B4.Da.$$

B4.DA.$$
Studio album by Joey Bada$$
Released	January 20, 2015
Recorded	2012–14
Genre	Hip hop
Length	53:26
Label	Pro Era Cinematic Relentless RED
Producer	Jonny Shipes (exec.) ASTR Basquiat Chuck Strangers DJ Premier Freddie Joachim Hit-Boy J Dilla Joey Bada$$ (exec.) Kirk Knight Lee Bannon The Roots Samiyam Statik Selektah
Joey Bada$$ chronology
Summer Knights (2013)Summer Knights2013 B4.DA.$$ (2015)
Singles from B4.DA.$$
"Big Dusty" Released: August 8, 2014 "Christ Conscious" Released: September 30, 2014 "No. 99" Released: December 9, 2014 "Curry Chicken" Released: December 23, 2014 "On & On" Released: December 30, 2014 "Teach Me" Released: January 7, 2015 "Like Me" Released: February 11, 2015 "Paper Trail$" Released: June 16, 2015

B4.DA.$$ (pronounced Before Da Money) is the debut studio album by American hip hop recording artist Joey Bada$$. It was released on January 20, 2015, by Cinematic Music Group and Relentless Records. The album was released in North America and United Kingdom, as well as being made available for digital download on iTunes. January 20, 2015 also happens to be his 20th birthday.

The album debuted at number 5 on the Billboard 200, selling 53,990 copies in the first week in the United States.

Background

Joey Badass first began receiving a widespread recognition, following the release of his debut mixtape 1999 on June 12, 2012. It was named the 38th best album of 2012, by Complex Magazine and the best mixtape of 2012, by HipHopDX, as well as being nominated for "Mixtape of the Year", by BET. In April 2013, B4.DA.$$ was announced as the title to his album, via his twitter account.

It's coming really soon. I don't want to set a date and be like "yeah it's coming here" then disappoint my fans and not have it ready.

— Joey Badass, in an interview with Oyster Colored Velvet on 7 July 2014.

Joey Badass' recognition continued growing even further with the release of his critically acclaimed single "Unorthodox", produced by DJ Premier, before the release of his second mixtape Summer Knights on July 1, 2013, which was placed 19th on XXL's list of the best mixtapes of 2013.

Recording and production

Producers who contributed on this album includes these fellow Pro Era members, Kirk Knight and Chuck Strangers, as well as Statik Selektah, DJ Premier, Hit-Boy, J Dilla, The Roots, Samiyam, Basquiat, Freddie Joachim, and Lee Bannon.

Promotion

The album's release was preceded, with Bada$$ embarking his "#B4DAMONEYTOUR", where he performed several of his singles; prior to the official release date. This tour were included by American hip-hop recording artist Vince Staples, hip-hop collective Run The Jewels, Chance & Status, Raz Fresco and his own collective, Pro Era performing some of their unreleased songs. During the tour, Badass and Pro Era released a 4-episode videos to be promoting the tour and the album.

File:Joey Badass UIT 2013 (cropped).jpg

Joey Badass first announced B4.DA.$$ in April 2013, and went on tour in Europe, Australia and New Zealand in late 2014 to promote the album prior to its release.

The tour begin running across through North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand; though Bada$$' European leg was cut short, due to the death of Pro Era member and his cousin Junior B (whom he dedicated the album), the music video for "No. 99" and the release of his fifth single "On & On"; as well as Capital STEEZ. While in Australia, Joey Bada$$ was arrested and charged with assault for allegedly punching a security guard in the face at the Falls Festival in Byron Bay, New South Wales, which resulted in major controversy surrounding him and Pro Era. According to reports, the guard didn't recognize Joey Bada$$ and stopped him before he took to the stage, mistakenly thinking that he was not authorized to be there. He would be spending all night in jail, before he was granted a bail and pleading not guilty to the charge during the court hearing on the following day. Pro Era received a major buzz, prior to the album's release, due to a photo of American president Barack Obama's daughter Malia seen wearing a Pro Era's shirt. The album would then received a major coverage, resulting in its pre-sales increasing massively. The album was also featured on Billboard, XXL and Complex's lists of most anticipated albums, Prior to the album's release, Joey Badass performed "Like Me" with BJ the Chicago Kid, The Roots and Statik Selektah on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on January 13.

Upon the release, Badass held an early-release concert the night before, in Brooklyn's Rough Trade record shop. His fans then purchased the album, to receive an access to see his performance; as well as a post concert meet and greet, where he met his first 50 fans, who purchased the album. To celebrate the release of B4.DA.$$, on his 20th birthday, Badass held an album release party in New York City. On February 2, 2015, the album was physically released in the United Kingdom, with Joey Bada$$ performing during the similar promotional launch event at Rough Trade shops in East London. His fans once again gained access by purchasing the album, while Joey then did a meet-and-greet with his fans, after his performance. On February 5, he appeared on Le Before du Grand Journal in France, where he performed "Paper Trail$" with Powers Pleasant and then was interviewed by the show's host Thomas Thouroude.

The art direction and music packaging for B4.DA.$$ were done by Pro Era members Tony Whlgn and Dee Knows, featuring Joey Badass on a New York City rooftop.

Singles

Joey's official debut single, titled "Big Dusty", was released on August 8, 2014. It was produced by Kirk Knight. On September 30, 2014, the song, titled "Christ Conscious" was released as the album's second single. It was produced by Basquiat. The album's third single, titled "No. 99" was released on December 9, 2014. It was produced by Statik Selektah.

On December 23, 2014, 14 days later, the song, titled "Curry Chicken" was released as the album's fourth single. It was produced by Statik Selektah. On December 30, 2014, the song, titled "On & On" featuring Maverick Sabre and Dyemond Lewis, was released as the album's fifth single. It was produced by Freddie Joachim.

Joey Badass premiered the album's sixth single, "Teach Me" featuring Kiesza, on British radio station BBC Radio 1 as Zane Lowe's "Hottest Record" and received frequent airplay on these London radio stations; including Capital Xtra and BBC Radio 1Xtra. On January 19, 2015, a day before the album's release, the single was also featured on BBC Radio 1Xtra as the "Track of the Day". The song peaked at number 23 on the UK R&B Chart.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	75/100
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic
The A.V. Club	B
Consequence of Sound	B+
Exclaim	7/10
The Guardian
HipHopDX
PopMatters	8/10
Rolling Stone
Slant Magazine
Spin	5/10
XXL	(XL)
Pitchfork	7/10

B4.DA.$$ has received generally positive reviews from music critics. Michael Madden of Consequence of Sound praised the album, noting that Joey's "wordplay, comparable to his friend Ab-Soul's, remains integral to his approach, but here he's more personal and purposeful than he was on his mixtapes, rapping about rapping but also lamenting the realities of being young and black in America." Vish Khanna of NOW Magazine also gave the album a positive review, saying that "his production choices (and those of Statik Selektah, Kirk Knight and Freddie Joachim) are innovative and timeless." Kyle Fowle of The A.V. Club gave the album a score of B, saying that Joey Badass "finally lives up to the expectations that have been thrust upon him, delivering a confident debut steeped in the history of hip-hop and simultaneously engaged with the current cultural climate." In a positive review, Ken Capobianco of The Boston Globe says that Joey Badass "speaks with a clear-eyed vision about growing up young and black in America. He’s often as playful as he is combative, asserting his place in hip-hop."

Full of praise for the album, Dave Heaton of PopMatters notes that the album "is strikingly similar in tone to the mixtapes; he [Joey Badass] is not trying anything different, but rather continuing what's worked well for him. But everything is more refined and better expressed; there are also songs that stand out more as anthems." Nathan Fisher of Inveterate also chips in with another positive review, stating that fans of Joey Badass "will no doubt be impressed and satisfied with what he delivers, which is a mature improvement on his first two efforts, showing clear growth in both delivery and lyrical content." Jesse Cataldo of Slant Magazine gave the album three-and-a-half stars, saying that it "deftly traverses the different economies of the rap world, from the desperate hustle of the streets to the showy wastefulness of the club and the tricky minefield of the music business." Dan Rys of XXL praised the album, noting that "it just so happens that this story is a lot more personal than the 'fuck bitches, get money, do drugs, buy diamonds' aesthetic of so many of his [Joey Badass'] peers in the rap game."

Edwin Ortiz of Complex gave the album a mixed review, saying that it "finds a way to balance out the confines of revivalist '90s rap with deeper tracks that play up a more introspective Joey." However, he continues to say that Joey Badass' potential is only "half-realised" on the album, "which speaks to his lack of adjustment in transitioning into a full-fledged artist who truly represents something other than '90s nostalgia rap." David Turner of Rolling Stone gave the album three stars, stating that the album "still sounds like it's stuck in the past, with solid production from old-school legend DJ Premier and his latter-day disciple Statik Selektah." B4.DA.$$ received a mostly positive review from Rebecca Haithcoat of Spin, saying that Joey Badass' style is characterized by "often-poetic lyrics rapped in a blunted monotone over moody production" and is "skilled, but not always very fun. Unless you're a teenager trying to establish aesthetic lines in the sand or an old hip-hop head who still gets excited about a Wu-Tang Clan reunion show, over the course of an hour those cloudy beats and Badass' unrelenting, I-really-mean-it flow get kinda tedious." Paul MacInnes of The Guardian gave the album 4 stars, saying that the album "is often set at the middling pace of a Fugees B-side, and a rapper whose technical abilities are damn close to those old timers he seeks to emulate. In the end, the album is just enough to make the affair interesting."

Commercial performance

B4.Da.$$ debuted at number 5 on the US Billboard 200, selling a total of 53,990 copies in its first week. The tally made B4.Da.$$ the top rap album of the week, outperforming Lupe Fiasco's Tetsuo & Youth, also released on January 20, which entered the Billboard 200 at number 14. In its second week, the album fell to number 41, selling an additional 12,493 copies. On March 4, 2015, Joey Bada$$ announced on Instagram, that the sales for his album had surpassed 120,000 copies.

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Save the Children"	Jo-Vaughn Scott Patrick Baril	Statik Selektah	3:35
2.	"Greenbax (Introlude)"	Scott Lee Bannon	Bannon	0:48
3.	"Paper Trail$"	Scott Christopher Martin Robert Diggs Jason Hunter Clifford Smith Corey Woods David Porter Isaac Hayes	DJ Premier	3:17
4.	"Piece of Mind"	Scott Freddie Joachim Nasir Jones Jonathan Davis Jimmy Heath	Joachim	3:38
5.	"Big Dusty"	Scott Kirlan Labarrie	Kirk Knight	4:53
6.	"Hazeus View"	Scott Labarrie	Kirk Knight	3:39
7.	"Like Me" (featuring BJ the Chicago Kid)	Scott Bryan Sledge James Yancey Tariq Collins Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson Kamal Gray Frank "Knuckles" Walker Kirk Douglas Damon Bryson James Poyser Mark Kelley	J Dilla	4:28
8.	"Belly of the Beast" (featuring Chronixx)	Scott Jamar McNaughton Chauncey Hollis	Hit-Boy	3:56
9.	"No. 99"	Scott Baril	Statik Selektah	2:46
10.	"Christ Conscious"	Scott	Basquiat	2:53
11.	"On & On" (featuring Dyemond Lewis and Maverick Sabre)	Scott Dyemond Lewis Michael Stafford Joachim	Joachim	4:40
12.	"Escape 120" (featuring Raury)	Scott Raury Tullis Chuck "Strangers" Jessamy	Chuck Strangers	3:47
13.	"Black Beetles"	Scott Jessamy	Chuck Strangers	3:50
14.	"O.C.B."	Scott Sam Baker Lumar LeBlanc Derrick Moss Julian Gosin Marcus Hubbard Corey Peyton Paul Robertson Erion Williams Edward Lee, Jr.	Samiyam	3:43
15.	"Curry Chicken"	Scott Baril	Statik Selektah	3:33
Total length:				53:26

