Finding Forever (album)
Encyclopedia
Finding Forever is the Grammy Award–winning seventh album by Common
, released on July 31, 2007 on GOOD Music
and Geffen Records
. Like Common's previous album, Be (2005), Finding Forever is primarily produced by Kanye West
. The album debuted at the number one on the Billboard 200
, selling 155,000 units in the first week, becoming Common's first chart-topper. Selling over 500,000 units in the US, it has been certified Gold
. Finding Forever was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap Album
, losing to Kanye West
's Graduation
at the 50th Grammy Awards
's or Marvin Gaye
's or Stevie Wonder
's or A Tribe Called Quest
's, that's forever music. And I’m continuing on the quest to make forever music."
Common also says: "And now with the death of J Dilla
and other things, you start thinking about forever lasting for real through music [...] Jay Dee will last forever through his music and hopefully generations down the line will know about Common through his music. And it's also saying: I been doing this for a nice period of time, so I'm trying to find the place where I can keep existing in the game and make music I love."
. Most of the album was recorded while he was filming his roles in American Gangster and Smokin' Aces
. Common explained that "if you working on a movie or something ... [there is] less weight on writing the songs... At a certain point, as an artist, you go through things like, 'Man, I gotta make something better than what I did before.' [But] I didn't feel like that this time, like I got to make this better than Be. I wanted to make a better album... I definitely felt freer." Kanye West described the recording sessions as "a real easy environment".
and Be and Illmatic
all fusioned together".
debuted "Southside Super Bowl" on VH1
's Super Bowl Pre Bash. The track is remade for Finding Forever under the alias "Southside".
Released on May 22, 2007, "The People
" featuring a chorus by Dwele
is the first single on Finding Forever, and produced by Kanye West
. On the track, Common name-checks J Dillla and DJ Premier, rapping, "My daughter found Nemo
/ I found the new Primo
." He added that "The People" "is really a declaration of who I am right now."
The first video shot for the album, as well the second single for this album is "The Game
." It contains free associative lyrics and a 1990s style boom bap beat. The duo brought in DJ Premier
to scratch a chorus out of lines from "Half Good, Half Sinner" by O.C.
.
The third single is "Drivin' Me Wild
", which features Lily Allen
. Its video premiered on YouTube on September 1, 2007.
The fourth single was "I Want You
", mixed by Dylan "3-D" Dresdow and produced by will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas. The music video was co-directed by Kerry Washington
.
criticized it for being "tired". Rolling Stone
similarly criticized it for being boring at times (though they gave a generally positive review). Despite some minor criticisms, Finding Forever was well-received, yet did not reach the same respect as his previous album Be. The album has since been certified gold by the RIAA as of October 25, 2007. This album was No. 15 on Rolling Stone
s list of the Top 50 Albums of 2007.
:
Common (rapper)
Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Jr. , better known by his stage name Common , is an American hip-hop artist and actor....
, released on July 31, 2007 on GOOD Music
GOOD Music
GOOD Music is a record label and management firm founded by music producer and artist Kanye West. "GOOD" is an acronym for "Getting Out Our Dreams".-History:...
and Geffen Records
Geffen Records
Geffen Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-Beginnings:...
. Like Common's previous album, Be (2005), Finding Forever is primarily produced by Kanye West
Kanye West
Kanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and...
. The album debuted at the number one on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
, selling 155,000 units in the first week, becoming Common's first chart-topper. Selling over 500,000 units in the US, it has been certified Gold
RIAA certification
In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. Other countries have similar awards...
. Finding Forever was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap Album
Grammy Award for Best Rap Album
The Grammy Award for Best Rap Album is an award presented to recording artists for quality albums with rapping at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards...
, losing to Kanye West
Kanye West
Kanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and...
's Graduation
Graduation (album)
Graduation is the third studio album by American hip hop artist Kanye West, released September 11, 2007 on Roc-A-Fella Records. Recording sessions for the album took place during 2005 to 2007 at Chung King Studios and Sony Music Studios in New York City and at Chalice Studios and The Record Plant...
at the 50th Grammy Awards
50th Grammy Awards
The 50th Annual Grammy Awards took place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, on February 10, 2008. Kanye West received the most nominations, with eight. Amy Winehouse was the big winner, winning a total of five awards. Herbie Hancock's River: The Joni Letters won Album of the Year,...
