Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic
RapReviews6.5/10

The Untold Truth is the only studio album by American rap duo Illegal, composed of rappers Jamal and Mr. Malik. It was released on August 24, 1993, through Rowdy Records with distribution via Arista Records. The recording sessions took place from late Fall 1992 to mid-Summer 1993 at D.A.R.P. Studios in Atlanta, at Soundtrack Studios in New York City, and at BMV Digital Studios in Newark. The album was produced by Dallas Austin, Diamond D, Erick Sermon, Biz Markie, and Lord Finesse, among others.

The album peaked at No. 119 on the Billboard 200 and No. 19 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. It spawned three singles: "Back in the Day", and the Kris Kross/Da Youngsta's diss tracks "Head or Gut" and "We Getz Busy".

Track listing

No.TitleProducer(s)Length
1."Back in the Day"Colin Wolfe5:12
2."Illegal Will Rock"Diamond D5:01
3."Head or Gut"Erick Sermon3:57
4."CrumbSnatcher"Diamond D3:55
5."We Getz Busy"Erick Sermon3:50
6."Stick 'Em Up"Colin Wolfe4:26
7."Understand the Flow"Dallas Austin4:48
8."On da M.I.C."Lord Finesse4:50
9."Ban da Iggidy"Dallas Austin4:14
10."Lights, Camera, Action"Spearhead X5:03
11."Interlude"Spearhead XE-Locc0:29
12."If U Want It"Biz MarkieCool V5:11
Total length:50:36

Personnel

  • Jamal Phillips – vocals
  • Malik Edwards – vocals
  • Joseph Kirkland – vocals (track 4), producer (tracks: 2, 4)
  • Erick Sermon – vocals (track 5), producer (tracks: 3, 5)
  • Robert Hall Jr. – vocals & producer (track 8)
  • Andre Barnes – vocals (track 8)
  • Colin Wolfe – producer (tracks: 1, 6)
  • Dallas Austin – producer (tracks: 7, 9), executive producer
  • Xavier Hargrove – producer (tracks: 10, 11)
  • Melvin "E-Locc" Davis – producer (track 11)
  • Marcel Theo Hall – producer (track 12)
  • Vaughan Lee – producer (track 12)
  • Alvin Speights – mixing & recording (tracks: 1, 2, 6, 7, 9)
  • George Pappas – mixing & recording (tracks: 1, 10)
  • Gregory Mann – mixing & recording (tracks: 3, 10)
  • John Lawrence Byas – mixing & recording (track 4)
  • Darin Prindle – mixing & recording (track 5)
  • Troy Hightower – mixing & recording (track 8)
  • Everett "Bizz-E" Ramos – mixing & recording (track 12)
  • José L. Rodriguez – mastering
  • Christopher Stern – art direction
  • Danny Clinch – photography

Charts

Chart (1993)Peak position
US Billboard 200119
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)19

External links