Rhyme Pays

Rhyme Pays
Studio album by Ice-T
Released	November 4, 1987
Recorded	Late 1986-mid 1987
Genre	West Coast hip hop, gangsta rap
Length	64:43
Label	Sire/Warner Bros. 25602
Producer	Afrika Islam
Ice-T chronology
Rhyme Pays (1987) Power (1988)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	link

Rhyme Pays is the debut album of Ice-T, released in 1987.

The album, especially tracks like "6 'N the Mornin'," is considered to have defined the gangsta genre, and was the first hip hop album to carry a Parental Advisory warning label, although it was years before the industry-standard explicit-lyrics sticker was developed. The 1988 CD release included four bonus tracks.

Reception

Rhyme Pays peaked at number 93 on the Billboard 200 music chart and number 26 on the Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums. Rolling Stone gave the album three stars. It was also the first hip-hop artist album released on the Sire and Warner Bros. labels.

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Intro/Rhyme Pays" (interpolates "Tubular Bells" and samples "War Pigs")	Ice-T/Storrs	6:29
2.	"6 'N the Mornin'"	Ice-T/Afrika Islam	7:11
3.	"Make It Funky" (samples "Make It Funky")	Ice-T/Islam	5:09
4.	"Somebody Gotta Do It (Pimpin' Ain't Easy!!!)"	Ice-T/Islam	3:03
5.	"409"	Ice-T/Islam	5:20
6.	"I Love Ladies"	Ice-T/Islam	4:44
7.	"Sex"	Ice-T/Islam	2:57
8.	"Pain"	Ice-T/Islam	3:36
9.	"Squeeze the Trigger"	Ice-T/Islam	6:12
10.	"Make It Funky" (12" mix)	Ice-T/Islam	5:58
11.	"Sex" ("bonus beat"; instrumental)	Ice-T/Islam	3:52
12.	"Somebody Gotta Do It (Pimpin' Ain't Easy!!!)" (12" mix)	Ice-T/Islam	3:27
13.	"Our Most Requested Record" (long version, samples “Heartbreaker” and “Whole Lotta Love”)	Ice-T/Islam	6:45