Based on a T.R.U. Story
Based on a T.R.U. Story is the debut studio album by American rapper 2 Chainz. It was released on August 14, 2012, by Def Jam Recordings.[1] The album features guest appearances from fellow rappers Lil Wayne, Kanye West, Drake, Nicki Minaj and Playaz Circle cohort Dolla Boy, along with singer-songwriters The-Dream, Mike Posner, The Weeknd and Chris Brown. The album's production was handled by Brick Squad Monopoly's Southside, Mike Will Made It, Sonny Digital, Kanye West, Hit-Boy, Drumma Boy, DJ Mustard, Mr. Bangladesh and DJ Spinz, among others.
Based on a T.R.U. Story | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | August 14, 2012 | |||
Recorded | 2011–12 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 54:21 | |||
Label | Def Jam | |||
Producer |
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2 Chainz chronology | ||||
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Deluxe edition cover | ||||
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Singles from Based on a T.R.U. Story | ||||
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The album was nominated for Best Rap Album at the 55th Grammy Awards, but lost to Take Care by Drake. The album was officially certified platinum on March 22, 2016.[2]
Background
In 2007, 2 Chainz began releasing solo material, while he still was in the group Playaz Circle with Dolla Boy. During the year, he released a mixtape titled Me Against the World!, while he still was under his former stage name Tity Boi. In 2011, he changed his moniker to 2 Chainz, as he perceived it to be more "family friendly", before his career began to take off.[3] Following his name change, 2 Chainz released a mixtape titled T.R.U. REALigion (2011), which became his first solo full-length project to appear on a music chart, peaking at number 58 on the US Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.[4] He has also made guest appearances on songs by recording artists since the name change, including the singles "Mercy" by Kanye West and "Beez in the Trap" by Nicki Minaj.[5]
The album was originally set to be titled T.R.U. 2 My REALigion, as he revealed to AllHipHop at his sold-out show in New York City's live music venue SOB's, on January 30, 2012.[6] On March 15, 2012, it was revealed, while in Austin, Texas for SXSW, 2 Chainz announced his Def Jam debut, which would no longer be titled T.R.U. 2 My REALigion. Instead, during an interview with FUSE, the former member of Playaz Circle announced a new title for his LP: "I recently changed the album and the new title of my album is Based on a T.R.U. Story."[7]
Release and promotion
On March 24, 2 Chainz announced, via his Twitter feed, the album would be released on August 14, 2012.[8] On July 17, 2012, the album's deluxe edition cover art was unveiled.[9] Designed by Kanye West's creative agency DONDA, the album cover was ranked the second best of 2012 by Complex Magazine.[10][11] On July 24, 2 Chainz announced he would embark on a tour following the album's release, which would begin August 30 in Norfolk, Virginia at The Norva and concludes on September 27 in Austin, Texas at La Zona Rosa.[12] On February 12, 2013, the album's chopnotslop version by OG Ron C was released on iTunes.[13]
Singles
The album's lead single, "No Lie" premiered on May 1, 2012, and was released to iTunes on May 8, 2012.[14] The song features guest vocals from Canadian recording artist Drake, while it was produced by Mike WiLL Made It.[15] It was sent to urban radio on May 15, 2012.[15] The music video (directed by Director X) was released June 21, 2012.[15]
The album's second single, "Birthday Song" featuring Kanye West, was released on July 24, 2012.[16] It officially impacted urban radio on August 7, 2012.[17]
The album's third single, "I'm Different" was released on November 8, 2012.[18] The music video for "I'm Different" premiered December 23, 2012 on MTV Jams.[19]
Other songs
On August 12, 2012, the music video for "I Luv Dem Strippers" featuring Nicki Minaj, was released.[20] On March 17, 2013, the music video for "Crack" was released.[21] On April 15, 2013, the music video for "Yuck!" featuring Lil Wayne, was released.[22] On April 24, 2013, the music video for "Like Me" was released.[23]
Critical reception
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
HipHopDX | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Los Angeles Times | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Pitchfork | 4.5/10[27] |
RapReviews | 2.5/10[28] |
Rolling Stone | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Based on a T.R.U. Story received mixed reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted mean rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 55, based on 19 reviews, which indicates "mixed or average reviews".[30] David Jeffries of AllMusic praised the high-powered production on the lead track "Yuck" and felt that overall 2 Chainz "almost delivers on his official debut."[24] Jody Rosen of Rolling Stone felt 2 Chainz has "irrepressible enthusiasm" and also praised the guest artists and producers.[29]
Phillip Mlynar of HipHopDX affirmed 2 Chainz' enthusiasm but disliked his lyrics, stating "throughout the album, Chainz kicks a series of amazingly flimsy rhymes" and concluded "2 Chainz has revealed himself as the weakest guest on his own album."[25] In a very negative review, Jesal Padania of RapReviews.com panned 2 Chainz' lyrics with the lowest possible score 1 out of 10 points, commenting "Can 2 Chainz rap? Yes, of course. But is he saying anything? No, not even once... Albums like "Based On a T.R.U. Story" really make you wonder just how they even come about to existence."[28] Los Angeles Times reviewer Randall Roberts also disliked Chainz' lyrics, and while he praised the guest verses on the album, he felt that "2 Chainz drags them down."[26] In a lengthy review, Pitchfork Media's David Drake felt the album offers "nothing beyond the one-dimensional caricature [2 Chainz]'s crafted on countless other verses" and called it "a cynical example of the bare minimum of creativity required for that level of success."[27]
Accolades
Despite being met with mixed reviews from critics, Based on a T.R.U. Story was nominated for Best Rap Album at the 55th Grammy Awards. The album was named the 25th best Hip Hop album of 2012 by Spin.[31]
Commercial performance
Based on a T.R.U. Story debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200, selling 147,000 copies in its first week.[32] As of August 2013, the album has sold 623,000 copies in the United States.[33] On March 30, 2016, the album was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for combined sales and album-equivalent units of over a million units in the United States.[34][35]
Track listing
Credits adapted from liner notes.[36]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
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1. | "Yuck!" (featuring Lil Wayne) |
|
| 4:47 |
2. | "Crack" |
| Southside | 4:32 |
3. | "Dope Peddler" |
| Bangladesh | 3:28 |
4. | "No Lie" (featuring Drake) |
| 3:57 | |
5. | "Birthday Song" (featuring Kanye West) |
| 5:06 | |
6. | "I'm Different" |
| 3:27 | |
7. | "Extremely Blessed" (featuring The-Dream) |
| The-Dream | 4:05 |
8. | "I Luv Dem Strippers" (featuring Nicki Minaj) |
| YoungStarr Beatz | 3:59 |
9. | "Stop Me Now" (featuring Dolla Boy) |
|
| 4:37 |
10. | "Money Machine" |
| Drumma Boy | 4:43 |
11. | "In Town" (featuring Mike Posner) | 3:26 | ||
12. | "Ghetto Dreams" (featuring Scarface & John Legend) |
| Broady | 3:43 |
13. | "Wut We Doin?" (featuring Cap.1) |
|
| 4:25 |
Total length: | 54:21 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
14. | "Countdown" (featuring Chris Brown) |
|
| 3:51 |
15. | "Like Me" |
| Mano | 3:49 |
16. | "I Feel Good" |
| Don Cannon | 2:21 |
17. | "Riot" |
| DJ Spinz | 2:47 |
Total length: | 1:07:12 |
Notes
Samples credits
- "Yuck!" contains a sample of "Down for My Niggaz", performed by C-Murder.
- "Dope Peddler" contains a sample of "The Old Dope Peddler", performed by Tom Lehrer.
- "I Luv Dem Strippers" contains a sample of "Mr. Telephone Man", performed by New Edition.
- "Stop Me Now" contains a sample of "Nothing Can Stop Me", performed by Cissy Houston.
- "Like Me" contains a sample of "The Birds Part 1", performed by The Weeknd.
Charts
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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United States (RIAA)[49] | Platinum | 1,000,000![]() |
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See also
References
- Based On A T.R.U. Story [Deluxe Explicit]. "Based On A T.R.U. Story [Deluxe Explicit]: 2 Chainz: Music". Amazon.com. Retrieved 2012-11-20.
- "RIAA Platinum Certifications March 2016" (PDF).
- Harling, Danielle (January 3, 2012). "2 Chainz Explains His Decision To Drop Tity Boi As A Stage Name, Says 2 Chainz Is More "Family Friendly"". HipHopDX. Cheri Media Group. Archived from the original on May 6, 2015. Retrieved August 1, 2012.
- "2 Chainz > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved August 1, 2012.
- "2 Chainz Opens Up About Why He Was Named 'Tity Boi', T.R.U. Realigion Mixtape, and his Use of Codeine". Vibe. Vibe Media. October 27, 2011. Retrieved August 1, 2012.
- JP DelaCuesta and Steve Raze (January 31, 2012). "EXCLUSIVE: 2 Chainz Talks New Album, His First Sold Out Show In New York And More!". AllHipHop. Retrieved August 1, 2012.
- Andres Vasquez (March 15, 2012). "2 Chainz Reveals Album Title, Speaks On Leaving Ludacris' Label". HipHopDX. Retrieved August 1, 2012.
- "2 Chainz Announces Album Release Date". HotNewHipHop. March 24, 2012. Archived from the original on April 27, 2012. Retrieved August 1, 2012.
- Horowitz, Steven J. (July 17, 2012). "2 Chainz "Based On A T.R.U. Story" Deluxe Edition Cover Art". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on July 19, 2012. Retrieved August 1, 2012.
- "2 Chainz Enlists Kanye West's DONDA For Album Art", Billboard Magazine, July 5, 2012
- "2. 2 Chainz, Based on a T.R.U. Story — The 25 Best Album Covers of 2012". Complex. 2012-12-13. Retrieved 2013-03-31.
- Steven J. Horowitz (July 24, 2012). "2 Chainz Announces "Based On A T.R.U. Story" Tour Dates". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on July 26, 2012. Retrieved August 1, 2012.
- https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/based-on-t.r.u.-story-chopped/id598665131 |title=2Chainz ChopNotSlop
- "No Lie SOD (feat. Drake) – Single by 2 Chainz". iTunes Store. Apple. Retrieved May 20, 2012.
- "Video: 2 Chainz f/ Drake – 'No Lie'". Rap-Up.com. 2012-06-18. Retrieved 2013-09-15.
- "Video: 2 Chainz f/ Kanye West – 'Birthday Song'". Rap-Up.com. 2012-08-30. Retrieved 2013-09-15.
- "2 Chainz Enlists Kanye West & Nicki Minaj for Upcoming Singles | UrbanBridgez.com | Urban Entertainment E-Zine". UrbanBridgez.com. 2012-07-10. Archived from the original on 2012-10-06. Retrieved 2012-11-20.
- "2 Chainz Talks On "Birthday Song," "I Luv Dem Strippers," Remixing Songs". NewJams.net. 2012-08-10. Archived from the original on 2013-03-16. Retrieved 2012-11-20.
- 12/23/12 (2012-12-23). "I'm Different (Explicit) | 2 Chainz | Music Video". MTV. Retrieved 2013-09-15.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
- "2 Chainz - I Luv Dem Strippers (Explicit) ft. Nicki Minaj - YouTube". Vevo.com. 2012-08-12. Retrieved 2013-03-31.
- "New Video: 2 Chainz "Crack"". Rap Radar. 2013-03-17. Retrieved 2013-03-31.
- "Video: 2 Chainz f/ Lil Wayne – 'Yuck'". Rap-Up.com. 2013-04-15. Retrieved 2013-09-15.
- "Video: 2 Chainz – 'Like Me'". Rap-Up.com. 2013-04-24. Retrieved 2013-09-15.
- Jeffries, David. Review: Based on a T.R.U. Story. Allmusic. All Media Guide Retrieved on 2012-08-31.
- Review: Based on a T.R.U. Story Archived 2012-11-04 at the Wayback Machine. HipHopDX. Retrieved on 2012-11-08.
- Roberts, Randall. Review: "Based on a T.R.U. Story". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved on 2012-11-23.
- Drake, David. Review: Based on a T.R.U. Story. Pitchfork Media. Retrieved on 2012-08-31.
- Review: Based on a T.R.U. Story. RapReviews. Retrieved on 2012-11-08.
- Rosen, Judy. Review: Based on a T.R.U. Story. Rolling Stone. Retrieved on 2012-08-31.
- "Critic Reviews for Based on a T.R.U. Story". Metacritic. Retrieved 2012-11-20.
- Best Music 2012 (2012-12-11). "SPIN's 40 Best Hip-Hop Albums of 2012 | SPIN | Year-End Lists | Best Albums". SPIN. Retrieved 2013-03-31.
- Vazquez, Edwin. "Hip Hop Album Sales: The Week Ending 8/19/2012". Cheri Media Group. Archived from the original on 10 May 2015. Retrieved 22 August 2012.
- "Upcoming Releases". HITS Daily Double. Archived from the original on August 9, 2013. Retrieved 2013-09-15.
- Horowitz, Steven (17 December 2012). "2 Chainz's "Based On A T.R.U. Story" Certified Gold". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on 29 September 2017. Retrieved 17 December 2012.
- "Hip Hop Album Sales: The Week Ending 1/27/2013". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on February 4, 2013. Retrieved January 30, 2013.
- http://hiphop-n-more.com/2012/08/2-chainz-based-on-a-t-r-u-story-booklet-productions-credits/
- "Ultratop.be – 2 chainz – BASED ON A T.R.U. STORY" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved October 10, 2012.
- "Lescharts.com – 2 chainz – BASED ON A T.R.U. STORY". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 21, 2013.
- "R&B Albums Top 40 - 24th November 2012". Official Charts. Archived from the original on 2013-12-31. Retrieved 2012-11-20.
- "Latest Music News, Band, Artist, Musician & Music Video News". Billboard. Retrieved 2012-11-20.
- "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2012". Billboard. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
- "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2012". Billboard. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
- "2013 Year-End Charts – Billboard 200 Albums". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved December 13, 2013.
- "2013 Year-End Charts – Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Albums". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved December 13, 2013.
- "2013 Year-End Charts – Billboard Rap Albums". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved December 13, 2013.
- "American album certifications – 2 Chainz – Based on a T.R.U. Story". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH.