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All Money Is Legal

All Money Is Legal, also known as A.M.I.L.: (All Money Is Legal), is the only studio album by American rapper Amil. It was released on August 29, 2000, through Roc-A-Fella, Columbia, and Sony Music. Jay-Z, Damon Dash, and Amil served as executive producer with a team of producers that included Just Blaze. Before the album's release, Amil was best known for her feature on Jay-Z's 1998 single "Can I Get A...". She was one of several up-and-coming artists signed to Roc-A-Fella, alongside Memphis Bleek and Beanie Sigel, who released an album in 2000. Although it was her only album on Roc-A-Fella, Amil had been closely associated with the label and its co-founder Jay-Z, earning the moniker "First Lady of Roc-A-Fella".

All Money Is Legal
Studio album by
ReleasedAugust 29, 2000 (2000-08-29)
StudioThe Cutting Room, The Hit Factory, Quad Studios (New York City); Playground Studios (Los Angeles)
GenreHip hop
Length51:52
Label
Producer
Amil chronology
All Money Is Legal
(2000)
Amil Az Iz
(2008)
Singles from All Money Is Legal
  1. "I Got That"
    Released: July 5, 2000
  2. "4 da Fam"
    Released: July 29, 2000

A hip hop album, the lyrics of All Money Is Legal focus on wealth and, to a lesser degree, Amil's personal life. It was recorded at Playground Studios in Los Angeles and at The Cutting Room, The Hit Factory, and Quad Studios in New York City. Although Jay-Z had written Amil's verses for their past collaborations, she wrote her own lyrics for all the album's tracks. Amil mostly raps throughout the album, but sings on some tracks. According to academic commentators and music critics, Amil adopted the persona of a "gold digger" throughout the album.

Reviews were mixed, the production and Amil's verses dividing critics. The album peaked at number 45 on the US Billboard 200 chart. Two singles – "I Got That" with vocals from Beyoncé and "4 da Fam" with verses from Memphis Bleek, Beanie Sigel, and Jay-Z – were released from the album and promoted with music videos. "I Got That" reached number one on the Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Billboard chart, and "4 da Fam" charted on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. Shortly after the release of All Money Is Legal, Amil was dropped from the Roc-A-Fella roster. Rumors circulated within the industry that her departure stemmed from personal conflict with Jay-Z. Years later, she publicly denied the rumors and said she had left because she was unable to handle industry pressures and wanted to have more time to care for her child. Although her music career continued, Amil did not sign to another major label and she dropped out of the commercial mainstream of hip hop.

Background and recording edit

In 1997, Amil formed the girl group Major Coins with Liz Leite and Monique.[1][2] Amil was not interested in being a solo artist at the time and was uncertain about pursuing a career as a rapper, and later said, "I never looked at it as going beyond me being known in the streets."[2] When Jay-Z asked Leite to provide vocals for "It's Like That" from his third studio album Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life (1998),[2] Amil accompanied her to the recording studio.[1] Jay-Z asked Amil to freestyle during the sessions, and her vocals were featured on the album single "Can I Get A...".[1] He later encouraged her to become a solo artist.[2]

 
Jay-Z (pictured in 2003) signed Amil to Roc-A-Fella and encouraged her development as a solo artist.

After Major Coins disbanded, Jay-Z signed Amil to Roc-A-Fella in 1998.[1][3] She was one of several new artists signed to the label,[4] and she became a high-profile member of the label and received the nicknames "Diana Ross" and "the First Lady of Roc-A-Fella".[5][6] According to a 2015 Fact article, Amil's signing to the label became the subject of industry gossip.[7] She denied reports of a pregnancy involving a married man[3] and a romantic relationship with Jay-Z.[2] Foxy Brown accused Jay-Z of using Amil to try to create a new artist similar to herself.[8] In a 2003 interview, he denied these claims and said he stopped working with Brown in favor of Amil because the two women frequently fought on tour.[9]

Before the release of her debut album, Amil featured on albums by Mariah Carey, Jermaine Dupri, Tamar Braxton, and Funkmaster Flex.[1][10] She collaborated again with Jay-Z for the 1999 singles "Nigga What, Nigga Who (Originator 99)" and "Do It Again (Put Ya Hands Up)"[1][11] and the 2000 song "Hey Papi".[12] Jay-Z wrote all of Amil's verses for these collaborations.[3] She also performed on his Hard Knock Life tour.[13] Amil, who became known as one of Jay-Z's protégés,[12][14] described her work with him as "a natural thing" and "always smooth".[2] As she told Vibe in 2000, "[He] just put this career in my hands. I went from having nothing at all to wearing diamonds."[3] The same year, she appeared in a Sprite advertisement campaign alongside Roxanne Shante, Mia X, Angie Martinez, and Eve; they are referred to as the Five Deadly Women, a reference to the 1978 film Five Deadly Venoms.[15] She also played a lead character, Tanya, in the 2000 direct-to-video film Get Down or Lay Down;[3][16] it was distributed through a joint deal with Roc-A-Fella and Miramax.[16] Amil was also the only prominent female in the 2000 documentary Backstage.[4]

All Money Is Legal was recorded at The Cutting Room, The Hit Factory, and Quad Studios in New York City, and Playground Studios in Los Angeles. Amil, Jay-Z, and Damon Dash were the album's executive producers.[17] It was one of several albums from up-and-coming artists at Roc-A-Fella to be released in 2000, along with Memphis Bleek's The Understanding and Beanie Sigel's The Truth.[4] Amil has co-writing credits on all the album's songs,[18] and Jay-Z said she had a "talent for song-making".[3] To be taken seriously as a solo artist by "naysayers who say Jay is her puppeteer", Amil said: "I kept this album me — nothing more, nothing less."[19] She said she wanted to avoid sexual topics on All Money Is Legal and had planned not to use any profanity in her future music, explaining: "I know I sin, but I'm trying to become a better person."[3] Producer Just Blaze contributed to All Money Is Legal,[20] and felt his work on the album raised his profile within Roc-A-Fella.[21] Beyoncé recorded her guest vocals for "I Got That" in 2000 in a separate recording session. Her then-manager Mathew Knowles paid Roc-A-Fella for the featured spot as a way to assess her viability as a solo artist, since she was still a part of Destiny's Child at the time. As a result of this collaboration, Beyoncé worked with her future husband Jay-Z for the first time.[22]

