Ruthless for Life

{{Music ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{Cite web |last=Erlewine |first=Stephen Thomas |author-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine |title=Ruthless for Life - MC Ren {{!}} Album |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/ruthless-for-life-mw0000598660 |access-date=February 12, 2025 |website=AllMusic |language=en}}

| rev2 = Los Angeles Times

| rev2score = {{Rating|3|4}}{{Cite magazine |last=Baker |first=Soren |author-link=Soren Baker |date=June 28, 1998 |title=In Brief |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-jun-28-ca-64247-story.html |access-date=February 12, 2025 |magazine=Los Angeles Times |page=60 |language=en-US}}

| rev3 = The Source

| rev3score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{Cite magazine |last=Burke |first=Miguel |date=July 1998 |title=MC Ren – Ruthless for Life |department=Record Report |magazine=The Source |location=New York |pages=156, 159 |issue=106}}

| rev4 = XXL

| rev4score = 4/5 (XL){{Cite magazine |author=Mr. Blonde |date= |title=MC Ren – Ruthless for Life |department=American Standards |magazine=XXL |publisher=Harris Publications |location=New York |page=182 |issue=4}}

}}

Upon its release, Ruthless for Life received mostly positive reviews from music critics. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic thought the album gives MC Ren "the opportunity to sound like a contemporary rather than a washed-up veteran", but added that "all of his ideas are a little shopworn". Soren Baker, in a review for Los Angeles Times, praised both the album's lyrics and its production, calling Ruthless for Life MC Ren's best work to date. Miguel Burke of The Source thought the album had some "monumental moments", where MC Ren "successfully updates the formula", but criticized the album's production and "annoying hooks" on some of the tracks. XXL{{'s}} reviewer Mr. Blonde called it a "surprisingly fresh return", adding that MC Ren "has matured his rhyme style".

{{Track listing

| all_writing =

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| title1 = Ruthless for Life

| writer1 = {{hlist|Lorenzo Patterson|Lenton Terrell Hutton}}

| extra1 = L.T. Hutton

| length1 = 4:24

| title2 = Who in the Fuck

| note2 = featuring 8Ball & MJG

| writer2 = {{hlist|Patterson|Premro Smith|Marlon Goodwin|Triston Jones}}

| extra2 = T-Mix

| length2 = 4:04

| title3 = Nigga Called Ren

| writer3 = {{hlist|Patterson|Anthony Banks}}

| extra3 = Ant Banks

| length3 = 4:06

| title4 = Comin' After You

| note4 = featuring Ice Cube

| writer4 = {{hlist|Patterson|O'Shea Jackson|Bobby Ervin}}

| extra4 = DJ Bobcat

| length4 = 3:58

| title5 = Voyage to Compton

| writer5 = {{hlist|Patterson|Jones|Marvin Isley|O'Kelly Isley Jr.|Ronald Isley|Rudolph Isley|Ernie Isley|Chris Jasper}}

| extra5 = T-Mix

| length5 = 4:24

| title6 = Must Be High

| writer6 = {{hlist|Patterson|Jones}}

| extra6 = T-Mix

| length6 = 3:23

| title7 = So Whatcha Want

| note7 = featuring Snoop Dogg and RBX

| writer7 = {{hlist|Patterson|Calvin Broadus|Eric Collins|Hutton}}

| extra7 = L.T. Hutton

| length7 = 4:40

| title8 = Shot Caller

| note8 = featuring Big Rocc and Tha Chill

| writer8 = {{hlist|Patterson|Jerry Brown|Vernon Johnson|N. Steele}}

| extra8 = {{hlist|Tha Chill|DJ Raw Steel}}

| length8 = 4:22

| title9 = All the Same

| writer9 = {{hlist|Patterson|Banks}}

| extra9 = Ant Banks

| length9 = 3:29

| title10 = Who Got That Street Shit

| writer10 = {{hlist|Patterson|Tony Issac}}

| extra10 = Touchtone

| length10 = 4:47

| title11 = Pimpin' Is Free

| note11 = featuring Peeps

| writer11 = {{hlist|Patterson|Precious King|Larry Johnson|Alan Tatum}}

| extra11 = {{hlist|Larry Johnson|Alan "Byrd" Tatum}}

| length11 = 4:14

| title12 = CPT All Day

| writer12 = {{hlist|Patterson|Treyvon Green}}

| extra12 = Young Tre

| length12 = 4:19

| total_length = 50:10

}}

;Sample credits

• Track 5 contains an interpolation of "Voyage to Atlantis" written by Marvin Isley, O'Kelly Isley Jr., Ronald Isley, Rudolph Isley, Ernie Isley and Chris Jasper.

{{div col}}

• Lorenzo "MC Ren" Patterson – vocals, executive producer
• Premro "8Ball" Smith – vocals (track 2)
• Marlon "MJG" Goodwin – vocals (track 2)
• O'Shea "Ice Cube" Jackson – vocals (track 4)
• Calvin "Snoop Dogg" Broadus – vocals (track 7)
• Eric "RBX" Collins – vocals (track 7)
• Jerry "Big Rocc" Brown – vocals (track 8)
• Vernon "Tha Chill" Johnson – vocals & producer (track 8)
• Precious "Peeps" King – vocals (track 11)
• Leejon – background vocals (tracks: 3, 9)
• Anthony "Ant" Banks – keyboards, arranger, programming, producer, recording (tracks: 3, 9)
• James "Tre" Rabb – guitar (tracks: 3, 9)
• Lenton T. Hutton – programming, recording & mixing (track 1), drum programming (track 7), producer (tracks: 1, 7)
• Triston "T-Mix" Jones – producer & recording (tracks: 2, 5, 6)
• Bobby "DJ Bobcat" Ervin – producer (track 4)
• N. "DJ Raw Steel" Steele – producer (track 8)
• Tony "Touch Tone" Issacs – producer (track 10)
• Larry Johnson – producer (track 11)
• Alan "Byrd" Tatum – producer (track 11)
• Treyvon "Young Tre" Green – producer (track 12)
• Tim Nitz – recording (track 1), mixing (tracks: 1, 10)
• Jay Gonzalez – recording (track 4)
• Carlos Warlick – recording (track 7), mixing (tracks: 4, 7)
• Paul Andris – recording (tracks: 8, 10-12), mixing (tracks: 8, 11, 12)
• Simon "Crazy C." Cullins – mixing (tracks: 2, 5, 6)
• James Hoover – mixing (tracks: 2, 5, 6)
• Michael Denten – mixing (tracks: 3, 9)
• Tom Baker – mastering
• Tomica Wright – executive producer
• Giulio Costanzo – art direction
• Peter Dokus – cover photo
• Lucky Nantana – A&R
• Mark Spier – sample clearances
• Madeleine Smith – sample clearances

{{div col end}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{Discogs master|59050|Ruthless For Life|type=album}}

{{MC Ren}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:1998 albums

Category:MC Ren albums

Category:Epic Records albums

Category:Ruthless Records albums

Category:Albums produced by Ant Banks

Category:Albums produced by DJ Bobcat

Category:Albums produced by L.T. Hutton