Moment of Truth (Gang Starr album)

Moment of Truth is the fifth studio album by American hip-hop duo Gang Starr, released on March 31, 1998, by Noo Trybe Records and Virgin Records. Gang Starr recorded Moment of Truth in sessions at D&D Studios. It is widely regarded as Gang Starr's magnum opus, and one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time.

Background & Recording

Moment of Truth marked Gang Starr's fifth studio album, released in 1998 following a four-year hiatus. Prior to the album, both artists were pursuing solo work; with DJ Premier prolifically collaborating with artists such as Jay-Z, Nas, and Biggie during this period, while Guru had released his second instalment of his Jazzmatazz series. This contributed to a refined sound for the album, while maintaining the group's signature hardcore style.

Guru faced serious legal issues, including a gun charge that could have resulted in a five-year prison sentence. The weight of this potential outcome influenced much of the album's thematic direction, particularly in tracks such as "Moment of Truth," which reflected the group's real-life struggles. Tension over Guru's drinking habits also briefly led to DJ Premier stepping away from the group during the album's production. However, the two reconciled and completed the album together. It went on to sell over 500,000 copies and was certified Gold by the RIAA on May 7, 1998. The lead single, "You Know My Steez", became the duo's second Billboard Hot 100 appearance in 1997, peaking at #76. Spin magazine ranked it as the #16 album of 1998. Pitchfork also ranked it as the 16th best album of 1998. Writer Marcus J. Moore wrote: "Moment of Truth is an all-in effort that found the duo at their creative apex. Not only did Guru and Premier step up their respective talents, the album also featured standout verses from rappers Inspectah Deck, Freddie Foxxx, G-Dep, and Scarface. For a group teetering on the edge, Moment of Truth is Gang Starr’s shining moment."

In popular culture

The album's title track was featured in the 2011 Matthew McConaughey film The Lincoln Lawyer. The title track also appeared in the soundtrack of the 2001 video game Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX 2 as well as an episode during the third season of the television show Mr. Robot. The song Work appears on ESPN promos for SC6 with Michael/Jemele. Work also appeared in the 1998 movie Caught Up starring Bokeem Woodbine and was included on the soundtrack. Work was again sampled in 2019 for a Bank of Melbourne television commercial.

Track listing

Charts

Weekly charts

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"

!scope="col"|Chart (1998)

!scope="col"|Peak<br/>position

! scope="row"| Australian Albums (ARIA)

|align="center"| 184

! scope="row"| Canadian Albums (Billboard)

|align="center"| 14

! scope="row"| US Billboard 200

|align="center"| 6

! scope="row"| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard

|align="center"| 1

Year-end charts

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!scope="col"|Chart (1998)

!scope="col"|Position

!scope="row"|US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)

|59

Singles

Chart positions from Billboard magazine

{| class="wikitable"

! Year

! Song

! Billboard Hot 100

! Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs

! Hot Rap Singles

! Dance/Electronic Singles Sales

| 1997

| "You Know My Steez"

| align=center | 76

| align=center | 15

| align=center | 5

| align=center | 2

|1998

|"Royalty

| align=center | 2

| 1998

| "The Militia"

| align=center | –

| align=center | 19

| align=center | 7