Top 5 Dead or Alive

2015 studio album by Jadakiss
Top 5 Dead or Alive
Studio album by
Jadakiss
ReleasedNovember 20, 2015
Recorded2012–2015
GenreHip hop
Length60:01
Label
  • D-Block
  • Def Jam
Producer
  • Jason "Jadakiss" Philips (exec.)
  • Jay "Icepick" Jackson (exec.)
  • Akon
  • Arkatech Beatz
  • Bangladesh
  • Beat Butcha
  • Buda & Grandz
  • Dane Beats
  • Just Blaze
  • Lee on the Beats
  • Mark Batson
  • Pitchshifters
  • POSTA
  • Rico Beats
  • Scram Jones
  • Swizz Beatz
  • Ty Fyffe
Jadakiss chronology
The Last Kiss
(2009) 		Top 5 Dead or Alive
(2015) 		Friday on Elm Street
(2017)
Singles from Top 5 Dead or Alive
  1. "Jason"
    Released: October 16, 2015
  2. "Ain't Nothin New"
    Released: October 30, 2015

Top 5 Dead or Alive is the fourth studio album by American hip hop recording artist Jadakiss. The album was released on November 20, 2015, by D-Block Records and Def Jam Recordings.[1][2] The album features guest appearances from Akon, Future, Jeezy, Lil Wayne, Ne-Yo, Nas, Nipsey Hussle, Styles P, Puff Daddy, Sheek Louch, Swizz Beatz, Young Adz and Young Buck.

Background

In May 2010, he spoke about the progress of the album, saying: "I got about three good ones. Not even recorded. I got probably two verses off each song. Maybe four good ones. [DJ Drama] sent me something. I’m doing real careful selection on production on this project…Even my street joints, even if it’s a symphony. If every verse got 75 curses in it, I want the production to be big…I was gonna switch the name up. I put it on Twitter, I put it on every website you can imagine, and that came back unanimous. So Top Five, Dead or Alive it is, baby…It’s Def Jam, Roc-A-Fella, Ruff Ryders, D-Block, Aphilliates, Green Lantern, a couple of other white guys [releasing it.] You know how this game is. Everybody is in the pot. But it’s enough money for everybody."[3]

In December 2012, he explained that he was halfway done recording the album, saying: "It's coming baby, first quarter. Anywhere, February, March, April... You know, somewhere around there where it feels right,. It's halfway finished now. When I finish this tour, I'll go home and finish the rest of it and then we strategize the marketing plan and get that thing out to the people."[4]

Singles

On October 16, 2015, the album's first single "Jason" featuring Swizz Beatz was released.[5] On October 30, 2015, the album's second single "Ain't Nothin New" featuring Ne-Yo and Nipsey Hussle was released.[6]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic73/100[7]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[8]
HipHopDX[9]
Pitchfork Media5.5/10[10]
RapReviews7/10[11]

Top 5 Dead or Alive received generally positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 73, based on 5 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews".[7] David Jeffries of AllMusic said, "A top-notch Lil Wayne appearance plus an unofficial Lox reunion with Styles P and Sheek Louch guesting on the LP help put this one through the uprights, giving veteran Jada one of his best and most ambitious showcases to date."[8] Scott Glaysher of HipHopDX said, "After the first initial play through, this album definitely translates as Jadakiss’ most celebratory to date. The beats are more grandiose, less gutter horror story and more hustler's celebration. The whole theme plays out like his very own victory lap."[9]

