Usual Suspects (album)

Usual Suspects
Studio album by 5th Ward Boyz
Released	November 18, 1997
Recorded	1996-1997
Studio	Hippie House Studios (Houston, TX) Digital Services (Houston, TX) The Enterprise (Burbank, CA)
Genre	Hip hop
Length	1:09:00
Label	Rap-A-Lot
Producer	J. Prince (exec.) O.G. Dewey (exec.) Mike Dean Mr. Lee 5th Ward Boyz Flip Freddie Young John Bido Scarface
5th Ward Boyz chronology
Rated G (1995) Usual Suspects (1997) Keep It Poppin' (1999)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic

Usual Suspects is the fourth studio album by American hip hop group 5th Ward Boyz. It was released on November 18, 1997, through Rap-A-Lot Records. Recording sessions took place at Hippie House Studios and Digital Services in Houston and at the Enterprise in Burbank. Production was handled by Mike Dean, who had produced the majority of the group's previous three albums, Leroy "Mr. Lee" Williams, Freddie Young, Scarface, Flip, John Bido, and the 5th Ward Boyz themselves. It features guest appearances from Mr. Slimm of 5th Ward Juvenilez, Do or Die, Devin the Dude, Johnny P, Scarface, Spice 1, Willie D, 8Ball & MJG.

Though the album was an improvement on the charts over their last album Rated G, peaking at 180 on the Billboard 200 and 26 on the R&B/Hip-Hop charts, Usual Suspects was less well received. Alex Henderson of AllMusic called it an "unoriginal effort" and said "Usual Suspects demonstrated that in 1997 there were still many rappers who were content to offer one tired, worn-out gangsta rap cliché after another".

Track listing

No.	Title	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"O.G. Intro"		1:08
2.	"Gangsta Shit" (featuring Spice 1 & Mr. Slimm)	Mr. Lee 5th Ward Boyz	3:58
3.	"Hustlin'"	Freddy Young	4:52
4.	"Live Your Life"	Mike Dean	4:26
5.	"Big Faces"	Mike Dean	3:56
6.	"I Know" (featuring Scarface)	Mr. Lee Scarface	5:02
7.	"Heat"	Flip	4:53
8.	"Got II Be Down II Die"	John Bido	4:14
9.	"Live Remote"		1:13
10.	"Fuck Strugglin'" (featuring 8Ball & MJG)	Mike Dean	5:36
11.	"Hollyhood"	Mr. Lee Mike Dean	4:57
12.	"Somethin' to Ride To" (featuring Do or Die & Johnny P)	Mr. Lee Joe Bythewood (co.)	4:05
13.	"Don't Nuttin Change"	Mike Dean 5th Ward Boyz	4:52
14.	"Pussy, Weed and Alcohol" (featuring Willie D & Devin the Dude)	Mr. Lee	5:52
15.	"Til the World Blow Up"	Mr. Lee 5th Ward Boyz	5:35
16.	"Mama's Praying"	Mike Dean	4:11
Total length:			1:09:00

Charts

Chart (1997)	Peak position
US Billboard 200	180
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)	26

Personnel

• Andre "007" Barnes – main performer
• Eric "E-Rock" Taylor – main performer
• Richard "Lo Life" Nash – main performer
• Frank Robinson – featured performer (tracks: 2, 3)
• Robert L. Green, Jr. – featured performer (track 2)
• Red Dog – featured performer (track 3)
• Tasha – featured performer (track 4)
• Brad Jordan – featured performer & producer (track 6)
• Marlon Jermaine Goodwin – featured performer (track 10)
• Premro Smith – featured performer (track 10)
• John Pigram – featured performer (track 12)
• Anthony "N.A.R.D." Round – featured performer (track 12)
• Dennis "A.K. 47" Round – featured performer (track 12)
• J. "Gotti" Baker – featured performer (track 13)
• Devin C. Copeland – featured performer (track 14)
• William James Dennis – featured performer (track 14)
• Leroy Williams, Jr. – producer (tracks: 2, 6, 11, 12, 14, 15), mixing
• Michael George Dean – producer (tracks: 4, 5, 10, 11, 13, 16), mixing, mastering, engineering
• Freddie Young – producer (track 3)
• Philip "Flip" Osman – producer (track 7), engineering
• John Okuribido – producer (track 8)
• Joe Bythewood – co-producer (track 12)
• James Hoover – engineering & mixing
• Dewey Forker – executive producer
• James A. Smith – executive producer
• Jason Clark – art direction, design
• Mario Castellanos – photography

External links

• 5th Ward Boyz – Usual Suspects at Discogs (list of releases)