Diamond In the Ruff
| Diamond in the Ruff | ||||
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| Studio album by Freeway | ||||
| Released | November 27, 2012 | |||
| Recorded | 2010–12 | |||
| Genre | Hip hop | |||
| Length | 57:40 | |||
| Label | Team Early, Babygrande Records | |||
| Producer | Freeway (exec.), Chuck Wilson (exec.), Jake One, Incredible Stro, Mike Jerz, Bink!, Just Blaze, Needlz, Sunny Dukes, DJ Khalil | |||
| Freeway chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Diamond in the Ruff | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
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| Aggregate scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 65/100 |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   |
| AllHipHop | 8/10 |
| HipHopDX | |
| Pitchfork | 5.3/10 |
| PopMatters |   |
| RapReviews | 7.5/10 |
| XXL |
(XL) |
Diamond in the Ruff is the fourth studio album by American hip hop recording artist Freeway, released worldwide by Babygrande Records on November 27, 2012.
As the ex-Roc-A-Fella artist signed one-album deal with Babygrande Records in July 2012,Diamond In the Ruff represents his first full-length project since 2010's critically acclaimed The Stimulus Package, a collaborative album with Seattleite producer Jake One. The album includes features from Wale, Marsha Ambrosius, Vivian Green, Suzann Christine, Nikki Jean, Miss Daja Thomas, Alonda Rich, and fellow Philadelphian artists Neef Buck and Musiq Soulchild. The production is handled by the likes of Jake One, Needlz, as well as Bink! and Just Blaze, who have both worked on his debut album. Gimel "Young Guru" Keaton, the sound engineer behind 10 of Jay-Z’s 11 albums, was slated to mix the entirety of the project. In 2010, Freeway told SLAM Magazine "the whole album is soulful and real. It's [him], and it's different than what everyone else is doing". In a video interview with KarmaLoop TV, he expressed that the album should have come after Philadelphia Freeway (2003).
During an interview with Canada's The Come Up Show, Freeway provided some insight into the project's title. "I feel [that this is symbolic in relation] to my career. I'm a diamond in the rough. I'm still shining [despite] all the things [I experienced]. Life is [a daily] struggle. Even just being famous and maintaining, staying on top of your game. It takes a lot. And through all that [I have lived, I always shine], so we chose Diamond In the Ruff."
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Wikipedia