The Darkside Vol. 1

The album was announced in January 2010 by Fat Joe saying that "he was working on a new album, The Darkside: Volume 1". MTV News reported that Fat Joe intended "all the material...to be much harsher" than his previous album. On March 28, 2010, Fat Joe signed a record deal with E1 Music and announced that he would release The Darkside Vol. 1 through the label in July.Paine, Jake (March 29, 2010). [http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.11442/title.fat-joes-darkside-volume-1-pushes-back-to-july-27 "Fat Joe Heads To E1, Readies "The Dark Side""]. HipHopDX. Cheri Media Group. Fat Joe stated The Darkside Vol. 1 is all about: showin' the world that I'm a legend, and just furtherin' the legacy."{{cite web|url=http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.11566/title.fat-joe-talks-i-am-crack-with-just-blaze-return-to-hardcore-roots|title=Fat Joe Talks "I Am Crack" With Just Blaze, Return To Hardcore Roots|last=Paine|first=Jake|date=June 25, 2010|access-date=October 30, 2011|work=HipHopDX |publisher=Cheri Media Group}} Fat Joe stated that he returned to his hardcore hip hop roots and considers this album to be a classic.

The first single from The Darkside is "(Ha Ha) Slow Down", which features rapper Young Jeezy. The song peaked at number 54 on US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and number 23 on their Hot Rap Songs chart.{{cite web|url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/ha-ha-slow-down-feat-young/id365349013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100510051026/http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/ha-ha-slow-down-feat-young/id365349013 |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 10, 2010 |title=iTunes - Music - (Ha Ha) Slow Down [feat. Young Jeezy] - Single by Fat Joe |publisher=iTunes |date=2010-04-13 |access-date=2012-02-12}} The second single is "If It Ain't About Money" featuring Trey Songz.{{cite web|author=Cool and Dre |url=http://vimeo.com/11945455 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100527083914/http://vimeo.com/11945455 |archive-date=2010-05-27 |title=Fat Joe Feat: Trey Songz New Single Teaser On Vimeo |publisher=Vimeo.com |access-date=2012-02-12}} The song charted on US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, peaking at number 57,{{cite magazine|url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=fat joe|chart=R&B/Hip-Hop Songs}} |title=Fat Joe Album & Song Chart History: R&B/Hip-Hop Songs |magazine=Billboard |publisher=Prometheus Global Media |access-date=October 30, 2011}} and also charted at 25 on the US Hot Rap Songs chart.{{cite magazine|url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=fat joe|chart=Rap Airplay}} |title=Fat Joe Album & Song Chart History: Rap Songs |magazine=Billboard |publisher=Prometheus Global Media |access-date=October 30, 2011}}

{{Album ratings

| MC = 70/100{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/music/the-darkside-vol-1/fat-joe/critic-reviews|title=Critic Reviews for The Darkside Vol. 1|website=Metacritic|access-date=March 13, 2013}}

| rev1 = AllHipHop

| rev1Score = 8/10Rem, Charlie (July 28, 2010). [http://allhiphop.com/2010/07/28/review-fat-joe-the-darkside-vol-1/ "Review: Fat Joe: The Darkside Vol. 1"]. AllHipHop. Retrieved July 28, 2010.

| rev2 = Allmusic

| rev2Score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}

| rev3 = DJBooth

| rev3Score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}Nathan S. [http://www.djbooth.net/index/albums/review/fat-joe-the-darkside-vol.-1-07271001/ "Fat Joe - The Darkside Vol. 1"]. DJBooth. Retrieved July 28, 2011.

