The Labor Union
{{for|the organization of workers|Labor union}}
{{Infobox album
| name = The Labor Union
| type = studio
| artist = King Syze
| cover = TheLaborUnion.jpg
| alt =
| released = {{Start date|2008|08|05}}
| recorded = 2006–2008
| studio = Found Sound Recording (Philadelphia, PA)
| genre = {{hlist|Underground hip hop|hardcore hip hop}}
| length =
| label = Babygrande
| producer = {{hlist|DJ Waxwork|Ill Bill|MTK|Sake|Sicknature|Skammadix|Team 707|Tut the Instrumentalist|Undefined}}
| prev_title = Syzemology
| prev_year = 2006
| next_title = Collective Bargaining
| next_year = 2011
| misc =
}}
{{Music ratings
| rev1 = PopMatters
| rev1score = 5/10{{Cite web |last=Martin |first=Andrew |date=October 8, 2008 |title=King Syze: The Labor Union, PopMatters |url=https://www.popmatters.com/king-syze-the-labor-union-2496114616.html |access-date=February 13, 2024 |website=PopMatters |language=en-US}}
| rev2 = RapReviews
}}
The Labor Union is the second solo studio album by American underground rapper King Syze. It was officially released on August 5, 2008 via Babygrande Records. Recording sessions took place at Found Sound Recording in Philadelphia. Production was handled by Team 707, MTK, Skammadix, DJ Waxwork, Ill Bill, Sake, Sicknature, Tut the Instrumentalist and Undefined, with Chuck Wilson and Vinnie Paz serving as executive producers. It features guest appearances from several Army of the Pharaohs members and Ill Bill.
Critical reception
The album was known for "[Syze] lacing his relentless, rapid-fire flow over a slew of spine-tingling gutter tracks". AllMusic's Matt Rinaldi called it an "underground classic".{{Cite web |last=Rinaldi |first=Matt |title=Jedi Mind Tricks - King Syze: The Labor Union Album Reviews, Songs & More {{!}} AllMusic |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/king-syze-the-labor-union-mw0000793888 |access-date=February 13, 2024 |website=AllMusic |language=en}}
Track listing
{{Track listing
| all_writing =
| extra_column = Producer(s)
| title1 = The Labor Union
| writer1 = {{hlist|Daniel Albaladejo|B. Coles|Olivier Blanger|Stéphane Gourdais}}
| extra1 = 707 Team Productions
| length1 = 3:42
| title2 = The Best
| writer2 = {{hlist|D. Albaladejo|Kris Rey}}
| extra2 = Skammadix
| length2 = 4:04
| title3 = Play Ya Part (P.Y.P.)
| note3 = featuring Doap Nixon and Ill Bill
| writer3 = {{hlist|D. Albaladejo|Kenneth Greene|William Braunstein|J. Munk Andersen}}
| extra3 = {{hlist|Ill Bill|Sicknature}}
| length3 = 3:56
| title4 = Creep Show
| note4 = featuring Lawrence Arnell and King Magnetic
| writer4 = {{hlist|D. Albaladejo|Lawrence Macmillen|Jason Faust|Rey}}
| extra4 = Skammadix
| length4 = 4:13
| title5 = Love Vs. Hate
| writer5 = {{hlist|D. Albaladejo|Coles|Blanger|Gourdais}}
| extra5 = 707 Team Productions
| length5 = 3:06
| title6 = Cement Work
| writer6 = {{hlist|D. Albaladejo|Julian Hammer}}
| extra6 = DJ Waxwork
| length6 = 3:29
| title7 = Haters Beware
| note7 = featuring Planetary
| writer7 = {{hlist|D. Albaladejo|Mario Collazo|Coles|Blanger|Gourdais}}
| extra7 = 707 Team Productions
| length7 = 3:34
| title8 = Mayhem
| note8 = featuring Army of the Pharaohs
| writer8 = {{hlist|D. Albaladejo|Collazo|Jose Vargas|David Edens|Edward Littlepage|Victor Mercer|Greene|Seamus Ryan|R. Joyce}}
| extra8 = Sake
| length8 = 5:47
| title9 = That's How You Rap
| writer9 = {{hlist|D. Albaladejo|M. Henzey}}
| extra9 = Undefined
| length9 = 3:25
| title10 = And Now
| note10 = featuring Vinnie Paz and Apathy
| writer10 = {{hlist|D. Albaladejo|Vincenzo Luvineri|Chad Bromley|C. Ashton}}
| extra10 = Tut the Instrumentalist
| length10 = 4:09
| title11 = Pain
| writer11 = {{hlist|D. Albaladejo|Coles|Blanger|Gourdais}}
| extra11 = 707 Team Productions
| length11 = 3:17
| title12 = Sibling Rivalry Pt. 2
| note12 = featuring OuterSpace
| writer12 = {{hlist|D. Albaladejo|Marcus Albaladejo|Collazo|Matthew Crabtree}}
| extra12 = MTK
| length12 = 3:50
| title13 = Reality Check
| writer13 = {{hlist|D. Albaladejo|Crabtree}}
| extra13 = MTK
| length13 = 2:24
| total_length =
}}
Personnel
{{div col}}
- Daniel "King Syze" Albaladejo – vocals
- Kenneth "Doap Nixon" Greene – vocals (tracks: 3, 8)
- William "Ill Bill" Braunstein – vocals & producer (track 3)
- Lawrence Arnell MacMillan – vocals (track 4)
- Jason "King Magnetic" Faust – vocals (track 4)
- Mario "Planetary" Collazo – vocals (tracks: 7, 8, 12)
- Jose "Demoz" Vargas – vocals (track 8)
- David "Des Devious" Edens – vocals (track 8)
- Edward "Chief Kamachi" Littlepage – vocals (track 8)
- Victor "Celph Titled" Mercer – vocals (track 8)
- Seamus "Esoteric" Ryan – vocals (track 8)
- Vincenzo "Vinnie Paz" Luvineri – vocals (track 10), executive producer
- Chad "Apathy" Bromley – vocals (track 10)
- Marcus "Crypt the Warchild" Albaladejo – vocals (track 12)
- B. Coles – producer (tracks: 1, 5, 7, 11)
- Olivier Blanger – producer (tracks: 1, 5, 7, 11)
- Stéphane Gourdais – producer (tracks: 1, 5, 7, 11)
- Kris "Skammadix" Rey – producer (tracks: 2, 4)
- Jeppe "Sicknature" Andersen – producer (track 3)
- Julian "DJ Waxwork" Hammer – producer (track 6)
- R. "Sake" Joyce – producer (track 8)
- M. "Undefined" Henzey – producer (track 9)
- C. "Tut the Instrumentalist" Ashton – producer (track 10)
- Matthew "MTK" Crabtree – producer (tracks: 12, 13)
- Scott "Supe" Stallone – recording (tracks: 1-5, 7-12), mixing (tracks: 8, 10)
- Jeff "Stress" Davis – recording (tracks: 6, 13), mixing (tracks: 1-4, 6, 7, 9, 12, 13)
- Hakeem for 707 Team Productions – mixing (tracks: 5, 11)
- Mark B. Christensen – mastering
- Charles "Chuck" Wilson, Jr. – executive producer
- Dan Bradley – photography, design
- Jesse Stone – marketing
- Ben Dotson – product managenemt
- Willy Friedman – product managenemt
{{div col end}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Discogs master|524201|King Syze – The Labor Union}}
{{King Syze}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Labor Union}}