Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
PopMatters5/10
RapReviews8/10

The Labor Union is the second solo studio album by American underground rapper King Syze. It was officially released on August 5, 2008, via Babygrande Records. Recording sessions took place at Found Sound Recording in Philadelphia. Production was handled by Team 707, MTK, Skammadix, DJ Waxwork, Ill Bill, Sake, Sicknature, Tut the Instrumentalist and Undefined, with Chuck Wilson and Vinnie Paz serving as executive producers. It features guest appearances from several Army of the Pharaohs members and Ill Bill.

Critical reception

The album was known for "[Syze] lacing his relentless, rapid-fire flow over a slew of spine-tingling gutter tracks". AllMusic's Matt Rinaldi called it an "underground classic".

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."The Labor Union"Daniel AlbaladejoB. ColesOlivier BlangerStéphane Gourdais707 Team Productions3:42
2."The Best"D. AlbaladejoKris ReySkammadix4:04
3."Play Ya Part (P.Y.P.)" (featuring Doap Nixon and Ill Bill)D. AlbaladejoKenneth GreeneWilliam BraunsteinJ. Munk AndersenIll BillSicknature3:56
4."Creep Show" (featuring Lawrence Arnell and King Magnetic)D. AlbaladejoLawrence MacmillenJason FaustReySkammadix4:13
5."Love Vs. Hate"D. AlbaladejoColesBlangerGourdais707 Team Productions3:06
6."Cement Work"D. AlbaladejoJulian HammerDJ Waxwork3:29
7."Haters Beware" (featuring Planetary)D. AlbaladejoMario CollazoColesBlangerGourdais707 Team Productions3:34
8."Mayhem" (featuring Army of the Pharaohs)D. AlbaladejoCollazoJose VargasDavid EdensEdward LittlepageVictor MercerGreeneSeamus RyanR. JoyceSake5:47
9."That's How You Rap"D. AlbaladejoM. HenzeyUndefined3:25
10."And Now" (featuring Vinnie Paz and Apathy)D. AlbaladejoVincenzo LuvineriChad BromleyC. AshtonTut the Instrumentalist4:09
11."Pain"D. AlbaladejoColesBlangerGourdais707 Team Productions3:17
12."Sibling Rivalry Pt. 2" (featuring OuterSpace)D. AlbaladejoMarcus AlbaladejoCollazoMatthew CrabtreeMTK3:50
13."Reality Check"D. AlbaladejoCrabtreeMTK2:24

Personnel

  • Daniel "King Syze" Albaladejo – vocals
  • Kenneth "Doap Nixon" Greene – vocals (tracks: 3, 8)
  • William "Ill Bill" Braunstein – vocals & producer (track 3)
  • Lawrence Arnell MacMillan – vocals (track 4)
  • Jason "King Magnetic" Faust – vocals (track 4)
  • Mario "Planetary" Collazo – vocals (tracks: 7, 8, 12)
  • Jose "Demoz" Vargas – vocals (track 8)
  • David "Des Devious" Edens – vocals (track 8)
  • Edward "Chief Kamachi" Littlepage – vocals (track 8)
  • Victor "Celph Titled" Mercer – vocals (track 8)
  • Seamus "Esoteric" Ryan – vocals (track 8)
  • Vincenzo "Vinnie Paz" Luvineri – vocals (track 10), executive producer
  • Chad "Apathy" Bromley – vocals (track 10)
  • Marcus "Crypt the Warchild" Albaladejo – vocals (track 12)
  • B. Coles – producer (tracks: 1, 5, 7, 11)
  • Olivier Blanger – producer (tracks: 1, 5, 7, 11)
  • Stéphane Gourdais – producer (tracks: 1, 5, 7, 11)
  • Kris "Skammadix" Rey – producer (tracks: 2, 4)
  • Jeppe "Sicknature" Andersen – producer (track 3)
  • Julian "DJ Waxwork" Hammer – producer (track 6)
  • R. "Sake" Joyce – producer (track 8)
  • M. "Undefined" Henzey – producer (track 9)
  • C. "Tut the Instrumentalist" Ashton – producer (track 10)
  • Matthew "MTK" Crabtree – producer (tracks: 12, 13)
  • Scott "Supe" Stallone – recording (tracks: 1–5, 7–12), mixing (tracks: 8, 10)
  • Jeff "Stress" Davis – recording (tracks: 6, 13), mixing (tracks: 1–4, 6, 7, 9, 12, 13)
  • Hakeem for 707 Team Productions – mixing (tracks: 5, 11)
  • Mark B. Christensen – mastering
  • Charles "Chuck" Wilson Jr. – executive producer
  • Dan Bradley – photography, design
  • Jesse Stone – marketing
  • Ben Dotson – product management
  • Willy Friedman – product management

External links