Composition and lyrics edit

All Money Is Legal is a hip hop album with 13 tracks.[23][24] Alongside Just Blaze, the album's production team included Tyrone Fyffe, Jon-John Robinson, LES, Poke & Tone, Rockwilder, EZ Elpee, Chavon Henry, Sean Lashley, K-Rob, Jay Garfield, Lofey, and Omen.[17][18] David Browne, writing for Entertainment Weekly, described its compositions as having "low slung beats and [an] uncluttered vibe" similar to Jay-Z's music from that era,[23] and the Dayton Daily News' Talia Jackson said the album had his signature funk samples and R&B choruses.[25]

Lyrically, the songs on All Money Is Legal focus mainly on material possessions and money,[3][23] as evidenced by the album title.[23] Some tracks touch on more personal issues,[3][24] specifically "Smile 4 Me" and "Quarrels".[24] The New York Daily News' Jim Farber wrote that Amil was more personal in her music than Foxy Brown and Lil' Kim, whom he described as "sexy cartoons".[26] Amil raps most of her vocals on the album, but also sings on several tracks like "Get Down".[24][28] Critics have referred to Amil's rapping style as sing songy,[23][26] and Farber said she "specializes in short, jabbing melodies".[26]

The opening track "Smile 4 Me" was inspired by Amil's life, and includes the lyrics: "Got my people up north trying to slice the bid / While I'm in love with a nigga with a wife and a kid."[24][27] On "Smile 4 Me", Amil retells aspects of her life before her music career, such as living on welfare and shoplifting.[23] The second song, "I Got That", features Beyoncé on its chorus and encourages women to become more independent.[24] Commentators compared the song to music released by Destiny's Child,[29][30] and a Spin writer said it continues the "statement[s] of simple financial and romantic independence" found throughout Beyoncé's discography.[29] Amil references Satan as being at the root of all business in the bass-heavy track "Quarrels",[3][24] which has additional vocals by R&B singer Thomas.[28] Other critics interpreted the song as being about an unhealthy relationship.[26][31] In "Girlfriend", she worries about infidelity after taking a woman's boyfriend, and raps about the shame of going "from Gucci sandals back to no-name brands" on "Anyday".[23]

Amil's lyrics on All Money Is Legal have been cited as an example of the theme of "gold digging" in hip hop performed by women. In a 2003 academic paper, women's studies professor Layli D. Phillips and social psychology professor Dionne P. Stephens cited Amil and All Money Is Legal as part of a trend of female hip hop artists performing the stereotypical role of a "Gold Digger".[32] Along with the "Freak", "Diva", and "Dyke", Phillips and Stephens named the "Gold Digger" as one of the major archetypes adopted by female rappers, defining the role with the following terms:

"The Gold Digger will supposedly resort to any and all sexual means to gain whatever financial rewards she wants or needs, seeing men as stepping stones to provide for short-term needs. Short term is not defined so much by a length of time, but rather a mind set whereby the male is good for as long as he can meet the Gold Digger's demands. She takes whatever she can, and when the well runs dry, the Gold Digger is history."[32]

They highlighted the lyric "You know I gotta keep tricks up the sleeve, leav' em bankrupt with blue balls till the dick bleed" from the title track "All Money is Legal (A.M.I.L.)" as an example of the Gold Digger persona in Amil's music.[32] Vibe's Andréa Duncan wrote that Amil used the album to balance her onstage persona as a gold digger with her more mellow personality in her personal life.[3] Len Righi, writing for The Morning Call, described Amil's style as "golddigger rap", but noted the album contained songs that were "not all diamonds and major coins".[33]

All Money Is Legal includes three features from Jay-Z.[18] Amil and Jay-Z rap about materialism on "Heard It All",[23] which features the pair attempting to scam one another.[26] He also contributed to "That's Right" after hearing Just Blaze's production during a recording session.[21] His final appearance is the album closer "4 da Fam", also featuring Memphis Bleek and Beanie Sigel.[28] For his verse in "4 da Fam", Jay-Z rapped about expecting a child: "I got four nephews and they're all writing ... and I'm having a child, which is more frightening."[34] A column in Vibe interpreted the line as a pregnancy announcement from Jay-Z, who was an uncommitted bachelor at the time.[35] In a 2000 statement to the New York Daily News, Jay-Z denied these reports.[36] He had his first child, Blue Ivy, with Beyoncé in January 2012.[34]

Release and promotion edit

 
Beyoncé (pictured in 2001) was featured on the album's lead single, "I Got That".

