Wild Cowboys

{{Short description|1996 album by Sadat X}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}} {{Infobox album | name = Wild Cowboys | type = Studio | artist = Sadat X | cover = WildCowboys.jpg | alt = | released = {{Start date|1996|7|15}} | recorded = 1995–96 | studio = {{hlist|Chung King Studios (New York, NY)|D&D Studios (New York, NY)|Chris Biondo Studios (Washington, D.C.)|Platinum Island Studios (New York, NY)|Greene St. Recording (New York, NY)}} | genre = Hip-hop | length = {{Duration|h=1|m=4|s=1}} | label = {{hlist|Loud|RCA}} | producer = {{hlist|Matt Life (exec.)|Schott Free (exec.)|Dante Ross (also exec.)|Sadat X (also exec.)|Ali Malek|Ant Greene Father Time|Buckwild|Da Beatminerz|Diamond D|DJ Alamo|DJ Ogee|Minnesota|Pete Rock|Showbiz}} | prev_title = | prev_year = | next_title = The State of New York vs. Derek Murphy | next_year = 2000 | misc = {{Singles | name = Wild Cowboys | type = studio | single1 = Hang 'Em High | single1date = May 20, 1996 | single2 = The Lump Lump | single2date = October 28, 1996 }} }} '''''Wild Cowboys''''' is the debut solo studio album by American rapper Sadat X of Brand Nubian. It was released on July 15, 1996, via Loud Records. The recording sessions took place at Chung King Studios, D&D Studios, Platinum Island Studios and Greene St. Recording in New York, and at Chris Biondo Studios in Washington, D.C. It was produced by Sadat, Diamond D, Buckwild, DJ Ogee, Ali Malek, Ant Greene Father Time, Da Beatminerz, Dante Ross, DJ Alamo, Minnesota, Pete Rock, and Showbiz. It features guest appearances from Shawn Black, DV Alias Khrist, Deda, Grand Puba, Kool Chuck, Money Boss Players, Tec, Sha Sha and Regina Hall. The album peaked at number 83 on the ''Billboard'' 200 and number 13 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.

''Wild Cowboys'' spawned two singles: "Hang 'Em High" b/w "Stages & Lights", which made it to No. 98 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, and "The Lump Lump", which reached No. 85 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and No. 20 on the Hot Rap Songs chart.

A sequel to the album, ''Wild Cowboys II'', was released on March 23, 2010.

==Critical reception== {{Music ratings | rev1 = AllMusic | rev1score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref>{{Cite web|last=Stanley|first=Leo|title=Wild Cowboys - Sadat X {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits {{!}} AllMusic|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/wild-cowboys-mw0000647687|access-date=November 13, 2020|website=AllMusic|language=en-us}}</ref> | rev2 = ''Muzik'' | rev2Score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Ashon |first=Will |author-link=Will Ashon |date=September 1996 |title=Sadat X: ''Wild Cowboys'' |url=http://www.muzikmagazine.co.uk/issues/muzik016_september_1996.pdf |magazine=Muzik |issue=16 |page=109 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220403080045/http://www.muzikmagazine.co.uk/issues/muzik016_september_1996.pdf |archive-date=3 April 2022 |access-date=16 July 2022}}</ref> | rev3 = ''RapReviews'' | rev3score = 8.5/10<ref>{{Cite web|last=Jost|first=Matt|date=January 26, 2010|title=Sadat X :: Wild Cowboys :: Loud Records|url=http://www.rapreviews.com/archive/BTTL_sadatwildcowboys.html|access-date=November 13, 2020|website=www.rapreviews.com}}</ref> | rev4 = ''(The New) Rolling Stone Album Guide'' | rev4score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Brackett|first1=Nathan|author-link=Nathan Brackett|last2=Hoard|first2=Christian David|author-link2=Christian Hoard|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t9eocwUfoSoC&q=Sadat+X+Wild+Cowboys&pg=PA102|title=(The New) Rolling Stone Album Guide|publisher=Simon & Schuster|year=2004|isbn=978-0-7432-0169-8|pages=102|language=en}}</ref> }} The ''Sun Sentinel'' noted that "the lean arrangements sometimes taper off to nothingness, and the songs tend to run the usual rap gamut from B to C (smokin' blunts, drinkin' Colt 45)."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Piccoli |first1=Sean |title=Rap |work=Sun Sentinel |date=28 July 1996 |page=3D}}</ref>

==Track listing== {{Track listing | all_writing = | extra_column = Producer(s) | title1 = The Lump Lump | writer1 = {{hlist|Derek Murphy|Anthony Best}} | extra1 = Buckwild | length1 = 3:55 | title2 = Wild Cowboys | writer2 = {{hlist|Murphy|Joseph Kirkland}} | extra2 = Diamond D | length2 = 4:38 | title3 = Sauce for Birdheads | note3 = featuring Shawn Black | writer3 = {{hlist|Murphy|Shawn Hector|Gary S. Scott}} | extra3 = DJ Ogee | length3 = 4:03 | title4 = Open Bar | note4 = featuring Grand Puba | writer4 = {{hlist|Murphy|Maxwell Dixon|Keith Jones|Bronisław Kaper|Paul Francis Webster}} | extra4 = DJ Alamo | length4 = 4:35 | title5 = Hang 'Em High | note5 = featuring D.V. Alias Khrist | writer5 = {{hlist|Murphy|Ali Malek|Kirkland|Ennio Morricone}} | extra5 = Ali Malek | length5 = 4:00 | title6 = Do It Again | writer6 = {{hlist|Murphy|Mark Richardson}} | extra6 = Minnesota | length6 = 4:02 | title7 = Game's Sober | note7 = featuring Money Boss Players and Sha Sha | writer7 = {{hlist|Murphy|Hector|Sean Hamiltion|Eddie Faison|Basil Tweedy|Harkiem Hollis|Allan Hendrix|Richardson|J.A. Greene|A. Glenn}} | extra7 = Ant Greene Father Time | length7 = 4:39 | title8 = Smoking on the Low | note8 = featuring D.V. Alias Khrist and Shawn Black | writer8 = {{hlist|Murphy|Hector|Best}} | extra8 = Buckwild | length8 = 4:42 | title9 = Petty People | note9 = featuring Shawn Black | writer9 = {{hlist|Murphy|Hector|Kirkland}} | extra9 = Diamond D | length9 = 4:26 | title10 = The Interview | note10 = featuring Regina Hall | writer10 = {{hlist|Murphy|Walter Dewgarde|Ewart Dewgarde}} | extra10 = Da Beatminerz | length10 = 3:32 | title11 = Stages and Lights | writer11 = {{hlist|Murphy|Rodney Lemay}} | extra11 = Showbiz | length11 = 4:15 | title12 = Move On | writer12 = {{hlist|Murphy|Kirkland}} | extra12 = Diamond D | length12 = 4:25 | title13 = The Funkiest | writer13 = {{hlist|Murphy|Minnie Riperton|Richard Rudolph}} | extra13 = {{hlist|Dante Ross|Sadat X}} | length13 = 4:10 | title14 = Escape from New York | note14 = featuring Deda | writer14 = {{hlist|Murphy|Peter Phillips}} | extra14 = Pete Rock | length14 = 4:10 | title15 = The Hashout | note15 = featuring Kool Chuck, Shawn Black and Tec | writer15 = {{hlist|Murphy|Hector|Scott}} | extra15 = DJ Ogee | length15 = 4:28 | total_length = 1:04:01 }}

;Sample credits *Track 1 contains samples from "Tell Me" written by Bryce Wilson and Amel Larrieux and performed by Groove Theory *Track 4 contains samples from "Invitation" written by Bronisław Kaper and Paul Francis Webster and performed by Cal Tjader *Track 5 embodies portions of "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" written by Ennio Morricone *Track 7 contains samples from "Standing Right Here" written by Gene McFadden, John Whitehead and Victor Carstarphen and performed by Melba Moore *Track 13 contains excerpts from "Lovin' You" performed by Minnie Ripperton

