Hard to Earn

Hard to Earn is the fourth studio album by American hip-hop duo Gang Starr. It was released on March 8, 1994, by Chrysalis and EMI Records in North America. The album featured the singles "Dwyck" (featuring Nice & Smooth), "Mass Appeal" (their first charting single on the Billboard Hot 100 chart), and "Code of the Streets". Guest appearances on the album include Group Home, Jeru the Damaja, and Big Shug. At the time, all were part of the Gang Starr Foundation, which made the album a stepping-stone for future DJ Premier-helmed projects by Group Home and Jeru. Hard to Earn received acclaim and commercial success upon release.

ReleasedMarch 8, 1994

StudioD&D Studios (New York City)

Genres

• East Coast hip-hop^[1]
• hardcore hip-hop^[1]

Length58:57

Quick facts Studio album by Gang Starr, Released ...

Hard to Earn
Studio album by Gang Starr
Released	March 8, 1994
Studio	D&D Studios (New York City)
Genres	East Coast hip-hop[1] hardcore hip-hop[1]
Length	58:57
Labels	Chrysalis EMI 7243 8 28435 2 8 F2-28435
Producers	DJ Premier Guru (co-prod.)
Gang Starr chronology
Daily Operation (1992) Hard to Earn (1994) Moment of Truth (1998)
Singles from Hard to Earn
"Dwyck" Released: December 29, 1992[2] "Mass Appeal" Released: February 8, 1994[3] "Code of the Streets" Released: May 17, 1994[4] "Suckas Need Bodyguards" Released: October 4, 1994[5]

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More information Review scores, Source ...

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[6]
Robert Christgau	[7]
RapReviews	8.5/10[8]
Rolling Stone	[9]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	[10]
The Source	[11]

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"DWYCK" was first released in 1992 as a stand alone single and music video, but was included on Hard to Earn at the record label's behest; due to its underground acclaim. The track "Now You're Mine" originally appeared on the 1992 soundtrack White Men Can't Rap. The single "Mass Appeal" later appeared in the video game Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4^[12] and its remake.^[13]