Free at Last (Freeway album)

Free at Last is the second studio album by rapper Freeway. It was released on November 20, 2007 by Roc-A-Fella Records and Def Jam Recordings in the United States.

Free at Last
Studio album by Freeway
Released	November 20, 2007
Genre	East Coast hip hop hardcore^[1]
Length	51:01
Label	Roc-A-Fella Def Jam
Producer	Bink! Carvin & Ivan Chad "Wes" Hamilton Cool & Dre Dame Grease Dangerous LLC DJ Noodles Don Cannon Double-O J.R. Rotem Jake One Needlz Ron Fair
Freeway chronology
Philadelphia Freeway (2003) Free at Last (2007) Philadelphia Freeway 2 (2009)
Singles from Free at last
"Roc-A-Fella Billionaires" Released: July 10, 2007 "Lights Get Low" Released: November 20, 2007

Background

In a recent interview, Freeway stated why he took such a lengthy hiatus.^[2] He had this to say:

I just been grinding you know the whole Roc break up really took a toll on me and kind of even held my career up a little bit, but I been working and I'm ready to get back out. It was a couple of things. The whole family structure wasn't in place like it was. There was a time when I could just go to Bassline [studios] and knock it out but it wasn't like that this time.

Production

Free at Last features production from Bink!, J. R. Rotem, Needlz, and Cool & Dre, amongst others. Guest appearances include Marsha Ambrosius, Jay-Z, 50 Cent, Scarface, Busta Rhymes, Jadakiss, and Rick Ross.

Commercial performance

Free at Last debuted at number 42 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart, selling about 36,000 units during its first week.^[3][4] As of April 2, 2008, the album has sold 100,206 copies in the United States.^[5]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
About.com	^[6]
AllHipHop.com	^[7]
Allmusic	^[8]
Entertainment Weekly	B−^[9]
Pitchfork Media	(7.7/10)^[10]
Rolling Stone	^[11]
PopMatters	^[12]
USA Today	^[13]

Free at Last was called "The Album of the Month" by the German hip hop magazine Juice, aiming 5 of 6 "Crowns". In the 01-02 / 2008 Issue (# 104).

Track listing

No.	Title	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"This Can't Be Real" (feat. Marsha Ambrosius)	Ron Fair Carvin & Ivan	3:44
2.	"It's Over"	Jake One	3:40
3.	"Still Got Love"	Bink!	3:45
4.	"Roc-A-Fella Billionaires" (feat. Jay-Z)	Dame Grease	3:41
5.	"When They Remember"	Bink!	3:43
6.	"Take It To The Top" (feat. 50 Cent)	J. R. Rotem	3:42
7.	"Spit That Shit"	Dangerous LLC	3:43
8.	"Reppin' The Streets"	Chad "Wes" Hamilton	3:59
9.	"Free at Last"	Double-O	3:38
10.	"Baby Don't Do It" (feat. Scarface)	Chad "Wes" Hamilton	3:27
11.	"Nuttin' On Me"	Needlz	2:55
12.	"Walk Wit Me" (feat. Busta Rhymes and Jadakiss)	Don Cannon	4:06
13.	"Lights Get Low" (feat. Rick Ross)	Cool & Dre	3:47
14.	"I Cry"	DJ Noodles	3:11
Total length:			51:01

Singles

"Roc-A-Fella Billionaires" is the lead single. The song, produced by Dame Grease, features a guest appearance from Roc-A-Fella label-boss and fellow American rapper Jay-Z. Grease's production contains a sample of a version of "Big Spender", originally written for the 1966 musical Sweet Charity, by Cy Coleman and Dorothy Fields, as performed by Chita Rivera and Paula Kelly.^[14]

Sample credits

This Can't Be Real

• "Did You Hear What They Said?" by Gil Scott-Heron

It's Over

• "The Masquerade Is Over" by David Porter
• vocals by Sean Michael from "Encore"

Still Got Love

• "Keep On Keeping On" by Curtis Mayfield

Roc-A-Fella Billionaires

• "Hey Big Spender" by Shirley Bassey

When They Remember

• "The Way We Were" by Gladys Knight and The Pips

Reppin' The Streets

• "Ill Be the Other Woman" by Soul Children

Free At Last

• "I Want To Write You a Love Song" by David Oliver

Baby Don't Do It

• "Overture of Foxy Brown" by Willie Hutch

I Cry

• "I Cry" by Millie Jackson

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2007) Peak position US Billboard 200^[15] 42 US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)^[16] 5

Year-end charts Chart (2008) Position US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums^[17] 70

References

1. Kellman, Andy. "Free at Last - Freeway". Allmusic.
2. Thought, Lyrical (17 November 2007). . Def Sounds. Archived from the original on 4 December 2007. Retrieved 19 November 2007.
3. Hip Hop Album Sales: Week Ending 11/25/07 | Hip Hop News > HipHopDX.com
4. Katie Hasty, "'Oprah' Visit Helps Groban Soar To No. 1", Billboard.com, November 28, 2007.
5. Hip Hop Album Sales: Week Ending 3/30/08 | Hip Hop News > HipHopDX.com
6. About.com review
7. AllHipHop.com review
8. Allmusic review
9. Entertainment Weekly review
10. Pitchfork Media review
12. Pop Matters review
13. USA Today review 2008-10-04 at the Wayback Machine
14. Free at Last (Liner notes). Freeway. Def Jam Recordings. 2007. B0004853-02.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
15. "Freeway Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard.
16. "Freeway Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard.
17. "2008 Year-End Charts – Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Albums". Billboard. Retrieved April 19, 2016.