==Personnel== {{div col}} *Derek "Sadat X" Murphy – main artist, producer (track 13), executive producer, sleeve notes *Shawn "Shawn Black" Hector – featured artist (tracks: 3, 8, 9, 15) *Maxwell "Grand Puba" Dixon – featured artist (track 4) *Kenneth "DV Alias Khtist" Scranton – featured artist (tracks: 5, 8) *Eddie "Eddie Cheeba" Faison – featured artist (track 7) *Sean "Lord Tariq" Hamilton – featured artist (track 7) *Mark "Minnesota" Richardson – featured artist (track 7), producer (track 6) *Sha Sha – vocals (track 7) *Regina Hall – featured artist (track 10) *Sylvester "Deda" James – featured artist (track 14) *Kool Chuck – featured artist (track 15) *Tec – featured artist (track 15) *Anthony "Roc Raida" Williams – scratches (track 1) *Anthony "Tone The Backbone" Scott – bass (track 10) *Tim Latham – mixing (track 1) *John Wydrycs – recording (track 1) *Gordon "Commissioner Gordon" Williams – mixing (tracks: 2, 11, 13), recording (tracks: 2, 13) *Tony Smalios – mixing (tracks: 3–5, 8–9, 15) *Chris Conway – recording (tracks: 3, 11, 15) *Jack Hersca – recording (tracks: 4, 9, 12), mixing (track 12) *Chris Biondo – recording (track 5) *Troy Hightower – mixing (tracks: 6, 7) *Ken "Duro" Ifill – recording (tracks: 6, 7) *Mario Rodriguez – recording (track 8) *Leo "Swift" Morris – mixing & recording (track 10) *James Wilson Staub – mixing & recording (track 14) *Tom Coyne – mastering *Anthony "Buckwild" Best – producer (tracks: 1, 8) *Joseph "Diamond D" Kirkland – producer (tracks: 2, 9, 12), additional programming (track 5) *Gary "DJ Ogee" Scott – producer (tracks: 3, 15) *Keith "Alamo" Jones – producer (track 4) *Ali Malek – producer (track 5) *Ant Greene Father Time – producer (track 7) *Ewart "DJ Evil Dee" Dewgarde – producer (track 10) *Walter "Mr. Walt" Dewgarde – producer (track 10) *Rodney "Showbiz" LeMay – producer (track 11) *Dante Ross – producer (track 13), executive producer, management *Peter "Pete Rock" Phillips – producer (track 14) *Matteo "Matt Life" Glen – executive producer, A&R *Schott "Schott Free" Jacobs – executive producer, A&R *Ola Kudu – art direction, design *Danny Clinch – photography {{div col end}}

==Charts== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |- ! scope="col"| Chart (1996) ! scope="col"| Peak position |- {{album chart|Billboard200|83|artist=Sadat X|accessdate=November 13, 2020|rowheader=true}} |- {{album chart|BillboardRandBHipHop|13|artist=Sadat X|accessdate=November 13, 2020|rowheader=true}} |}

===Singles chart positions=== {| class="wikitable" |- !rowspan="2"| Year !rowspan="2"| Song !colspan="4"| Chart positions |- ! US Hot 100 ! US R&B ! US Rap ! US Dance |- | rowspan="2" | 1996 | "Hang 'Em High" | align=center|98 | align=center|53 | align=center|12 | align=center|21 |- | "The Lump Lump" | align=center|— | align=center|85 | align=center|20 | align=center|5 |}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *{{Discogs master|83759|Sadat X – Wild Cowboys}}

Category:Sadat X albums Category:1996 debut albums Category:RCA Records albums Category:Loud Records albums Category:Albums produced by Buckwild Category:Albums produced by Pete Rock Category:Albums produced by Diamond D Category:Albums produced by Dante Ross Category:Albums produced by Da Beatminerz Category:Albums produced by Showbiz (producer) Category:Albums recorded at Chung King Studios Category:Albums recorded at Greene St. Recording