Hard to Earn

Hard to Earn
Hard to Earn
Studio album by Gang Starr
Released	March 8, 1994
Recorded	July 1992–1993
Studio	D&D Studios (New York City)
Genre	East Coast hip-hop; hardcore hip-hop;
Length	58:57
Label	Chrysalis; EMI; 7243 8 28435 2 8; F2-28435;
Producer	DJ Premier; Guru (co-prod.);
Gang Starr chronology
Singles from Hard to Earn
	"Dwyck"; Released: December 29, 1992; "Mass Appeal"; Released: February 8, 1994; "Code of the Streets"; Released: May 17, 1994; "Suckas Need Bodyguards"; Released: October 4, 1994;

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[6]
Robert Christgau	^[8]
RapReviews	^[7]
Rolling Stone	^[9]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	^[10]
The Source	^[11]

Hard to Earn is the fourth studio album by American hip hop duo Gang Starr. It was released on March 8, 1994, by Chrysalis and EMI Records in North America. The album featured the singles "Dwyck" (featuring Nice & Smooth), "Mass Appeal" (their first charting single on the Billboard Hot 100 chart), and "Code of the Streets". Guest appearances on the album include Group Home, Jeru the Damaja, and Big Shug. At the time, all were part of the Gang Starr Foundation, which made the album a stepping-stone for future DJ Premier-helmed projects by Group Home and Jeru. Hard to Earn received acclaim and commercial success upon release.

The single "DWYCK" recorded in 1992 also featured hip hop duo Nice & Smooth. The track "Now You're Mine" originally appeared on the 1992 soundtrack White Men Can't Rap. The single "Mass Appeal" appeared in the video game Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4^[12] and reappears in its remake.^[13]

Hard to Earn is also the duo's first album to carry the "Parental Advisory" label.

Track listing

All music is composed by Keith Elam and Christopher Martin, except where noted.

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Performer(s)	Length
1.	"Intro (The First Step)"		(Instrumental)	0:54
2.	"Alongwaytogo"		Guru	4:13
3.	"Code of the Streets"		Guru	3:29
4.	"Brainstorm"		Guru	3:02
5.	"Tonz 'O' Gunz"		Guru	3:55
6.	"The Planet"		Guru	5:16
7.	"Aiiight Chill..."		A skit featuring Nas, A.G., Masta Ace, MC Eiht, DJ Scratch, Mister Cee	3:13
8.	"Speak Ya Clout"	Martin Elam Jeru Kendrick Davis James Heath	Guru Lil' Dap Jeru the Damaja	3:35
9.	"Dwyck"	Martin Elam Greg Mays Daryl Barnes	Guru Nice & Smooth	4:03
10.	"Words from the Nutcracker"	Martin Elam Jamal Felder	Melachi the Nutcracker	1:29
11.	"Mass Appeal"		Guru	3:41
12.	"Blowin' Up the Spot"		Guru	3:10
13.	"Suckas Need Bodyguards"		Guru Melachi the Nutcracker	4:05
14.	"Now You're Mine"		Guru	2:55
15.	"Mostly Tha Voice"		Guru	3:38
16.	"F.A.L.A."		Guru Big Shug	4:17
17.	"Comin' for Datazz"		Guru	4:02

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1994)	Peak position
UK Albums (OCC)^[14]	29
US Billboard 200^[15]	25
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)^[16]	2

Year-end charts

Chart (1994)	Position
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)^[17]	58

Singles chart positions

Year	Song	Chart positions
Year	Song	Billboard Hot 100	Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks	Hot Rap Singles	Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales
1994	DWYCK	-	-	25	12
	Mass Appeal	67	42	10	3
	Code of the Streets	-	83	33	5
	Suckas Need Bodyguards	-	-	44	18