Background
Common explains that "Finding Forever really means to find a place in music where you can exist forever. Music can be forever if you make it from the heart, if you make it from the soul and it’s good. And I look at music like Bob MarleyBob Marley
Robert Nesta "Bob" Marley, OM was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician. He was the rhythm guitarist and lead singer for the ska, rocksteady and reggae band Bob Marley & The Wailers...
's or Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
's or Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
's or A Tribe Called Quest
A Tribe Called Quest
A Tribe Called Quest is an American hip hop group, formed in 1985, and is composed of rapper/producer Q-Tip , rapper Phife Dawg , and DJ/producer Ali Shaheed Muhammad. A fourth member, rapper Jarobi White, left the group after their first album but rejoined in 2006...
's, that's forever music. And I’m continuing on the quest to make forever music."
Common also says: "And now with the death of J Dilla
J Dilla
James Dewitt Yancey , better known by the stage names J Dilla and Jay Dee, was an American record producer who emerged from the mid-1990s underground hip hop scene in Detroit, Michigan...
and other things, you start thinking about forever lasting for real through music [...] Jay Dee will last forever through his music and hopefully generations down the line will know about Common through his music. And it's also saying: I been doing this for a nice period of time, so I'm trying to find the place where I can keep existing in the game and make music I love."
Recording
Common began working on the album in early 2006, recording it throughout the United States, New Zealand, Australia, Hawaii, and Spain with Kanye WestKanye West
Kanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and...
. Most of the album was recorded while he was filming his roles in American Gangster and Smokin' Aces
Smokin' Aces
Smokin' Aces is a 2006 crime film, written and directed by Joe Carnahan. It stars Jeremy Piven as a Las Vegas magician turned mafia informant and Ryan Reynolds as the FBI agent assigned to protect him...
. Common explained that "if you working on a movie or something ... [there is] less weight on writing the songs... At a certain point, as an artist, you go through things like, 'Man, I gotta make something better than what I did before.' [But] I didn't feel like that this time, like I got to make this better than Be. I wanted to make a better album... I definitely felt freer." Kanye West described the recording sessions as "a real easy environment".
Production
Common said that on some tracks, Kanye tried to chop the samples in a similar way to Dilla as a way of honoring him. It has also been said that Kanye West attempted to bring back a really soulful feel to the album. "It's gonna be like College DropoutThe College Dropout
The College Dropout is the debut album by American hip hop artist Kanye West, released February 10, 2004, on Roc-A-Fella Records. It was recorded over a period of four years, beginning in 1999. Prior to the album's release, West had worked on rapper Jay-Z's The Blueprint , which showcased his...
and Be and Illmatic
Illmatic
Illmatic is the debut album of American rapper Nas, released April 19, 1994, on Columbia Records. Following his signing to Columbia with the help of MC Serch, recording sessions for the album took place during 1992 to 1993 at Chung King Studios, D&D Recording, Battery Studios, and Unique Recording...
all fusioned together".
Rapping
"Sometimes you forget to just rap," Common explained when going back over a few of his past missteps. "I've been doing albums so long, so I look for new challenges. I spit so much on the first albums – and not to say I was the ultimate spitter, but I did it so much that I was looking for new things to do as a writer. I think that's where that stems from, me not really going hard on the rhymes. 'Cause I wanted to take on new subject matters and different things so I could grow and keep it interesting for me. But then you do get to the essence of what you are here for. And I love to rhyme. It does come out[...]"Singles
Common and Kanye WestKanye West
Kanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and...
debuted "Southside Super Bowl" on VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
's Super Bowl Pre Bash. The track is remade for Finding Forever under the alias "Southside".
Released on May 22, 2007, "The People
The People (Common song)
"The People" is a song by American rapper Common, released as the lead single of his seventh studio album Finding Forever. It made its first appearance on Kanye West's Can't Tell Me Nothing mixtape. The song features production by West and contains background vocals provided by soul singer Dwele...
