Conspiracy (Junior M.A.F.I.A. album)

Conspiracy
Studio album by Junior M.A.F.I.A.
Released	August 29, 1995 (1995-08-29)
Recorded	November 1994 – July 1995
Studio	Sound On Sound (New York, NY) Unique Recording (New York, NY) Quad Recording Studios (New York, NY)
Genre	East Coast hip-hop hardcore hip-hop gangsta rap
Length	50:46
Label	Undeas Big Beat Atlantic
Producer	Lance "Un" Rivera (also exec.) the Notorious B.I.G. (also exec.) Akshun Daddy-O DJ Clark Kent EZ Elpee Special Ed Understanding
Junior M.A.F.I.A. chronology
Conspiracy (1995) Riot Musik (2005)
Singles from Conspiracy
"Player's Anthem" Released: May 30, 1995 "I Need You Tonight" Released: August 9, 1995 "Get Money" Released: February 3, 1996

Conspiracy is the debut studio album by American hip-hop group Junior M.A.F.I.A. It was released on August 29, 1995, through Big Beat Records with distribution via Atlantic Records.

The recording sessions took place at Sound on Sound Studios, Unique Recording Studios and Quad Recording Studios in New York City. The album was produced by DJ Clark Kent, Akshun, Daddy-O, Ez Elpee, Special Ed, Understanding, Lance "Un" Rivera, and the Notorious B.I.G., with the latter two also served as executive producers with Craig Kallman. It features a lone guest appearance from Jimmy Cozier.

In the United States, the album debuted at number 8 on the Billboard 200 and peaked at number 2 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts, selling 69,000 copies in its first week.[1] It was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America on December 6, 1995 for the sales of 500,000 units in the US alone.[2]

The album was supported by three singles with accompanying music videos: "Player's Anthem", "I Need You Tonight" and "Get Money".

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[3]
Los Angeles Times	[4]
The Source	[5]

Conspiracy was met with above average reviews from music critics. Nicholas Poluhoff of The Source called it "a solid debut LP, but there are some unoriginal moments that drag it down".[5] Cheo Hodari Coker of Los Angeles Times wrote that "overall The Conspiracy is like watching a kung-fu flick on video: you often have to fast-forward to the best fight scenes to remind you why you wanted to watch it in the first place."[4] Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic wrote, "Considering Ready to Die was one of the seminal hip-hop releases of the early '90s, Conspiracy could have been an inspired, enjoyable sequel; instead, it's a fitfully successful replication of the earlier record's strengths."[3]

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Intro"	Lance Rivera	Lance "Un" Rivera	2:42
2.	"White Chalk"	Rayshaun Spain Antoine Spain Glenn K. Bolton Understanding	Daddy-O Understanding	4:40
3.	"Excuse Me..."	Rivera	Lance "Un" Rivera	0:50
4.	"Realms of Junior M.A.F.I.A."	James Lloyd Michael Lyons Christopher Wallace Jamal Phillips Renee Scroggins	The Notorious B.I.G. DJ Clark Kent	4:25
5.	"Player's Anthem"	Wallace Kimberly Jones Lloyd Rodolfo Franklin Harvey Fuqua Lottie M. Wiggins	DJ Clark Kent	5:22
6.	"I Need You Tonight"	R. Spain Jones Terrence Giddings Franklin Patrice Rushen Brian George Lucien George Hugh Clarke Paul George Gerard Charles Curtis Bedeau	DJ Clark Kent	4:28
7.	"Get Money"	Wallace Jones Lamont Porter James Bedford Roy Ayers Sylvia Striplin	EZ Elpee	4:34
8.	"I've Been..."	Rivera	Lance "Un" Rivera	0:35
9.	"Crazaay"	R. Spain A. Spain Franklin	DJ Clark Kent	3:58
10.	"Back Stabbers" (featuring Jimmy Cozier)	Jones Bolton Leon Huff Gene McFadden John Whitehead	Daddy-O	5:34
11.	"Shot!"	Rivera	Lance "Un" Rivera	0:55
12.	"Lyrical Wizardry"	Giddings Ronald Williams	Akshun	3:52
13.	"Oh My Lord"	Wallace Giddings Edward Archer	Special Ed	3:39
14.	"Murder Onze"	Lyons Giddings R. Spain A. Spain Williams	Akshun	4:22
15.	"Outro"	Rivera	Lance "Un" Rivera	0:41
Total length:				50:46

Sample credits

• Track 4 contains elements from "UFO" performed by ESG.
• Track 5 contains elements from "La Di Da Di" written by Richard Walters and Douglas Davis and performed by Doug E. Fresh.
• Track 7 contains elements from "You Can't Turn Me Away" performed by Sylvia Striplin.