"I Got That" was released on July 5, 2000, as the album's lead single.[24][28] The music video for "I Got That" appeared on the list of BET's most-played clips for the weeks of August 1 and 8, 2000.[37][38] The video also played on The Box—a now-defunct music video network—during the same two weeks.[37][38] Kathy Iandoli of Dazed praised "I Got That" as a showcase for Amil's potential as a rapper.[30] Conversely, Vibe named the song among the year's worst artistic pairings in hip hop for its Beyoncé feature.[39] "I Got That" reached number one on the Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Billboard chart on September 16.[40] Beyoncé's vocals have been applauded retrospectively; Andrew Unterberger at Spin said the song "deserved better, and Bey's breathy chorus is a big reason why",[29] and Iandoli said that "Beyoncé did Amil the favor of her life" with her feature.[30]

All Money Is Legal was released through Roc-A-Fella, Columbia, and Sony Music on August 29, 2000, as a cassette, and CD.[41] It was issued in both an "explicit" version with a Parental Advisory label and a "clean" version with edited lyrics.[41] The album had originally been scheduled for a release in early August.[28] With an acronym form matching the artist's name, All Money Is Legal is alternately titled A.M.I.L.: (All Money Is Legal).[3] The album sold 29,000 copies in the first week of its release,[42] and simultaneously debuted and peaked at number 45 on the US Billboard 200 chart.[43] On the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, All Money Is Legal reached its peak position at number 12 on October 7, 2000, and was on the chart for a total of eight weeks.[44]

The second single, "4 da Fam", was released on July 29, 2000,[45][a] and issued as a Double A-Side with "I Got That";[46][47] an accompanying "4 da Fam" music video had premiered earlier in the summer.[48] For a 2017 Vulture article, John Kennedy had a lukewarm response to the song, calling it "a passable Roc-A-Fella posse cut that feels more like a team-building exercise".[49] In a 2018 Complex article, Andrew Barber and Al Shipley considered "4 da Fam" to be "really a Jay record" despite being on Amil's album; they praised Jay-Z for having "the best verse and batt[ing] clean up".[50] The song peaked at number 99 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Billboard chart and number 29 on the Hot Rap Songs Billboard chart.[51][52] "That's Right" and "Get Down" were released on a 12-inch single and vinyl record as promotional singles.[53][54]

Critical reception edit

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [55]
Entertainment WeeklyB[23]
Los Angeles Times    [56]
San Antonio Express-News    [57]
USA Today    [58]

The album received a mixed response from critics. In Vibe, Andréa Duncan praised it as a "surprisingly diverse and thoughtful collection of tracks".[3] AllMusic's MacKenzie Wilson said Amil was "bold enough to make it solo" with her "New York childhood street smarts" and a "sultry sassiness" throughout the music.[55] A reviewer for The Source commended the album as "a set that displays [Amil's] feminine flair".[19] and Anthony M. Thompson for the San Antonio Express-News described it as having a "distinct, woman's touch".[57] Despite criticizing All Money Is Legal as "unfortunately titled", Dan DeLuca said in The Philadelphia Inquirer that Amil's rapping abilities distinguished her from other female rappers and allowed her to stand out from the album's featured artists.[59] In Entertainment Weekly, David Browne praised some of the lyrics—specifically, references to Aesop and Blake Carrington—but he dismissed the overall focus on money as unoriginal.[23] Ta-Nehisi Coates, writing for the Washington City Paper, panned All Money Is Legal as "a schizophrenic work" with songs "swinging from aching honesty to gangsta-bitch schtick". Coates deemed the album "self-hating" and said Amil had "reduc[ed] herself to a prostitute with a microphone" with the sexually explicit lyrics.[27]

Several reviewers cited "Quarrels" and "Smile 4 Me" as album highlights. An anonymous review columnist in Billboard praised the autographical "Smile 4 Me" as "a testament to [Amil's] lyricism" and wrote that her verses in "Quarrels" on themes of morality would "make heads both nod and think".[24] Despite an overall negative assessment of the album, Coates said Amil had successfully pulled from her past in "melancholy confessionals" like "Smile 4 Me".[27] The Morning Call's Len Righi praised "Smile 4 Me" as the song that Amil best represents her "gritty self-assurance" and "fierce determination".[33] Righi later named All Money Is Legal among the best albums of the year.[60] A Vibe columnist identified "Quarrels", alongside Eve's 1999 single "Love Is Blind", as examples of "strong-willed, pro-woman songs" written and recorded by female rappers.[61] Despite their criticism of Amil's album as inferior to her collaborations with Jay-Z, Soren Baker, writing for the Los Angeles Times, believed she demonstrated "promise when she becomes more personal in her storytelling".[56] On the other hand, the Dayton Daily News' Talia Jackson criticized Amil as "less than believable when she is not rapping about her material world".[25] In a 2014 Billboard interview, Amil said "Smile 4 Me" was one of her favorite songs from the album and that she generally preferred the songs drawn from her personal life.[2]

Retrospective assessments of All Money Is Legal have remained mixed. In a 2018 Rolling Stone article, Rob Sheffield praised Amil for releasing "her own kick-ass album with [an] excellent title" following her early collaboration with Jay-Z.[62] In an article for PopMatters published about three years after the album's release, Terry Sawyer said Amil's music was generic and left only a "fleeting, shrugging impression". He unfavorably compared Amil to rapper Sarai, saying both had "virtually identical", "silken, imploded vocal styles".[63] At Fact, Son Raw said Amil's voice made her music a "love-her-or-hate-her proposition", but highlighted "4 da Fam" as a "prime Roc La Familia-era posse cut".[7] Complex also included All Money is Legal in a 2015 listicle on "factually incorrect" titles for hip hop albums because, in their words, "guess what, Amil, all money is not legal."[64]

Aftermath edit

 
After the album's release, Amil (pictured in 2014) left Roc-A-Fella and mostly dropped out of the public eye.

