{{For|the Beastie Boys song|Rock Hard (song)}} {{EngvarB|date=September 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}} {{more citations needed|date=May 2024}} {{Infobox album | name = We Rock Hard | type = Studio | artist = Freestylers | cover =We Rock Hard.jpg|border=yes | alt = | released = 14 June 1998<ref>[https://www.nme.com/artists/freestylers#discography NME]</ref> | recorded = | venue = | studio = | genre = Breakbeat, big beat, electronic | length = 73:05 | label = Freskanova (UK)<br />PIAS<br />Mammoth (US) | producer = Freestylers | prev_title = | prev_year = | next_title = Pressure Point | next_year = 2001 | misc = {{Singles | name = We Rock Hard | type = studio | single1 = B-Boy Stance | single1date = 1998 | single2 = Ruffneck | single2date = 1998 | single3 = Warning | single3date = 1998 | single4 = Here We Go | single4date = 1999 | single5 = Don't Stop | single5date = 2000 }} }} '''''We Rock Hard''''' is the debut album by the English electronic group Freestylers.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Mason |first1=Neil |title=Theme from Bangers'n'mash |magazine=Melody Maker |date=Aug 1, 1998 |volume=75 |issue=31 |page=20}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Comer |first1=M. Tye |title=Mixed Signals |magazine=CMJ New Music Monthly |date=Jan 1999 |issue=64/65 |page=55}}</ref> It was their most commercially successful release to date. AllMusic describes the album as a run through of the band members' back catalogue,<ref name=allmusic/> but it still showcases the classic big beat and breakbeat electronica that would remain the band's trademark sound along with ragga and dub twists.

The album features the single "Ruffneck", which garnered MTV rotation.

Before the album's release, Freestylers released the ''Adventures in Freestyle'' EP in 1997, which featured three tracks: "B-Boy Stance", "Feel the Panic" and "Breaker Beats (Part Two)". The EP was withdrawn from circulation because the first two songs contained uncleared samples of "Wonderwall" by Oasis (sung by Tenor Fly) and "Walk This Way" by Aerosmith.

==Critical reception== {{Music ratings |rev1 = AllMusic |rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name=allmusic>[{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r373981|pure_url=yes}} AllMusic review]</ref> |rev2 = ''NME'' |rev2score = 7/10<ref>[https://www.nme.com/reviews/freestylers/44 NME review]</ref> |rev3 = ''Rolling Stone'' |rev3score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20071017202044/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/freestylers/albums/album/200532/review/5946048/we_rock_hard Rolling Stone review]</ref> | rev4 = ''Select'' | rev4score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite magazine|first=Ian|last=Harrison|date=September 1998|title=theaudience: theaudience|magazine=Select|page=86}}</ref> }} ''The Guardian'' noted: "They've got tunes like the British breaks scene has never had tunes, which gives their superb productions a sweetness grievously lacking at the more ascetic end of breakbeat."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Bennun |first1=David |title=Everybody's Free |work=The Guardian |date=31 July 1998 |department=Features |page=14}}</ref>

==Track listing== {{Track listing | title1 = Freestyle Noize | note1 = | length1 = 5:37 | title2 = Dancehall Vibes | note2 = featuring Tenor Fly | length2 = 6:21 | title3 = Drop the Boom | note3 = | length3 = 3:01 | title4 = Don't Stop | note4 = | length4 = 4:43 | title5 = Here We Go | note5 = featuring Definition of Sound | length5 = 4:51 | title6 = The Darkside | note6 = | length6 = 4:50 | title7 = B–Boy Stance | note7 = featuring Tenor Fly) (scratches by Funk Wizard Jay Rock | length7 = 4:36 | title8 = We Rock Hard | note8 = featuring Soul Sonic Force | length8 = 7:08 | title9 = Breaker Beats (Part 1) | note9 = | length9 = 2:54 | title10 = Breaker Beats (Part 2) | note10 = | length10 = 2:57 | title11 = Scratch 22 (Jay-Rock's Theme) | note11 = produced by Funk Wizard Jay Rock | length11 = 5:25 | title12 = Ruffneck | note12 = featuring Navigator) (scratches by Funk Wizard Jay Rock | length12 = 5:40 | title13 = Feel the Panic | note13 = | length13 = 5:54 | title14 = Hold Up Your Hands | note14 = | length14 = 3:58 | title15 = Warning | note15 = featuring Navigator) (scratches by Funk Wizard Jay Rock | length15 = 5:10 }} {{Track listing | headline = 1999 US release | total_length = 1:11:23 | title1 = Freestyle Noize | note1 = | length1 = 5:36 | title2 = Dancehall Vibes | note2 = featuring Tenor Fly | length2 = 6:17 | title3 = Drop the Boom | note3 = | length3 = 3:01 | title4 = Don't Stop | note4 = | length4 = 4:20 | title5 = Here We Go | note5 = featuring Definition of Sound | length5 = 4:56 | title6 = B–Boy Stance | note6 = featuring Tenor Fly) (scratches by Funk Wizard Jay Rock | length6 = 4:21 | title7 = We Rock Hard | note7 = featuring Soul Sonic Force | length7 = 7:10 | title8 = Breaker Beats (Part 1) | note8 = | length8 = 4:36 | title9 = Spaced Invader | note9 = | length9 = 7:19 | title10 = Ruffneck | note10 = featuring Navigator) (scratches by Funk Wizard Jay Rock | length10 = 5:43 | title11 = Feel the Panic | note11 = | length11 = 5:57 | title12 = Check the Skillz | note12 = | length12 = 7:10 | title13 = Warning | note13 = featuring Navigator) (scratches by Funk Wizard Jay Rock | length13 = 4:57 }} *The female vocals on track 4 "Don't Stop" are sampled from the 1976 song "I Know" by Candi Staton. *The 1999 US release omits the tracks "The Darkside", "Breaker Beats (Part 2)", "Scratch 22 (Jay-Rock's Theme)" and "Hold Up Your Hands" and includes "Spaced Invader" and "Check the Skillz" (from the B-sides of the singles "Ruffneck" and "B-Boy Stance", respectively).

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * [http://www.discogs.com/Freestylers-We-Rock-Hard/release/1036968 We Rock Hard (1998)] at Discogs * [http://www.discogs.com/Freestylers-We-Rock-Hard/release/61552 We Rock Hard (1999)] at Discogs

{{Freestylers}} {{Authority control}}

Category:1998 debut albums Category:Freestylers albums