N.O.R.E. (album)

N.O.R.E. (an acronym for Niggas On The Run Eating) is the debut studio album by American rapper Noreaga. It was released on July 7, 1998, by Penalty Recordings. Recording sessions took place at Criteria Studios in Miami, at The Hit Factory, Electric Lady Studios, The Cutting Room and Right Track Recording in New York, at Bearsville Studios, and at House Of Hits. Production was handled by Trackmasters, L.E.S., Curt Gowdy, Dame Grease, DJ Clue?, EZ Elpee, Ken "DURO" Ifill, Marley Marl, Nashiem Myrick, SPK, Swizz Beatz, The Neptunes and J "Waxx" Garfield. It features guest appearances from Musaliny-N-Maze, Nature, Big Pun, Busta Rhymes, Cam'ron, Carl Thomas, Chico DeBarge, Jadakiss, Kid Capri, Kool G Rap, Nas, Spliff Star and Styles P.

The album debuted at number 3 on the Billboard 200 and topped the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart with sales of 165,000 in its first week of release. It was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America on September 15, 1998, for selling 500,000 copies.

The album contained the hit single "Superthug" which peaked at #36 on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached #1 on the Hot Rap Singles chart.

The song "The Change" found new fame after then-underground rapper 50 Cent was filmed free-styling over its instrumental. The album's first single and title-track "N.O.R.E.", is featured on the soundtrack of the 2005 video game Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories, as the game was set in 1998, the year the album was released.