Amil was removed from the Roc-A-Fella roster shortly after the release of All Money Is Legal.[5][65] After appearing in a music video alongside the rapper Baby (later known as Birdman), a February 2001 Vibe column speculated that she was likely to sign a record deal with Cash Money, the label he co-founded.[66] But she never signed a deal with Cash Money, and—other than a select few releases—she largely dropped out of the mainstream, major-label recording industry.[2][5][67]

Music industry rumors attributed Amil's departure from Roc-A-Fella to personal conflict between her and Jay-Z, as well as his disapproval of her (reported) weight gain.[6][66] During a 2011 interview with Vibe, she responded to the rumors about her and Jay-Z:

"People think there was bad blood between us, but there never was any bad blood. Things happen and I wasn't ready for where my career was going at that time. It was really overwhelming."[65]

Amil said she took a hiatus from her music career because she was mentally unprepared for the pressures of the industry and she wanted to take care of her child, who suffered from asthma. Describing herself as "rebell[ing] against the industry" after the album's release, she refused to do promotion for it and said: "I faded myself." She said she regretted signing a record deal, preferring to be "an around the way rapper" and a songwriter instead.[2]

Jay-Z did not comment on Amil's departure from Roc-A-Fella at the time and, as of 2017, has still never publicly discussed why Amil was dropped from the label.[6][66] However, Jay-Z did defend the quality of All Money Is Legal against its detractors in a 2013 appearance on the New York radio show The Breakfast Club. When DJ Envy asked Jay-Z who had been the "worst signing" at Roc-A-Fella, Charlamagne tha God interrupted to say "Amil!" and Jay-Z replied, "Nah, nah, I wouldn't say Amil. Amil's album, you should listen to it. It's good!"[68]

Track listing edit

Credits adapted from the liner notes of All Money Is Legal.[18]

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Smile 4 Me"
EZ Elpee4:26
2."I Got That" (featuring Beyoncé)
3:17
3."Get Down"
Jon-John4:29
4."Ya'll Dead Wrong"
Rockwilder3:51
5."Heard It All" (featuring Jay-Z)
  • Whitehead
  • Carter
  • Di Lazzaro
  • Sean Lashley
  • Harper
  • Cherubine
  • Chavon Henry
3:27
6."Quarrels" (featuring Carl Thomas)
  • Whitehead
  • Jay Garfield
  • Porter
  • EZ Elpee
  • Garfield
4:10
7."Girlfriend"
  • Whitehead
  • Stinson
Rockwilder3:14
8."All Money Is Legal (A.M.I.L.)"
Fyffe3:46
9."That's Right" (featuring Jay-Z)
  • Whitehead
  • Carter
  • Justin Smith
  • Lionel Evans
Just Blaze4:21
10."Anyday"
  • Whitehead
  • Joseph Walsh
  • Patrick Culie
  • Malik Johnson
K-Rob4:08
11."Raw"
  • Whitehead
  • Michael Sandlofer
Lofey4:11
12."No 1 Can Compare"
Omen4:15
13."4 da Fam" (featuring Jay-Z, Memphis Bleek and Beanie Sigel)
Fyffe4:19
Total length:51:52

Sample credits

Credits and personnel edit

Credits adapted from AllMusic:[17]

  • Amil – associate executive producer, primary artist, vocals
  • Beyoncé – featured artist, primary artist
  • Shawn Carter – executive producer
  • Kevin Crouse – mixing
  • Damon Dash – executive producer
  • Tyrone Fyfee – producer
  • Chris Gehringer – mastering
  • Jason Goldstein – mixing
  • Erwin Gorostiza – art direction
  • Jay-Z – guest artist, primary artist
  • Manny Marroquin – mixing
  • Memphis Bleek – guest artist, performer, primary artist
  • Monica Morrow – stylist
  • Jon-John Robinson – engineer, producer
  • Beanie Sigel – guest artist, primary artist
  • Brian Stanley – engineer, mixing
  • Carl Thomas – guest artist, primary artist, vocals
  • Richard Travali – mixing
  • Reggie Wells – make-up
  • Carlisle Young – engineer

Charts edit

Chart (2000) Peak
position
US Billboard 200[43] 45
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[44] 12

Notes edit

  1. ^ "4 da Fam" appeared on the Hot Rap Songs Billboard chart in the July 29, 2000 issue of Billboard. The information for the chart is gathered by "a national sample of retail store sales reports".[45]

References edit

Citations edit

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  5. ^ a b c Jean-Baptiste, Renaud Jr. (June 6, 2015). "Where Are They Now? The Roc-A-Fella Records Edition". VH1. from the original on June 4, 2017. Retrieved May 1, 2019.
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  8. ^ Brown (2005): 64
  9. ^ Brown (2005): 66
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Bibliography edit