| rev4 = Entertainment Weekly

| rev4Score = B+{{cite magazine |last=Vozick-Levinson |first=Simon |date=July 30, 2010 |url=https://ew.com/article/2010/07/21/darkside-volume-1 |title=The Darkside Volume 1 |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |access-date=February 2, 2023}}

| rev5 = Now

| rev5Score = {{Rating|2|5}}{{cite news|url=http://www.nowtoronto.com/music/story.cfm?content=176181|title=Fat Joe: The Darkside Vol. 1 (Terror Squad/E1)|last=Richards|first=Jason|newspaper=Now|date=August 5–12, 2010|access-date=March 13, 2013}}

| rev6 = The Phoenix

| rev6Score = {{Rating|2.5|4}}{{cite news|url=http://thephoenix.com/Boston/music/106189-dark-side-2010/|title=Fat Joe: The Dark Side - CD Reviews|last=Faraone|first=Chris|newspaper=The Phoenix|date=August 4, 2010|access-date=March 13, 2013}}

| rev7 = RapReviews

| rev7Score = 7/10

| rev8 = Spin

| rev8Score = 7/10Detrick, Ben (July 13, 2010). [http://www.spin.com/reviews/fat-joe-darkside-vol-1-terror-squade1 "Fat Joe, 'The Darkside Vol. 1' (Terror Squad/E1)"]. Spin. Retrieved August 19, 2010.

| rev9 = USA Today

| rev9Score = {{Rating|2.5|4}}Jones, Steve (July 27, 2010). [http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/music/reviews/2010-07-27-listen27_ST_N.htm "Throwback Gangster"]. USA Today. Retrieved August 19, 2010.

| rev10 = XXL

| rev10Score = {{Rating|4|5}} (XL){{cite book|last=Blanco|first=Alvin|title=X-Rated: The Darkside Vol. 1|edition=September 2010|location=XXL|page=146}}

}}

The Darkside Vol. 1 received positive reviews from music critics. On Metacritic, the album has a score of 70 out of 100, based on 6 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Allmusic gave it 3½ out of 5 stars, stating "instead of sounding uninspired on topics he's visited, revisited, and then some, he sounds on fire, as if this were his grand debut."Jeffries, David. [{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r1806568|pure_url=yes}} "The Darkside Vol. 1 - Fat Joe"]. Allmusic. Retrieved July 28, 2010. HipHopDX gave the album 4 out of 5 stars, praising its "Hardcore lyricism backed by the conviction that has been lacking since the '90s," also calling it his "best-produced album in over a decade."Kuperstein, Slava (July 27, 2010). [http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/album-reviews/id.1487/title.fat-joe-the-darkside-vol-1/ "Fat Joe - The Darkside Vol. 1"]. HipHopDX. Retrieved November 12, 2011. RapReviews gave it a 7/10 rating, writing "Reputation now restored, Joe finds himself comfortably back in the role of narrator to the streets."Juon, Steve 'Flash' (July 27, 2010). [http://www.rapreviews.com/archive/2010_07F_thedarkside.html "RapReviews.com Feature for July 27, 2010 - Fat Joe's 'The Darkside'"]. RapReviews. Retrieved July 28, 2010. ThaCorner gave it 3½ out of 5 stars, noting "at the end of the thirteen track album you'll find that Joe impresses more with his skill to put together a hot album than his actual skills as a rapper."{{cite web|url=http://www.thacorner.net/corner-thoughts/reviews/music-reviews/item/3425-dark-side-album-review-is-fat-joes-dark-side-his-best-side?.html|title=Dark Side Album Review - Is Fat Joe's Dark Side His Best Side?|author=Superfluous|publisher=ThaCorner|date=July 27, 2010|access-date=March 13, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100731111806/http://www.thacorner.net/corner-thoughts/reviews/music-reviews/item/3425-dark-side-album-review-is-fat-joes-dark-side-his-best-side?.html|archive-date=July 31, 2010|url-status=usurped}}

The Darkside Vol. 1 debuted at number 27 on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 12,300 copies in the first week.{{cite web|url=http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.11853/title.hip-hop-album-sales-the-week-ending-8-1-2010|title=Hip Hop Album Sales: The Week Ending 8/1/2010|website=HipHopDX|publisher=Cheri Media Group|author=Allen Jacobs|date=August 4, 2010|access-date=August 5, 2010}}{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/billboard-200/2010-08-14?rank=27|title=BB200 - 2010-08-14|magazine=Billboard |access-date=March 1, 2020}} The album also debuted number nine on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and number seven on US Top Rap Albums charts respectively.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/r-b-hip-hop-albums/2010-08-14|title=TRBHH - 2010-08-14|magazine=Billboard |access-date=March 1, 2020}}{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/rap-albums/2010-08-14|title=TRA - 2010-08-14|magazine=Billboard |access-date=March 1, 2020}} The album made it to number two on the US Top Independent Albums chart.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/independent-albums/2010-08-14|title=TIA - 2010-08-14|magazine=Billboard |access-date=March 1, 2020}}

