Moment of Truth (Gang Starr album)

Moment of Truth
Studio album by
Gang Starr
ReleasedMarch 31, 1998
Recorded1997–1998
StudioD&D (New York City)
Genre
Length78:37
Label
Producer
Gang Starr chronology
Hard to Earn
(1994) 		Moment of Truth
(1998) 		Full Clip: A Decade of Gang Starr
(1999)
Singles from Moment of Truth
  1. "You Know My Steez"
    Released: November 18, 1997[2]
  2. "The Militia"
    Released: July 28, 1998[3]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Chicago Tribune[4]
Entertainment WeeklyB+[5]
Houston Chronicle[6]
Los Angeles Times[7]
Muzik7/10[8]
NME8/10[9]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[10]
The Source[11]
USA Today[12]

Moment of Truth is the fifth studio album by American hip hop duo Gang Starr, released on March 31, 1998,[13] by Noo Trybe Records and Virgin Records. Gang Starr recorded Moment of Truth in sessions at D&D Studios. It is widely regarded as Gang Starr's magnum opus, and one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time.

Background & Recording

Moment of Truth marked Gang Starr's fifth studio album, released in 1998 following a four-year hiatus. Prior to the album, both artists were pursuing solo work; with DJ Premier prolifically collaborating with artists such as Jay-Z, Nas, and Biggie during this period, while Guru had released his second instalment of his Jazzmatazz series. This contributed to a refined sound for the album, while maintaining the group's signature hardcore style.[14]

Guru faced serious legal issues, including a gun charge that could have resulted in a five-year prison sentence. The weight of this potential outcome influenced much of the album's thematic direction, particularly in tracks such as “Moment of Truth,” which reflected the group's real-life struggles.[15] Tension over Guru's drinking habits also briefly led to DJ Premier stepping away from the group during the album's production. However, the two reconciled and completed the album together.[14]

Commercial performance and legacy

The album is the group's most commercially successful album to date. Moment of Truth debuted at #1 on the Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart. The album sold 97,000 copies in its first week.[16] It went on to sell over 500,000 copies and was certified Gold by the RIAA on May 7, 1998.[17] The lead single, "You Know My Steez", became the duo's second Billboard Hot 100 appearance in 1997, peaking at #76. Spin magazine ranked it as the #16 album of 1998.[18] Pitchfork also ranked it as the 16th best album of 1998. Writer Marcus J. Moore wrote: "Moment of Truth is an all-in effort that found the duo at their creative apex. Not only did Guru and Premier step up their respective talents, the album also featured standout verses from rappers Inspectah Deck, Freddie Foxxx, G-Dep, and Scarface. For a group teetering on the edge, Moment of Truth is Gang Starr’s shining moment."[19]

The album's title track was featured in the 2011 Matthew McConaughey film The Lincoln Lawyer.[20][21][22] The title track also appeared in the soundtrack of the 2001 video game Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX 2 as well as an episode during the third season of the television show Mr. Robot. The song Work appears on ESPN promos for SC6 with Michael/Jemele. Work also appeared in the 1998 movie Caught Up starring Bokeem Woodbine and was included on the soundtrack. Work was again sampled in 2019 for a Bank of Melbourne television commercial.[23]

Track listing

All music is composed by Keith Elam and Christopher Martin.

No.TitlePerformer(s)Length
1."You Know My Steez"Guru4:07
2."Robbin Hood Theory"Guru3:44
3."Work"Guru2:57
4."Royalty"
  • Guru
  • K-Ci & JoJo
5:11
5."Above the Clouds"
  • Guru
  • Inspectah Deck
3:41
6."JFK 2 LAX"Guru3:34
7."Itz a Set Up"
  • Guru
  • Hannibal Stax
3:49
8."Moment of Truth"Guru3:35
9."B.I. vs Friendship"
  • Guru
  • M.O.P.
4:37
10."The Militia"
  • Guru
  • Big Shug
  • Freddie Foxxx
4:48
11."The Rep Grows Bigga"Guru4:55
12."What I'm Here 4"Guru2:45
13."She Knowz What She Wantz"Guru3:00
14."New York Strait Talk"Guru4:14
15."My Advice 2 You"Guru2:31
16."Make 'Em Pay"
  • Guru
  • Krumb Snatcha
4:21
17."The Mall"
  • Guru
  • G. Dep
  • Shiggy Sha
3:40
18."Betrayal"
  • Guru
  • Scarface
5:29
19."Next Time"Guru3:06
20."In Memory Of..."
  • DJ Premier
  • Guru
3:50

Charts

Singles

Chart positions from Billboard magazine

Year Song Billboard Hot 100 Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot Rap Singles Dance/Electronic Singles Sales
1997 "You Know My Steez" 76 15 5 2
1998 "Royalty 2
1998 "The Militia" – 19 7 –