" featuring a chorus by Dwele
Dwele
Andwele Gardner , better known by his stage name Dwele is a soul singer, songwriter and record producer from Detroit, Michigan.-Biography:...
is the first single on Finding Forever, and produced by Kanye West
Kanye West
Kanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and...
. On the track, Common name-checks J Dillla and DJ Premier, rapping, "My daughter found Nemo
Finding Nemo
Finding Nemo is a 2003 American comi-drama animated film written by Andrew Stanton, directed by Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich and produced by Pixar. It tells the story of the overly protective clownfish Marlin who, along with a regal tang called Dory , searches for his abducted son Nemo...
/ I found the new Primo
DJ Premier
Christopher Edward Martin , better known by his stage name DJ Premier , is an American record producer and DJ, and was the instrumental half of the hip hop duo Gang Starr, together with emcee Guru...
." He added that "The People" "is really a declaration of who I am right now."
The first video shot for the album, as well the second single for this album is "The Game
The Game (Common song)
"The Game" is the second single from rapper Common's 2007 album Finding Forever. It was released to iTunes as a digital download on May 22, 2007. It is produced by Kanye West, who samples "Tezeta" by Ethiopian jazz musician Seyfu Yohannes for the track's beat. It utilizes O.C.'s "Half Good, Half...
." It contains free associative lyrics and a 1990s style boom bap beat. The duo brought in DJ Premier
DJ Premier
Christopher Edward Martin , better known by his stage name DJ Premier , is an American record producer and DJ, and was the instrumental half of the hip hop duo Gang Starr, together with emcee Guru...
to scratch a chorus out of lines from "Half Good, Half Sinner" by O.C.
O.C. (rapper)
Omar Credle , known by his stage name, O.C., is an American rapper who has been involved with several renowned underground hip-hop groups and also released many solo albums.-Recording career:...
.
The third single is "Drivin' Me Wild
Drivin' Me Wild
"Drivin' Me Wild" is the third single from Common's 2007 album Finding Forever. The song was produced by Kanye West and features British singer Lily Allen. It contains samples of "Love Has Fallen on Me" by Rotary Connection...
", which features Lily Allen
Lily Allen
Lily Rose Beatrice Cooper , better known as Lily Allen, is an English recording artist and fashion designer. She is the daughter of actor and musician Keith Allen and film producer Alison Owen. In her teenage years, her musical tastes evolved from glam rock to alternative...
. Its video premiered on YouTube on September 1, 2007.
The fourth single was "I Want You
I Want You (Common song)
"I Want You" is a single from Common's album Finding Forever. It is both produced by and features vocals from will.i.am, and has samples from Minnie Riperton's "Baby, This Love I Have", and Bob James' version of "Feel Like Making Love"...
", mixed by Dylan "3-D" Dresdow and produced by will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas. The music video was co-directed by Kerry Washington
Kerry Washington
Kerry Washington is an American actress. She is known for her roles as Ray Charles's wife, Della Bea Robinson, in the film Ray , as Idi Amin's wife Kay in The Last King of Scotland, and as Alicia Masters, love interest of Ben Grimm, The Thing, in the live-action Fantastic Four films of 2005 and 2007...
.
Reception
Finding Forever has received mainly positive reviews from music critics. Pitchfork MediaPitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock...
criticized it for being "tired". Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
similarly criticized it for being boring at times (though they gave a generally positive review). Despite some minor criticisms, Finding Forever was well-received, yet did not reach the same respect as his previous album Be. The album has since been certified gold by the RIAA as of October 25, 2007. This album was No. 15 on Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
s list of the Top 50 Albums of 2007.
Grammy Nominations
Finding Forever was nominated for three 2007 Grammy Awards50th Grammy Awards
The 50th Annual Grammy Awards took place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, on February 10, 2008. Kanye West received the most nominations, with eight. Amy Winehouse was the big winner, winning a total of five awards. Herbie Hancock's River: The Joni Letters won Album of the Year,...
