| 93 'til Infinity | |
| Type: | studio |
| Artist: | Souls of Mischief |
| Cover: | 93tilinfinity.jpg |
| Recorded: | 1992–1993 |
| Studio: | Hyde Street (San Francisco) |
| Genre: | Alternative hip hop |
| Label: | Jive |
| Producer: |
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| Next Title: | No Man's Land |
| Next Year: | 1995 |
93 'til Infinity is the debut studio album by American hip-hop group Souls of Mischief. It was released on September 28, 1993,[1] [2] [3] on the Jive label.
The sound of 93 'til Infinity is characteristic of the distinct style explored by the collective, including a rhyme scheme based on internal rhyme and beats centered around a live bass and obscure jazz and funk samples. According to AllMusic author Steve Huey, "Although the title cut is an underappreciated classic, 93 'til Infinity makes its greatest impression through its stunning consistency, not individual highlights."
93 'til Infinity met commercial success with its title track and lead single, which reached No. 72 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also featured singles "That's When Ya Lost" and "Never No More" which reached the Hot Rap Singles but never charted on the Billboard Hot 100.
93 'til Infinity was critically acclaimed for its subject matter, production, and rapping, though it was not as popular as other West Coast hip hop albums at the time of its release. The St. Petersburg Times noted that "the new school diversity and relaxed swagger is highlighted by the Souls' raw and effortless verbal flow."[4] The Washington Post praised "the distant trumpet shouts and fuzzy drum brushes in 'Never No More' and the combination of record-scratches and Ramsey Lewis keyboard samples on 'Make Your Mind Up'."[5] Suzann Vogel of Philadelphia Weekly wrote:
Steve Huey of AllMusic also positively reviewed 93 'til Infinity, calling it "the best single album to come out of Oakland's Hieroglyphics camp," as well as saying how Souls of Mischief "completely redefined the art of lyrical technique for the West Coast" and that it's "one of the most slept-on records of the '90s".
In 1998, the album was selected as one of The Sources 100 Best Rap Albums.[6]
Over the years, the title track "93 'til Infinity" has been referenced and sampled by numerous artists, including Consequence and Kanye West in their 2004 song "03 'Til Infinity",[7] J. Cole in 2009's "Til' Infinity",[8] Freddie Gibbs in 2009's "How We Do",[9] Big K.R.I.T in 2010's "Somedayz",[10] and Joey Badass in 2013's "95 Til Infinity".[11]
| Year | Song | Peak position | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Billboard Hot 100[14] | Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks[15] | Hot Rap Singles[16] | Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales | |||||||||||
| 1993 | "93 'Til Infinity" | 72 | 65 | 11 | 20 | |||||||||
| "That's When Ya Lost" | — | — | 24 | — | ||||||||||
| 1994 | "Never No More" | — | — | 46 | 15 | |||||||||
| "—" denotes that a recording did not chart. | ||||||||||||||
Souls of Mischief:
Additional personnel: