Give It 2 ‘Em Raw

“Give It 2 ’Em Raw” is the first full-length album by Soulja Slim, released on May 19, 1998, by No Limit Records and Priority Records and credited on its cover as “Master P Presents Soulja Slim.”

The story

Soulja Slim joined No Limit after building a local following with independent tapes made with DJ KLC. XXL reported that the album was released while he was incarcerated, which limited his ability to promote it. It debuted at No. 13 on the Billboard 200 and No. 4 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, selling 82,000 copies in its first week. Two singles were released in 1998: “From What I Was Told” and “Street Life.”

Sound and production

Master P served as executive producer. Production credits go to KLC, Craig B., O’Dell, Carlos Stephens, Mo B. Dick and DJ Daryl, most of them members of the Beats By the Pound team. The 20-track album runs just under 74 minutes and features much of the No Limit roster, including Silkk the Shocker, Snoop Dogg, Mia X, C-Murder, Master P, Mystikal, Tre-Nitty, Full Blooded and Steady Mobb’n. “N.L. Party” gathers more than a dozen label artists on one track.

Legacy

The album ranked No. 99 on the 1998 year-end Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and remains Soulja Slim’s highest-charting album. It is regarded as his main statement from the No Limit period and is well represented in collector listings, with multiple CD, cassette and vinyl pressings catalogued on Discogs.