{{For|the title song|93 'til Infinity (song)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}} {{Infobox album | name = 93 'til Infinity | type = studio | artist = Souls of Mischief | cover = 93tilinfinity.jpg | alt = | released = {{Start date|1993|09|28}} | recorded = 1992–1993 | venue = | studio = Hyde Street (San Francisco) | genre = Alternative hip hop | length = {{Duration|m=54|s=38}} | label = Jive | producer = * Domino * Del the Funky Homosapien * A Plus * Casual * Jay Biz | prev_title = | prev_year = | next_title = No Man's Land | next_year = 1995 |misc = {{Singles| | name = 93 'til Infinity | type = studio | single1 = 93 'til Infinity | single1date = 1993 | single2 = That's When Ya Lost | single2date = May 10, 1993 | single3 = Never No More | single3date = 1994}} }} '''''93 'til Infinity''''' is the debut studio album by American hip-hop group Souls of Mischief. It was released on September 28, 1993, by Jive Records.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Auerbach|first1=Evan|title=The Choice Is Yours: 10 Great Rap Release Dates Of The 1990s|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/therecord/2013/09/23/225487177/the-choice-is-yours-10-great-rap-release-dates-of-the-1990s|date=September 25, 2013|website=NPR|access-date=September 28, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Drake|first1=David|title=Great Days In Rap Album Release History|url=https://www.complex.com/music/a/david-drake/great-days-in-rap-album-release-history|website=Complex|access-date=September 28, 2023|date=June 18, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Williams|first1=Jaelani Turner|title=Watch Souls of Mischief Deliver New Bars Over Classic "‘93 ‘til Infinity" On Red Bull Spiral|url=https://www.okayplayer.com/souls-of-mischief-deliver-new-93-til-infinity|website=Okayplayer|access-date=September 28, 2023|date=August 2, 2023}}</ref>
==Composition== The sound of ''93 'til Infinity'' is characteristic of the distinct style explored by the collective, including a rhyme scheme based on internal rhyme and beats centered around a live bass and obscure jazz and funk samples. According to AllMusic author Steve Huey, "Although the title cut is an underappreciated classic, ''93 'til Infinity'' makes its greatest impression through its stunning consistency, not individual highlights."<ref name="Allmusic"/>
==Critical reception== {{Music ratings | rev1 = AllMusic | rev1score = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref name="Allmusic">{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/93-til-infinity-mw0000104362|title=93 'Til Infinity – Souls of Mischief|website=AllMusic|access-date=September 15, 2011|last=Huey|first=Steve}}</ref> | rev2 = ''Christgau's Consumer Guide'' | rev2score = A−<ref>{{cite book|chapter=Souls of Mischief: '93 'til Infinity|chapter-url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/get_album.php?id=3244|access-date=December 16, 2018|title=Christgau's Consumer Guide: Albums of the '90s|title-link=Christgau's Consumer Guide: Albums of the '90s|last=Christgau|first=Robert|author-link=Robert Christgau|publisher=St. Martin's Griffin|year=2000|isbn=0-312-24560-2}}</ref> | rev3 = ''RapReviews'' | rev3score = 9.5/10<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rapreviews.com/archive/BTTL_93tilinfinity.html|title=Souls of Mischief :: '93 Til Infinity :: Jive/Zomba|work=RapReviews|date=January 4, 2005|access-date=September 15, 2011|last=Simelane|first=Vukile}}</ref> | rev4 = ''The Rolling Stone Album Guide'' | rev4score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite book|chapter=Souls of Mischief|last=Sarig|first=Roni|title=The New Rolling Stone Album Guide|title-link=The Rolling Stone Album Guide|editor1-last=Brackett|editor1-first=Nathan|editor2-last=Hoard|editor2-first=Christian|publisher=Simon & Schuster|edition=4th|year=2004|isbn=0-7432-0169-8|pages=[https://archive.org/details/newrollingstonea00brac/page/760 760–61]}}</ref> | rev5 = ''The Source'' | rev5score = {{rating|3.5|5}}<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Johnson|first=Brett|title=Record Report: Souls of Mischief – '93 'til Infinity|magazine=The Source|issue=45|date=June 1993|page=69}}</ref> }} ''93 'til Infinity'' was critically acclaimed for its subject matter, production, and rapping, though it was not as popular as other West Coast hip hop albums at the time of its release. The ''St. Petersburg Times'' noted that "the new school diversity and relaxed swagger is highlighted by the Souls' raw and effortless verbal flow."