How the West Was One (Cali Agents album) explained

How the West Was One
Type:album
Artist:Cali Agents
Cover:How the West Was One.jpg
Released:June 13, 2000
Studio:Darcman Studios
Genre:Hip hop
Length:64:28
Label:Nu Gruv Alliance, Ground Control
Producer:Paul Nice, His-Panik, M-Boogie, Madlib, R'Kasha, Protest, Memo, 427, Roddy Rod
Next Title:Head of the State
Next Year:2004

How the West Was One is the debut album by the rap duo Cali Agents.[1] It was released in 2000 via Nu Gruv Alliance and Ground Control.[2] [3] It contained production from Paul Nice, His-Panik, M-Boogie, Madlib, R'Kasha, Protest, Memo, 427 and Roddy Rod. The album did not make it to any Billboard charts, but a single titled "Good Life" made it to No. 36 on the Hot Rap Singles.

The Source listed the album as one of the top six independent records of 2000. The album has sold over 50,000 copies without any major distribution.

In May 2004, Rasco's Pockets Linted records re-released the album with bonus tracks.

Critical reception

The A.V. Club wrote: "How The West Was One is an endless battle-rap session that serves as little more than a thorough assertion of the duo's lyrical dominance. Thankfully, Rasco and Planet Asia are battle-rappers of the highest order, excelling in nearly every aspect of rapping other than lyrical diversity."[4] Exclaim! thought that "the focus on slinging hard-hitting verbals means that the sum is ultimately less than its parts, preventing this fundamentally sound collaboration from being great."[5] CMJ New Music Monthly stated that the duo "swims in uninspiring four-track production."[6]

Track listing

TitleLengthProducerPerformer (s)
1"Intro: Behind Closed Doors"2:33
2"How The West Was One"4:14DJ Paul NiceRasco, Planet Asia
3"Cali Agents: The Anthem"3:18His-PanikRasco, Planet Asia
4"Crash The Boards"4:34M-BoogieRasco, Planet Asia
5"Up Close and Personal"4:31MadlibRasco, Planet Asia
6"Neva Forget"3:46His-PanikRasco, Planet Asia
7"Interlude"1:05
8"This Is My Life"3:36His-PanikRasco, Planet Asia
9"Faces of Death"4:27R'KashaPlanet Asia
10"The Good Life" 5:25ProtestRasco, Planet Asia
11"Just When You Thought It Was Safe"4:17MemoRasco, Planet Asia
12"Talking Smack"4:51427Rasco
13"Real Talk"4:12ProtestRasco, Planet Asia
14"Fuck What You Heard"4:44Roddy RodRasco, Planet Asia
15"Outro"0:45Bill Baren

Bonus tracks

on 2004 release

TitlePerformer(s)
1"Point Blank Range"Rasco, Planet Asia
2"Who Thinks The Style Is Fresh"Rasco, Planet Asia

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Cali Agents | Biography & History. AllMusic.
  2. Web site: Cali Agents, Slum Village To Release Debuts. https://web.archive.org/web/20200129193147/http://www.mtv.com/news/971964/cali-agents-slum-village-to-release-debuts/. dead. January 29, 2020. MTV News.
  3. Web site: Slum Village, Bahamadia, Spontaneous, Cali Agents. Peter. Margasak. Chicago Reader.
  4. Web site: Cali Agents: How The West Was One . The A.V. Club . 8 June 2021.
  5. Web site: Cali Agents How The West Was One | Exclaim!. exclaim.ca.
  6. Web site: Reviews. CMJ New Music Monthly. August 8, 2000. CMJ Network, Inc.. Google Books.