External links edit

money, legal, also, known, only, studio, album, american, rapper, amil, released, august, 2000, through, fella, columbia, sony, music, damon, dash, amil, served, executive, producer, with, team, producers, that, included, just, blaze, before, album, release, a. All Money Is Legal also known as A M I L All Money Is Legal is the only studio album by American rapper Amil It was released on August 29 2000 through Roc A Fella Columbia and Sony Music Jay Z Damon Dash and Amil served as executive producer with a team of producers that included Just Blaze Before the album s release Amil was best known for her feature on Jay Z s 1998 single Can I Get A She was one of several up and coming artists signed to Roc A Fella alongside Memphis Bleek and Beanie Sigel who released an album in 2000 Although it was her only album on Roc A Fella Amil had been closely associated with the label and its co founder Jay Z earning the moniker First Lady of Roc A Fella All Money Is LegalStudio album by AmilReleasedAugust 29 2000 2000 08 29 StudioThe Cutting Room The Hit Factory Quad Studios New York City Playground Studios Los Angeles GenreHip hopLength51 52LabelRoc A FellaColumbiaSony MusicProducerAmil exec Jay Z exec Damon Dash exec Karreem BiggsG RobertsonEZ ElpeeJay Waxx GarfieldPoke amp ToneTy FyffeRockwilderChavon Scripture HenryAmil chronologyAll Money Is Legal 2000 Amil Az Iz 2008 Singles from All Money Is Legal I Got That Released July 5 2000 4 da Fam Released July 29 2000A hip hop album the lyrics of All Money Is Legal focus on wealth and to a lesser degree Amil s personal life It was recorded at Playground Studios in Los Angeles and at The Cutting Room The Hit Factory and Quad Studios in New York City Although Jay Z had written Amil s verses for their past collaborations she wrote her own lyrics for all the album s tracks Amil mostly raps throughout the album but sings on some tracks According to academic commentators and music critics Amil adopted the persona of a gold digger throughout the album Reviews were mixed the production and Amil s verses dividing critics The album peaked at number 45 on the US Billboard 200 chart Two singles I Got That with vocals from Beyonce and 4 da Fam with verses from Memphis Bleek Beanie Sigel and Jay Z were released from the album and promoted with music videos I Got That reached number one on the Bubbling Under R amp B Hip Hop Singles Billboard chart and 4 da Fam charted on the Hot R amp B Hip Hop Songs Shortly after the release of All Money Is Legal Amil was dropped from the Roc A Fella roster Rumors circulated within the industry that her departure stemmed from personal conflict with Jay Z Years later she publicly denied the rumors and said she had left because she was unable to handle industry pressures and wanted to have more time to care for her child Although her music career continued Amil did not sign to another major label and she dropped out of the commercial mainstream of hip hop Contents 1 Background and recording 2 Composition and lyrics 3 Release and promotion 4 Critical reception 5 Aftermath 6 Track listing 7 Credits and personnel 8 Charts 9 Notes 10 References 10 1 Citations 10 2 Bibliography 11 External linksBackground and recording editIn 1997 Amil formed the girl group Major Coins with Liz Leite and Monique 1 2 Amil was not interested in being a solo artist at the time and was uncertain about pursuing a career as a rapper and later said I never looked at it as going beyond me being known in the streets 2 When Jay Z asked Leite to provide vocals for It s Like That from his third studio album Vol 2 Hard Knock Life 1998 2 Amil accompanied her to the recording studio 1 Jay Z asked Amil to freestyle during the sessions and her vocals were featured on the album single Can I Get A 1 He later encouraged her to become a solo artist 2 nbsp Jay Z pictured in 2003 signed Amil to Roc A Fella and encouraged her development as a solo artist After Major Coins disbanded Jay Z signed Amil to Roc A Fella in 1998 1 3 She was one of several new artists signed to the label 4 and she became a high profile member of the label and received the nicknames Diana Ross and the First Lady of Roc A Fella 5 6 According to a 2015 Fact article Amil s signing to the label became the subject of industry gossip 7 She denied reports of a pregnancy involving a married man 3 and a romantic relationship with Jay Z 2 Foxy Brown accused Jay Z of using Amil to try to create a new artist similar to herself 8 In a 2003 interview he denied these claims and said he stopped working with Brown in favor of Amil because the two women frequently fought on tour 9 Before the release of her debut album Amil featured on albums by Mariah Carey Jermaine Dupri Tamar Braxton and Funkmaster Flex 1 10 She collaborated again with Jay Z for the 1999 singles Nigga What Nigga Who Originator 99 and Do It Again Put Ya Hands Up 1 11 and the 2000 song Hey Papi 12 Jay Z wrote all of Amil s verses for these collaborations 3 She also performed on his Hard Knock Life tour 13 Amil who became known as one of Jay Z s proteges 12 14 described her work with him as a natural thing and always smooth 2 As she told Vibe in 2000 He just put this career in my hands I went from having nothing at all to wearing diamonds 3 The same year she appeared in a Sprite advertisement campaign alongside Roxanne Shante Mia X Angie Martinez and Eve they are referred to as the Five Deadly Women a reference to the 1978 film Five Deadly Venoms 15 She also played a lead character Tanya in the 2000 direct to video film Get Down or Lay Down 3 16 it was distributed through a joint deal with Roc A Fella and Miramax 16 Amil was also the only prominent female in the 2000 documentary Backstage 4 All Money Is Legal was recorded at The Cutting Room The Hit Factory and Quad Studios in New York City and Playground Studios in Los Angeles Amil Jay Z and Damon Dash were the album s executive producers 17 It was one of several albums from up and coming artists at Roc A Fella to be released in 2000 along with Memphis Bleek s The Understanding and Beanie Sigel s The Truth 4 Amil has co writing credits on all the album s songs 18 and Jay Z said she had a talent for song making 3 To be taken seriously as a solo artist by naysayers who say Jay is her puppeteer Amil said I kept this album me nothing more nothing less 19 She said she wanted to avoid sexual topics on All Money Is Legal and had planned not to use any profanity in her future music explaining I know I sin but I m trying to become a better person 3 Producer Just Blaze contributed to All Money Is Legal 20 and felt his work on the album raised his profile within Roc A Fella 21 Beyonce recorded her guest vocals for I Got