The Element of Surprise
The Element of Surprise is the fourth studio album by American rapper E-40. It was released on August 25, 1998, by Sick Wid It Records and Jive Records. The album features production by Ant Banks, Bosko, Mike Mosley, Rick Rock, Sam Bostic, Studio Ton & Tone Capone. It peaked at number 4 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and at number 13 on the Billboard 200.[3] The album features guest performances by fellow members of The Click: B-Legit, D-Shot and Suga-T, as well as Jayo Felony, C-Bo, Mack 10, WC, Busta Rhymes, Levitti and Master P. The second to last track, "Ballin' Outta Control", originally appeared on the 1993 extended play, The Mail Man.
| The Element of Surprise | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | August 25, 1998 | |||
| Recorded | 1997–1998 | |||
| Genre | Hip hop | |||
| Length | 107:59 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Producer | ||||
| E-40 chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from The Element of Surprise | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic | [1] |
| The Source | [2] |
Along with a single, a music video was produced for the song "Hope I Don't Go Back", featuring Otis & Shug. A second single, "From the Ground Up", was also released as a music video, featuring Too Short and K-Ci & JoJo. The album eventually went Gold. In 2013 E-40 ranked what he considers to be his ten best albums, and named The Element of Surprise as his best album overall.[4]
Commercial performance
The Element of Surprise debuted and peaked at number 13 on the Billboard 200, with first week sales nearing 78,000 units. To date, the album has been certified Gold by the RIAA for selling and shipping 500,000 copies.
Track listing
| No. | Title | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Element of Surprise" | Rick Rock | 4:21 |
| 2. | "Trump Change" | Big Tyme (Randy Jefferson) and Michael Banks | 4:30 |
| 3. | "All Tha Time" (featuring B-Legit) | Bosko | 3:21 |
| 4. | "Dump, Bust, Blast" | Bosko | 4:11 |
| 5. | "Hope I Don't Go Back" | Ant Banks | 4:38 |
| 6. | "$999,999 + $1 = A Mealticket" | Rick Rock | 4:32 |
| 7. | "Money Scheme" (featuring Jayo Felony) | Bosko | 6:20 |
| 8. | "Zoom" | Bosko | 4:09 |
| 9. | "Mayhem" (featuring A-1) | Rick Rock | 5:09 |
| 10. | "Personal" (featuring D-Shot, Suga T, The Mossie & Levitti) | Studio Ton | 4:31 |
| 11. | "My Hoodlumz & My Thugz" (featuring WC & Mack 10) | Keith Kinlow | 4:44 |
| No. | Title | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Do It to Me" (featuring Busta Rhymes) | Tone Capone | 3:40 |
| 2. | "Lieutenant Roast a Botch" (featuring Sylk-E. Fyne) | Studio Ton | 4:41 |
| 3. | "It's On, On Sight" (featuring C-Bo) | Funk Daddy | 4:13 |
| 4. | "From the Ground Up" (featuring Too Short & K-Ci & JoJo) | Ant Banks | 4:52 |
| 5. | "Flashin'" | Studio Ton | 4:54 |
| 6. | "Doin' Dirt Bad" (featuring B-Legit) | Bosko | 4:24 |
| 7. | "Broccoli" | Ant Banks | 4:07 |
| 8. | "Jump My Bone" | Bosko | 3:57 |
| 9. | "Back Against the Wall" (featuring Master P) | Bosko | 4:16 |
| 10. | "To Da Beat" | Studio Ton | 4:12 |
| 11. | "Dirty Deeds" | Dave Everingham & E-40 | 3:46 |
| 12. | "Ballin' Outta Control" | Sam Bostic & Mike Mosley | 4:22 |
| 13. | "One More Gen" | Sam Bostic | 6:09 |
Charts
Weekly charts
| Chart (1998) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200[5] | 13 |
| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[6] | 4 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (1998) | Position |
|---|---|
| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[7] | 89 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA)[8] | Gold | 500,000^ |
|
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
- Stephen Thomas Erlewine. "The Element of Surprise - E-40 - Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards - AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved November 24, 2014.
- "Tower.com: The Element Of Surprise (EXPLICIT) (CD) by E-40 ..." Archived from the original on October 2, 2008. Retrieved November 24, 2014.
- ((( The Element of Surprise > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums ))). All Media Guide, LLC. Retrieved on December 30, 2009.
- "E-40 Ranks His Top 10 Albums". BET.com. December 26, 2013. Retrieved November 24, 2014.
- "E-40 Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 23, 2014.
- "E-40 Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 23, 2014.
- "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1998". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2021.
- "American album certifications – E-40 – The Element of Surprise". Recording Industry Association of America.