Same as It Ever Was

Same as It Ever Was did not reach the same commercial heights as the group's previous album; however, Same as It Ever Was peaked at No. 12 on the Billboard 200 chart (their highest position to date) and also reached gold status by Recording Industry Association of America.^[12]

AllMusic gave it four out five stars.^[3] Matt Carlson of The Michigan Daily found the album quite good and noted "the music is laid back with some heavy driving forces underlying and strengthening it".^[13] Andrew Love of The Ocala Star-Banner gave it four stars saying "this is a band that has definitely progressed over the course of one album".^[2] J.D. Constantine of The Baltimore Sun did not like the album and found it monotonous and unimaginative.^[14] Roger Catlin of the Hartford Courant said that while finding the continuity monotonous it's "hard and compelling" as well as a "strong outing".^[15] Music critic Robert Christgau gave the album an A− and described it as "the hardest hip hop of the year."

Summarize Fact Check

Sample credits

• "Back from the Dead" contains a sample of "Rumors", performed by the Timex Social Club.
• "I'm a Swing It" contains a sample of "You're Slippin'", performed by Boogie Down Productions.
• "All That" contains a sample of "Snakin' the Grass", performed by Cannonball Adderley.
• "On Point" contains a sample of "Inside Straight", performed by Cannonball Adderley.
• "Over There Shit" contains a sample of "Make It Funky (Milk Is Chillin') by Audio Two.
• "Word Is Bond" contains a sample of:
  • "Rivers Invitation", performed by Freddie Robinson.
  • "Death Becomes You", performed by Pete Rock & CL Smooth.
• "It Ain't a Crime" contains a sample of "Get Out of My Life, Woman", performed by Lee Dorsey.
• "Who's the Man" contains a sample of "The Master Plan", performed by the Kay Gees.
• "On Point" contains a sample of "Inside Straight", performed by Cannonball Adderley.