The Rude Awakening

The Rude Awakening is the second studio album by American hip hop duo Smif-N-Wessun. It was released on March 31, 1998 via Priority Records under the name Cocoa Brovaz. The duo was forced to drop their original name after they were sued by the Smith & Wesson firearms company. Production was handled by several record producers, including Da Beatminerz, Sean C, Self, Shaleek, Shawn J Period and member Steele.

The Rude Awakening
Studio album by Cocoa Brovaz
Released	March 31, 1998
Recorded	1997–98
Studio	D&D Studios (New York, NY) Trophsphere Studios (New Jersey) Streetlight Studios (New York, NY) Unique Studios (New York, NY)
Genre	Hip hop
Length	1:06:23
Label	Duck Down Priority
Producer	Buckshot (exec.) Drew "Dru-Ha" Friedman (exec.) Tek (exec.) Steele (also exec.) Baby Paul Face N Triple Beam Filthy Rich JB Keylord Mr. Walt Sean Cane Self Shaleek Shawn J Period Sir Gav Suite 1200
Cocoa Brovaz chronology
Dah Shinin' (1995) The Rude Awakening (1998) Smif 'n' Wessun: Reloaded (2005)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
RapReviews	7/10[2]

The album peaked at number 21 on the Billboard 200 and number 3 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. The lead single from the album was "Black Trump", which features Raekwon of the Wu-Tang Clan. Their 1997 single "Won On Won" from the Soul in the Hole soundtrack is included here, as well as the singles "Spanish Harlem" and "Bucktown USA".

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Off the Wall" (featuring Professor X and Jahdan Blakkamoore)	Tekomin B. Williams Darrell A. Yates Jr. Robert Carson Shawn M. Jones	Shawn J. Period	5:13
2.	"Still Standin Strong"	Williams Yates Jr. J. Smith Triple Beam	Steele Face N Triple Beam	4:00
3.	"Won on Won"	Williams Yates Jr. Deleno Matthews Carlton Ridenhour Hank Shocklee	Sean Cane	3:57
4.	"Live at the Garden" (Skit)			0:40
5.	"Blown Away" (featuring Buckshot)	Yates Jr. Williams Kenyatta Blake Paul Hendricks	Baby Paul Steele	4:22
6.	"Money Talks"			0:49
7.	"The Cash"	Yates Jr. Williams Richard Ahee	Filthy Rich	3:57
8.	"Black Trump" (featuring Raekwon)	Yates Jr. Williams Corey Woods Desmond Wray Edward Hinson	Lord Self	4:24
9.	"Dry Snitch" (featuring Smack Man and Head Arabic)	Williams Yates Jr. Thad Williams T. French Kenneth Furs	Suite 1200	4:30
10.	"Game of Life" (featuring F.L.O.W.)	Williams Yates Jr. Furs	Suite 1200 Steele	5:47
11.	"Back 2 Life"	Williams Yates Jr. Jeff Brown	Jeff "JB" Brown	3:51
12.	"Bucktown USA"	Williams Yates Jr. Walter V. Dewgarde	Mr. Walt	4:00
13.	"What They Call Him (Skit)" (featuring Big Ol Pimp Cook)	W.T. White		1:00
14.	"Hold It Down" (featuring Storm)	Williams Yates Jr. Greg Johnson Wray Hinson	Sir Gav Keyloard Self (co.)	4:56
15.	"Spanish Harlem" (featuring Hurricane G and Tony Touch)	Yates Jr. Williams Gloria Rodríguez Joseph Hernandez Dewgarde	Mr. Walt	4:09
16.	"Myah Angelow" (featuring Sean Price and Deidra Artis)	Williams Yates Jr. Sean Price Deidra Artis Hendricks	Baby Paul	5:12
17.	"Memorial" (featuring Eek-A-Mouse)	Williams Yates Jr. Ripton Hylton Darryl Pearson	Shaleek	5:36
Total length:				1:06:23

Music videos

• "Won on Won"
  Released: 1997
• "Black Trump"
  Director: G. Thomas
  Released: 1998
• "Spanish Harlem"
  Released: 1998

Charts

Chart (1998)	Peak position
US Billboard 200[3]	21
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[4]	3

Singles chart positions

Year	Song	Chart positions
		Billboard Hot 100	Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks	Hot Rap Singles
1997	"Won On Won"	-	#94	-
1998	"Bucktown USA"	-	-	#47

References

1. Stanley, Leo. "The Rude Awakening - Cocoa Brovaz | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved October 11, 2020.
2. T., Pete (April 2, 2013). "Cocoa Brovaz :: The Rude Awakening :: Duck Down/Priority". www.rapreviews.com. Retrieved October 11, 2020.
3. "Cocoa Brovaz Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 11, 2020.
4. "Cocoa Brovaz Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 11, 2020.

External links

• Cocoa Brovaz – The Rude Awakening at Discogs (list of releases)