Disposable Arts

Disposable Arts
Studio album by
ReleasedOctober 16, 2001 (2001-10-16)
Recorded2000–2001
Studio78/88 Recording Studios
GenreHip hop
Length72:34
LabelJCOR Entertainment
Producer
Masta Ace chronology
Sittin' on Chrome
(1995)
Disposable Arts
(2001)
A Long Hot Summer
(2004)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
HipHopDX4.5/5[2]
RapReviews8/10[3]

Disposable Arts is the second solo and fourth overall studio album by American rapper Masta Ace. It was released on October 16, 2001 via JCOR Entertainment. Production was handled by Domingo, Luis Tineo, Xplicit, Ayatollah, Deacon the Villain, DJ 3D, DJ A. Vee, DJ Rob, Gerrard C. Baker, Koolade, Paul Nice, Rodney Hunter and Ace himself. It features guest appearances from eMC, MC Paul Barman, Jane Doe, Mr. Lee G, Apocalypse, Greg Nice, Jean Grae, J-Ro, King Tee, Leschea, Rah Digga, Young Zee and Tonedeff.

The concept of the album follows a young Brooklyn man's release from prison, his return home, and his life at "The Institute of Disposable Arts", a school in which Ace enrolls after realizing how bad the situation in Brooklyn is.

The album sold poorly compared to his previous albums, due to JCOR Entertainment folding a month after its release but it was generally well received by critics and fans alike. The cover art is an ironic nod to his "Sittin' on Chrome" days, showing Masta Ace sitting on a car seat in the street without a car. Included on the album is the song "Acknowledge", a notable diss track to rapper Boogeyman and group The High & Mighty. The song "Unfriendly Game" was used in the TV series The Wire and is included on one of its soundtracks. The song "Take A Walk" was used in the video game Saints Row, and was found on one of the various in game radio stations.

In 2013, D. Aurelius directed a documentary video of making the album, starring Ace, Rah Digga and Justin Hunte.

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."The Release" (featuring Tony Hanna)  0:48
2."Too Long" (featuring Apocalypse)
Masta Ace2:34
3."Block Episode" (featuring Punchline and Wordsworth)Luis "Sabor" Tineo3:48
4."IDA Commercial" (featuring Tonedeff)  1:18
5."Don't Understand" (featuring Greg Nice)
Paul Nice3:56
6."Goodbye Lisa" (featuring Jane Doe)  1:00
7."Hold U" (featuring Jean Grae)Ayatollah4:16
8."Every Other Day" (featuring Mr. Lee G and Sas)
  • Clear
  • Leroy H. Griffith, Jr.
  • Thomas Raic
Xplicit4:29
9."Roommates Meet" (featuring MC Paul Barman)  1:14
10."Take a Walk" (featuring Apocalypse and Punchline)
  • Clear
  • Givens
  • Gerrard C. Baker
Gerrard C. Baker5:07
11."Something's Wrong" (featuring Strick and Young Zee)
Koolade4:10
12."The Classes" (featuring MC Paul Barman)  0:59
13."Acknowledge"
  • Clear
  • Raic
Xplicit4:13
14."Enuff" (featuring Mr. Lee G)
  • Clear
  • Griffith, Jr.
  • Rodney Hunter
Rodney Hunter4:48
15."Watching the Game" (featuring Strick)  0:57
16."Unfriendly Game" (featuring Strick, Jugga the Bully, Sherri Abercrombie and Suede)
  • Clear
  • Stricklin
  • Tineo
Luis "Sabor" Tineo4:16
17."Alphabet Soup" (featuring Blaise Dupuy)Domingo2:44
18."Dear Yvette" (featuring Jane Doe and Jessica Harrell)
  • Clear
  • Latania Morris-Rossell
  • Jessica Harrell
  • Robert Alphonse
DJ Rob3:29
19."I Like Dat" (featuring Punchline, Wordsworth, Claudia Arindale, Ebony and Shireen Rahman)
  • Clear
  • Truell
  • Johnson
  • William Bagley
  • Alix Val
  • DJ 3D
  • DJ A. Vee
3:32
20."P.T.A." (featuring J-Ro, King Tee, Drugga and Uneek)Deacon the Villain3:59
21."Type I Hate" (featuring Rah Digga and Leschea)Domingo4:12
22."Dear Diary"
  • Clear
  • Padilla
Domingo3:01
23."Last Rights" (featuring MC Paul Barman)  1:05
24."No Regrets"
  • Clear
  • Padilla
Domingo3:05
Total length:1:13:00

