web|last1=Drake|first1=David|title=Young Bleed: Preserved|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/15981-preserved/|website=Pitchfork|date=October 28, 2011|access-date=May 31, 2024}} reaching number 10 on the Billboard 200 and topping the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. In March 1998, the album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America.{{cite web|last1=Ivey|first1=Justin|title=The New New: 12 Baton Rouge Rappers You Should Know|url=https://www.xxlmag.com/baton-rouge-rappers-you-should-know/|website=XXL|date=February 28, 2017|access-date=May 31, 2024}}{{cite web|last1=Arnold|first1=Paul|title=Young Bleed Talks Signing With Tech N9ne, His History With No Limit Records|url=https://hiphopdx.com/news/id.17181/title.young-bleed-talks-signing-with-tech-n9ne-his-history-with-no-limit-records|website=HipHopDX|date=October 11, 2011|access-date=May 31, 2024}}

Critical reception

{{Album ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{Cite web|last=Erlewine|first=Stephen Thomas|author-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine|title=My Balls & My Word Young Bleed|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/my-balls-my-word-mw0000031657|access-date=December 19, 2021|website=AllMusic|language=en}}

| rev2 = Chicago Tribune

| rev2score = {{rating|3.5|4}}{{cite news |last1=Baker |first1=Soren |author-link=Soren Baker|title=Young Bleed My Balls and My Word |url=https://newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune-my-balls-and-my-word-rev/148447964/|via=Newspapers.com|work=Chicago Tribune |date=February 13, 1998 |department=Friday |page=42}}

| rev3 = RapReviews

| rev3score = 7/10{{Cite web |last=Juon |first=Steve 'Flash' |date=February 28, 2023 |title=Young Bleed :: All I Have In This World, Are… My Balls and My Word |url=https://www.rapreviews.com/2023/02/young-bleed-my-balls-and-my-word/ |access-date=March 1, 2023 |website=RapReviews}}

| rev4 = The Source

| rev4score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{cite magazine|last=Wilson|first=Elliott|author-link=Elliott Wilson (journalist)|date=March 1998|issue=102|title=Record Report: Young Bleed – My Balls and My Word|magazine=The Source|page=190|location=New York}}

}}

Soren Baker, writing for Chicago Tribune, said that "Young Bleed subtly and gently mocks the stereotype of laid-back Southerners." The journalist highlighted "thick bass lines", "rapid drum loops", and Young Bleed's vocal performance. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic thought My Balls and My Word was a "conventional late-'90s gangsta record", criticizing it for its lack of originality. Steve Juon of RapReviews viewed it as the label's compilation album, but believed that Young Bleed "elevates it substantially". Similarly, Elliott Wilson of The Source magazine thought it was "more a family affair than a solo release", but believed that the rapper "fails to carry the weight without his friends". He commended the production, noting "slinky basslines, swirling keyboards and eerie strings".

