4 tha Hard Way

4 Tha Hard Way
4 Tha Hard Way
Studio album by Rappin' 4-Tay
Released	October 21, 1997
Genre	West Coast hip hop; gangsta rap; G-funk;
Label	Noo Trybe Records
Producer	Al Eaton; Alonzo Jackson; Ant Banks; C-Funk; Daniel LeMelle; G-Man Stan; K Lou; Les G; Mike City; Premiere Music; Rick James; Studio Ton;
Rappin' 4-Tay chronology

4 Tha Hard Way is the fourth album by the West Coast hip hop artist Rappin' 4-Tay, released by Noo Trybe Records in 1997.^[3] Featuring production from Bay Area producer Ant Banks,^[2] as well as guest appearances from the likes of Rick James, E-40 and Master P, the entire album is dedicated to the memory of Tupac Shakur.^{[citation needed]} The album debuted on the Billboard 200 chart at number 169,^[4] with 7,000 copies sold in the first week. Upon the album's release, Rappin' 4-Tay considered 4 Tha Hard Way his best album despite its surprisingly low sales, with his manager blaming the label for changing the release date and not promoting the album.^[3]

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[1]
The Source	^[2]

Alex Henderson of AllMusic noted the album's "positive and congenial tone" and tendency towards "melodic, R&B-flavored tracks", concluding that it was "decent, but not remarkable".^[1] Miguel Burke of The Source thought that the best moments on the albums are the songs performed solo by Rappin' 4-Tay, where he "stray[s] away from the redundant topic of being a player", but criticized the album for its lack of a hit song, resulting in an album that fails to reach the level of the classic West Coast hip hop albums.^[2]

Track listing

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Playaz Dedication"	4:49
2.	"One Nite"	4:03
3.	"Beats for Sale" (skit)	0:44
4.	"What's Wrong Wit' the Game" (featuring E-40)	4:15
5.	"Money Makes the Man" (featuring J. Mess & Sauce)	3:53
6.	"Where You Playin' At"	4:31
7.	"Cold Blooded" (featuring Rick James)	4:10
8.	"Just Came Up" (skit)	0:17
9.	"Back At Cha"	3:57
10.	"Playa 4 Life" (featuring Master P)	4:14
11.	"What Fo'"	5:25
12.	"Ain't Nobody Coachin'" (featuring Frankie J)	3:46
13.	"Brin' the Beat Back" (featuring Lil' Fly)	3:31
14.	"Lay Ya Gunz Down"	4:54
15.	"The Biggie (skit)"	0:27
16.	"The Biggie" (featuring Screwface)	4:06
17.	"Shake It" (featuring The Conscious Daughters)	4:26
18.	"The Element Of Surprise" (featuring San Quinn & Messy Marv)	4:21
19.	"Thinkin' About You" (featuring Carl "C.D." Douglas)	4:06
20.	"4-Tha Hard Way"	3:33

References

^ ^a ^b Henderson, Alex. 4 tha Hard Way at AllMusic
^ ^a ^b ^c Burke, Miguel (December 1997). "Record Report: Rappin' 4-Tay – 4 Tha Hardway". The Source. No. 99. New York. p. 186.
^ ^a ^b Jam, Billy (November 16, 1997). "Sales Are Soft For 4-Tay's 'Hard'". San Francisco Examiner. p. 50. Retrieved June 9, 2024.
^ "Billboard 200 – Week of November 8, 1997". Billboard. Retrieved June 9, 2024.

External links

4 tha Hard Way at Discogs (list of releases)

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[AllMusic-1] Henderson, Alex. 4 tha Hard Way at AllMusic

[TheSource-2] Burke, Miguel (December 1997). "Record Report: Rappin' 4-Tay – 4 Tha Hardway". The Source. No. 99. New York. p. 186.

[SFExam-3] Jam, Billy (November 16, 1997). "Sales Are Soft For 4-Tay's 'Hard'". San Francisco Examiner. p. 50. Retrieved June 9, 2024.

[4] "Billboard 200 – Week of November 8, 1997". Billboard. Retrieved June 9, 2024.

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