<ref>{{cite news |title=Sound Bites |work=St. Petersburg Times |date=17 Dec 1993 |department=Weekend |page=16}}</ref> ''The Washington Post'' praised "the distant trumpet shouts and fuzzy drum brushes in 'Never No More' and the combination of record-scratches and Ramsey Lewis keyboard samples on 'Make Your Mind Up'."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Griffin |first1=Gil |title=Tribe, Souls: New School's Top Students |work=The Washington Post |date=Jan 12, 1994 |page=D7}}</ref> Suzann Vogel of ''Philadelphia Weekly'' wrote:
{{cquote|At the pinnacle of the G-funked gangsta era, Souls of Mischief took the low road of emotional complexity. Hailing from Oakland, Calif., the foursome's distinctive lyrical mapping, infectious beats and subtle melodies on their debut rerouted gun-toting wannabes back to the underground and vaulted record-label Hieroglyphics to indie legend. MCs Tajai, Opio, Phesto and A-Plus exhibited a surprising charisma between them while undoing ghetto esteem. Their world of boredom, girls, weed, books, lounging and, of course, violence was a more easily understood reality for those caught between Pete Rock's tragedy, De La Soul's hippie aesthetics and Tupac's marginalizing glamour. Follow-up releases by Souls fell pathetically flat of achieving ''{{'}}Til Infinity''{{'}}s harmony, and MCs have since broached personal topics of greater depth. Still, the genre-altering release possesses one undeniable truth: Reality's never sounded so good.{{citation needed|date=June 2024}}}}
Steve Huey of AllMusic also positively reviewed ''93 'til Infinity'', calling it "the best single album to come out of Oakland's Hieroglyphics camp," as well as saying how Souls of Mischief "completely redefined the art of lyrical technique for the West Coast" and that it's "one of the most slept-on records of the '90s".<ref name="Allmusic" />
In 1998, the album was selected as one of ''The Source''{{'}}s 100 Best Rap Albums.<ref>{{cite magazine|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line --> |title=100 Best Albums: The Top Hip-Hop LP's of All Time|magazine=The Source|issue=100|page=28|location=New York|date=January 1998}}</ref>
==Commercial performance== ''93 'til Infinity'' met commercial success with its title track and lead single, which reached No. <!-- NEVER REACHED THE TOP FIFTY -->72 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. It also featured singles "That's When Ya Lost" and "Never No More" which reached the Hot Rap Singles but never charted on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100.
==Legacy and influence== Over the years, the title track "93 'til Infinity" has been referenced and sampled by numerous artists, including Consequence and Kanye West in their 2004 song "03 'Til Infinity",<ref name="quiet_20years">{{cite web|last1=Batey|first1=Angus|title=20 Years On: Souls Of Mischief's 93 'Til Infinity Revisited|url=https://thequietus.com/articles/13938-souls-of-mischief-93-til-infinity|website=The Quietus|access-date=September 28, 2023|date=November 25, 2013}}</ref> J. Cole in 2009's "Til' Infinity",<ref>{{cite web|last1=Threadcraft|first1=Torry|title=Did J. Cole Taint His L.A. Leakers Freestyle With This Terrible Bill Cosby Line?|url=https://www.okayplayer.com/culture/jcole-l-a-leakers-freestyle-cosby.html|website=Okayplayer|access-date=September 28, 2023|date=May 12, 2021}}</ref> Freddie Gibbs in 2009's "How We Do",<ref>{{cite web|last1=Davies|first1=Sam|title=How Souls Of Mischief's '93 'til Infinity' inspired a new future for hip-hop|url=https://djmag.com/features/how-souls-mischiefs-93-til-infinity-inspired-new-future-hip-hop|website=DJ Magazine|access-date=September 28, 2023|date=June 20, 2023}}</ref> Big K.R.I.T in 2010's "Somedayz",<ref>{{cite web|last1=Breihan|first1=Tom|title=Video: Big K.R.I.T.: "Somedayz"|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/39873-video-big-krit-somedayz/|website=Pitchfork|access-date=September 28, 2023|date=August 25, 2010}}</ref> and Joey Badass in 2013's "95 Til Infinity".<ref>{{cite web|last1=Drake|first1=David|title=Video: Joey Bada$$ "95 Til Infinity"|url=https://www.complex.com/music/a/david-drake/joey-badass-95-til-infinity-video|website=Complex|access-date=September 28, 2023|date=June 28, 2013}}</ref>
==Track listing== <!--this section is for album credits only--> {{Track listing | total_length = 53:10 | extra_column = Producer(s) | title1 = Let 'em Know | extra1 = Domino | length1 = 4:15 | title2 = Live and Let Live | extra2 = Domino | length2 = 5:20 | title3 = That's When Ya Lost | note3 = featuring Pep Love | extra3 = Del the Funky Homosapien | length3 = 3:35 | title4 = A Name I Call Myself | extra4 = Del the Funky Homosapien | length4 = 4:11 | title5 = Disseshowedo | extra5 = Domino, Jay Biz | length5 = 2:59 | title6 = What a Way to Go Out | extra6 = Domino | length6 = 3:59 | title7 = Never No More | extra7 = A-Plus | length7 = 3:41 | title8 = 93 'til Infinity | extra8 = A-Plus | length8 = 4:46 | title9 = Limitations | note9 = featuring Casual and Del the Funky Homosapien | extra9 = Jay Biz | length9 = 3:21 | title10 = Anything Can Happen | extra10 = A-Plus | length10 = 3:02 | title11 = Make Your Mind Up | extra11 = Del the Funky Homosapien | length11 = 3:51 | title12 = Batting Practice | extra12 = Casual | length12 = 4:04 | title13 = Tell Me Who Profits | extra13 = Casual | length13 = 4:02 | title14 = Outro | extra14 = Domino | length14 = 2:04 }}
==Personnel== '''Souls of Mischief''' *Opio – vocals *Tajai – vocals *Phesto – vocals *A-Plus – DJ, producer
'''Additional personnel''' *Pep Love *Del the Funky Homosapien – producer *Casual – rap, vocals *Bill Ortiz – trumpet *Domino – producer *Jay Biz – producer *Kwam *Snupe – backing vocals
==Charts== ===Weekly charts=== {| class="wikitable" |- !rowspan="2"| Year !rowspan="2"| Album !colspan="2"| Peak<br/>position |- ! ''Billboard'' 200<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Souls of Mischief – Chart history|url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/279975/souls-mischief/chart?f=305|magazine=Billboard|access-date=26 August 2016}}</ref> ! Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Souls of Mischief – Chart history|url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/279975/souls-mischief/chart?f=333|magazine=Billboard|access-date=26 August 2016}}</ref> |- | 1993 | ''93 'til Infinity'' | style="text-align:center;"|85 | style="text-align:center;"|17 |}
===Singles=== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |- !rowspan="2"| Year !rowspan="2"| Song !colspan="4"| Peak<br/>position |- ! ''Billboard'' Hot 100<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Souls of Mischief – Chart history|url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/279975/souls-mischief/chart?f=379|magazine=Billboard|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161105112331/http://www.billboard.com/artist/279975/souls-mischief/chart?f=379|archive-date=November 5, 2016|access-date=26 August 2016}}</ref> ! Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Souls of Mischief – Chart history|url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/279975/souls-mischief/chart?f=367|magazine=Billboard|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160918112840/http://www.billboard.com/artist/279975/souls-mischief/chart?f=367|archive-date=September 18, 2016|access-date=26 August 2016}}</ref> ! Hot Rap Singles<ref name="allmusic_charts">{{cite web|title=Souls of Mischief – Awards|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/souls-of-mischief-mn0000041857/awards|website=AllMusic|access-date=26 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130409153449/http://www.allmusic.com/artist/souls-of-mischief-mn0000041857/awards|archive-date=9 April 2013}}</ref> ! Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales<ref name="allmusic_charts" /> |- |rowspan="2"| 1993 | "93 'Til Infinity" |<!-- THIS IS CORRECT -->72 |<!-- THIS IS CORRECT -->65 |11 |20 |- | "That's When Ya Lost" |— |— |24 |— |- | 1994 | "Never No More" |— |— |46 |15 |- | colspan="14" style="font-size:90%"| "—" denotes that a recording did not chart. |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{Discogs master|66263|93 'til Infinity|type=album}}
{{Souls of Mischief}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:1993 debut albums Category:Souls of Mischief albums Category:Jive Records albums Category:Albums produced by A-Plus (rapper)