Track listing

{{Track listing

| all_writing =

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| title1 = Keep It Real

| note1 = featuring C-Loc and Master P

| extra1 = {{hlist|Happy Perez|KLC}}

| length1 = 4:15

| title2 = Bring the Noise

| note2 = featuring Master P and Mystikal

| extra2 = {{hlist|KLC|Mo B. Dick|Craig B.|Pimp C}}

| length2 = 3:30

| title3 = An Offer U Can't Refuse

| extra3 = Happy Perez

| length3 = 1:13

| title4 = The Day They Make Me Boss

| extra4 = Happy Perez

| length4 = 5:10

| title5 = Mo Money

| note5 = featuring Lay-Lo and Lucky Knuckles

| extra5 = O'Dell

| length5 = 3:37

| title6 = Pull It Off

| note6 = featuring C-Loc, Lay-Lo, Lee Tyme and Lucky Knuckles

| extra6 = Happy Perez

| length6 = 4:53

| title7 = Times So Hard

| note7 = featuring Master P, Fiend, Mo B. Dick and O'Dell

| extra7 = Mo B. Dick

| length7 = 3:58

| title8 = How Ya Do That

| note8 = featuring Master P and C-Loc

| extra8 = {{hlist|Happy Perez|KLC}}

| length8 = 4:31

| title9 = Better Than Last Time

| note9 = featuring C-Loc and Max Minelli

| extra9 = Happy Perez

| length9 = 4:48

| title10 = Lil Poppa Got a Brand New Bag

| note10 = featuring Max Minelli

| extra10 = Happy Perez

| length10 = 3:16

| title11 = Confedi

| note11 = featuring C-Loc, Lee Tyme and Max Minelli

| extra11 = Happy Perez

| length11 = 5:02

| title12 = Da Last Outlaw

| extra12 = Happy Perez

| length12 = 4:25

| title13 = Ghost Rider

| extra13 = Happy Perez

| length13 = 3:22

| title14 = We Don't Stop

| note14 = featuring Max Minelli

| extra14 = Happy Perez

| length14 = 5:22

| total_length = 57:19

}}

Personnel

Glenn "Young Bleed" Clifton Jr. – main artist
Steven "C-Loc" Carrell – guest artist (tracks: 1, 6, 8, 9, 11), executive producer
Percy "Master P Miller – guest artist (tracks: 1, 2, 7, 8), executive producer
Michael "Mystikal" Tyler – guest artist (track 2)
Chad "Max Minelli" Roussel – guest artist (tracks: 5, 6, 9-11, 14)
Lucky Knuckles – guest artist (tracks: 5, 6)
J-Von – guest artist (tracks: 5, 6)
Lee Tyme – guest artist (tracks: 6, 11)
Richard "Fiend" Jones – guest artist (track 7)
Raymond "Mo B. Dick" Poole – guest artist (track 7), producer (tracks: 2, 7)
Odell Vickers Jr. – guest artist (track 7), producer (track 5)
Nathan "Happy" Perez – producer (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 6, 8-14)
Craig "KLC" Lawson – producer (tracks: 1, 2, 8)
Craig Bazile – producer (track 2)
Chad "Pimp C" Butler – producer (track 2)
Pen & Pixel Graphics – artwork
Omni Color – design
Dave Weiner – A&R
Duffy Rich – A&R
Kevin Faist – A&R

Charts

=Weekly charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
scope="col"\| Chart (1998) ! scope="col"\| Peak position
{{album chart\|Billboard200\|10\|artist=Young Bleed\|rowheader=true\|accessdate=September 18, 2013}}
{{album chart\|BillboardRandBHipHop\|1\|artist=Young Bleed\|rowheader=true\|accessdate=September 19, 2013}}

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

scope="col"| Chart (1998)

! scope="col"| Peak
position

{{album chart|Billboard200|10|artist=Young Bleed|rowheader=true|accessdate=September 18, 2013}}

{{album chart|BillboardRandBHipHop|1|artist=Young Bleed|rowheader=true|accessdate=September 19, 2013}}

=Year-end charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
scope="col"\| Chart (1998) ! scope="col"\| Position
scope="row"\| US Billboard 200{{cite magazine\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Mw0EAAAAMBAJ\|title=1998 The Year in Music\|magazine=Billboard\|volume=110\|issue=52\|page=YE-38\|date=December 26, 1998\|accessdate=May 14, 2021}} \| 194
scope="row"\| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard){{cite magazine\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Mw0EAAAAMBAJ\|title=1998 The Year in Music\|magazine=Billboard\|volume=110\|issue=52\|page=YE-50\|date=December 26, 1998\|accessdate=May 14, 2021}} \| 45

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

scope="col"| Chart (1998)

! scope="col"| Position

scope="row"| US Billboard 200{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Mw0EAAAAMBAJ|title=1998 The Year in Music|magazine=Billboard|volume=110|issue=52|page=YE-38|date=December 26, 1998|accessdate=May 14, 2021}}

| 194

scope="row"| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Mw0EAAAAMBAJ|title=1998 The Year in Music|magazine=Billboard|volume=110|issue=52|page=YE-50|date=December 26, 1998|accessdate=May 14, 2021}}

| 45

Certifications

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|award=Gold|artist=Young Bleed|title=MY BALLS AND MY WORD (ALL I HAVE IN THIS WORLD..)|certyear=1998|type=album|relyear=1998|refname=RIAA}}