A Gangsta's Pain

2021 album by Moneybagg Yo
A Gangsta's Pain
Studio album by
Moneybagg Yo
ReleasedApril 23, 2021 (2021-04-23)
Genre
  • Hip hop
  • trap
Length51:20
Label
  • Roc Nation
  • CMG
  • Bread Gang
  • N-Less
  • Interscope
Producer
  • 101Slide
  • Blessyourobin
  • Bobby Keyz
  • C4TMB
  • DMacTooBangin
  • Evrgrn
  • Fatman the Great
  • Flex
  • Foreverolling
  • Javar Rockamore
  • Jay Scalez
  • Jee
  • JoelDemora
  • Motif Alumni
  • Real Red
  • Saint
  • Sheldon Ferguson
  • Skywalker OG
  • Soul Soundz
  • The Neptunes
  • Torey Montana
  • Twysted Genius
  • YC
  • YS Trakkz
  • Yung Dee
Moneybagg Yo chronology
Code Red
(2020) 		A Gangsta's Pain
(2021)
Singles from A Gangsta's Pain
  1. "Time Today"
    Released: February 3, 2021
  2. "Hard for the Next"
    Released: March 26, 2021
  3. "Wockesha"
    Released: August 10, 2021
  4. "Scorpio"
    Released: November 16, 2021[1]

A Gangsta's Pain is the fourth studio album by American rapper Moneybagg Yo. It was released on April 23, 2021, through Roc Nation, Collective Music Group, Bread Gang Entertainment, N-Less Entertainment, and Interscope Records. The album features guest appearances from Kaash Paige, Big30, Future, Tripstar, Polo G, Lil Durk, Jhené Aiko, and Pharrell Williams. The album debuted atop the US Billboard 200, earning 110,000 album-equivalent units, becoming Moneybagg Yo's first US number-one album.[2] The deluxe edition with 6 new songs was released on October 22, 2021, with additional guest appearances from EST Gee, Pooh Shiesty, Big Homiie G, Yung Bleu, Janiyah, Lil Wayne, Ashanti, and DJ Khaled.[3]

Background

In 2020, Moneybagg Yo released two projects: his third studio album, Time Served, and Code Red, a collaborative mixtape with fellow American rapper Blac Youngsta. Both projects debuted and peaked in the top 10 of the Billboard 200, at number 3 and number 6, respectively. The former album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[4]

Release and promotion

On March 12, 2021, Moneybagg Yo announced that the album was completed and ready to go with it being released in 2021, but did not have an exact release date planned.[5] He subtly revealed the title of the album on March 26, 2021, the same day that he and American rapper Future released the single "Hard for the Next", the second single from A Gangsta's Pain.[6] However, he revealed its title explicitly along with its cover and pre-order link through social media on April 14, 2021. The track listing was revealed on April 21, 2021, but was shared the previous day on Apple Music.

Singles

"Time Today" was released as the lead single of the album alongside the official music video on February 3, 2021.[7] "Hard for the Next", a collaboration with American rapper Future, was released on March 26, 2021, as the album's second single.[8] "Wockesha" was sent to rhythmic contemporary radio on August 10, 2021, as the third single.[9] "Scorpio" from the deluxe edition was sent to rhythmic contemporary radio on November 16, 2021, as the fourth single.[1]

The first and only promotional single, "Go", a collaboration with American rapper Big30, was released on April 14, 2021, the same day Moneybagg Yo announced the album.[10]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[11]
HipHopDX3.8/5[12]
Pitchfork6.8/10[13]

Nadine Smith of Pitchfork rated the album 6.8 out of 10, writing "At his best, the stalwart Memphis rapper excels at heart-on-sleeve, bluesy songwriting, and his new album shows him deepening and opening up."[13] Writing for HipHopDX, Josh Svetz rated the album 3.8 out of 5, saying "Atlanta trap, Southern pain rap, etc., Moneybagg possesses an innate ability to ride on all the trending sounds and help boost a song with his presence: a welcome addition to any single."[12]

