A Future Without a Past...
1991 studio album by Leaders of the New School
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A Future Without a Past... is the debut studio album from American hip hop group Leaders of the New School.[2][3] It was released in 1991 on Elektra Records.[4]
| A Future Without a Past... | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | July 2, 1991 | |||
| Recorded | 1990–1991 | |||
| Genre | Alternative hip hop[1] | |||
| Length | 66:06 | |||
| Label | Elektra | |||
| Producer |
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| Leaders of the New School chronology | ||||
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| Singles from A Future Without a Past... | ||||
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Production
A Future Without a Past... is a loose concept album about high school, divided into three parts.[5]
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |  [1] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |  [6] |
| RapReviews | 8/10[7] |
| The Village Voice |  [8] |
The Baltimore Sun noted that "the group modulates the density of each track, [so] there's always a sense of flow to the sound, of tension and release, buildup and climax."[9]
Stanton Swihart of AllMusic praised the work, calling the group's debut "one of the most infectious rap albums ever created."[1] Trouser Press called the album "highly amiable," writing that the group's "subtle Afrocentric politics came coated in tasty upbeat rhymes."[5] Complex wrote that the album revives "the barbershop quartet-style group dynamics of early hip-hop crews like the Treacherous 3 and the Cold Crush Brothers."[10] Fact called it "a jolly throwback affair ... enlivened by Busta's freewheeling presence and some smart production work."[11]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Homeroom" | 2:25 | ||
| 2. | "Case of the P.T.A." |
| 3:42 | |
| 3. | "Too Much on My Mind" |
| 4:26 | |
| 4. | "What's the Pinocchio's Theory?" |
| 3:43 | |
| 5. | "Just When You Thought It Was Safe..." |
| 2:30 | |
| 6. | "Lunchroom" | 2:30 | ||
| 7. | "Sound of the Zeekers @#^**?!" (featuring Cracker Jacks, Rumpletilskinz and Kollie Weed) | 5:16 | ||
| 8. | "Sobb Story" | 4:51 | ||
| 9. | "Feminine Fatt" | 3:08 | ||
| 10. | "Transformers" |
|
| 4:00 |
| 11. | "Afterschool" | 1:24 | ||
| 12. | "Show Me a Hero" | 4:35 | ||
| 13. | "Trains, Planes and Automobiles" | 4:04 | ||
| 14. | "The International Zone Coaster" |
|
| 5:05 |
| 15. | "Teachers, Don't Teach Us Nonsense!!" | Leaders of the New School | 4:06 | |
| 16. | "My Ding-a-Ling" | 3:41 | ||
| 17. | "Where Do We Go from Here?" | 6:51 |
Charts
| Chart (1991) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard 200[3] | 128 |
| U.S. Heatseekers | 1 |
| U.S. R&B Albums | 53 |
Personnel
- assistant engineering – John Gamble
- engineering – Dr. Shane Faber, Mike Mangini, Christopher Shaw
- mixing – Busta Rhymes, Charlie Brown, Geeby Dajani, John Gamble, Dante Ross, Eric "Vietnam" Sadler
- production – Busta Rhymes, Charlie Brown, Cut Monitor Milo, Geeby Dajani, Dinco D, John Gamble, Leaders of the New School, Dante Ross, Eric "Vietnam" Sadler