Rhyme Pays

Rhyme Pays
Studio album by Ice-T
Released	November 4, 1987
Recorded	Late 1986-Mid 1987
Genre	West Coast hip hop, gangsta rap
Length	64:43
Label	Sire/Warner Bros. Records 25602
Producer	Afrika Islam
Ice-T chronology
Rhyme Pays (1987) Power (1988)

Rhyme Pays is the debut album of Ice-T, released in 1987.

The album, especially tracks like "6 'N the Mornin'," is considered to have defined the gangsta genre, and was the first hip-hop album to carry a Parental Advisory warning label, although it was years before the industry-standard explicit-lyrics sticker was developed.^[1] The album was not released on CD until 1988. Four bonus tracks were added to the release on that format.

Reception

Rhyme Pays peaked at #93 on the Billboard 200 music chart and #26 on the Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums. Rolling Stone gave the album three stars. It was also the first hip-hop artist album released on the Sire and Warner Bros. labels.

Professional Reviews

- Allmusic 3.5* Link: http://www.allmusic.com/album/rhyme-pays-r27946

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Intro/Rhyme Pays" (interpolates "Tubular Bells" and samples "War Pigs")	Ice T/Storrs	6:29
2.	"6 'n the Mornin'"	Ice T/Afrika Islam	7:11
3.	"Make It Funky" (samples "Make It Funky")	Ice T/Islam	5:09
4.	"Somebody Gotta Do It (Pimpin' Ain't Easy!!!)"	Ice T/Islam	3:03
5.	"409"	Ice T/Islam	5:20
6.	"I Love Ladies"	Ice T/Islam	4:44
7.	"Sex"	Ice T/Islam	2:57
8.	"Pain"	Ice T/Islam	3:36
9.	"Squeeze the Trigger"	Ice T/Islam	6:12
10.	"Make It Funky" (12" mix)	Ice T/Islam	5:58
11.	"Sex" ("bonus beat"; instrumental)	Ice T/Islam	3:52
12.	"Somebody Gotta Do It (Pimpin' Ain't Easy!!!)" (12" mix)	Ice T/Islam	3:27
13.	"Our Most Requested Record" (long version, samples “Heartbreaker” and “Whole Lotta Love”)	Ice T/Islam	6:45

References

1. ^ The Ice Opinion. Pan/St. Martin's Press/Macmillan Books. 1994. pp. 163. ISBN 0330336290.