Knowledge Is King

1989 studio album by Kool Moe Dee

Knowledge Is King

Studio album by

Kool Moe Dee

Released

May 30, 1989

Studio

Soundtrack Studios (New York, NY) Unique Recording Studios, New York City

Genre

Hip hop

Length

44:32

Label

Jive

Producer

Kool Moe Dee
Teddy Riley
LaVaba Mallison
Pete Q. Harris

Kool Moe Dee chronology

How Ya Like Me Now
(1987)

Knowledge Is King
(1989)

Funke, Funke Wisdom
(1991)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[1]
Robert Christgau	B+^[2]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	^[3]

Knowledge Is King is the third solo studio album by American rapper Kool Moe Dee, released on May 30, 1989, via Jive Records.

Background

The album was recorded at Soundtrack Studios in New York City, New York. Production for the album was handled by Teddy Riley, LaVaba Mallison, Pete Q. Harris, and Kool Moe Dee himself. The record peaked at number 25 on the Billboard 200^[4] and number 2 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums.^[5] It is his second best-selling album, achieving gold certification by the RIAA on August 22, 1989 (his previous album How Ya Like Me Now was certified platinum).^[6]

The album spawned four charted singles: "Let's Go", "All Night Long", "I Go to Work", and "They Want Money". "They Want Money" went the most successful single of the effort, peaking at #3 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, #2 on the Hot Rap Songs and #91 on the UK Singles Chart. "I Go to Work" peaked at #13 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and #5 on the Hot Rap Songs. "All Night Long" peaked at #70 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, and "Let's Go", a diss track towards Kool Moe Dee's foe LL Cool J, peaked at #11 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"They Want Money"	M. Dewese T. Riley	3:52
2.	"The Avenue"	M. Dewese	3:46
3.	"I Go to Work"	M. Dewese	4:40
4.	"All Night Long"	M. Dewese	4:11
5.	"Knowledge is King"	M. Dewese P. Harris	3:38
6.	"I'm Hittin' Hard"	M. Dewese	4:34
7.	"Get the Picture"	M. Dewese L. Mallison	5:19
8.	"I'm Blowin' Up"	M. Dewese	4:55
9.	"The Don"	M. Dewese	5:10
10.	"Pump Your Fist"	M. Dewese	4:27
11.	"Let's Go"	M. Dewese	5:24
Total length:			44:32

Notes

Track 11 is a hidden diss track towards LL Cool J.

Sample credits

"They Want Money" contains elements from "Get on the Good Foot" by James Brown and "It's Just Begun" by Jimmy Castor
"The Avenue" contains elements from "White Lines (Don't Don't Do It)" by Grandmaster Melle Mel and "Down on the Avenue" by Fat Larry's Band
"I Go to Work" contains elements from "Super Bad" by James Brown and "Think (About It)" by Lyn Collins
"All Night Long" contains elements from "Groove Me" by King Floyd
"Knowledge is King" contains elements from "Funky Drummer" by James Brown and "I Get Lifted" by KC & the Sunshine Band
"I'm Hittin' Hard" contains elements from "Brother Green (The Disco King)" by Roy Ayers and "The Wildstyle" by Time Zone
"Get the Picture" contains elements from "Gotta Be Funky" by Monk Higgins & The Specialties
"I'm Blowin' Up" contains elements from "UFO" by ESG and "Funky Drummer" by James Brown
"The Don" contains elements from "Gimme Some More" by The J.B.'s, "The Mexican" by Babe Ruth, "It's Just Begun" by Jimmy Castor and "Gangster Boogie" by Chicago Gangsters
"Pump Your Fist" contains elements from "Soul Makossa" by Manu Dibango
"Let's Go" contains elements from "Think (About It)" by Lyn Collins, "Thriller" by Michael Jackson, "Jack the Ripper" and "I Can't Live Without My Radio" by LL Cool J

Personnel

Mohandes Dewese - vocals, producer
LaVaba Mallison - mixing, producer
Edward Theodore Riley - producer
Peter Brian Harris - producer
Chris Trevett - engineering
Josh Chervokas - engineering
George Karras - mixing
Kafi Tuda - grooming
Pietro Alfieri - artwork
Doug Rowell - photography
Ralph Wernli - photography

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1989)	Peak position
US Billboard 200^[7]	25
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)^[8]	1

Year-end charts

Chart (1989)	Position
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)^[9]	29

Singles

Year	Song	Peak positions
Year	Song	US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs^[10]	US Billboard Hot Rap Songs^[11]	UK Singles Chart^[12]
1988	"Let's Go"	11	—	—
1989	"All Night Long"	70	—	—
	"I Go to Work"	13	5	—
	"They Want Money"	3	2	91

Certifications


Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)^[13]	Gold	500,000^{^}
^{^} Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

^ Henderson, Alex. "Knowledge Is King - Kool Moe Dee". AllMusic. Retrieved November 28, 2017.
^ Christgau, Robert. "Robert Christgau: CG: Kool Moe Dee". Robert Christgau. Retrieved November 28, 2017.
^ The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. pp. 406–407.
^ "Kool Moe Dee Knowledge Is King Chart History". Billboard 200. Retrieved November 28, 2017.
^ "Kool Moe Dee Knowledge Is King Chart History". Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. Retrieved November 28, 2017.
^ "Gold & Platinum - RIAA". RIAA. August 22, 1989. Retrieved November 28, 2017.
^ "Kool Moe Dee Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved December 17, 2020.
^ "Kool Moe Dee Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved December 17, 2020.
^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1989". Billboard. Retrieved December 17, 2020.
^ "Kool Moe Dee Chart History". Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. Retrieved November 28, 2017.
^ "Kool Moe Dee Chart History". Hot Rap Songs. Retrieved November 29, 2017.
^ "KOOL MOE DEE | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". UK Singles Chart. Retrieved November 28, 2017.
^ "American album certifications – Kool Moe Dee – Knowledge Is King". Recording Industry Association of America.