Commercial performance

A Gangsta's Pain debuted atop the US Billboard 200 dated May 8, 2021, earning 110,000 album-equivalent units in its first week, with almost all of this figure coming from streams.[2] In its second week, the album dropped to number two on the chart, earning an additional 70,000 units.[14] The album returned to number one on the chart in its third week, earning an additional 61,000 units.[15]

Track listing

A Gangsta's Pain track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Memphganistan" (featuring Kaash Paige)
  • Real Red
  • Skywalker OG
  • Motif Alumni
1:18
2."Just Say Det"
  • White
  • Brandon Henderson
YS Trakkz2:24
3."Go" (with Big30)
  • Real Red
  • Foreverolling
  • Flex
2:03
4."Wockesha"
  • Real Red
  • YC
  • Rockamore
3:00
5."Shottas (Lala)"
  • White
  • Nelson
  • Pearson
  • Real Red
  • YC
2:02
6."Hard for the Next" (with Future)
Torey Montana2:46
7."If Pain Was a Person"
  • White
  • Homer Banks
  • Raymond Jackson
  • Carl Hampton
  • Darius Henry
Yung Dee4:00
8."I Believe U" (featuring Tripstar)
  • White
  • Terrence Triplett
  • Pearson
YC2:39
9."Time Today"
  • White
  • Nelson
  • Pearson
  • YC
  • Real Red
2:16
10."Interlude"
  • White
  • Walker
  • Marius Hilger
  • Tilmann Reuter
  • Skywalker OG
  • Saint
  • Blessyourobin
1:18
11."Free Promo" (featuring Polo G and Lil Durk)
  • YC
  • Rockamore
  • Bobby Keyz
  • Ferguson
2:59
12."Hate It Here"
  • White
  • Nelson
  • Amman Nurani
  • Real Red
  • Evrgrn
1:45
13."Love It Here"
  • White
  • Henry
  • Aiden Crane
  • Joel Schindler
  • Jon Lazri
  • Joseph Langston
  • Yung Dee
  • 101Slide
  • Jee
  • JoelDemora
1:29
14."Clear da Air"
  • White
  • Nelson
  • Pearson
  • Christian Greene
  • Real Red
  • YC
  • Fatman the Great
3:12
15."Projects"The Neptunes2:48
16."One of Dem Nights" (with Jhené Aiko)
YC2:23
17."FR"
  • White
  • Nelson
  • Rucker
  • Rockamore
  • Real Red
  • Motif Alumni
  • Rockamore
2:27
18."Certified Neptunes" (featuring Pharrell Williams)
  • White
  • Williams
  • Hugo
The Neptunes2:34
19."Change da Subject"
  • White
  • Pearson
  • Rockamore
  • Caleb McLean
  • YC
  • Rockamore
  • Soul Soundz
1:47
20."Least Ian Lie"
  • White
  • Dylan McKinney
DMacTooBangin1:46
21."Bipolar Virgo"
  • White
  • Nelson
  • Walker
  • Rucker
  • Henry
  • Andre Brown
  • Real Red
  • Skywalker OG
  • Motif Alumni
  • Yung Dee
  • C4TMB
2:31
22."A Gangsta's Pain"
  • White
  • Deundraeus Portis
  • Shelton Scales, Jr.
  • Twysted Genius
  • Jay Scalez
1:53
Total length:51:20

A Gangsta's Pain: Reloaded track listing adds these seven tracks to the beginning of the original album:

  1. "Switches & Dracs" (featuring Lil Durk and EST Gee) – 2:13
  2. "Wat Be Wrong??" – 2:11
  3. "Gave It" (featuring Big Homiie G) – 2:52
  4. "This Feeling" (featuring Yung Bleu and Ja'niyah) – 3:28
  5. "Scorpio" – 2:45
  6. "Another One" (with DJ Khaled) – 3:40
  7. "Wockesha" (Remix with Lil Wayne and Ashanti) – 3:37

Sample credits

Personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal.[16]

