Harlem: Diary of a Summer
| Company type | Studio album |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | August 23, 2005 |
| Founder | Jim Jones |
| Products | Hip hop music album |
| Parent | Diplomat Records, Koch Records |
Harlem: Diary of a Summer represents the sophomore studio album effort by American hip-hop artist Jim Jones, officially released on August 23, 2005, via Diplomat Records alongside Koch Records. The production roster includes acclaimed names such as Pete Rock, Antwan "Amadeus" Thompson, Develop, and Tuneheadz. Featured collaborations on the project include appearances from Juelz Santana, Trey Songz, P. Diddy, and Max B.
The album was promoted through three singles: "Baby Girl", "Summer Wit Miami", and "What You Been Drankin' On". It garnered favorable critical reception and achieved notable commercial performance, debuting at number five on the US Billboard 200 chart with first-week sales totaling 74,000 units.
Singles
The initial single, "Baby Girl", dropped on July 2, 2005, and includes a guest verse by Max B. Although it did not enter the Billboard Hot 100, it reached number 58 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart. The follow-up single, "Summer Wit Miami" featuring Trey Songz, was released on August 10, 2005, peaking at number 78 on the same chart. The third release, "What You Been Drankin' On", which features P. Diddy, Jha Jha, and Paul Wall, came out on September 29, 2005 but failed to chart.
Critical reception
Harlem: Diary of a Summer was met with mostly positive critiques. AllMusic noted its "hooky brightness," contrasting it with the darker tone of Jones's debut album and commended the title track for its "breezy jazz hook and friendly spirit," assigning a rating of 3.5 stars. Albert M. from HipHopDX characterized the album as a vivid exploration of Harlem's lifestyle and energy, emphasizing its increased depth and edge compared to Jones's earlier work, awarding it 3.5 out of 5 stars. In a 2023 retrospective review by Pitchfork critic Paul A. Thompson lauded Jones as an "auteur of the ordinary," highlighting his straightforward lyricism and vocal delivery that captures an authentic slice of everyday life.
Commercial performance
Upon release, Harlem: Diary of a Summer entered the US Billboard 200 chart at position number five with opening week sales of 74,000 copies—marking Jim Jones’s first top-ten entry in the US and his highest-charting album to date. Additionally, the album debuted atop both the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and Independent Albums charts, becoming his inaugural number-one record on these listings and maintaining the top spot on the Independent Albums chart for two consecutive weeks.
Track listing
Sample credits
- "My Diary" incorporates elements from "Living Inside Your Love" by Earl Klugh.
- "G's Up" contains samples of "I Think You Need Love" by Dionne Warwick.
- "Confront Ya Babe" uses a sample from "Journey to Transylvania" by Alan Silvestri.
- "Summer wit Miami" samples "Between the Sheets" by The Isley Brothers.
- "Tupac Joint" features samples from "Homies & Thuggs" by Scarface and Master P.
Weekly charts
Template:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chart| Chart (2005) | Peak position |
|---|
Year-end rankings
| Chart (2005) | Rank |
|---|---|
| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) | 64 |