Chpt. 2: World Domination

“Chapter 2: World Domination” is the third studio album by Three 6 Mafia, released on November 4, 1997, through Hypnotize Minds and Relativity Records.

The story

The record was the group’s first widely distributed album, giving the Memphis crew national reach after years of regional tapes and independent releases. It revisited earlier material, including reworked versions of “Late Nite Tip,” “N 2 Deep” and “Body Parts,” and its lead single was “Tear da Club Up ’97,” a new take on their club anthem featuring every member of the group. Guests included Project Pat, the Prophet Posse and Flint’s The Dayton Family.

Sound and production

DJ Paul and Juicy J produced and executive produced the album, keeping the grim, horror-leaning atmosphere of their underground work. The “Tear da Club Up ’97” remix swapped its original sample for the “Theme from S.W.A.T.” The album runs past seventy minutes and is often described as the last Three 6 record built mainly on that darker sound before the group moved toward a more mainstream style.

Legacy

The album peaked at number 40 on the Billboard 200 and number 18 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, and was certified gold by the RIAA. “Tear da Club Up ’97” reached number 70 on the R&B/Hip-Hop singles chart, was reportedly banned from Southern clubs over crowd violence, and was later ranked by Pitchfork among the top songs of the 1990s.

Released November 4, 1997. More from hip hop in 1997.