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Album

DJ Premier & Gang Starr & Guru

Moment of Truth

Music videoGang Starr - You Know My Steez

Music videos Official videos via YouTube

Gang Starr - You Know My Steez
Gang Starr - You Know My Steez

Gang Starr’s fifth album was released on March 31, 1998, by Noo Trybe and Virgin Records. DJ Premier and Guru produced it themselves, recording at D&D Studios in New York City across 1997 and 1998. Guests included Inspectah Deck, M.O.P., Freddie Foxxx, Scarface, G-Dep and K-Ci & JoJo, who appear on “Royalty.”

The album was made under strain. Guru was facing a gun charge that could have carried a five-year sentence, and tension over his drinking led Premier to step away from the project for a time before the two reconciled. The title track addresses those real-life struggles directly, and much of the record takes a reflective, grown tone.

Moment of Truth was the group’s biggest commercial success. It debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop albums chart, peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard 200 with first-week sales of about 97,000, and was certified gold by the RIAA on May 7, 1998. Singles included “You Know My Steez,” “The Militia” and “Royalty.” Spin and Pitchfork both placed it at No. 16 among the albums of 1998.

See the Gang Starr artist page for the full story, videos and discography.

Tracklist & credits

  1. A1
    Intro
  2. A2
    You Know My Steez
  3. A3
    Royalty
  4. A4
    Work
  5. A5
    What I'm Here 4
  6. A6
    B.I. Vs Friendship
  7. A7
    Next Time
  8. A8
    New York Strait Talk
  9. A9
    Outro
  10. B1
    Intro
  11. B2
    You Know My Steez
  12. B3
    Royalty
  13. B4
    Work
  14. B5
    What I'm Here 4
  15. B6
    B.I. Vs Friendship
  16. B7
    Next Time
  17. B8
    New York Strait Talk
  18. B9
    Outro

Tracklist and producer credits: Discogs. Gear credits: Breakbeat Archive, sourced on each credit.

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Released March 31, 1998. More from hip hop in 1998.

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