Spice 1 (album)

Spice 1 is the debut studio album by American rapper Spice 1. It was released on April 14, 1992, on Jive Records. It was certified gold by the RIAA. The album was produced by Ant Banks, Blackjack, E-A-Ski & CMT, and Spice 1. It peaked at number 14 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and at number 82 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers. One single, "Welcome to the Ghetto", peaked at number 39 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and at number 5 on the Billboard Rap Songs.

Along with singles, music videos were produced for four songs: "In My Neighborhood", "Welcome to the Ghetto", "187 Proof" and "East Bay Gangsta". Richie Rich makes a cameo appearance in "Welcome to the Ghetto". "East Bay Gangsta" and "Welcome to the Ghetto" were B-sides on the other singles.

Critical reception
AllMusic - "...His style, an appropriate mix of irony, disdain, acceptance and confusion, never succumbs to the situation or seeks to justify or downplay the sense of impending doom."

Entertainment Weekly (7/24/92, p. 60) - "...Spice 1's lyrics are clever enough to make you forget you've heard it all before...his tales unfold with the drama of short stories..."

The album was included in The Source's 100 greatest hip hop albums.

Samples
Welcome to the Ghetto 187 Pure City Streets F***ed in the Game In My Neighborhood Money Gone Money or Murder Peace to My Nine Young N****
 * "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)" by Marvin Gaye
 * "No One's Gonna Love You" by the S.O.S. Band
 * "Take Me to the Mardi Gras" by Bob James
 * "Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get" by the Dramatics
 * "Make Me Believe in You" by Curtis Mayfield
 * "Reach for It" by George Duke
 * "Time for a Change" by Mel Brown
 * "Joy by Isaac Hayes
 * "One Nation Under a Groove" by Funkadelic
 * "Mothership Connection (Star Child)" by Parliament
 * "Us" by Ice Cube

Note: The sample credits contain a disclaimer from George Clinton disparaging the lyrical content of the song, yet stating the sample was allowed due to the message of music as a free agent of change inherent in "Mothership Connection." This type of note was uncommon for most artists who were sampling.