Deluxe edition (bonus tracks)
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
16.	"Run Up On Ya" (featuring Action Bronson and Elle Varner)	Scott Ariyan Arslani Elle Varner Baril	Statik Selektah	4:08
17.	"Teach Me" (featuring Kiesza)	Scott Kiesa Ellestad Jessamy	ASTR Chuck Strangers	4:18

Notes

• "Greenbax (Introlude)" features additional vocals by Kirk Knight.

Sample credits

• "Save the Children" contains samples of "People Moving", written and performed by Azar Lawrence.
• "Greenbax (Introlude)" contains samples of "Dolphin Dance", performed by The Ahmad Jamal Trio, and contains dialogue from the 1997 American art film Gummo.
• "Paper Trail$" contains an interpolation of "C.R.E.A.M.", performed by the Wu-Tang Clan and written by Robert Diggs, Jason Hunter, Clifford Smith, Corey Woods, David Porter and Isaac Hayes, and samples "Unorthodox", performed by Joey Bada$$.
• "Piece of Mind" contains an interpolation of "One Love", performed by Nas, written by Nasir Jones, Jonathan Davis and Jimmy Heath.
• "Big Dusty" samples "Silver Tears", performed by Henry Mancini.
• "Hazeus View" contains an interpolation of "Suspect", performed by Joey Bada$$.

Personnel

Credits for B4.DA.$$ adapted from AllMusic.

• Action Bronson – featured artist
• ASTR – producer
• Lee Bannon – producer
• Basquiat – producer
• BJ the Chicago Kid – featured artist
• Mark Christensen – mastering
• Chronixx – featured artist
• DJ Premier – producer
• Francesca Guzman – vocals
• Wayne "Heirowayne" Harewood – vocals, A&R
• Hit-Boy – producer, mixing
• J Dilla – producer
• Joey Bada$$ – primary artist, executive producer, A&R
• Freddie Joachim – producer
• Kiesza – featured artist
• Kirk Knight – producer, vocals
• Andrew Krivonos – engineer, mixing, sequencing
• Dyemond Lewis – featured artist, vocals
• Maverick Sabre – featured artist
• Nastee – mixing
• James Niche – vocals
• Adam Palin – additional production
• Parks – mixing
• Raury – featured artist
• Anthony Reid – additional production
• The Roots – instrumentation
• Amanda Rosenthal – project manager
• Samiyam – producer
• Jonny Shipes – executive producer
• The Soul Rebels – instrumentation
• Statik Selektah – producer & majority of mixing
• Chuck Strangers – producer
• Tony Whlgn – art direction, design
• Elle Varner – featured artist
• Brady Watts – bass guitar
• Cas Weinbren – keyboards
• Cole Williams – vocals

Charts

Chart (2015)	Peak position
Australian Albums (ARIA)	17
Canadian Albums (Billboard)	8
Dutch Albums (MegaCharts)	69
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)	11
UK Albums (OCC)	28
UK R&B Albums (OCC)	3
US Billboard 200	5
US Independent Albums (Billboard)	1
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)	1
US Top Tastemaker Albums (Billboard)	3

Release history

Region	Date	Format	Label
United Kingdom	January 20, 2015	CD, digital download	Cinematic, Relentless, Sony Music UK Limited
United States			Pro Era, Cinematic, RED
Worldwide	January 27, 2015	LP
Japan	February 8, 2015	CD, digital download	Cinematic, Sony Music Japan