My Soul is the third studio album by rapper Coolio, released on August 26, 1997 and was his last album for Tommy Boy Records. Production was handled by Romeo, Vic C., Bryan "Wino" Dobbs and DJ I-Roc. The album has been certified gold by the RIAA.
| My Soul | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | August 26, 1997 | |||
| Recorded | 1996–1997 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 58:38 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Producer |
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| Coolio chronology | ||||
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| Singles from My Soul | ||||
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Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Robert Christgau | [2] |
| Music Week | [3] |
| Smash Hits | [4] |
| Uncut | [5] |
| Vibe | (favorable)[6] |
AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine said that despite lacking a single as memorable as "Gangsta's Paradise", he praised the album for remaining consistent with the formula used from the previous two efforts by providing a more "elaborate production" with lesser known samples and string instrumentations, and Coolio for being steadfast in having both dramedy and ear-grabbing funk in his delivery, concluding that "[I]t's a small, subtle difference, but it's what makes My Soul a thoroughly enjoyable record, no matter if you're going out or staying in."[1] Vibe contributor Malik R. Singleton praised the overall energy throughout the album and Coolio's "didactic delivery" displaying versatility ranging from "intense ("Nature of the Business") to inspirational ("Homeboy") but felt he crafted "too many witless hooks and too much predictable phrasing" on tracks like "Throwdown 2000" and "Let's Do It", concluding that "Despite its blatantly uneven ratio of rump-shaking fluff to heavy-hitting fly rhymes […] My Soul proves why Coolio's presence in hip hop's collective voice remains at least interesting: He's not afraid to have fun."[6]
Commercial performance
editCompared to Coolio's previous two albums, My Soul was only a minor success, making it to number 39 on the Billboard 200 and number 49 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums.
However, the album's only charting single, "C U When U Get There" did well, making it to number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100, number 7 on the Hot Rap Singles, number 19 on the Rhythmic Top 40, and number 11 on the Hot Dance Singles Sales. Internationally, it reached number 3 on the UK Singles Chart,[7] and number 5 on the Canadian Singles Chart.
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Intro" | 0:26 |
| 2. | "2 Minutes & 21 Seconds of Funk" | 2:24 |
| 3. | "One Mo" (featuring 40 Thevz) | 3:44 |
| 4. | "The Devil is Dope" | 4:13 |
| 5. | "Hit 'Em" (featuring Ras Kass) | 4:21 |
| 6. | "Knight Fall" | 4:10 |
| 7. | "Ooh La La" | 4:05 |
| 8. | "Can U Dig It" | 3:44 |
| 9. | "Nature of the Business" (featuring Al Wilson) | 4:42 |
| 10. | "Homeboy" (featuring Montell Jordan) | 4:08 |
| 11. | "Throwdown 2000" (featuring 40 Thevz) | 3:53 |
| 12. | "Can I Get Down One Time" (featuring Malika) | 3:45 |
| 13. | "Interlude" | 1:03 |
| 14. | "My Soul" | 4:19 |
| 15. | "Let's Do It" | 4:32 |
| 16. | "C U When U Get There" (featuring 40 Thevz) | 5:10 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 17. | "It's All The Way Live" |
Samples
edit- "2 Minutes & 21 Seconds of Funk"
- "The Payback" by James Brown
- "C U When U Get There"
- "Canon in D Major" by Johann Pachelbel
- "Homeboy"
- "Tonight Is the Night" by Betty Wright
- "Friends" by Whodini
- "Can I Get Down One Time"
- "For Those Who Like to Groove" by Ray Parker Jr.
- "Hit 'Em"
- "Human Beat Box" by Fat Boys
- "Let's Do It"
- "Ooh La La"
- "The Devil is Dope"
- "The Devil is Dope" by The Dramatics
- "One Mo"
- "She Talks to Me With Her Body" by Bar-Kays
- "Rapper's Delight" by Sugarhill Gang
- "Knight Fall"
- "Hook and Sling - Part I" by Eddie Bo
- "Public Enemy No. 1" by Public Enemy
Charts
edit| Chart (1997) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200[8] | 39 |
| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[9] | 49 |
Certifications
edit| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Canada (Music Canada)[10] | Gold | 50,000^ |
| Japan (RIAJ)[11] | Gold | 100,000^ |
| United States (RIAA)[12] | Gold | 500,000^ |
|
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
edit- ^ a b Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "My Soul - Coolio". AllMusic. Archived from the original on September 29, 2012. Retrieved June 26, 2011.
- ^ Christgau, Robert. "Robert Christgau: CG: Coolio". robertchristgau.com. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
- ^ "Reviews: Albums" (PDF). Music Week. August 23, 1997. p. 12. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
- ^ Solomon, Helen (July 30, 1997). "Albums". Smash Hits. p. 61. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
- ^ Wilding, Philip (September 1997). "Coolio: My Soul". Uncut. No. 4. p. 82.
- ^ a b Singleton, Malik R. (September 1997). "Revolutions: Coolio 'My Soul'". Vibe. 7 (5). New York: Vibe Media: 234. ISSN 1070-4701. Retrieved February 24, 2019. [permanent dead link]
- ^ EveryHit.com - a database of every Top 40 hit in the UK
- ^ "Coolio Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard.
- ^ "Coolio Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard.
- ^ "Canadian album certifications – Coolio – My Soul". Music Canada. Retrieved May 28, 2020.
- ^ "Japanese album certifications – Coolio – My Soul" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved May 28, 2020. Select 1997年10月 on the drop-down menu
- ^ "American album certifications – Coolio – My Soul". Recording Industry Association of America.
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