In Control, Volume 1 is the debut studio album by American hip hop record producer Marley Marl, of the Juice Crew. It was released on September 20, 1988, through Cold Chillin' Records with distribution via Warner Bros. Records.
The album compiles ten studio recordings by fellow Juice Crew members and artists affiliated with Marley Marl. It showcased his style of hip hop production and sampling at a time when he became one of the first super-producers in hip hop music. The album is broken down track-by-track by Marley Marl in Brian Coleman's book Check the Technique.
The opulent cover stood in contrast to Marley Marl's real living conditions: "I was still living in the projects. I was paying like $110 a month for my rent, free electricity. So New York City Housing Authority kind of co-produced some of my earlier hits".
Critical reception
Trouser Press noted that "the album's diversity is to its credit, but Marl gives too much play to second-string rhymers, leaving the LP's few highlights (such as the Biz twigging Barry Manilow in 'We Write the Songs' and Shanté playing cute word games in 'Wack Itt') adrift on a sea of verbal boreplay."
Track listing
Personnel
- Marlon "Marley Marl" Williams – main artist, producer, mixing
- Craig "Craig G" Curry – featured artist (tracks: 1, 5, 7)
- Marcel "Biz Markie" Hall – featured artist (track 2)
- Dwight "Heavy D" Myers – featured artist (track 2)
- Percy "Tragedy Khadafi" Chapman – featured artist (tracks: 3, 6)
- Duval "Masta Ace" Clear – featured artist (tracks: 4, 5, 8)
- Action – featured artist (tracks: 4, 8)
- Nathaniel "Kool G Rap" Wilson – featured artist (track 5)
- Antonio "Big Daddy Kane" Hardy – featured artist (track 5)
- Shawn "MC Shan" Moltke – featured artist (track 9)
- Lolita "Roxanne Shanté" Gooden – featured artist (track 10)
- George DuBose – photography
- James Colosimo – logo design
Charts
References
External links
- Marley Marl – In Control, Volume 1 at Discogs (list of releases)