That in 2000 in a separate recording session Her then manager Mathew Knowles paid Roc A Fella for the featured spot as a way to assess her viability as a solo artist since she was still a part of Destiny s Child at the time As a result of this collaboration Beyonce worked with her future husband Jay Z for the first time 22 Composition and lyrics editAll Money Is Legal is a hip hop album with 13 tracks 23 24 Alongside Just Blaze the album s production team included Tyrone Fyffe Jon John Robinson LES Poke amp Tone Rockwilder EZ Elpee Chavon Henry Sean Lashley K Rob Jay Garfield Lofey and Omen 17 18 David Browne writing for Entertainment Weekly described its compositions as having low slung beats and an uncluttered vibe similar to Jay Z s music from that era 23 and the Dayton Daily News Talia Jackson said the album had his signature funk samples and R amp B choruses 25 I Got That source source track David Browne wrote that Amil used a sultry sing songy rapping style throughout the album and cited I Got That as an example 23 Smile 4 Me source source track Smile 4 Me was noted for its mournful backing music the New York Daily News Jim Farber 26 and as one of the album s melancholy confessionals Ta Nehisi Coates 27 Problems playing these files See media help Lyrically the songs on All Money Is Legal focus mainly on material possessions and money 3 23 as evidenced by the album title 23 Some tracks touch on more personal issues 3 24 specifically Smile 4 Me and Quarrels 24 The New York Daily News Jim Farber wrote that Amil was more personal in her music than Foxy Brown and Lil Kim whom he described as sexy cartoons 26 Amil raps most of her vocals on the album but also sings on several tracks like Get Down 24 28 Critics have referred to Amil s rapping style as sing songy 23 26 and Farber said she specializes in short jabbing melodies 26 The opening track Smile 4 Me was inspired by Amil s life and includes the lyrics Got my people up north trying to slice the bid While I m in love with a nigga with a wife and a kid 24 27 On Smile 4 Me Amil retells aspects of her life before her music career such as living on welfare and shoplifting 23 The second song I Got That features Beyonce on its chorus and encourages women to become more independent 24 Commentators compared the song to music released by Destiny s Child 29 30 and a Spin writer said it continues the statement s of simple financial and romantic independence found throughout Beyonce s discography 29 Amil references Satan as being at the root of all business in the bass heavy track Quarrels 3 24 which has additional vocals by R amp B singer Thomas 28 Other critics interpreted the song as being about an unhealthy relationship 26 31 In Girlfriend she worries about infidelity after taking a woman s boyfriend and raps about the shame of going from Gucci sandals back to no name brands on Anyday 23 Amil s lyrics on All Money Is Legal have been cited as an example of the theme of gold digging in hip hop performed by women In a 2003 academic paper women s studies professor Layli D Phillips and social psychology professor Dionne P Stephens cited Amil and All Money Is Legal as part of a trend of female hip hop artists performing the stereotypical role of a Gold Digger 32 Along with the Freak Diva and Dyke Phillips and Stephens named the Gold Digger as one of the major archetypes adopted by female rappers defining the role with the following terms The Gold Digger will supposedly resort to any and all sexual means to gain whatever financial rewards she wants or needs seeing men as stepping stones to provide for short term needs Short term is not defined so much by a length of time but rather a mind set whereby the male is good for as long as he can meet the Gold Digger s demands She takes whatever she can and when the well runs dry the Gold Digger is history 32 They highlighted the lyric You know I gotta keep tricks up the sleeve leav em bankrupt with blue balls till the dick bleed from the title track All Money is Legal A M I L as an example of the Gold Digger persona in Amil s music 32 Vibe s Andrea Duncan wrote that Amil used the album to balance her onstage persona as a gold digger with her more mellow personality in her personal life 3 Len Righi writing for The Morning Call described Amil s style as golddigger rap but noted the album contained songs that were not all diamonds and major coins 33 All Money Is Legal includes three features from Jay Z 18 Amil and Jay Z rap about materialism on Heard It All 23 which features the pair attempting to scam one another 26 He also contributed to That s Right after hearing Just Blaze s production during a recording session 21 His final appearance is the album closer 4 da Fam also featuring Memphis Bleek and Beanie Sigel 28 For his verse in 4 da Fam Jay Z rapped about expecting a child I got four nephews and they re all writing and I m having a child which is more frightening 34 A column in Vibe interpreted the line as a pregnancy announcement from Jay Z who was an uncommitted bachelor at the time 35 In a 2000 statement to the New York Daily News Jay Z denied these reports 36 He had his first child Blue Ivy with Beyonce in January 2012 34 Release and promotion edit nbsp Beyonce pictured in 2001 was featured on the album s lead single I Got That I Got That was released on July 5 2000 as the album s lead single 24 28 The music video for I Got That appeared on the list of BET s most played clips for the weeks of August 1 and 8 2000 37 38 The video also played on The Box a now defunct music video network during the same two weeks 37 38 Kathy Iandoli of Dazed praised I Got That as a showcase for Amil s potential as a rapper 30 Conversely Vibe named the song among the year s worst artistic pairings in hip hop for its Beyonce feature 39 I Got That reached number one on the Bubbling Under R amp B Hip Hop Singles Billboard chart on September 16 40 Beyonce s vocals have been applauded retrospectively Andrew Unterberger at Spin said the song deserved better and Bey s breathy chorus is a big reason why 29 and Iandoli said that Beyonce did Amil the favor of her life with her feature 30 All Money Is Legal was released through Roc A Fella Columbia and Sony Music on August 29 2000 as a cassette and CD 41 It was issued in both an explicit version with a Parental Advisory label and a clean version with edited lyrics 41 The album had originally been scheduled for a release in early August 28 With an acronym form matching the artist s name All Money Is Legal is alternately titled A M I L All Money Is Legal 3 The album sold 29 000 copies in the first week of its release 42 and simultaneously debuted and peaked at number 45 on the US Billboard 200 chart 43 On the