Bow Down
1996 studio album by Westside Connection
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Bow Down is the debut studio album by American West Coast hip-hop supergroup Westside Connection. It was released on October 22, 1996, through Priority Records. The recording sessions took place at Ice Cube's house studio, Westsiiiiide Studios, in California, except for the song "Gangstas Make the World Go Round", which was recorded at Treehouse Studios in South Africa. The production was handled by Bud'da, Quincy Jones III, Binky Mack, and Ice Cube, who also served as executive producer. It features guest appearances from Allfrumtha I and the Comrads.
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| Bow Down | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | October 22, 1996 | |||
| Recorded | 1995–1996 | |||
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| Genre | ||||
| Length | 48:12 | |||
| Label | Priority | |||
| Producer |
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| Westside Connection chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Bow Down | ||||
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The album peaked at number two on the Billboard 200 and topped the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, shipping 145,000 units.[1] It went on to sell 1.7 million copies in the United States receiving Platinum certification status by the Recording Industry Association of America on January 10, 1997.[2] It was also certified Gold by Canadian Recording Industry Association for selling 50,000 units in Canada.
Its singles, the title track and "Gangstas Make the World Go Round", made it to the Billboard Hot 100, landing at number 21 and 40, respectively. The songs "King of the Hill", "Cross 'Em out and Put a 'K" and "Hoo Bangin' (WSCG Style)" are diss tracks towards hip hop group Cypress Hill, Q-Tip and rapper Common.
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [3] |
| Entertainment Weekly | C[4] |
| Los Angeles Times | [5] |
| Muzik |  [6] |
| RapReviews | 9/10[7] |
| Rolling Stone | [8] |
| The Source | [9] |
| The Village Voice | D+[10] |
The Indianapolis Star called the album "one of the strongest gauntlet-throw-downs on disc, but it may well be a last gasp from the gangsta style that is suffering from Tupac Shakur's murder."[11]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "World Domination" (Intro) | 1:16 | ||
| 2. | "Bow Down" | Bud'da | 3:27 | |
| 3. | "Gangstas Make the World Go Round" |
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| 4:33 |
| 4. | "All the Critics in New York" |
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| 5:35 |
| 5. | "Do You Like Criminals?" (featuring K-Dee) |
| Bud'da | 5:01 |
| 6. | "Gangstas Don't Dance" (Insert) | Binky Mack | 0:22 | |
| 7. | "The Gangsta, the Killa and the Dope Dealer" |
| Bud'da | 4:15 |
| 8. | "Cross 'Em Out and Put a 'K" |
| Bud'da | 4:56 |
| 9. | "King of the Hill" |
| QDIII | 4:17 |
| 10. | "3 Time Felons" |
| Bud'da | 5:10 |
| 11. | "Westward Ho" |
| QDIII | 5:12 |
| 12. | "The Pledge" (Insert) | 0:14 | ||
| 13. | "Hoo-Bangin' (WSCG Style)" (featuring the Comrads and Allfrumtha I) |
| Ice Cube | 3:58 |
| Total length: | 48:12 | |||
- Sample credits
- Track 3 contains an interpolation of "People Make the World Go Round" written by Thom Bell and Linda Creed
- Track 7 contains a sample from "Hurt" written by Trent Reznor as recorded by Nine Inch Nails
- Track 10 contains an interpolation of "With a Little Help from My Friends" written by Lennon-McCartney
Personnel
- O'Shea "Ice Cube" Jackson – main performer, producer (tracks: 3, 13), co-producer (track 4), engineering, mixing, executive producer
- Dedrick "Mack 10" Rolison – main performer
- William "WC" Calhoun Jr. – main performer
- Kelly "K-Mac" Garmon – featured artist (tracks: 5, 13)
- Terrell "Gangsta" Anderson – featured artist (track 13)
- Ryan "Binky Mack" Garner – featured artist (track 13), producer (track 4)
- Marcus "Squeak Ru" Moore – featured artist (track 13)
- Jonathan Hyde – vocals (track 1)
- Stephen "Bud'da" Anderson – producer (tracks: 2, 5, 7, 8, 10)
- Quincy Delight Jones III – producer (tracks: 9, 11)
- Cedric Samson – co-producer (track 3)
- Keston Wright – engineering
- Art Shoji – art direction, design
- Manuel J. Donayre – art direction, design
- Michael Miller – photography
- Steven Wills – logo artwork
- Marvin Watkins – A&R
Charts
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Canada (Music Canada)[19] | Gold | 50,000^ |
| United States (RIAA)[20] | Platinum | 1,000,000^ |
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^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||