Poetic Justice (soundtrack)

Poetic Justice: Music from the Motion Picture
Soundtrack album by Various artists
Released	June 29, 1993
Genre	Hip hop R&B
Length	45:51
Label	Epic Soundtrax
Producer	Warren G Babyface Dallas Austin Darryl Swann Daryl Simmons Derek "DOA" Allen Dr. Dre Henry Cosby Kevin Deane L.A. Reid Naughty by Nature Nice & Smooth Pete Rock Raphael Saadiq Sly & Robbie Stanley Clarke Tim & Bob Tim & Ted Tupac Shakur
Singles from Poetic Justice: Music from the Motion Picture
"Get It Up" Released: June 6, 1993 "Indo Smoke" Released: June 8, 1993 "Call Me a Mack" Released: August 16, 1993

Professional ratings

Review scores
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AllMusic

Music from the Motion Picture Poetic Justice is the soundtrack to John Singleton's 1993 film Poetic Justice. It was released on June 29, 1993 through Epic Soundtrax, and consisted of a blend of hip hop and R&B music. The album peaked at number 23 on the Billboard 200 chart in the United States and was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America on August 25, 1993.

Three charting singles were released from the album: "Indo Smoke" by Mista Grimm, "Get It Up" by TLC, and "Call Me a Mack" by Usher Raymond, the latter of which was Usher's first official appearance on a song at the age of 14.

The soundtrack also has the Stevie Wonder song "Never Dreamed You'd Leave in Summer", a track that was originally on his 1970 Motown Records album Where I'm Coming From. The song "Definition of a Thug Nigga", recorded by Tupac Shakur for the film, later appeared on his 1997 posthumous album R U Still Down? (Remember Me).

Due to the film's casting of two major music stars, much hype surrounded its release. Many were excited to see how the dynamic between Janet Jackson and Tupac Shakur would manifest itself in the film both visually and musically. On the soundtrack, each artist was given a single song. Tupac's "Definition of a Thug Nigga" is an example of braggadocios, violent rap music. The song conflates lyrics of degrading women with aggressive threats and discussions of firearms.

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Get It Up" (performed by TLC)	P. Nelson	Dallas Austin Tim & Bob	4:25
2.	"Indo Smoke" (performed by Mista Grimm, Warren G and Nate Dogg)	R. Trawick W. Griffin III	Warren G	5:24
3.	"Well Alright" (performed by Babyface)	K. Edmonds	Babyface Daryl Simmons L.A. Reid	4:00
4.	"Call Me a Mack" (performed by Usher)	U. Raymond IV T. Bishop T. Thomas	Tim & Ted	4:06
5.	"Waiting for You" (performed by Tony! Toni! Toné!)	D. Allen	Derek "DOA" Allen Raphael Wiggins	5:14
6.	"One in a Million" (performed by Pete Rock & CL Smooth)	C. Penn P. Phillips E. McDuff	Pete Rock	4:05
7.	"Nite & Day" (performed by Cultural Revolution)	D. Swann C. Walker P. Williams	Darryl Swann	5:04
8.	"Poor Man's Poetry" (performed by Naughty by Nature)	A. Criss K. Gist V. Brown	Naughty by Nature	2:59
9.	"I've Been Waiting" (performed by Terri & Monica)	T. Robinson T. Geter K. Deane	Kevin Deane	4:20
10.	"Niggas Don't Give a Fuck" (performed by Tha Dogg Pound and The Lady of Rage)	C. Broadus D. Arnaud R. Brown	Dr. Dre	4:41
11.	"Definition of a Thug Nigga" (performed by 2Pac)	T. Shakur W. Griffin III L. Mizell	Warren G 2Pac	4:10
12.	"I Wanna Be Your Man" (performed by Chaka Demus & Pliers)	E. Bonner J. Taylor L. Willis R. Shakespeare L. Dunbar	Sly & Robbie	3:54
13.	"Cash in My Hands" (performed by Nice & Smooth)	D. Barnes G. Mays	Nice & Smooth	3:52
14.	"Never Dreamed You'd Leave in Summer" (performed by Stevie Wonder)	S. Morris S. Wright	Henry Cosby	2:54
15.	"Justice's Groove" (performed by Stanley Clarke)	S. Clarke	Stanley Clarke	4:34
Total length:				45:51

Notes

• Track 6 contains samples from "Electric Surfboard" performed by Brother Jack McDuff
• Track 11 contains samples from "Wind Parade" performed by Donald Byrd

Other songs

There are fourteen songs did appear in the film but were not released on the soundtrack album:

• "Rhapsody in Blue", written by George Gershwin and in the movie Fantasia 2000
• "Bonita Applebum", written by Jonathan William Davis, Ali Shaheed Jones-Muhammad, O'Kelly Isley, Ronald Isley, Rudolph Isley, Ernie Isley, Marvin Isley and Chris Jasper, and performed by A Tribe Called Quest
• "Between the Sheets", written by O'Kelly Isley, Ronald Isley, Rudolph Isley, Ernie Isley, Marvin Isley and Chris Jasper, and performed by The Isley Brothers
• "Smoking Sticks", "Can a Corn" and "Sticky Fingers", written by Artis Ivey, Jr. and Bryan "Wino" Dobbs, and performed by Coolio
• "Felix the Wonderful Cat", written by Winston Sharples
• "Life Betta", written by Sean Reveron, Julian Harker and Osagyefu Kennedy, and performed by Ruffneck
• "Gangsta Bitch", written by Anthony Peaks and Jonathan William Davis
• "Stand by Your Man", written by Billy Sherrill and Tammy Wynette, and performed by Tammy Wynette
• "Family Reunion", written by Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff, and performed by The O'Jays
• "Niggers Are Scared of Revolution", written by Omar Ben Hassan, and performed by The Last Poets
• "Back Stabbers", written by Leon Huff, Gene McFadden and John Whitehead, and performed by The O'Jays
• "Again", written by Janet Jackson, James Harris III and Terry Lewis, and performed by Janet Jackson

Personnel

• Carlton Batts – mastering
• Paris Davis – associate producer
• Vivian Scott – associate producer
• John Singleton – executive producer, liner notes
• Glen Brunman – executive producer
• Paul Stewart – music supervisor
• David Coleman – art direction
• Eli Reed – photography

Charts

Chart (1993)	Peak position
US Billboard 200	23
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums	19

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)	Gold	500,000^
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

External links

• Poetic Justice (Music From The Motion Picture) at Discogs (list of releases)