  • Moneybagg Yo – rap vocals
  • Anjae Rayford – additional vocals (1)
  • Trenten DeWick – additional vocals (1)
  • Pharrell Williams – background vocals (15, 18)
  • Colin Leonard – mastering engineer
  • Ari Morris – mixer
  • Real Red – recording engineer
  • Mike Larson – recording engineer (15)
  • Logan Schmitz – assistant mixer (15)
  • Ben Sedano – assistant recording engineer (15)
  • Morgan David – assistant recording engineer (15, 18)

Charts

Weekly charts

Weekly chart performance for A Gangsta's Pain
Chart (2021) Peak
position
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[17] 14
US Billboard 200[18] 1
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[19] 1

Year-end charts

2021 year-end chart performance for A Gangsta's Pain
Chart (2021) Position
US Billboard 200[20] 26
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[21] 13
2022 year-end chart performance for A Gangsta's Pain
Chart (2022) Position
US Billboard 200[22] 62
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[23] 40

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[24] Platinum 1,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ a b "Top 40 Rhythmic Future Releases". All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on November 8, 2021. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
  2. ^ a b Caulfield, Keith (May 2, 2021). "Moneybagg Yo Earns First No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 Chart With 'A Gangsta's Pain'". Billboard. Retrieved May 3, 2021.
  3. ^ Navjosh (22 October 2021). "Moneybagg Yo Releases Deluxe Version of 'A Gangsta's Pain' Feat. 6 New Songs: Stream". HipHopnmore. Archived from the original on 2021-10-22. Retrieved 9 November 2021.
  4. ^ Mendez, Marisa (March 12, 2021). "Time's Up: Moneybagg Yo Completes 2021 Album As Joe Biden Gets A New Nickname". HipHopDX. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  5. ^ Grant, Shawn (March 12, 2021). "Moneybagg Yo Says His New Album is "100% Done"". The Source. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  6. ^ "Moneybagg Yo and Future Team Up on 'Hard for the Next'". Rap-Up. March 25, 2021. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  7. ^ "New Music: Moneybagg Yo "Time Today"". Rap Radar. February 3, 2021. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  8. ^ Hussey, Allison (March 26, 2021). "Moneybagg Yo and Future Share Video for New Song "Hard for the Next": Watch". Pitchfork. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  9. ^ "Top 40 Rhythmic Future Releases". All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on August 5, 2021. Retrieved August 5, 2021.
  10. ^ "Moneybagg Yo Announces New Album Release Date & Drops "GO!" With BIG30". HotNewHipHop. March 26, 2021. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  11. ^ Thomas, Fred. "A Gangsta's Pain – Moneybagg Yo". AllMusic. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
  12. ^ a b Svetz, Josh (May 18, 2021). "Moneybagg Yo Keeps Up His Consistency - & Clout - On 'A Gangsta's Pain'". HipHopDX. Retrieved July 3, 2021.
  13. ^ a b Smith, Nadine (April 29, 2021). "Moneybagg Yo: A Gangsta's Pain Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved July 3, 2021.
  14. ^ Caulfield, Keith (9 May 2021). "DJ Khaled Lands Third No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 Chart With 'Khaled Khaled'". Billboard. Archived from the original on 2021-05-09. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
  15. ^ Caulfield, Keith (16 May 2021). "Moneybagg Yo's 'A Gangsta's Pain' Returns to No. 1 on Billboard 200 Albums Chart". Billboard. Archived from the original on 2021-05-16. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
  16. ^ "Credits / A Gangsta's Pain / Moneybagg Yo". Tidal. April 23, 2021. Retrieved May 10, 2021.
  17. ^ "Moneybagg Yo Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
  18. ^ "Moneybagg Yo Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved May 3, 2021.
  19. ^ "Moneybagg Yo Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
  20. ^ "Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2021". Billboard. Retrieved December 3, 2021.
  21. ^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2021". Billboard. Retrieved December 3, 2021.
  22. ^ "Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2022". Billboard. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  23. ^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2022". Billboard. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  24. ^ "American album certifications – Moneybagg Yo – A Gangsta's Pain". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
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