Billboard Top R amp B Hip Hop Albums chart All Money Is Legal reached its peak position at number 12 on October 7 2000 and was on the chart for a total of eight weeks 44 The second single 4 da Fam was released on July 29 2000 45 a and issued as a Double A Side with I Got That 46 47 an accompanying 4 da Fam music video had premiered earlier in the summer 48 For a 2017 Vulture article John Kennedy had a lukewarm response to the song calling it a passable Roc A Fella posse cut that feels more like a team building exercise 49 In a 2018 Complex article Andrew Barber and Al Shipley considered 4 da Fam to be really a Jay record despite being on Amil s album they praised Jay Z for having the best verse and batt ing clean up 50 The song peaked at number 99 on the Hot R amp B Hip Hop Songs Billboard chart and number 29 on the Hot Rap Songs Billboard chart 51 52 That s Right and Get Down were released on a 12 inch single and vinyl record as promotional singles 53 54 Critical reception editProfessional ratingsReview scoresSourceRatingAllMusic nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp 55 Entertainment WeeklyB 23 Los Angeles Times nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp 56 San Antonio Express News nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp 57 USA Today nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp 58 The album received a mixed response from critics In Vibe Andrea Duncan praised it as a surprisingly diverse and thoughtful collection of tracks 3 AllMusic s MacKenzie Wilson said Amil was bold enough to make it solo with her New York childhood street smarts and a sultry sassiness throughout the music 55 A reviewer for The Source commended the album as a set that displays Amil s feminine flair 19 and Anthony M Thompson for the San Antonio Express News described it as having a distinct woman s touch 57 Despite criticizing All Money Is Legal as unfortunately titled Dan DeLuca said in The Philadelphia Inquirer that Amil s rapping abilities distinguished her from other female rappers and allowed her to stand out from the album s featured artists 59 In Entertainment Weekly David Browne praised some of the lyrics specifically references to Aesop and Blake Carrington but he dismissed the overall focus on money as unoriginal 23 Ta Nehisi Coates writing for the Washington City Paper panned All Money Is Legal as a schizophrenic work with songs swinging from aching honesty to gangsta bitch schtick Coates deemed the album self hating and said Amil had reduc ed herself to a prostitute with a microphone with the sexually explicit lyrics 27 Several reviewers cited Quarrels and Smile 4 Me as album highlights An anonymous review columnist in Billboard praised the autographical Smile 4 Me as a testament to Amil s lyricism and wrote that her verses in Quarrels on themes of morality would make heads both nod and think 24 Despite an overall negative assessment of the album Coates said Amil had successfully pulled from her past in melancholy confessionals like Smile 4 Me 27 The Morning Call s Len Righi praised Smile 4 Me as the song that Amil best represents her gritty self assurance and fierce determination 33 Righi later named All Money Is Legal among the best albums of the year 60 A Vibe columnist identified Quarrels alongside Eve s 1999 single Love Is Blind as examples of strong willed pro woman songs written and recorded by female rappers 61 Despite their criticism of Amil s album as inferior to her collaborations with Jay Z Soren Baker writing for the Los Angeles Times believed she demonstrated promise when she becomes more personal in her storytelling 56 On the other hand the Dayton Daily News Talia Jackson criticized Amil as less than believable when she is not rapping about her material world 25 In a 2014 Billboard interview Amil said Smile 4 Me was one of her favorite songs from the album and that she generally preferred the songs drawn from her personal life 2 Retrospective assessments of All Money Is Legal have remained mixed In a 2018 Rolling Stone article Rob Sheffield praised Amil for releasing her own kick ass album with an excellent title following her early collaboration with Jay Z 62 In an article for PopMatters published about three years after the album s release Terry Sawyer said Amil s music was generic and left only a fleeting shrugging impression He unfavorably compared Amil to rapper Sarai saying both had virtually identical silken imploded vocal styles 63 At Fact Son Raw said Amil s voice made her music a love her or hate her proposition but highlighted 4 da Fam as a prime Roc La Familia era posse cut 7 Complex also included All Money is Legal in a 2015 listicle on factually incorrect titles for hip hop albums because in their words guess what Amil all money is not legal 64 Aftermath edit nbsp After the album s release Amil pictured in 2014 left Roc A Fella and mostly dropped out of the public eye Amil was removed from the Roc A Fella roster shortly after the release of All Money Is Legal 5 65 After appearing in a music video alongside the rapper Baby later known as Birdman a February 2001 Vibe column speculated that she was likely to sign a record deal with Cash Money the label he co founded 66 But she never signed a deal with Cash Money and other than a select few releases she largely dropped out of the mainstream major label recording industry 2 5 67 Music industry rumors attributed Amil s departure from Roc A Fella to personal conflict between her and Jay Z as well as his disapproval of her reported weight gain 6 66 During a 2011 interview with Vibe she responded to the rumors about her and Jay Z People think there was bad blood between us but there never was any bad blood Things happen and I wasn t ready for where my career was going at that time It was really overwhelming 65 Amil said she took a hiatus from her music career because she was mentally unprepared for the pressures of the industry and she wanted to take care of her child who suffered from asthma Describing herself as rebell ing against the industry after the album s release she refused to do promotion for it and said I faded myself She said she regretted signing a record deal preferring to be an around the way rapper and a songwriter instead 2 Jay Z did not comment on Amil s departure from Roc A Fella at the time and as of 2017 has still never publicly discussed why Amil was dropped from the label 6 66 However Jay Z did defend the quality of All Money Is Legal against its detractors in a 2013 appearance on the New York radio show The Breakfast Club When DJ Envy asked Jay Z who had been the worst signing at Roc A Fella Charlamagne tha God interrupted to say Amil and Jay Z replied Nah nah I wouldn t say Amil