A Future Without a Past...
A Future Without a Past... is the debut studio album from American hip hop group Leaders of the New School.[5][6] It was released in 1991 on Elektra Records.[7]
| A Future Without a Past... | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | July 2, 1991 | |||
| Recorded | 1990–1991 | |||
| Genre | Alternative hip hop[1] | |||
| Length | 66:06 | |||
| Label | Elektra | |||
| Producer |
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| Leaders of the New School chronology | ||||
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| Singles from A Future Without a Past... | ||||
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| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |  [1] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |  [2] |
| RapReviews | 8/10[3] |
| The Village Voice |  [4] |
Production
A Future Without a Past... is a loose concept album about high school, divided into three parts.[8]
Critical reception
Stanton Swihart of AllMusic praised the work, calling the group's debut "one of the most infectious rap albums ever created."[1] Trouser Press called the album "highly amiable," writing that the group's "subtle Afrocentric politics came coated in tasty upbeat rhymes."[8] Complex wrote that the album revives "the barbershop quartet-style group dynamics of early hip-hop crews like the Treacherous 3 and the Cold Crush Brothers."[9] Fact called it "a jolly throwback affair ... enlivened by Busta’s freewheeling presence and some smart production work."[10]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Music | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Homeroom" | 2:25 | |
| 2. | "Case of the P.T.A." | Cut Monitor Milo | 3:42 |
| 3. | "Too Much on My Mind" | The Vibe Chemist Backspin | 4:27 |
| 4. | "What's the Pinocchio's Theory?" | The Vibe Chemist Backspin | 3:43 |
| 5. | "Just When You Thought It Was Safe..." | Eric "Vietnam" Sadler | 2:30 |
| 6. | "Lunchroom" | 2:10 | |
| 7. | "Sound of the Zeekers @#^**?!" (feat. Cracker Jacks, Kollie Weed, and Rumpletilskinz) | Busta Rhymes | 5:16 |
| 8. | "Sobb Story" | Eric "Vietnam" Sadler | 4:51 |
| 9. | "Feminine Fatt" | The Vibe Chemist Backspin | 3:08 |
| 10. | "Transformers" | Geeby Dajani, John Gamble, Dante Ross | 4:00 |
| 11. | "Afterschool" | 1:24 | |
| 12. | "Show Me a Hero" | The Vibe Chemist Backspin | 4:35 |
| 13. | "Trains, Planes and Automobiles" | Eric "Vietnam" Sadler | 4:04 |
| 14. | "The International Zone Coaster" | Geeby Dajani, John Gamble, Dante Ross | 5:05 |
| 15. | "Teachers, Don't Teach Us Nonsense!!" | Leaders of the New School | 4:06 |
| 16. | "My Ding-a-Ling" | Cut Monitor Milo, Dinco D | 3:41 |
| 17. | "Where Do We Go from Here?" | Charlie Brown | 6:51 |
Charts
| Chart (1991) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard 200 | 128[6] |
| U.S. Heatseekers | 1 |
| U.S. R&B Albums | 53 |
Personnel
- assistant engineering – John Gamble
- engineering – Dr. Shane Faber, Mike Mangini, Christopher Shaw
- mixing – Busta Rhymes, Charlie Brown, Geeby Dajani, John Gamble, Dante Ross, Eric "Vietnam" Sadler
- production – Busta Rhymes, Charlie Brown, Cut Monitor Milo, Geeby Dajani, Dinco D, John Gamble, Leaders of the New School, Dante Ross, Eric "Vietnam" Sadler
Notes
- Swihart, Stanton. "allmusic ((( A Future Without a Past... > Review )))". Allmusic. Retrieved 2010-06-02.
- Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 5. MUZE. pp. 131–132.
- "Leaders of the New School :: A Future Without a Past... :: Elektra Records". www.rapreviews.com.
- Christgau, Robert (November 5, 1991). "Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. Retrieved November 3, 2020.
- Lazerine, Devin; Lazerine, Cameron (February 29, 2008). Rap-Up: The Ultimate Guide to Hip-Hop and R&B. Grand Central Publishing. ISBN 9780446511629 – via Google Books.
- "Today in Hip-Hop: Leaders of the New School Drop Debut Album - XXL". XXL Mag.
- "Leaders of the New School | Biography & History". AllMusic.
- "Leaders of the New School". Trouser Press. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
- "The 25 Best Long Island Rap Albums". Complex.
- "Leaders Of The New School definitely reuniting for Brooklyn festival". July 13, 2012.