Commercial performance

In the United States, the album debuted at number 4 on the Billboard 200, selling 60,000 copies in its first week.[12]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."First 48 (Intro)"Ty Fyffe3:23
2."Shop Talk (skit)"
  • Phillips
  • Sedgewick Robinson
  • Kristian Smith
  • Keith Wheeler
 0:56
3."You Don't Eat" (featuring Puff Daddy)
3:00
4."You Can See" (featuring Future)
3:15
5."Y. O. (Youthful Offenders)" (featuring Akon)
Akon3:52
6."Jason" (featuring Swizz Beatz)
  • Swizz Beatz
  • Batson
4:06
7."Kill" (featuring Lil Wayne)
Bangladesh2:48
8."Man in the Mirror"
  • Pav Bundy
  • Swerv
3:58
9."Synergy" (featuring Styles P)Just Blaze3:51
10."Ain't Nothin New" (featuring Ne-Yo and Nipsey Hussle)
3:46
11."So High" (featuring Wiz Khalifa)Rico Beats3:20
12."Ahaa Interview (skit)"
  • Phillips
  • Anthony Donahue
  • James D. Fowler
  • Seymour
 1:32
13."Critical" (featuring Jeezy)
Rico Beats3:14
14."Confetti (skit)" (featuring Young Adz)
  • Phillips
  • Daniel Morris
  • Bradley Myers
  • Seymour
  • Adam Williams
Bespoke2:27
15."Cutlass" (featuring EX.OD.US)
  • Phillips
  • Jesus Hernandez
  • Anthony Graham
  • Stephen Nicholson
  • Seymour
  • D'angelo Taylor-Ricard
  • POSTA
  • Stevie Nick XX[a]
3:44
16."Realest in the Game" (featuring Young Buck and Sheek Louch)
Arkatech Beatz5:42
17."Rain" (featuring Nas and Styles P)Scram Jones4:54
18."One More Mile to Go"
  • Phillips
  • Mads Møller
  • Thor Nørgaard
  • Seymour
Pitchshifters3:42
Total length:60:01
Best Buy bonus track
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
19."Baby" (featuring Dyce Payne)
Scram Jones2:57

Notes

  • ^[a] signifies a co-producer

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2015) Peak
position
US Billboard 200[13] 4
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[14] 1

Year-end charts

Chart (2016) Position
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[15] 27

References

  1. ^ "Top 5 Dead or Alive by Jadakiss on iTunes". Itunes.apple.com. 1975-05-27. Retrieved 2015-11-09.
  2. ^ "Jadakiss Taps Nas, Lil Wayne, & Future for 'Top 5 Dead or Alive'". Rap-Up. Retrieved 2015-11-09.
  3. ^ mtv. "Jadakiss Wants Top Five, Dead Or Alive To Be 'Just Fire'". MTV. Retrieved 2015-11-09.
  4. ^ "Jadakiss Is Halfway Done Recording "Top 5 Dead Or Alive," Reveals The LOX Album Title". HipHopDX. 2012-12-04. Retrieved 2015-11-09.
  5. ^ "Jason (feat. Swizz Beatz) - Single by Jadakiss on iTunes". Web.archive.org. 2015-10-16. Archived from the original on November 9, 2015. Retrieved 2015-11-09.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  6. ^ "Ain't Nothin New (feat. Ne-Yo & Nipsey Hussle) - Single by Jadakiss on iTunes". Web.archive.org. 2015-10-30. Archived from the original on November 9, 2015. Retrieved 2015-11-09.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  7. ^ a b "Reviews for Top 5 Dead or Alive by Jadakiss". Metacritic. 2015-12-09. Retrieved 2015-12-14.
  8. ^ a b David Jeffries (2015-11-20). "Top Five Dead or Alive - Jadakiss | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2015-12-14.
  9. ^ a b Glaysher, Scott (2015-11-20). "Jadakiss - Top 5 Dead or Alive". HipHopDX. Retrieved 2015-12-14.
  10. ^ "Jadakiss: Top 5 Dead or Alive". Pitchfork. 2015-12-02. Retrieved 2015-12-14.
  11. ^ "Feature for December 15, 2015 - Jadakiss' "Top 5 Dead or Alive"". Rapreviews.com. 2015-12-15. Retrieved 2015-12-29.
  12. ^ Keith Caulfield (2015-11-29). "Adele's '25' Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard 200 Albums Chart, '21' Returns to Top 10". Billboard. Retrieved 2015-12-15.
  13. ^ "Jadakiss Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved December 1, 2015.
  14. ^ "Jadakiss Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved December 1, 2015.
  15. ^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2016". Billboard. Retrieved July 4, 2020.
  • v
  • t
  • e
Studio albums
  • Kiss tha Game Goodbye (2001)
  • Kiss of Death (2004)
  • The Last Kiss (2009)
  • Top 5 Dead or Alive (2015)
  • Ignatius (2020)
MixtapesSingles
Featured singles
Promotional singlesOther songsRelated articles
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  • MusicBrainz release group