Life Story (album)

Life Story
Studio album by Black Rob
Released	March 7, 2000
Recorded	1998-1999
Genre	Hip hop, East Coast hip hop
Length	69:13
Label	Bad Boy
Producer	Sean "Puffy" Combs (also exec.), The Hitmen, Deric "D-Dot" Angelettie, Harve "Joe Hooker" Pierre, Ron "Amen-Ra" Lawrence, Nashiem Myrick, Carlos "6 July" Broady, Mario "Yellowman" Winans, Yogi
Black Rob chronology
Life Story (2000) The Black Rob Report (2005)
Singles from Life Story
"Whoa!" Released: February 15, 2000 "Espacio" Released: 2000

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Rolling Stone	[2]
The Source
Vibe	(positive)[3]

Life Story is the critically acclaimed debut album by Black Rob, an American hip hop musician. it was released on March 7, 2000 by Bad Boy Records. The album boasts a wide range of guests, mostly fellow artists from Bad Boy Records. The album has been certified Platinum by the RIAA for selling 1,000,000 copies in the United States Of America on August 17, 2000.

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer	Length
1.	"Mrs Barry (Intro)"	R. Ross, H. Pierre	Black Rob, Harve "Joe Hooker" Pierre for The Hitmen, Petey Pablo	1:00
2.	"Life Story"	R. Ross, C. Clay, W. Garfield, N. Myrick, P. Neeley-Rolle, H. Pierre, J. Garfield	Nashiem Myrick & Jay "Waxx" Garfield for The Hitmen	4:58
3.	"Whoa!"	R. Ross, A. Best, H. Pierre	Buckwild	4:04
4.	"Drive By (Interlude)"	R. Ross, R. Lawrence	Ron "Amen-Ra" Lawrence for The Hitmen	0:47
5.	"Lookin' At Us" (featuring Cee-Lo Green)	R. Ross, D. Angelettie, D. Axlerod, T. Burton, N. Myrick	Nashiem Myrick for The Hitmen	4:35
6.	"Down The Line Joint" (featuring Puff Daddy, Mark Curry, Ma$e & G-Dep)	R. Ross, M. Betha, T. Coleman, S. Combs, M. Curry, J. Graham	Yogi for The Hitmen	4:57
7.	"Espacio" (featuring Lil' Kim)	R. Ross, M. Winans, S. Combs, K. Jones	Mario "Yellowman" Winans for The Hitmen	4:05
8.	"You Don't Know Me" (featuring Joe Hooker)	R. Ross, D. Abrahams, S. Combs, H. Pierre	Harve "Joe Hooker" Pierre for the Hitmen	4:50
9.	"Can I Live" (featuring The LOX)	R. Ross, S. Jacobs, A. Marks, L. McDaniels, J. Phillips, D. Styles, D. Angelettie	Deric "D-Dot" Angelettie for The Hitmen	4:59
10.	"Championship (Interlude)"	R. Ross, H. Pierre	Harve "Joe Hooker" Pierre for The Hitmen, Black Rob	1:20
11.	"PD World Tour" (featuring Puff Daddy)	R. Ross, D. Angelettie, S. Combs, H. Charlemagne	Deric "D-Dot" Angelettie for The Hitmen	4:46
12.	"Muscle Game" (featuring Mark Curry & Mario Winans)	R. Ross, M. Winans, M. Curry	Mario "Yellowman" Winans for The Hitmen	4:35
13.	"Cop Skit (Interlude)"	R. Ross, H. Pierre	Harve "Joe Hooker" Pierre for the Hitmen, Black Rob	1:40
14.	"B.R" (featuring G-Dep)	R. Ross, D. Angelettie, S. Clarke	Deric "D-Dot" Angelettie for The Hitmen, Black Rob	3:54
15.	"Thug Story"	R. Ross, R. Walters, S. Combs, H. Pierre	Sean "Puffy" Combs, Harve "Joe Hooker" Pierre for The Hitmen	4:34
16.	"Jasmine" (featuring Carl Thomas)	R. Ross, T. Mahal, N. Myrick, D. Angelettie, C. Broady, C. Thomas	Deric "D-Dot" Angelettie, Carlos "Six July" Broady, Nashiem Myrick for The Hitmen	5:31
17.	"Mad Rapper (Interlude)"	D. Angelettie, R. Ross	Deric "D-Dot" Angelettie for The Hitmen	0:53
18.	"I Love You Baby" (featuring Puff Daddy)	R. Ross, R. Lawrence, J. Garfield, L. Baxter, S. Combs	Ron "Amen-Ra" Lawrence & Jay "Waxx" Garfield for The Hitmen	3:36
19.	"Spanish Fly" (featuring Jennifer Lopez)	R. Ross, M. Ciccone, P. Leonard, D.L. Roth, S. Watanabe, B. Gaitsch, J. Graham	Yogi for The Hitmen	4:03
20.	"Rise Up (Interlude)"	R. Ross	Shak Bak	0:22
21.	"I Dare You" (featuring Joe Hooker)	R. Ross, P. Politi, R. Frierson, B. White, H. Pierre	Richard "Younglord" Frierson	4:24