Personnel

• Rayshaun "Trife" Spain – performer (tracks: 1, 2, 6, 9, 14, 15)
• Antoine "Larceny" Spain – performer (tracks: 1, 2, 9, 14)
• Kimberly "Lil' Kim" Jones – performer (tracks: 1, 5–7, 10, 15)
• Understanding – performer (track 1), additional vocals (track 9), producer (track 2)
• Nino Brown – performer (track 1)
• Bugsy – performer (track 1)
• Mooch Dog – performer (track 1)
• Justice Rivera – performer (tracks: 3, 8), additional vocals (track 9), A&R coordinator
• Christopher "The Notorious B.I.G." Wallace – performer (tracks: 4, 5, 7, 13), producer (track 4), executive producer
• Jamal Phillips – performer (track 4)
• James "Lil' Cease" Lloyd – performer (tracks: 4, 5)
• Cheek Del Vec – performer (tracks: 4, 14)
• Terrence "Klepto" Giddings – performer (tracks: 6, 12, 14)
• Troy Jernigan – additional vocals (track 9), A&R coordinator
• Money L – additional vocals (track 9)
• Jimmy Cozier – vocals (track 10)
• Edward "Special Ed" Archer – performer & producer (track 13)
• Jacob York – performer (track 15), additional vocals (track 9), associate executive producer, A&R coordinator
• Lance 'Un' Rivera – producer (tracks: 1, 3, 8, 11, 15), executive producer, design concept
• Glenn K. "Daddy-O" Bolton – producer (tracks: 2, 10), A&R coordinator
• Rodolfo "DJ Clark Kent" Franklin – producer (tracks: 4–6, 9), mixing (tracks: 2, 5–7, 9), associate executive producer
• Lamont "EZ Elpee" Porter – producer (track 7)
• Ronald "Akshun" Williams – producer (tracks: 12, 14)
• Kenny Ortiz – recording (tracks: 2, 4–7, 9, 10, 12–14), mixing (tracks: 1–3, 6–15)
• Rich Herrera – recording (tracks: 2, 5)
• Tony Smalios – mixing (track 5)
• Rick Essig – mastering
• Craig Kallman – executive producer
• Chris Callaway – art direction, design
• Chi Modu – photography
• Andre Lucy – A&R coordinator
• Rob "Reef" Tewlow – A&R coordinator

Charts

Weekly charts Weekly chart performance for Conspiracy Chart (1995) Peak position Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[6] 64 US Billboard 200[7] 8 US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[8] 2

Year-end charts 1995 year-end chart performance for Conspiracy Chart (1995) Position US Billboard 200[9] 197 US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[10] 53 1996 year-end chart performance for Conspiracy Chart (1996) Position US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[11] 72

Certifications

Certifications for Conspiracy

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[2]	Gold	500,000^^
^^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

1. Mayfield, Geoff (July 15, 2000). "Between the Bullets: Hit-Hop". Billboard. Vol. 112, no. 29. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. p. 112. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved January 25, 2025 – via Google Books.
2. "American album certifications – Junior M.A.F.I.A. – Conspiracy". Recording Industry Association of America. December 6, 1995. Retrieved January 25, 2025.
3. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Conspiracy Junior M.A.F.I.A." AllMusic. Retrieved January 25, 2025.
4. Coker, Cheo H. (August 27, 1995). "JUNIOR M.A.F.I.A."The Conspiracy" Big Beat/Atlantic* * 1/2Fans..." Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 25, 2025.
5. Poluhoff, Nicholas (November 1995). "Record Report: Junior M.A.F.I.A. – Conspiracy". The Source. No. 74. New York. p. 96. Archived from the original on December 11, 2010. Retrieved October 24, 2023.
6. "Top RPM Albums: Issue 2773". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 8, 2021.
7. "The Billboard 200". Billboard. Vol. 107, no. 37. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. September 16, 1995. p. 90. ISSN 0006-2510. Archived from the original on July 17, 2019. Retrieved January 25, 2025.
8. "Top R&B Albums". Billboard. Vol. 107, no. 37. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. September 16, 1995. p. 26. ISSN 0006-2510. Archived from the original on July 17, 2019. Retrieved January 25, 2025.
9. "Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1995". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 6, 2018. Retrieved May 12, 2021.
10. "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1995". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 6, 2018. Retrieved May 12, 2021.
11. "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1996". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 21, 2019. Retrieved May 12, 2021.

External links

• Junior M.A.F.I.A. – Conspiracy at Discogs (list of releases)