My Balls and My Word

My Balls and My Word
Studio album by Young Bleed
Released	January 20, 1998 (1998-01-20)
Recorded	1996–1997
Genre	Southern hip hop gangsta rap
Length	57:19
Label	No Limit Priority
Producer	C-Loc (exec.) Master P (exec.) Beats by the Pound Happy Perez Pimp C
Young Bleed chronology
My Balls and My Word (1998) My Own (1999)
Singles from My Balls and My Word
"How Ya Do Dat" Released: September 13, 1997 "Times So Hard" Released: 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] through No Limit/Priority Records.[1] The production was handled by Happy Perez and Beats by the Pound,[2] with Master P and C-Loc serving as executive producers.[3] It features guest appearances from Lay-Lo, C-Loc, Master P, Lee Tyme, Lucky Knuckles, Fiend and Mystikal. The album was a success,[4] reaching number 10 on the Billboard 200 and topping the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. In March 1998,[5] the album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America.[6][7]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[8]
Chicago Tribune	[1]
Q	^[citation needed]
RapReviews	7/10[9]
The Source	[2]

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.[1] 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.[8] Steve Juon of RapReviews viewed it as the label's compilation album, but believed that Young Bleed "elevates it substantially".[9] 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".[2]

Track listing

No.	Title	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Keep It Real" (featuring C-Loc and Master P)	Happy Perez KLC	4:15
2.	"Bring the Noise" (featuring Master P and Mystikal)	KLC Mo B. Dick Craig B. Pimp C	3:30
3.	"An Offer U Can't Refuse"	Happy Perez	1:13
4.	"The Day They Make Me Boss"	Happy Perez	5:10
5.	"Mo Money" (featuring Lay-Lo and Lucky Knuckles)	O'Dell	3:37
6.	"Pull It Off" (featuring C-Loc, Lay-Lo, Lee Tyme and Lucky Knuckles)	Happy Perez	4:53
7.	"Times So Hard" (featuring Master P, Fiend, Mo B. Dick and O'Dell)	Mo B. Dick	3:58
8.	"How Ya Do That" (featuring Master P and C-Loc)	Happy Perez KLC	4:31
9.	"Better Than Last Time" (featuring C-Loc and Max Minelli)	Happy Perez	4:48
10.	"Lil Poppa Got a Brand New Bag" (featuring Max Minelli)	Happy Perez	3:16
11.	"Confedi" (featuring C-Loc, Lee Tyme and Max Minelli)	Happy Perez	5:02
12.	"Da Last Outlaw"	Happy Perez	4:25
13.	"Ghost Rider"	Happy Perez	3:22
14.	"We Don't Stop" (featuring Max Minelli)	Happy Perez	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 Chart (1998) Peak position US Billboard 200[10] 10 US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[11] 1

Year-end charts Chart (1998) Position US Billboard 200[12] 194 US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[13] 45

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[5]	Gold	500,000^^
^^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

See also

• List of Billboard number-one R&B albums of 1998

References

1. Baker, Soren (February 13, 1998). "Young Bleed My Balls and My Word". Friday. Chicago Tribune. p. 42 – via Newspapers.com.
2. Wilson, Elliott (March 1998). "Record Report: Young Bleed – My Balls and My Word". The Source. No. 102. New York. p. 190.
3. Young Bleed (1998). My Balls and My Word (liner notes). No Limit Records/Priority Records. P2 50738.
4. Drake, David (October 28, 2011). "Young Bleed: Preserved". Pitchfork. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
5. "American album certifications – Young Bleed – MY BALLS AND MY WORD (ALL I HAVE IN THIS WORLD..)". Recording Industry Association of America.
6. Ivey, Justin (February 28, 2017). "The New New: 12 Baton Rouge Rappers You Should Know". XXL. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
7. Arnold, Paul (October 11, 2011). "Young Bleed Talks Signing With Tech N9ne, His History With No Limit Records". HipHopDX. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
8. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "My Balls & My Word Young Bleed". AllMusic. Retrieved December 19, 2021.
9. Juon, Steve 'Flash' (February 28, 2023). "Young Bleed :: All I Have In This World, Are… My Balls and My Word". RapReviews. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
10. "Young Bleed Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved September 18, 2013.
11. "Young Bleed Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved September 19, 2013.
12. "1998 The Year in Music". Billboard. Vol. 110, no. 52. December 26, 1998. p. YE-38. Retrieved May 14, 2021.
13. "1998 The Year in Music". Billboard. Vol. 110, no. 52. December 26, 1998. p. YE-50. Retrieved May 14, 2021.

External links

• All I Have In This World, Are... My Balls And My Word at Discogs (list of releases)