Amil s album you should listen to it It s good 68 Track listing editCredits adapted from the liner notes of All Money Is Legal 18 No TitleWriter s Producer s Length1 Smile 4 Me Amil WhiteheadWayne HendersonLamont PorterEZ Elpee4 262 I Got That featuring Beyonce WhiteheadShawn CarterTamy Lestor SmithSamuel J BarnesLeshan LewisMakeda DavisJean Claude OlivierLESPoke amp Tone3 173 Get Down WhiteheadRichard HellJohnathan RobertsonJarrett WashingtonJon John4 294 Ya ll Dead Wrong WhiteheadDana StinsonRockwilder3 515 Heard It All featuring Jay Z WhiteheadCarterDi LazzaroSean LashleyHarperCherubineChavon HenryJust BlazeHenryLashley3 276 Quarrels featuring Carl Thomas WhiteheadJay GarfieldPorterEZ ElpeeGarfield4 107 Girlfriend WhiteheadStinsonRockwilder3 148 All Money Is Legal A M I L WhiteheadTyrone FyffeFyffe3 469 That s Right featuring Jay Z WhiteheadCarterJustin SmithLionel EvansJust Blaze4 2110 Anyday WhiteheadJoseph WalshPatrick CulieMalik JohnsonK Rob4 0811 Raw WhiteheadMichael SandloferLofey4 1112 No 1 Can Compare WhiteheadSidney BrownOmen4 1513 4 da Fam featuring Jay Z Memphis Bleek and Beanie Sigel WhiteheadCarterDwight GrantMalik CoxFyffeFyffe4 19Total length 51 52 Sample credits Smile 4 Me contains a sample from Summer Love performed by David Oliver I Got That contains a sample from Seventh Heaven performed by Gwen Guthrie Get Down contains a sample from Blank Generation performed by Richard Hell and the Voidoids Heard It All contains a sample from the composition Chitarra Romana written by Cherubini Di Lazzaro and Harper Anyday contains a sample from Collage performed by The Three Degrees 4 da Fam contains a sample from Main Theme by Roy Budd Credits and personnel editCredits adapted from AllMusic 17 Amil associate executive producer primary artist vocals Beyonce featured artist primary artist Shawn Carter executive producer Kevin Crouse mixing Damon Dash executive producer Tyrone Fyfee producer Chris Gehringer mastering Jason Goldstein mixing Erwin Gorostiza art direction Jay Z guest artist primary artist Manny Marroquin mixing Memphis Bleek guest artist performer primary artist Monica Morrow stylist Jon John Robinson engineer producer Beanie Sigel guest artist primary artist Brian Stanley engineer mixing Carl Thomas guest artist primary artist vocals Richard Travali mixing Reggie Wells make up Carlisle Young engineerCharts editChart 2000 PeakpositionUS Billboard 200 43 45US Top R amp B Hip Hop Albums Billboard 44 12Notes edit 4 da Fam appeared on the Hot Rap Songs Billboard chart in the July 29 2000 issue of Billboard The information for the chart is gathered by a national sample of retail store sales reports 45 References editCitations edit a b c d e f Potts Diana Biography Amil AllMusic Archived from the original on August 24 2017 Retrieved May 1 2019 a b c d e f g h i Ramirez Erika March 31 2014 Ladies First 31 Female Rappers Who Changed Hip Hop Billboard Archived from the original on June 14 2017 Retrieved May 1 2019 a b c d e f g h i j k l m Duncan Andrea December 2000 One in Amillion Vibe 8 10 139 via Google Books permanent dead link a b c Jones Steve December 27 1999 Underdogs 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Best Vulture New York Media LLC Archived from the original on February 25 2018 Retrieved May 1 2019 Barber Andrew Shipley Al March 20 2018 The 100 Best Jay Z Songs Complex Archived from the original on April 3 2018 Retrieved May 1 2019 Hot R amp B Hip Hop Songs 4 da Fam Billboard Archived from the original on December 15 2017 Retrieved May 1 2019 Hot Rap Songs 4 da Fam Billboard Archived from the original on December 15 2017 Retrieved May 1 2019 That s Right Get Down inlay cover Amil Roc A Fella Records Columbia Records and Sony Music 2000 a href Template Cite AV media notes html title Template Cite AV media notes cite AV media notes a CS1 maint others in cite AV media notes link That s right Get down OCLC 612241100 a b Wilson MacKenzie AllMusic Review All Music Is Legal AllMusic Archived from the original on October 12 2016 Retrieved May 1 2019 a b Baker Soren September 17 2000 Pop Music Record Rack Los Angeles Times via WestLaw a b Thompson Anthony M September 22 2000 New Music Reviews Amil A M I L All Money Is Legal Roc A Fella Columbia San Antonio Express News via WestLaw Jones Steve September 20 2000 Amanda Ghost writes a spirited debut Rap Amil All Money Is Legal USA Today via WestLaw DeLuca Dan October 1 2000 Amil A M I L All Money Is Legal The Philadelphia Inquirer Retrieved April 29 2019 via Newspapers com subscription required Righi Len January 6 2001 Spotlight on the Best and Worst Discs of 2000 The Morning Call via WestLaw Bry David January 2001 One Nation Under a Groove Moments to Remember sidebar Vibe 9 11 37 Archived from the original on December 12 2017 via Google Books Sheffield Rob June 4 2018 The 98 Best Songs of 1998 Pop s Weirdest Year Rolling Stone Archived from the original on May 2 2019 Retrieved May 2 2019 Sawyer Terry November 11 2003 Sarai The Original PopMatters Archived from the original on February 11 2019 Retrieved May 1 2019 Brokencool January 12 2015 20 Factually Incorrect Rap Album Titles Amil All Money Is Legal 2000 Complex Archived from the original on November 6 2015 Retrieved May 1 2019 a b Hova Tray August 18 2011 V Exclusive Amil Debunks Twitter Debut Talks Jay Z and Nicki Minaj Vibe Archived from the original on July 14 2017 a b c Group Vibe Media February 2001 Vibe Confidential The Lowdown on the Down Low Vibe 9 2 36 via Google Books permanent dead link Ortiz Edwin March 17 2014 Amil Is Back Rapping Over Jay Z Instrumentals and Prepping Her New Mixtape Another Moment in Life Complex Archived from the original on August 20 2018 Retrieved May 1 2019 The Breakfast Club Classic Jay Z Interview 2013 The Breakfast Club video Power 105 1 July 9 2013 Event occurs at 27 25 Archived from the original on November 14 2021 Retrieved May 13 2019 via YouTube uploaded on November 14 2016 Bibliography edit Brown Jake 2005 Jay Z and the Roc A Fella Dynasty Phoenix Amber Books Publishing ISBN 0 9749779 1 8 via Google Books Stephens Dionne P Phillips Layli D 2003 Freaks gold diggers divas and dykes The Sociohistorical Development of Adolescent African American Women s Sexual Scripts Sexuality amp Culture Springer Science Business Media 7 1 3 49 doi 10 1007 BF03159848 S2CID 143036176 Taraborrelli J Randy 2015 Becoming Beyonce The Untold Story 1st ed New York Grand Central Publishing ISBN 978 1 4555 1672 8 External links editAll Money is Legal at Discogs Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title All Money Is Legal amp oldid 1204641746, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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