3 Years, 5 Months and 2 Days in the Life Of... is the debut studio album by American hip hop group Arrested Development. It was released on March 24, 1992, through Chrysalis Records. Named after the length of time it took the group to get a record contract, 3 Years, 5 Months and 2 Days in the Life Of... starkly contrasted the gangsta rap that ruled the hip hop charts in 1992 (such as Dr. Dre's The Chronic), focusing on spirituality, peace and love.
Upon release, the album received praise from critics, and its chart success ignited the popularization of Southern hip hop. It is included in Robert Dimery's book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.
The song "Tennessee" is part of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll list.
Contents
Critical reception
3 Years, 5 Months and 2 Days in the Life Of... was released to widespread critical acclaim and was later voted as the best album of the year in The Village Voice's Pazz & Jop critics' poll. Entertainment Weekly's James Bernard gave the album an "A+" and praised it as a "fresh-sounding debut", referring to the group as "the anti-gangsta" and "perhaps rap's most self-reflective act." Greg Kot of the Chicago Tribune wrote that the group "displays unusual worldliness, wisdom and awareness on its debut, immediately establishing itself as a major new voice in hip-hop", noting Speech's social themes and rejection of "macho boasting and gangster posing". In a negative assessment, Robert Christgau of The Village Voice assigned the album a "dud" rating and wrote that the album was "not horrible by any means" but "too often the beats shambled and the raps meandered", though he would later revise his rating to single out "Tennessee" as a "choice cut".
Retrospectively, Steve Huey of AllMusic wrote that the rise of gangsta rap abruptly ended what seemed to be a "shining new era in alternative rap" heralded by 3 Years and that the album, while not "quite as revolutionary as it first seemed", was nonetheless "a fine record that often crosses the line into excellence", further crediting it as "a major influence on a new breed of alternative Southern hip-hop, including Goodie Mob, Outkast, and Nappy Roots".
The Wire named the album its record of the year, the first time the magazine had expanded its year-end critics' poll to include albums in non-jazz genres. The album was included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.
Track listing
Samples used
"Mama's Always on Stage" samples "We're Ready" by Buddy Guy and Junior Wells on the album Hoodoo Man Blues, as well as "Parents Are People" by Harry Belafonte and Marlo Thomas.
"People Everyday" interpolates "Everyday People" by Sly and the Family Stone, and samples "Tappan Zee" by Bob James.
"Mr. Wendal" samples "Sing a Simple Song" by Sly and the Family Stone.
"Give a Man a Fish" samples "When It Comes Down to It" by Minnie Riperton.
"U" samples "Mighty Quinn" by Ramsey Lewis.
"Natural" samples "Sunshine" by Earth, Wind & Fire.
"Tennessee" samples "Alphabet St." by Prince, "Papa Was Too" by Joe Tex, "Funky Drummer" by James Brown, "BNH" by the Brand New Heavies, and "Tough" by Kurtis Blow.
"Washed Away" samples "Thin Line Between Love and Hate" by the Persuaders.
Personnel
Arrested Development – arranger
Baba Oje
Brother Larry – guitar
Montsho Eshe
Dionne Farris – vocals
Headliner
Aerle Taree – stylist
Tom Held – engineer
Larry Jackson – saxophone
Terrance Cinque Mason – vocals
Rasa Don – drums
Sister Paulette – vocals
Speech – producer, executive producer, mixing
Alvin Speights – engineer
Howie Weinberg – mastering
Richard Wells – engineer
Lindsey Williams – project director
Jeffrey Henson Scales – photography
Matt Still – assistant engineer
Randall Martin – art direction