This complete track list was published by Amazon.{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/The-Darkside-Explicit/dp/B003V41TR0|title=Darkside Vol. Tracklist|publisher=Amazon|access-date=July 15, 2010}}

{{Track listing

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| title1 = Intro

| extra1 = Scram Jones

| length1 = 2:24

| title2 = Valley of Death

| extra2 = Cool & Dre, Zeferiah

| length2 = 3:39

| title3 = I Am Crack

| extra3 = Just Blaze

| length3 = 3:43

| title4 = Kilo

| note4 = featuring Clipse & Cam'ron

| extra4 = Infamous, Laurent "Slick" Cohen {{small|(co.)}}

| length4 = 4:01

| title5 = Rappers Are in Danger

| extra5 = Infamous

| length5 = 3:16

| title6 = (Ha Ha) Slow Down

| note6 = featuring Young Jeezy

| extra6 = Scoop DeVille

| length6 = 3:25

| title7 = If It Ain't About Money

| note7 = featuring Trey Songz

| extra7 = Cool & Dre, Zeferiah

| length7 = 3:53

| title8 = No Problems

| note8 = featuring Rico Love

| extra8 = Scoop DeVille

| length8 = 2:57

| title9 = How Did We Get Here

| note9 = featuring R. Kelly

| extra9 = Raw Uncut

| length9 = 4:20

| title10 = Money Over Bitches

| note10 = featuring Too Short & TA

| extra10 = Raw Uncut

| length10 = 3:59

| title11 = Heavenly Father

| note11 = featuring Lil Wayne

| extra11 = Streetrunner, I.L.O. {{small|(add.)}}

| length11 = 4:05

| title12 = I'm Gone

| extra12 = DJ Premier

| length12 = 6:21

| title13 = At Last Supremacy

| note13 = featuring Busta Rhymes) (Bonus Track

| extra13 = Cool & Dre, Dope Boyz, Zeferiah

| length13 = 3:54

}}

;Sample credits

• "Intro" – Contains a sample of "Just a Memory" by The Notorious B.I.G. featuring Clipse
• "Valley of Death" – Contains a sample of "Do I Stand a Chance" by The Montclairs
• "Kilo" – Contains a sample of "I Weigh With Kilos" by Jimmy Van & Richard Hieronymus
• "Rappers Are in Danger" – Contains a sample of "Time's Up" by O.C.
• "(Ha Ha) Slow Down" – Contains a sample of "Back to Life (A cappella)" by Soul II Soul
• "No Problems" – Contains samples of "Flash's Theme" by Queen{{cite web|url=http://www.whosampled.com/sample/view/49638/Fat%20Joe%20feat.%20Rico%20Love-No%20Problems_Queen-Flash%27s%20Theme/ |access-date=September 5, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101216064032/http://www.whosampled.com/sample/view/49638/Fat%20Joe%20feat.%20Rico%20Love-No%20Problems_Queen-Flash's%20Theme/ |archive-date=December 16, 2010 |website=WhoSampled |title=Fat Joe feat. Rico Love's No Problems sample of Queen's Flash's Theme | WhoSampled }} and "Terminator X to the Edge of Panic" by Public Enemy
• "Heavenly Father" – Contains a sample of "Pray to the Lord" by Lil Wayne

{{Reflist|2}}

• {{Metacritic album}}

{{Fat Joe}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Darkside Vol. 1, The}}

Category:2010 albums

Category:E1 Music albums

Category:Fat Joe albums

Category:Terror Squad (group) albums

Category:Albums produced by Cool & Dre

Category:Albums produced by DJ Premier

Category:Albums produced by Just Blaze

Category:Albums produced by Scoop DeVille

Category:Albums produced by Scram Jones