:
- Best Rap AlbumGrammy Award for Best Rap AlbumThe Grammy Award for Best Rap Album is an award presented to recording artists for quality albums with rapping at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards...
, for Finding Forever
- Best Rap Performance by a Duo or GroupGrammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or GroupThe Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group was awarded between 1991 and 2011, alongside the Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance. Previously a single award was presented for Best Rap Performance....
, for "Southside" (featuring Kanye West) (from Finding Forever) WON
- Best Rap Solo PerformanceGrammy Award for Best Rap Solo PerformanceThe Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance was awarded from 1991 to 2011, alongside the Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group. Previously a single award was presented for Best Rap Performance....
, for "The People" (featuring DweleDweleAndwele Gardner , better known by his stage name Dwele is a soul singer, songwriter and record producer from Detroit, Michigan.-Biography:...
) (from Finding Forever)
Track listing
*Co-producerAdditional credits
| # | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Intro" | Songwriters: Derrick Hodge Derrick Hodge Derrick Hodge is an American bassist, composer, and music producer. He is also the founder of Son of Knowledge Music and Son of Knowledge Entertainment.- Biography :... Callowhill electric bass Electric Bass Electric bass can mean:*Electric upright bass, the electric version of a double bass*Electric bass guitar*Bass synthesizer*Big Mouth Billy Bass, a battery-powered singing fish... : Derrick Hodge Drums: Karriem Riggins Karriem Riggins Karriem Riggins is a jazz drummer, hip hop producer, dj, and sometime rapper. He is a former member of the Ray Brown Trio and Mulgrew Miller trio and currently appears in the Diana Krall quartet.... Keyboard: James Poyser James Poyser James Poyser in Sheffield, England is a multi-Grammy winning songwriter, musician and multi-platinum producer.Poyser has written and produced songs for various legendary and award-winning artists including Erykah Badu, Mariah Carey, John Legend, Lauryn Hill, Common, Anthony Hamilton, D'Angelo,... Harp Harp The harp is a multi-stringed instrument which has the plane of its strings positioned perpendicularly to the soundboard. Organologically, it is in the general category of chordophones and has its own sub category . All harps have a neck, resonator and strings... : Brandee Younger Brandee Younger - Background :Known as a hybrid harpist, Brandee is classically trained and active in jazz and popular music. She is noted for her work with saxophonist Ravi Coltrane and heavily inspired by the works of Alice Coltrane and Dorothy Ashby... |
| 2 | "Start the Show" | Songwriters: L. Lynn, K. West, A. Bergman, M. Bergman, M. Legrand Sample: "By The Time I Get To Phoenix" by Dorothy Ashby Dorothy Ashby Dorothy Ashby was an American jazz harpist and composer.Along with Alice Coltrane, Ashby extended the popularization of jazz harp past a novelty, showing how the instrument can be utilized seamlessly as much a bebop instrument as the saxophone... Keys & Synth: Omar Edwards Violin: Margherita Biederbick & Laura Rajanen Viola Viola The viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average... : Hannah Klien Cello: Zoe CartierAdditional Vocals: Bilal & Kanye West |
| 3 | "The People" | Songwriters: L. Lynn, K. West, G. Scott-Heron Sample: "Long Red" by Mountain Mountain (band) Mountain is an American hard rock band that formed in Long Island, New York in 1969. Originally comprising vocalist and guitarist Leslie West, bassist Felix Pappalardi and drummer N. D. Smart, the band broke up in 1972 before reuniting in 1974 and remaining active until today... Sample: "We Almost Lost Detroit" by Gil Scott-Heron Gil Scott-Heron Gilbert "Gil" Scott-Heron was an American soul and jazz poet, musician, and author known primarily for his work as a spoken word performer in the 1970s and '80s... & Brian Jackson "Let the Drums Speak" by Fatback Band Fatback Band The Fatback Band is an American funk and disco band. Most popular in the 1970s and 1980s, The Fatback Band is most known for their Top Ten R&B hits, " Spanish Hustle", "I Like Girls", "Gotta Get My Hands on Some ", and "Backstrokin'"... Callowhill electric bass: Derrick Hodge Keyboards: Omar Edwards Additional Vocals: Dwele |