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[34] Gold 50,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[35] Silver 60,000‡
United States (RIAA)[36] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Moment of Truth – Gang Starr". AllMusic. Retrieved February 4, 2017.
  2. ^ "You Know My Steez - Gang Starr | User Reviews | AllMusic". AllMusic.
  3. ^ "Militia - Gang Starr | User Reviews | AllMusic". AllMusic.
  4. ^ Baker, Soren (April 10, 1998). "Gang Starr: Moment of Truth (Noo Trybe)". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 10, 2017.
  5. ^ Tyehimba, Cheo (April 24, 1998). "Moment of Truth". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on November 22, 2016. Retrieved February 4, 2017.
  6. ^ Jam, Billy (March 29, 1998). "Gang Starr, Moment of Truth, Noo Trybe". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved January 17, 2018.
  7. ^ Johnson, Brett (April 26, 1998). "Gang Starr, 'Moment of Truth,' Noo Trybe/Virgin". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on January 22, 2021. Retrieved April 10, 2017.
  8. ^ McPhail, Pete (June 1998). "Gang Starr: Moment of Truth (Cooltempo)". Muzik (37): 82.
  9. ^ Batey, Angus (April 11, 1998). "Gang Starr – Moment of Truth". NME. Archived from the original on August 17, 2000. Retrieved February 4, 2017.
  10. ^ McLeod, Kembrew (2004). "Gang Starr". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. p. 322. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
  11. ^ Wilson, Elliott (May 1998). "Gang Starr: Moment of Truth". The Source. No. 104. p. 145. Archived from the original on January 27, 2000. Retrieved July 8, 2024.
  12. ^ Jones, Steve (March 31, 1998). "Gang Starr returns for a big 'Moment'". USA Today.
  13. ^ Fitzgerald, Trent (March 31, 2023). "Gang Starr Drop Moment of Truth Album – Today in Hip-Hop". XXL. Retrieved October 5, 2024.
  14. ^ a b Ambrosia For Heads (March 29, 2018). DJ Premier Discusses The 20th Anniversary Of Gang Starr's Moment Of Truth. Retrieved October 14, 2024 – via YouTube.
  15. ^ "GUN RAP FOR RAPPER WITH ANTI-GANG RIFF". New York Daily News. February 23, 1996. Retrieved October 14, 2024.
  16. ^ Gang Starr Bows At No. 6 : Rolling Stone
  17. ^ "Gold & Platinum - Gang Starr". RIAA. May 7, 1998.
  18. ^ "Spin Magazine's The 20 Best Albums of 1998". Rocklist. Archived from the original on November 5, 2005. Retrieved February 4, 2017.
  19. ^ "The 50 Best Albums of 1998". Pitchfork. February 12, 2018. Archived from the original on October 5, 2021. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
  20. ^ Barone, Matt (March 18, 2011). "Review: "The Lincoln Lawyer" (Starring Matthew McConaughey)". Complex. Archived from the original on February 6, 2016. Retrieved February 4, 2017.
  21. ^ "The Lincoln Lawyer - Soundtracks". IMDb. Archived from the original on April 26, 2015. Retrieved February 4, 2017.
  22. ^ Jagernauth, Kevin (February 23, 2011). "'The Lincoln Lawyer' Soundtrack Features Erik B. & Rakim, Gang Starr, deadmau5 & More". IndieWire. Retrieved February 4, 2017.
  23. ^ "Gang Starr for Bank of Melbourne". www.umusicpub.com. Retrieved October 14, 2024.
  24. ^ "Gangstarr ARIA Chart history". ARIA. Retrieved March 6, 2025 – via Imgur.com. N.B. The High Point number in the NAT column represents the release's peak on the national chart.
  25. ^ "Gang Starr Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard.
  26. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Gang Starr – Moment of Truth" (in Dutch). Hung Medien.
  27. ^ "Lescharts.com – Gang Starr – Moment of Truth". Hung Medien.
  28. ^ "Longplay-Chartverfolgung at Musicline" (in German). Musicline.de. Phononet GmbH.
  29. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Gang Starr – Moment of Truth". Hung Medien.
  30. ^ "Gang Starr | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart.
  31. ^ "Gang Starr Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard.
  32. ^ "Gang Starr Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard.
  33. ^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1998". Billboard. January 2, 2013. Archived from the original on October 1, 2020. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
  34. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Gang Starr – Moment Of Truth". Music Canada.
  35. ^ "British album certifications – Gang Starr – Moment Of Truth". British Phonographic Industry.
  36. ^ "American album certifications – Gang Starr – Moment Of Truth". Recording Industry Association of America.
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