Herstory in the Making is the debut studio album by American rapper Young M.A. It was released on September 27, 2019, by M.A Music and 3D. The album features guest appearances from Max YB and Relle Bey and features production from Zaytoven, Mike Zombie, Amadeus, and NY Bangers, among others. It was supported by seven singles: "PettyWap", "Car Confessions", "Bleed", "Stubborn Ass", "Big", "PettyWap 2", and "No Mercy".
| Herstory in the Making | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Studio album by | |
| Released | September 27, 2019 |
| Genre | Hip hop |
| Length | 67:31 |
| Label |
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| Producer |
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| Singles from Herstory in the Making | |
| |
Writing and recording
editThe album is dedicated to M.A's late brother Kenneth Ramos, who was murdered on September 26, 2009.[1] In a press release, Young M.A stated:
There isn't a single day that I don't think about my brother. He continues to motivate me; inspire me and this project will forever be dedicated to his legacy. You're gonna get the truth. You're gonna get the cocky joints, the slick talk joints where I talk my talk, but then I'm gonna get personal. Real personal. That's why this called Herstory In The Making because it's about all sides of me. People will hear this album and say, 'I had no idea she was going through all that.' I don't put myself out there on social media. I save it for the music, and I write it all. This is all me.[1]
The album was recorded with guest appearances from Max YB and Relle Bey and production from Zaytoven, Mike Zombie, Amadeus, and NY Bangers, among others. It follows Young M.A.'s Herstory EP, released in 2017.[2]
Marketing and sales
editOn August 29, 2019, Young M.A revealed the album's title, cover art, track listing and release date via her social media accounts.[3] The album was released on September 27 by M.A Music and 3D.[2] It peaked at number 16 on the Billboard 200 albums chart.[4]
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| And It Don't Stop | A−[5] |
| The Guardian |   [6] |
| HipHopDX | 3.7/5[7] |
| Pitchfork | 7.3/10[8] |
| Tom Hull – on the Web | B+ ( )[9] |
Herstory in the Making was met with positive reviews. Pitchfork reviewer Sheldon Pearce hailed it as "another big, long flex from one of the most skilled rappers to emerge in the last five years".[8] In his Substack-published "Consumer Guide" column, Robert Christgau said, "It's a woman's voice with a brawny, low-pitched masculinity to it, articulated with no show of care and every well-chosen word distinct. The hook-free beats are as utilitarian and accomplished as vocals that always take the rhymes where they want to go".[5]
Track listing
editCredits adapted from Tidal and Respect.[10][11]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "No Mercy (Intro)" |
| Kofi Black & Southside Gang (WBM) | 2:11 |
| 2. | "Da Come Up" |
|
| 2:41 |
| 3. | "Big" |
| Mike Zombie | 3:45 |
| 4. | "Kold World" |
| Zaytoven | 3:57 |
| 5. | "PettyWap" |
|
| 2:56 |
| 6. | "The Lyfestyle" |
| NY Bangers | 3:25 |
| 7. | "Smoove Kriminal" |
|
| 2:41 |
| 8. | "Stubborn Ass" |
|
| 3:20 |
| 9. | "RNID (abbreviated as Rich Nigga ID)" |
|
| 3:23 |
| 10. | "She Like I'm Like" |
|
| 3:11 |
| 11. | "Numb" |
|
| 2:51 |
| 12. | "Bipolar" | Marrero |
| 1:58 |
| 13. | "Bleed" |
| NY Bangers | 3:30 |
| 14. | "No Love" |
| NY Bangers | 3:19 |
| 15. | "Car Confessions" |
|
| 4:21 |
| 16. | "Foreign" |
|
| 3:26 |
| 17. | "NNAN (abbreviated as Never Need a Nigga)" (featuring Relle Bey and Max YB) |
|
| 3:13 |
| 18. | "My Hitta" |
|
| 3:05 |
| 19. | "Sober Thoughts" (featuring Max YB) |
| NY Bangers | 4:26 |
| 20. | "Crime Poetry (Outro)" |
| NY Bangers | 3:16 |
| 21. | "PettyWap 2" (bonus) |
| NY Bangers | 2:36 |
| Total length: | 67:31 | |||
Charts
edit| Chart (2019) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canadian Albums (Billboard)[12] | 60 |
| US Billboard 200[13] | 16 |
References
edit- ^ a b Grant, Shawn (August 30, 2019). "Young M.A to Release Debut Album on September 27". The Source. Retrieved September 3, 2019.
- ^ a b Maicki, Salvatore (August 29, 2019). "Young M.A announces debut album Herstory In The Making, shares "PettyWap 2"". The Fader. Retrieved September 3, 2019.
- ^ Vibe Staff (August 30, 2019). "Young M.A. Gears Up For Debut Album Release, 'Herstory In The Making'". Vibe. Retrieved September 3, 2019.
- ^ Phillips, Yoh (May 22, 2020). "Read Our 1 Listen Review of Young M.A's 'Red Flu' EP". DJBooth. Retrieved July 16, 2020.
- ^ a b Christgau, Robert (March 11, 2020). "Consumer Guide: March, 2020". And It Don't Stop. Substack. Retrieved July 16, 2020.
- ^ Cliff, Aimee (September 27, 2019). "Young MA: Herstory in the Making review". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
- ^ Wallace, Riley (October 8, 2019). "Review: Young M.A's 'Herstory in the Making' Has Mild Impact". HipHopDX. Retrieved July 16, 2020.
- ^ a b Pearce, Sheldon (October 3, 2019). "Young M.A: Herstory in the Making Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved July 16, 2020.
- ^ Hull, Tom (January 26, 2021). "Music Week". Tom Hull – on the Web. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
- ^ "Herstory in the Making / Young M.A". Tidal. Retrieved September 27, 2019.
- ^ Rashed, Ayana (September 29, 2019). "Young M.A Releases Debut LP + Visual". Respect. Retrieved September 29, 2019.
- ^ "Young MA Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 8, 2019.
- ^ "Young MA Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 8, 2019.
External links
edit- Herstory In The Making at Discogs (list of releases)