| 4 | "Drivin' Me Wild" | Songwriters: L. Lynn, K. West, C. Stepney, L. Webber Sample: "Love Has Fallen on Me" by Rotary Connection Rotary Connection Rotary Connection was an American psychedelic soul band, formed in Chicago in 1966. The highly experimental band was the idea of Marshall Chess, son of Chess Records founder Leonard Chess. Marshall was the director behind a start-up label, Cadet Concept Records, and wanted to focus on music outside... Keyboards: Omar Edwards |
| 5 | "I Want You" | Songwriters: L. Lynn, W. Adams, G. McDaniels Sample: "You're Getting A Little Too Smart" by The Detroit Emeralds Sample: "Baby, This Love I Have" by Minnie Ripperton Sample: "Feel Like Making Love" by Bob James Bob James (musician) Robert McElhiney James is a jazz keyboardist, arranger and producer.-Biography:During the 1970s, Bob James played a major role in establishing the smooth jazz genre. "Angela", the instrumental theme from the sitcom Taxi, is probably Bob James' most well-known work to date... Sample: "It's a New Day" by Skull Snaps Skull Snaps Skull Snaps was a funk group that released one eponymous album on the small GSF label in 1973 before disappearing. It was, in fact, the group originally known as the Diplomats, which released numerous singles between 1963 and 1970 with some success.... Keys & Synth: Omar Edwards Background Vocals: Rhea Williams |
| 6 | "Southside" | Songwriters: L. Lynn, K. West, D. Covay Sample: "If There's a Will, There's a Way" by Don Covay Don Covay Don Covay is an American R&B/rock and roll/soul music singer and songwriter most active in the 1950s and 1960s, who received a Pioneer Award from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation in 1994... Keys & Synth: Omar Edwards Outro Vocals: Rhea Williams |
| 7 | "The Game" | Songwriters: L. Lynn, K. West, S. Ekos Sample: "Tezeta" by Seyfu Yohannes Sample: "Half Good, Half Sinner" by O.C. O.C. (rapper) Omar Credle , known by his stage name, O.C., is an American rapper who has been involved with several renowned underground hip-hop groups and also released many solo albums.-Recording career:... (vocal sample) Sample: "The Corner The Corner (song) "The Corner" is the second single released by rapper Common on his sixth album, Be. It features a chorus and production by Kanye West as well as spoken word lyrics by The Last Poets. The song's lyrics deal with street corners in poor neighborhoods. The song's beat contains samples from "You Make... " by Common (vocal sample) Scratches: DJ Premier DJ Premier Christopher Edward Martin , better known by his stage name DJ Premier , is an American record producer and DJ, and was the instrumental half of the hip hop duo Gang Starr, together with emcee Guru... |
| 8 | "Black Maybe" | Songwriters: L. Lynn, K. West, S. Wonder Sample: "Black Maybe" by Stevie Wonder Stevie Wonder Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist... & Syreeta Wright Syreeta Wright Syreeta Wright , who recorded professionally under the single name Syreeta, was a Grammy-nominated American singer-songwriter most notably known for her work with Stevie Wonder and Billy Preston.-Early life and career:... Background Vocals: Bilal Percussions: Karriem Riggins Keys & Synth: Omar Edwards Keyboard: James Poyser Callowhill electric bass: Derrick Hodge |
| 9 | "So Far to Go" | Songwriters: L. Lynn, J. Yancey, M. Archer, E. Isley, M. Isley, O. Isley, R. Isley, R. Isley, C. Jasper Sample: Don't Say Goodnight (It's Time for Love)" by The Isley Brothers The Isley Brothers The Isley Brothers are a highly influential, successful and long-running American music group consisting of different line-ups of six brothers, and a brother-in-law, Chris Jasper... Skit plays: "As Long as He Lies Perfectly Still" by Soft Machine |
| 10 | "Break My Heart" | Songwriters: L. Lynn, K. West, G. Duke George Duke George Duke is a multi-faceted American musician, known as a keyboard pioneer, composer, singer and producer in both jazz and popular mainstream musical genres. He has worked with numerous acclaimed artists as arranger, music director, writer and co-writer, record producer and professor of music... Samples: "Someday" by George Duke George Duke George Duke is a multi-faceted American musician, known as a keyboard pioneer, composer, singer and producer in both jazz and popular mainstream musical genres. He has worked with numerous acclaimed artists as arranger, music director, writer and co-writer, record producer and professor of music... Keyboard: Omar Edwards Callowhill electric bass: Derrick Hodge |
| 11 | "Misunderstood" | Songwriters: L. Lynn, D. Harris, B. Benjamin, G. Caldwell, S. Marcus Samples: "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" is a song written by Bennie Benjamin, Gloria Caldwell and Sol Marcus for the singer/pianist Nina Simone, who first recorded it in 1964. "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" has been recorded or performed by many artists, and is widely known by the 1965 blues rock hit... " by Nina Simone Nina Simone Eunice Kathleen Waymon , better known by her stage name Nina Simone , was an American singer, songwriter, pianist, arranger, and civil rights activist widely associated with jazz music... Additional Vocals: Bilal Keys and Flute: Omar Edwards |
| 12 | "Forever Begins" | Songwriters: L. Lynn, K. West, P. Simon Sample: "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover" is a 1975 hit song by Paul Simon, from his album Still Crazy After All These Years. Backing vocals on the single were performed by Patti Austin, Valerie Simpson and Phoebe Snow.-Creation:... " by Paul Simon Paul Simon Paul Frederic Simon is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist.Simon is best known for his success, beginning in 1965, as part of the duo Simon & Garfunkel, with musical partner Art Garfunkel. Simon wrote most of the pair's songs, including three that reached number one on the US singles... Sample: "She's Leaving Home She's Leaving Home "She's Leaving Home" is a song credited to Lennon–McCartney and released in 1967 on The Beatles album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. McCartney wrote and sang the verse and Lennon the chorus... " by Syreeta Keyboard: Karriem Riggins Piano, keyboard and synth: Omar Edwards String Arranger and Conductor: Derrick Hodge Callowhill electric bass: Derrick Hodge Violin: Monique Spencer & Edith Dawn Yorkley Viola: Dawn Smith Cello: Alana E. Bennett |
| * | "Play Your Cards Right" | Songwriters: L. Lynn, K. Riggins Samples: "Under the Street Lamp" by Joe Bataan Joe Bataan Joe Bataan is a Filipino-African American Latin R&B musician from New York.- Early life and career :... |
Charts
| Chart (2007) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canadian Albums Chart Canadian Albums Chart The Canadian Albums Chart is the official album sales chart in Canada. It is compiled every Wednesday by U.S.-based music sales tracking company Nielsen Soundscan, and published every Thursday by Jam! Canoe and Billboard, along with its sister charts the Canadian Singles Chart and the Canadian BDS... |
10 |
| Dutch Albums Chart | 58 |
| French Albums Chart | 82 |
| Irish Albums Chart Irish Albums Chart The Irish Albums Chart is the Irish music industry standard albums popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on its behalf by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured electronically... |
57 |
| Norwegian Albums Chart | 27 |
| Swiss Albums Chart | 23 |
| UK Albums Chart UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
35 |
| U.S. Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
1 |
| U.S. Billboard Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Top Rap Albums Top Rap Albums Top Rap Albums is a record chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks Rap and hip-hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The chart began publication for the week of November 13, 2004.... |
1 |
Personnel
Technical credits- Engineers – Brian "B. Kyle" Atkins, Neil Baldock, Anthony Kilhoffer, Dylan Dresdow, Phil Strong
- Assistant – Dave Paul
- Mixing – Andrew Dawson, Mike Dean, Dylan Dresdow
- Illustrations – Nigel Evan Dennis
- A&R – Don-C
- Marketing – Tim Reid
- Photography – Nabil ElderkinNabil ElderkinNabil Elderkin is an Australian professional photographer and music video and film director of mixed American and Iranian origin. Born in Chicago and raised in Australia, he is now based in Los Angeles, California.-Beginnings:...
- Production Coordination – Cliff Feiman