The Show (eMC album)

The Show is the debut studio album by American hip hop supergroup eMC. It was released on March 25, 2008 via M3 Records/Traffic Entertainment Group. Production was handled by Frequency, J!, Quincy Tones, Ayatollah, The ARE, Koolade, Marco Polo and Nicolay, with DJ Rob, Filthy Rich and Masta Ace serving as executive producers. Beside members Masta Ace, Punchline, Wordsworth and Strick, it features guest appearances from Adi, Ladybug Mecca, Little Brother, Money Harm and Sean Price.

Background
While it was originally rumored that Ace had retired from music after the release of his acclaimed 2004 concept album A Long Hot Summer, the following year the veteran had formed the new collective with his protégé, Milwaukee rapper Strick, and revered underground lyricists Punch & Words. The four had previously collaborated on numerous albums and tracks, and toured extensively as a collective.

Like Ace's previous albums, A Long Hot Summer and Disposable Arts, The Show is a thematic concept album that tells a story. The album's story follows a day in the life of eMC doing a show on the road.

Singles
The first official eMC track, the Ayatollah-produced "Four Brothers", was released in 2006. A music video for the song was released online on December 10, 2006, however, this track was not included on the album. Music videos were released for "What It Stand For" and "Leak It Out" as well.

Personnel
eMC
 * Duval "Masta Ace" – vocals, mixing, executive producer
 * Vinson "Wordsworth" Johnson – vocals, recording
 * Rashaan "Punchline" Truell – vocals
 * Stephen "Strick" Stricklin – vocals

Technical
 * Matko "Koolade" Sasek – producer (track 1)
 * Phillip "The ARE" Gonzalez – producer (tracks: 3, 6)
 * S. "Quincy Tones" McCaffery – producer (tracks: 5, 17, 22)
 * Bryan "Frequency" Fryzel – producer (tracks: 8, 10, 23)
 * J. "J!" Balde – producer (tracks: 9, 15, 18)
 * Matthijs "Nicolay" Rook – producer (track 12)
 * Lamont "Ayatollah" Dorrell – producer (tracks: 14, 20)
 * Marco "Marco Polo" Bruno – producer (track 21)
 * Filthy Rich – recording, mixing, executive producer
 * DJ Rob – recording, executive producer
 * Robert Alphonse – art direction
 * Francois Bonura – photography
 * Marvin Anthony – photography
 * Peter Chin – photography

Guest vocalists
 * Phonte of Little Brother – vocals (track 5)
 * Thomas Jones a.k.a. Big Pooh of Little Brother – vocals (track 5)
 * ADI of Growing Nation – vocals (track 8)
 * Sean Price a.k.a. Ruck of Heltah Skeltah – vocals (track 9)
 * Mariana Khalilah Azraa Vieira a.k.a. Ladybug Mecca of Digable Planets – vocals (track 18)
 * Marvin Moore-Hough a.k.a. Money Harm of The Product G&B – vocals (track 23)
 * Terrel Howard – additional vocals (track 10)
 * Adanita Ross – additional vocals (tracks: 12, 15)
 * Angelita Ross – additional vocals (track 15)

Musicians
 * DJ Eclipse – scratches (track 12)
 * Anthony Lucas – bass (track 20)

"The Cast"
 * Paul Nice as Adam
 * Amanda Diva
 * Eternia as Club MP3 Voicemail
 * Stephen Mills aka FaTone as Merch Man
 * Torae as security guard
 * Marco Polo as boyfriend
 * April Hill as fan
 * Katrina Chambers as hotel manager