References

^ ^a ^b Jason Birchmeier (March 8, 1994). "Hard to Earn - Gang Starr | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved June 30, 2016.
^ "Dwyck - Gang Starr | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic.
^ "Mass Appeal - Gang Starr | Release Info". AllMusic.
^ "Code of the Streets - Gang Starr | Release Info". AllMusic.
^ "Suckas Need Bodyguards - Gang Starr | Release Credits". AllMusic.
^ Birchmeier, Jason. "Hard to Earn – Gang Starr". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Archived from the original on March 14, 2014. Retrieved October 25, 2013.
^ Doggett, Tom (May 24, 2005). "GangStarr:: Hard to Earn :: Chrysalis Records". RapReviews. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved October 25, 2013.
^ "CG: Gang Starr". Robert Christgau. Retrieved October 25, 2013.
^ Nelson, Havelock (June 2, 1994). "Hard To Earn : Gang Starr : Review". Rolling Stone. Wenner Media. Archived from the original on November 20, 2009. Retrieved October 25, 2013.
^ Nathan Brackett; Christian David Hoard (2004). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide. p. 322. ISBN 9780743201698. Retrieved June 30, 2016.
^ "Classic Review : Hard To Earn in The Source (1994) | Press Rewind If I Haven't". Ifihavent.wordpress.com. April 20, 2010. Archived from the original on October 11, 2016. Retrieved June 30, 2016.
^ "Tony Hawk 4 Soundtrack". October 9, 2002. Archived from the original on July 13, 2011. Retrieved November 23, 2021.
^ Noel, Dan (June 4, 2025). "Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 — The Full Soundtrack Revealed". Tony Hawk Game. Activision. Retrieved July 15, 2025.
^ "Gang Starr | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved April 19, 2016.
^ "Gang Starr Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 25, 2013.
^ "Gang Starr Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 25, 2013.
^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1994". Billboard. January 2, 2013. Archived from the original on April 17, 2021. Retrieved November 24, 2020.

[allmusic.com-1] Jason Birchmeier (March 8, 1994). "Hard to Earn - Gang Starr | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved June 30, 2016.

[2] "Dwyck - Gang Starr | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic.

[3] "Mass Appeal - Gang Starr | Release Info". AllMusic.

[4] "Code of the Streets - Gang Starr | Release Info". AllMusic.

[5] "Suckas Need Bodyguards - Gang Starr | Release Credits". AllMusic.

[AM-rev-6] Birchmeier, Jason. "Hard to Earn – Gang Starr". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Archived from the original on March 14, 2014. Retrieved October 25, 2013.

[Rap-rev-7] Doggett, Tom (May 24, 2005). "GangStarr:: Hard to Earn :: Chrysalis Records". RapReviews. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved October 25, 2013.

[8] "CG: Gang Starr". Robert Christgau. Retrieved October 25, 2013.

[RS-rev-9] Nelson, Havelock (June 2, 1994). "Hard To Earn : Gang Starr : Review". Rolling Stone. Wenner Media. Archived from the original on November 20, 2009. Retrieved October 25, 2013.

[10] Nathan Brackett; Christian David Hoard (2004). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide. p. 322. ISBN 9780743201698. Retrieved June 30, 2016.

[11] "Classic Review : Hard To Earn in The Source (1994) | Press Rewind If I Haven't". Ifihavent.wordpress.com. April 20, 2010. Archived from the original on October 11, 2016. Retrieved June 30, 2016.

[soundtrack-12] "Tony Hawk 4 Soundtrack". October 9, 2002. Archived from the original on July 13, 2011. Retrieved November 23, 2021.

[13] Noel, Dan (June 4, 2025). "Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 — The Full Soundtrack Revealed". Tony Hawk Game. Activision. Retrieved July 15, 2025.

[ac_UK_Gang_Starr-14] "Gang Starr | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved April 19, 2016.

[ac_Billboard200_Gang_Starr-15] "Gang Starr Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 25, 2013.

[ac_BillboardRandBHipHop_Gang_Starr-16] "Gang Starr Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 25, 2013.

[17] "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1994". Billboard. January 2, 2013. Archived from the original on April 17, 2021. Retrieved November 24, 2020.

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v t e Gang Starr
Guru DJ Premier Big Shug DJ Suave D Damo D-Ski DJ 1 2 B-Down
Studio albums	No More Mr. Nice Guy (1989) Step in the Arena (1991) Daily Operation (1992) Hard to Earn (1994) Moment of Truth (1998) The Ownerz (2003) One of the Best Yet (2019)
Compilations	Full Clip: A Decade of Gang Starr (1999) Mass Appeal: The Best of Gang Starr (2006)
Singles	"Dwyck" "Mass Appeal" "Code of the Streets" "You Know My Steez" "1/2 & 1/2"
Related articles	Discography

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