Personnel

  • Duval "Masta Ace" Clear – performer, producer (track: 2), mixing
  • Tony Hanna – vocals (track 1)
  • Kinte "Apocalypse" Givens – vocals (tracks: 2, 10)
  • Rashaan "Punchline" Truell – vocals (tracks: 3, 19), backing vocals (track 10)
  • Vinson "Wordsworth" Johnson – vocals (tracks: 3, 19)
  • Tony "Tonedeff" Rojas – vocals (track 4)
  • Gregory "Greg Nice" Mays – vocals (track 5)
  • Latania "Jane Doe" Morris-Rossell – vocals (tracks: 6, 18)
  • Tsidi "Jean Grae" Ibrahim – vocals (track 7)
  • Leroy H. "Mr. Lee G" Griffith, Jr. – backing vocals (track 8), vocals (track 14)
  • Sas – backing vocals (track 8)
  • MC Paul Barman – vocals (tracks: 9, 12, 23)
  • Stephen "Strick" Stricklin – vocals (tracks: 11, 15, 16)
  • Dewayne "Young Zee" Battle – vocals (track 11)
  • Francis R. "Jugga the Bully" Roberts, Jr. – vocals (track 16)
  • Sherri Ambercrombie – backing vocals (track 16)
  • Suede – backing vocals (track 16)
  • Blaise Dupuy – vocals (track 17)
  • Jessica Harrell – backing vocals (track 18)
  • Claudia Arindale – backing vocals (track 19)
  • Ebony – backing vocals (track 19)
  • Shireen Rahman – backing vocals (track 19)
  • James "J-Ro" Robinson – vocals (track 20)
  • Roger "King Tee" McBride – vocals (track 20)
  • Drugga – vocals (track 20)
  • Sean "Uneek" McFadden – vocals (track 20)
  • Rashia "Rah Digga" Fisher – vocals (track 21)
  • Leschea A. Boatwright – vocals (track 21)
  • William "DJ JS-1" Tramontozzi – scratches (tracks: 5, 13)
  • Luis R. Tineo – producer (tracks: 3, 16)
  • Paul "Paul Nice" Kilianski – producer (track 5)
  • Lamont "Ayatollah" Dorrell – producer (track 7)
  • Thomas "Xplicit" Raic – producer (tracks: 8, 13)
  • Gerrard C. Baker – producer (track 10)
  • Matko "Koolade" Šašek – producer (track 11)
  • Rodney Hunter – producer (track 14)
  • Domingo Padilla – producer (tracks: 17, 21, 22, 24), recording (track 22), mixing
  • Robert "DJ Rob" Alphonse – producer (track 18), recording (tracks: 1–4, 6–12, 14–19, 21, 23, 24)
  • William "DJ 3D" Bagley – producer (track 19)
  • Alix "DJ A. Vee" Val – producer (track 19)
  • Willis "Deacon the Villain" Polk II – producer (track 20)
  • Robert "Lord Finesse" Hall, Jr. – recording (tracks: 5, 13)
  • Richard "Filthy Rich" Ahee – recording (track 5), mixing

Cast

  • Correction Officer: Tony Hanna
  • IDA Commercial: Tonedeff
  • Lisa: Jane Doe
  • Paul the Roommate: MC Paul Barman
  • Caller from home: Strick
  • Tyreek: Jugga
  • Newscaster: Blaise Dupuy
  • Bitch Nigga callers: Uneek & Drugga
  • Interviewer: Chyrisse Turner

Album singles

Album information
Don't Understand
  • Released: 2001
  • B-side: "Acknowledge"

Charts

Chart (2001) Peak
position
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[4] 90

References

  1. ^ DiBella, M.F. "Masta Ace - Disposable Arts Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
  2. ^ "Masta Ace - Disposable Arts". HipHopDX. October 23, 2001. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
  3. ^ Book, John (September 20, 2001). "Masta Ace :: Disposable Arts :: Yosumi/JCor". www.rapreviews.com. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
  4. ^ "Masta Ace Incorporated Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved August 16, 2016.