# World Ultimate

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***World Ultimate*** is the first studio album by American hip hop group [the Nonce](/source/The_Nonce). It was released by [American Recordings](/source/American_Recordings_(record_label)) and Wild West Records on February 28, 1995.[1][2] "Bus Stops" peaked at number 44 on the *[Billboard](/source/Billboard_(magazine))* [Hot Rap Songs](/source/Hot_Rap_Songs) chart.[3]

## Critical reception

Glen Sansone of *[CMJ New Music Monthly](/source/CMJ_New_Music_Monthly)* stated that "*World Ultimate* tips its cap to both [L.L. Cool J](/source/LL_Cool_J) and [MC Shan](/source/MC_Shan), while joining loose, outgoing B-Boy posturing with old-school beats jacketed in an ethereal coating, as on 'Mix Tapes.'"[4] *[The Village Voice](/source/The_Village_Voice)* called "Keep It On" "perfect, passages of cool jazz chording blending into flat noise and movement."[5]

Steve Huey of [AllMusic](/source/AllMusic) wrote, "Occasionally, the duo can get a little too relaxed, but on the whole it's an engaging alternative to the standard West Coast gangsta fare."[6] Matt Welty of *[Complex](/source/Complex_(magazine))* commented that "MCs Nouka Basetype (who would later go by Sach) and Yusef Afloat came together with their conscious perspectives to rap over jazzy instrumentation about everything from taking the bus to the issues plaguing hip-hop."[7] In 2012, *[Fact](/source/Fact_(UK_magazine))* included the album on the "Most Overlooked Hip-Hop LPs of the 90s" list.[8]

## Personnel

Credits adapted from liner notes.

**[The Nonce](/source/The_Nonce)**

- Nouka Basetype – vocals, production, cover concept
- Yusef Afloat – vocals, production, cover concept

**Additional personnel**

- [Aceyalone](/source/Aceyalone) – additional vocals (3)
- Butta B. – additional vocals (4)
- Meen Green – additional vocals (4)
- [Figures of Speech](/source/Figures_of_Speech) – background vocals (9)
- Sean Freehill – recording
- [Tom Coyne](/source/Tom_Coyne_(music_engineer)) – mastering
- Morris "Mo" Taft – executive production, cover concept
- Aldo Sampieri – art direction
- Susan Goines – cover photography
- Dorothy Low – inside folder photography

## References

1. Tosiello, Pete (September 28, 2015). ["The Nonce Were One of L.A.'s Greatest '90s Rap Groups — Until Tragedy Intervened"](https://www.laweekly.com/the-nonce-were-one-of-l-a-s-greatest-90s-rap-groups-until-tragedy-intervened/). *[LA Weekly](/source/LA_Weekly)*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20200813012302/https://www.laweekly.com/the-nonce-were-one-of-l-a-s-greatest-90s-rap-groups-until-tragedy-intervened/) August 13, 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved November 26, 2022.

1. Fox, Luke (February 4, 2021). ["Hip-Hop Moments in 1995 That Were Pivotal to the Golden Era"](https://www.xxlmag.com/1995-hip-hop-timeline/). *[XXL](/source/XXL_(magazine))*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20210226003327/https://www.xxlmag.com/1995-hip-hop-timeline/) February 26, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved November 26, 2022.

1. ["The Nonce: Chart History"](http://www.billboard.com/music/the-nonce/chart-history). *[Billboard](/source/Billboard_(magazine))*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20180602124225/https://www.billboard.com/music/the-nonce/chart-history) June 2, 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved June 2, 2018.

1. Sansone, Glen (March 1995). "Hip-Hop". *[CMJ New Music Monthly](/source/CMJ_New_Music_Monthly)*

1. Hunter, James (25 July 1995). "Out there". *The Village Voice*. Vol. 40, no. 30. p. 68.

1. Huey, Steve. ["The Nonce - World Ultimate"](http://www.allmusic.com/album/world-ultimate-mw0000123455). *[AllMusic](/source/AllMusic)*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160921200129/http://www.allmusic.com/album/world-ultimate-mw0000123455) September 21, 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved April 21, 2016.

1. Welty, Matt (March 27, 2015). ["Listen to These '90s Underground West Coast Rap Releases if You Like Kendrick Lamar's New Album - The Nonce, World Ultimate"](http://www.complex.com/music/2015/03/kendrick-lamar-to-pimp-a-butterfly-underground-rap-inspirations/the-nonce-world-ultimate). *[Complex](/source/Complex_(magazine))*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20150330044613/http://www.complex.com/music/2015/03/kendrick-lamar-to-pimp-a-butterfly-underground-rap-inspirations/) March 30, 2015 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved April 21, 2016.

1. ["The Most Overlooked Hip-Hop LPs of the 90s: Part 2 (page 3 of 11)"](http://www.factmag.com/2012/08/24/the-most-overlooked-hip-hop-lps-of-the-90s-part-two/3/). *[Fact](/source/Fact_(UK_magazine))*. August 24, 2012. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160425234640/http://www.factmag.com/2012/08/24/the-most-overlooked-hip-hop-lps-of-the-90s-part-two/3/) April 25, 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved April 21, 2016.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [World Ultimate](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Ultimate) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Ultimate?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.