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Nocturnal

 
Album Review: Nocturnal

  • Artist: Heltah Skeltah
  • Rating: StarStarStarHalf Star
  • Release Date: 1996 07
  • Type: Contains explicit content
  • Genre: Rap

Review

Heltah Skeltah is comprised of MCs Ruck and Rock, two members of the loose-knit East Coast congregation Boot Camp Clik. The duo's debut establishes the crew as one of the most powerful members of the Clik, both in terms of technique and production. Most of Nocturnal is straight-ahead East Coast gangsta rap with layered soundscapes, and even if these soundscapes are seamlessly crafted, they are only there as a backdrop -- the main intent of the entire album is to showcase the talents of Ruck and Rock, and do they ever display their talents. Throughout the album, Ruck and Rock create a series of intertwining rhymes that are lyrical, hard, and insightful. Naturally, there are some moments that are little too predictable for comfort, but by and large, Nocturnal is first-rate mid-'90s hip-hop. ~ Leo Stanley, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track TitleComposersPerformersTime
Intro (Here We Come) Heltah Skeltah (3:29)
Letha Brainz Blo (Lyrics) Heltah Skeltah (4:19)
Undastand (Lyrics) Heltah Skeltah (4:15)
Who Dat? Heltah Skeltah (1:43)
Sean Price Darryl Pearson Illa Noyz, Heltah Skeltah (4:19)
Clan's, Posse's, Crew's & Clik's Heltah Skeltah (5:23)
Therapy (Lyrics) Vinia Mojica Heltah Skeltah (4:32)
Place to Be (Lyrics) Heltah Skeltah (2:45)
Soldiers Gone Psyco (Lyrics) Heltah Skeltah (3:40)
The Square (Triple R) L. Johnson, Demetrio Muniz Heltah Skeltah (4:20)
Da Wiggy Walt Dewgarde Heltah Skeltah (4:12)
Gettin Ass Gettin Ass Vinia Mojica Heltah Skeltah (1:15)
Leflaur Leflah Eshkoshka (Lyrics) (5:03)
Prowl Walt Dewgarde Heltah Skeltah, Louieville Sluggah (4:13)
Grate Unknown Darryl Pearson Heltah Skeltah (4:18)
Operation Lock Down Heltah Skeltah (4:25)
Outro Heltah Skeltah (3:01)

Credits

Illa Noyz (Performer), Gloria Lynne (?), Vinia Mojica (Choir, Chorus), Louieville Sluggah (Performer), Supreme (Producer), Baby Paul (Producer), Dexter Thibou (Assistant Engineer), Eric Lynch (Engineer), Vinia Mojica (Vocals (Background)), Lalo Schifrin (Sampling)
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Wikipedia: Nocturnal (Heltah Skeltah album)
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Nocturnal
Studio album by Heltah Skeltah
Released June 18, 1996
Recorded 1995-1996
Genre Hip hop
Length 65:21
Label Duck Down/Priority/EMI Records
0499 2 50532 2 7
P2-50532
Producer Buckshot
Lord Jamar
Baby Paul
Shaleek
DJ Evil Dee
Shawn J. Period
Supreme
Mr. Walt
E-Swift
Professional reviews
Heltah Skeltah chronology
Nocturnal
(1996)
Magnum Force
(1998)
Singles from Nocturnal
  1. "Leflaur Leflah Eshkoshka"
    Released: October 31, 1995
  2. "Operation Lock Down"
    Released: May 27, 1996
  3. "Therapy"
    Released: October 15, 1996

Nocturnal is the debut album from hip hop duo Heltah Skeltah, consisting of members Rock and Ruck (now known as Sean Price), members of Brooklyn supergroup Boot Camp Clik. It was the first BCC album to feature some outside producers, such as Shawn J. Period and E-Swift.

The two made their debut on Smif-N-Wessun's 1995 album Dah Shinin'. Later in 1995, Rock and Ruck teamed up with O.G.C. to form the Fab 5, and released the single "Blah" b/w "Leflaur Leflah Eshkoshka". "Leflah", included here, became a Billboard Hot 100 hit in '95 and the biggest hit from the Boot Camp family to date. "Leflah" was re-released as an A-Side single in early 1996, featuring the first sole Heltah Skeltah track, "Letha Brainz Blo", as its B-Side. The first official single released from the album was "Operation Lock Down", produced by Tha Alkaholiks' E-Swift. Other singles released from the album were "Therapy" and "Da Wiggy".

The "Twin Towers" of the Boot Camp Clik gained much recognition and respect in the Hip Hop world with the release of their debut, now hailed as a 90's Hip Hop classic. Led by Rock's rough, booming voice and Ruck's strong lyrical ability, and backed by dark, grimy beats by Da Beatminerz, Shaleek, and others, the release received wide acclaim in the Hip Hop world, but didn't reach much further, selling around 250,000 copies in the US.

Contents

Track listing

# Title Songwriters Producer(s) Performer (s)
1 "Intro (Here We Come)" K. Blake, J. McNair, J. Bush Buckshot, Lord Jamar Rock, Starang Wondah
2 "Letha Brainz Blo" P. Hendricks, S. Price, J. Bush Baby Paul of Da Beatminerz Rock, Ruck
3 "Undastand" P. Hendricks, S. Price, J. Bush Baby Paul of Da Beatminerz Ruck, Rock
4 "Who Dat?" K. Blake, S. Price, J. Bush Buckshot Ruck, Rock
5 "Sean Price" D. Pearson, S. Price Shaleek Ruck, Illa Noyz
6 "Clan's, Posse's, Crew's & Clik's" E. Dewgarde, J. Bush, S. Price DJ Evil Dee of Da Beatminerz Rock, Ruck
7 "Therapy" P. Hendricks, S. Price, J. Bush, V. Mojica Baby Paul of Da Beatminerz Rock, Ruck, Vinia Mojica
8 "Place to Be" S. Price, J. Bush, Shawn J. Period Shawn J. Period Ruck, Rock
9 "Soldiers Gone Psyco" P. Hendricks, J. Bush, S. Price Baby Paul of Da Beatminerz Ruck, Rock
10 "The Square (Triple R)" S. Price, J. Bush, L. Johnson, B. Muniz Supreme Rock, Ruck, Representativz
11 "Da Wiggy" W. Dewgarde, J. Bush, S. Price Mr. Walt of Da Beatminerz Ruck, Rock
12 "Gettin Ass Gettin Ass" S. Price, V. Mojica Dr. Kill Patient aka Sean Price Ruck, Vinia Mojica
13 "Leflaur Leflah Eshkoshka" P. Hendricks, J. McNair, J. Bush, D. Yates, S. Price, B. Powell Baby Paul of Da Beatminerz Rock, Ruck, O.G.C.
14 "Prowl" W. Dewgarde, J. Bush, B. Powell, S. Price Mr. Walt of Da Beatminerz Rock, Ruck, Louieville Sluggah
15 "Grate Unknown" D. Pearson, S. Price, J. Bush Shaleek Ruck, Rock
16 "Operation Lock Down" E. Brooks, J. Bush, S. Price E-Swift Rock, Ruck, Buckshot
17 "Lock Down Skit" E-Swift Ruck as "Bejesus", Rock

Album singles

Single information
"Leflaur Leflah Eshkoshka"
  • Released: October 31, 1995
  • B-Side: "Letha Brainz Blo"
"Operation Lock Down"
  • Released: May 27, 1996
  • B-Side: "Da Wiggy"
"Therapy"
  • Released: October 15, 1996
  • B-Side: "Place to Be"

Music videos

  • "Leflaur Leflah Eshkoshka" Director: Marcus Turner Released: 1995
  • "Operation Lock Down" Released: 1996
  • "Therapy" Director: Gobi Najed
    Released: 1996

Album chart positions

Year Album Chart positions
Billboard 200 Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums
1996 Nocturnal 35 5

Singles chart positions

Year Song Chart positions
Billboard Hot 100 Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks Hot Rap Singles Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales
1995 "Leflaur Leflah Eshkoshka" 75 51 8 19
1996 "Operation Lock Down" - 64 15 13
"Da Wiggy" - - 15 -
"Therapy" - 77 16 21

 
 
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Album Review. Copyright © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Music Guide ®, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.  Read more
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