Poetic Justice (soundtrack) – Wikipedia

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1993 soundtrack album by various artists

Music from the Motion Picture Poetic Justice is the soundtrack to John Singleton’s 1993 film Poetic Justice. It was released on June 29, 1993, through Epic Soundtrax, and consisted of a blend of hip hop and R&B music. The album peaked at number 23 on the Billboard 200 chart in the United States and was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America on August 25, 1993.

Three charting singles were released from the album: “Indo Smoke” by Mista Grimm, “Get It Up” by TLC, and “Call Me a Mack” by Usher Raymond, the latter of which was Usher’s first official appearance on a song at the age of 14.

The soundtrack also has the Stevie Wonder song “Never Dreamed You’d Leave in Summer”, a track that was originally on his 1970 Motown Records album Where I’m Coming From. The song “Definition of a Thug Nigga”, recorded by Tupac Shakur for the film, later appeared on his 1997 posthumous album R U Still Down? (Remember Me).

Tupac’s “Definition of a Thug Nigga” is an example of braggadocios, violent rap music. The song conflates lyrics of degrading women with aggressive threats and discussions of firearms.

Track listing[edit]

Notes
  • Track 6 contains samples from “Electric Surfboard” performed by Brother Jack McDuff
  • Track 11 contains samples from “Wind Parade” performed by Donald Byrd

Other songs[edit]

There are fourteen songs that appeared in the film but were not released on the soundtrack album:[5]

  • “Rhapsody in Blue”, written by George Gershwin and in the movie Fantasia 2000
  • “Bonita Applebum (Hootie Mix)”, written by Jonathan William Davis, Ali Shaheed Jones-Muhammad, O’Kelly Isley, Ronald Isley, Rudolph Isley, Ernie Isley, Marvin Isley and Chris Jasper, and performed by A Tribe Called Quest
  • “Between the Sheets”, written by O’Kelly Isley, Ronald Isley, Rudolph Isley, Ernie Isley, Marvin Isley and Chris Jasper, and performed by The Isley Brothers
  • “Smoking Sticks”, “Can a Corn” and “Sticky Fingers”, written by Artis Ivey Jr. and Bryan “Wino” Dobbs, and performed by Coolio
  • “Felix the Wonderful Cat”, written by Winston Sharples
  • “Life Betta”, written by Sean Reveron, Julian Harker and Osagyefu Kennedy, and performed by Ruffneck
  • “Gangsta Bitch”, written by Anthony Peaks and Jonathan William Davis
  • “Stand by Your Man”, written by Billy Sherrill and Tammy Wynette, and performed by Tammy Wynette
  • “Family Reunion”, written by Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff, and performed by The O’Jays
  • “Niggers Are Scared of Revolution”, written by Omar Ben Hassan, and performed by The Last Poets
  • “Back Stabbers”, written by Leon Huff, Gene McFadden and John Whitehead, and performed by The O’Jays
  • “Again”, written by Janet Jackson, James Harris III and Terry Lewis, and performed by Janet Jackson

Personnel[edit]

  • Carlton Batts – mastering
  • Paris Davis – associate producer
  • Vivian Scott – associate producer
  • John Singleton – executive producer, liner notes
  • Glen Brunman – executive producer
  • Paul Stewart – music supervisor
  • David Coleman – art direction
  • Eli Reed – photography

Certifications[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Ruhlmann, William. “Poetic Justice [Original Soundtrack] – Original Soundtrack | Songs, Reviews, Credits”. AllMusic. Retrieved January 23, 2020.
  2. ^ Hunt, Dennis (July 25, 1993). “In Brief”. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  3. ^ Jones, Alan (August 7, 1993). “Market Preview: Mainstream – Albums” (PDF). Music Week. p. 13. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
  4. ^ Wood, Sam (July 6, 1993). “The Music from Some Summer Movies”. Philadelphia Inquirer.
  5. ^ “Poetic Justice (1993) – IMDb”. Retrieved January 23, 2020.
  6. ^ “Soundtrack Poetic Justice Chart History”. Billboard 200. Retrieved January 23, 2020.
  7. ^ “Soundtrack Poetic Justice Chart History”. Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard). Retrieved January 23, 2020.
  8. ^ “American album certifications – Soundtrack – Poetic Justice”. Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved January 23, 2020.

External links[edit]