Note

• "I Love You Baby" from No Way Out by Puff Daddy & The Family in 1997

Samples

• "Drive By (Interlude)" contains a sample of "The Days of Pearly Spencer" performed by Raymond Lefèvre
• "Lookin' At Us" contains a sample of Terri's Tune" performed by David Axelrod
• "Can I Live" contains a sample of "Within the Sound" by Rasa
• "B.R." contains a sample from "Yesterdays" by Paul Chambers Quintet
• "Thug Story" contains sample from "Children's Story" by Slick Rick
• "I Love You Baby" contains a sample of "Xtaby (Lure Of The Unknown Love)" performed by Yma Sumac
• "Spanish Fly" contains a sample of "La Isla Bonita" by Madonna
• "I Dare You" contains a sample of "Under The Influence Of Love" performed by Love Unlimited

Singles

• "Whoa!"
  • Release date: February 15, 2000
• "Espacio"
  • Release date: 2000

Chart positions

• Life Story
  • Chart: The Billboard 200
  • Peak position: 3
  • Year: 2000
  • Chart: Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
  • Peak position: 1
  • Year: 2000
• "Whoa!"
  • Chart: Hot Rap Singles
  • Peak position: 8
  • Year: 2000
  • Chart: The Billboard Hot 100
  • Peak position: 43
  • Year: 2000

Credits

• Executive producer: Sean "Puffy Combs", Harve Pierre
• Project manager: Kim Lumpkin
• Product/creative manager: Marcus Logan
• A&R: Harve Pierre
• Engineering: Kamel Abdo, Eric Butler, Roger Che, Stephen Dent, Tony Maserati, Michael Patterson, Joe "Smilin' Joe" Perrera, Ed Raso, Tony Smalios, Doug Wilson
• Assistant engineering: Lynn Montrose
• Mixing: Prince Charles Alexander, Roger Che, Michael Patterson, Rob Paustian, Joe "Smilin' Joe" Perrera, Ed Raso
• Programming: Stephen Dent, Harve Pierre, Mario Winans
• Mastering: Herb Powers
• Photography: Jonathan Mannion
• Cover photo: Jonathan Mannion
• Sample clearance: Deborah Mannis-Gardner

References

1. Blanford, Roxanne. "Life Story - Black Rob". AllMusic. Retrieved June 22, 2012.
2. Farr, Kathryn (April 13, 2000). "Recordings: Black Rob, Life Story, 3.5 stars". Rolling Stone. Wenner Media. Archived from the original on June 24, 2003. Retrieved February 1, 2014.
3. Burke, Miguel (June 1999). "Black Rob 'Life Story'". Vibe. Vibe Media. 7 (6): 185. ISSN 1070-4701. Retrieved November 26, 2016.