Black Gold (Kutt Calhoun album)

Black Gold is the fourth studio album by American rapper Kutt Calhoun. It was released on February 26, 2013, through Strange Music, and it would be his last release with the label.[1] The album features guest appearances from rappers such as Krizz Kaliko, Brotha Lynch Hung, Tech N9ne, Snug Brim, and Ron Ron.[2][3] The album debuted at number 1 on the US Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart and at number 120 on the Billboard 200,[4] meeting with a largely positive critical response.[5][6]

Black Gold
Studio album by Kutt Calhoun
Released	February 26, 2013
Recorded	2011–2012
Genre	Hip hop
Length	59:28
Label	Strange Music
Producer	Seven, Monsta Muzik
Kutt Calhoun chronology
Raw and Un-Kutt (2010) Black Gold (2013) Kuttin Loose (2015)
Singles from Black Gold
"Self Preservation" Released: February 1, 2013 "I Been Dope" Released: 2013

Production

The album features guest appearances from Krizz Kaliko, Brotha Lynch Hung, Tech N9ne, BG Bulletwound, Snug Brim, Bishop Don Dotta, Ben-G Da Prince of Soul, The Popper, Ron Ron and Nesto The Owner.[2][3]

Release and sales

It was released on February 26, 2013, through Strange Music, and it would be his last release with the label.[1] The album debuted at number 1 on the US Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart and at number 120 on the Billboard 200,[4] with first-week sales of 4,300 copies in the United States.[7]

Critical response

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[5]
HipHopDX	[6]

Edwin Ortiz of HipHopDX gave the album three and a half stars out of five, saying "Black Gold revels in its ability to highlight the unique approach of Strange Music while still sounding refreshingly conventional. At 35 years young, Kutt Calhoun is picking up traction when other rappers would be given the checkered flag. Underappreciated or not, that’s something that won’t go unnoticed."[6]

David Jeffries of AllMusic gave the album three and a half stars out of five, saying "crafting a thug party anthem out of a Willy Wonka line ('I Don't Like the Look of It') and using the '70s sitcom Three's Company as inspiration for a strip club jam ('Jack Tripper') rapper Kutt Calhoun is still the Strange Music label's strongest link to the streets, but here, he's certainly upped the funny. Maybe it's hanging around label boss Tech N9ne, who guest stars on the great 'I Been Dope' ('I been dope since Reaganomics/Son of a crack fiend, holla at me'), but most of the exciting moments on Black Gold are when Kutt goes weird and/or wild, or maybe even novelty."[5]

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Self Preservation" (featuring Krizz Kaliko)	Melvin Calhoun Jr., Michael Summers, Samuel Watson	Seven	3:51
2.	"501s and Rightsides" (featuring Brotha Lynch Hung)	M. Calhoun, M. Summers, Kevin Mann	Seven	3:36
3.	"I Been Dope" (featuring Tech N9ne)	M. Calhoun, M. Summers, Aaron D. Yates	Seven	4:33
4.	"I Don’t Like The Look of It"	M. Calhoun, M. Summers	Seven	3:18
5.	"See What Had Happened Was"	M. Calhoun, M. Summers	Seven	4:00
6.	"Same Thing"	M. Calhoun, M. Summers	Seven	4:18
7.	"Jack Tripper"	M. Calhoun, M. Summers	Seven	3:25
8.	"Anthem"	M. Calhoun, M. Summers	Seven	3:49
9.	"It's Goin' Down" (featuring BG Bulletwound and Snug Brim)	M. Calhoun, Tylan M. Briscoe, Aaron Henderson, Gregory Roland	Monsta Muzik	4:59
10.	"Baby Mama Drama" (featuring Bishop Don Dotta)	M. Calhoun, M. Summers, Earnest Dixon	Seven	4:36
11.	"That's My Word"	M. Calhoun, M. Summers	Seven	4:15
12.	"Hello and Goodbye"	M. Calhoun, M. Summers	Seven	4:48
13.	"In They Honor" (featuring Ben-G Da Prince of Soul)	M. Calhoun, M. Summers, Benjamin E. Givens IV	Seven	5:00
14.	"I Been Dope (The Town Remix)" (featuring The Popper, Ron Ron and Nesto The Owner)	M. Calhoun, M. Summers, Ernesto Edwards, Walter Edwin, Ronald White	Seven	5:00
Total length:				59:28

Strange Music Pre-Order Digital Bonus Tracks

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
15.	"Heart 2 Heart" (featuring Krizz Kaliko)	M. Calhoun, S. Watson	Seven	4:21

Charts

Chart (2013)	Peak position
US Billboard 200[8]	120
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[9]	25
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[10]	22
US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard)[11]	1

See also

• Kutt Calhoun discography

References

1. Paine, Jake (2013-02-02). "Kutt Calhoun "Black Gold" Tracklist & Cover Art". HipHopDX. Retrieved 2014-01-17.
2. "Black Gold [Explicit]: Kutt Calhoun: Official Music". Amazon.com. Retrieved 2014-01-17.
3. "Kutt Calhoun - Black Gold - Audio CD - Underground Hip Hop - Store". Underground Hip Hop. 2013-02-26. Retrieved 2014-01-17.
4. Billboard 200 at Billboard.com - Kutt Calhoun
5. David Jeffries (2013-02-26). "Black Gold - Kutt Calhoun". AllMusic. Retrieved 2013-07-16.
6. Ortiz, Edwin (February 26, 2013). "Kutt Calhoun - Black Gold". HipHopDX. Retrieved March 6, 2013.
7. "Hip Hop Album Sales: The Week Ending 3/3/2013". HipHopDX. Retrieved March 6, 2013.
8. "Kutt Calhoun Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 2013-09-18.
9. "Kutt Calhoun Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved September 19, 2013.
10. "Kutt Calhoun Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved December 27, 2013.
11. "Kutt Calhoun Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved December 27, 2013.