Bow Down is the debut studio album by American West coast hip hop supergroup Westside Connection, released on October 22, 1996 by Lench Mob Records and Priority Records. It featured production from Bud'da, QDIII and Ice Cube among other producers.
The songs "King of the Hill", "Cross 'Em Out and Put a 'K", and "Hoo Bangin'" (WSCG Style) are all disses to Cypress Hill and Common.
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Robert Christgau | D+[2] |
| Entertainment Weekly | C[3] |
| RapReviews | 9/10[4] |
| Rolling Stone | [5] |
| The Source |  [6] |
| Vibe | (Favorable)[6] |
Commercial performance
The album peaked at number two on the Billboard 200 on November 9, 1996, shipping 145,000 units.[7] It went on to sell 1.7 million copies,[8] certifying it Platinum by RIAA on January 10, 1997.[9]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "World Domination" (Intro) | 1:16 | ||
| 2. | "Bow Down" | Bud'da | 3:27 | |
| 3. | "Gangstas Make the World Go Round" | Ice Cube, Cedric Samson | 4:33 | |
| 4. | "All the Critics In New York" | Binky Mack, Ice Cube | 5:35 | |
| 5. | "Do You Like Criminals?" (featuring K-Dee) | Bud'da | 5:01 | |
| 6. | "Gangstas Don't Dance" (Insert) | Binky Mack | 0:22 | |
| 7. | "The Gangsta, the Killa and the Dope Dealer" | Bud'da | 4:15 | |
| 8. | "Cross 'Em Out and Put a 'K" | Bud'da | 4:56 | |
| 9. | "King of the Hill" | QDIII | 4:17 | |
| 10. | "3 Time Felons" | Bud'da | 5:10 | |
| 11. | "Westward Ho" | QDIII | 5:12 | |
| 12. | "The Pledge" (Insert) | 0:14 | ||
| 13. | "Hoo-Bangin' (WSCG Style)" (featuring K-Dee, the Comrads and Allfrumtha I) | Ice Cube | 3:58 | |
| Total length: | 48:07 | |||
Charts
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA)[17] | Platinum | 1,700,000^ |
| ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
Trivia
- The melody to the song "The Gangsta, the Killa and the Dope Dealer" is identical to the melody to the song "Hurt" by American industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails.
See also
- List of number-one R&B albums of 1996 (U.S.)
References
- ^ Allmusic review
- ^ "Robert Christgau: CG: westside". robertchristgau.com.
- ^ "Bow Down". EW.com.
- ^ "Westside Connection :: Bow Down :: Priority Records". www.rapreviews.com.
- ^ "Album Reviews". Rolling Stone.
- ^ a b "Tower.com: Bow Down (EXPLICIT) (CD) by Westside Connection ..." September 15, 2008. Archived from the original on September 15, 2008.
- ^ "Studdard album debuts at No. 1". CNN. December 19, 2003. Retrieved September 12, 2007.
- ^ "West Coast rap supergroup to release CD". September 27, 2003. Archived from the original on October 28, 2007. Retrieved September 12, 2007.
- ^ ""Westside Connection" searchable database". Retrieved October 22, 2007.
- ^ "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40 | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com.
- ^ "Westside Connection Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
- ^ "Westside Connection Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
- ^ "Billboard 200 albums year end 1996". Billboard.
- ^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1996". Billboard. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
- ^ "Billboard 200 albums year end 1997". Billboard.
- ^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1997". Billboard. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
- ^ "American album certifications – Westside Connection – Bow Down". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH.