Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic
Encyclopedia of Popular Music
The Great Rock Discography	7/10
MusicHound	4.5/5
Rolling Stone
The Rolling Stone Album Guide
Spin Alternative Record Guide	8/10
The Village Voice	B+

By All Means Necessary is the second album from American hip hop group Boogie Down Productions, released on May 31, 1988 on Jive Records. After the 1987 murder of DJ-producer Scott La Rock, MC KRS-One moved away from the violent themes that dominated his debut, Criminal Minded, and began writing socially conscious songs using the moniker the Teacher.

Many themes, which surface a minimalist production accompanied by hard-hitting drum beats, cover social issues that include government and police corruption, safe sex, government involvement in the drug trade, and violence in the hip hop community.

As of September 25, 1989, the album was certified gold in sales by the Recording Industry Association of America. Both the album cover, depicting KRS-One, and the album title make reference to Malcolm X. The album's cover art is a reference to the iconic photo of Malcolm X peering through his window while holding a M1 carbine rifle. The album title is a modification of Malcolm X's famous phrase "By Any Means Necessary."

The album is widely seen as one of, if not the first, politically conscious efforts in hip-hop. Allmusic.com described the album as a landmark of political hip hop and Rolling Stone praised its social commentary.Anthony DeCurtis of Rolling Stone wrote, "Over irresistible beats provided by his BDP cohorts, KRS delivers the word on the drug trade, AIDS and violence—three forces that threaten to destroy minority communities."

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