Above the Law Albums (5)
'Forever: Rich Thugs, Book One'
Release Date 10/26/1999
Tracks 15
Label Street Solid
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What The Critics Say
Recording for Street Solid in the late '90s, Gregory Hutchinson -- who also went by Cold 187um as well as Big Hutch -- had two careers. The South Central L.A. gangsta rapper launched a solo career with 1999's Executive Decisions, but he was still a member of Above the Law, whose Forever: Rich Thugs is among the group's more memorable releases. Lyrically, this CD breaks no new ground for ATL, who still rap in the first person about players, pimps, and hustlers and don't offer any insights that they weren't offering nine years earlier. But while Forever: Rich Thugs isn't groundbreaking, the CD commands attention thanks to its infectious beats, above average hooks, and melodic grooves. Whether Hutch, Big Mil, or DJ Silk is doing the producing, Dr. Dre's sleek production style is an influence throughout the album. Without question, Forever: Rich Thugs is among ATL's best-sounding CDs. To be sure, ATL's lyrics can be quite predictable, but musically, Forever: Rich Thugs has no problem grabbing one's attention and keeping it. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
By album number five, fans knew what to expect from Above the Law. Legends didn't throw any curveballs; instead, it stuck to the group's regular attack with little apparent desire to expand or progress. While few West Coast gangsta groups were as skilled as Above the Law, the passage of time only shows more how Legends wasn't much more than just another album from the group. As ever, the group's production is its top asset, and the MCs, though hardly masters, remain vivid and convincing storytellers. Had this been the first or second record released by a newer group a few years earlier, it wouldn't have gone nearly as ignored -- so this is definitely a record for the devoted. ~ Andy Kellman, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
In 1996, the debate over gangsta rap raged on. Anti-gangsta rap activist C. Delores Tucker made headlines by railing against the form's violent imagery, while gangsta rappers insisted that they were simply telling it like it was and "keeping it real." What Tucker didn't realize was that gangsta at its best (Ice-T, Ice Cube) wasn't simply cheap exploitation, but a cry for help and an informative audio documentary on ghetto life. Unfortunately, gangsta on the whole had long since lost its freshness and become extremely predictable. While Above the Law's lyrics sounded fresh on its first album, Livin' Like Hustlers, the L.A. gangsta outfit was sounding pretty clichéd lyrically when it joined Tommy Boy with Time Will Reveal. Before playing the CD, one could guess that it consisted of more first person accounts of "pimpin' and hustlin'" -- and sure enough, that's exactly what it consists of. But as predictable as ATL's lyrics are, Cold 187um's sleek production is something to admire. 187's very musical, Dr. Dre-influenced production style keeps things fresh, although the lyrics show little or no growth. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
'Livin' Like Hustlers'
Release Date 1/1/1989
Tracks 10
Label Ruthless
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
With albums by Ice-T, N.W.A, the Geto Boys, and Eazy-E having popularized gangsta rap in the late '80s, the stage was set for the success of Above the Law. The members of this South Central L.A. group had close ties to members of N.W.A -- Above the Law produced their own debut album, Livin' Like Hustlers, with Dr. Dre, and recorded it for Eazy's Ruthless label (which was going through Epic as well as Priority and Atlantic). Though not in a class with Ice-T's or N.W.A's work, Hustlers is a sobering depiction of ghetto life in L.A. Violent, profane, and graphic, songs like "Another Execution," "Menace to Society," and "Murder Rap" let listeners know exactly what life in South Central was like. The imaginative Dre's input as a producer is consistently beneficial, and he sees to it that the CD comes alive musically. ATL's lyrics would sound increasingly clichéd as the 1990s progressed, but Hustlers shows that at the dawn of the decade, the Angelenos had some freshness. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
