Pray IV Reign

Pray IV Reign
Company type	Studio album
Industry	Music
Founded	March 24, 2009; 17 years ago
Founder	Jim Jones
Products	Hip hop music album
Parent	E1 Music, Columbia Records, Sony Music Entertainment, Ether Boy Records, Splash Records, BG Records

Pray IV Reign represents the fourth studio album from American hip hop artist Jim Jones, officially released on March 24, 2009. The album was distributed through a collaboration of labels including E1 Music, Columbia Records, Sony Music Entertainment, Ether Boy Records, Splash Records, and BG Records. Notably, this project was Jones' inaugural release outside of Diplomat Records and marked his introduction to a major record label. The production roster features contributions from Ron Browz, Chink Santana, No I.D., Ryan Leslie, Michael Crawford, Triple-A, and Young Seph. Guest artists appearing on the album include Ron Browz, Juelz Santana, NOE, Mel Matrix, Rell, Ludacris, Ryan Leslie, Chink Santana, Bree-Beauty, members of Starr, Rowana, and Oshy.

Background

Initially named Back 2 Back, this album marked Jim Jones' debut collaboration with Columbia Records. The cover art was captured by photographer Thi Chien and was released in several variants showcasing different background hues—red, green, and blue—as well as a Deluxe Edition featuring a close-up portrait of Jim Jones.

Music

During a 2008 preview event, multiple tracks were unveiled. The introductory track originally bore the title "Across 110th Street," while "How to Be a Boss" was first known as "Follow this Blueprint." On the sixth track titled "Frienemies," Jones confronts tensions involving Cam'ron and Max B. The song "My My My" serves as a heartfelt homage to the late Stack Bundles and is regarded as one of Jones' most emotionally charged performances. The loss of Stack Bundles played a significant role in inspiring the themes of Pray IV Reign.

There were also reports of a remix involving MGMT’s "Electric Feel", which Jones described as a natural collaboration that followed their meeting at United Palace Theater.

Release and promotion

On July 8, 2008, Jim Jones introduced "The Good Shit," produced by Ron Browz and featuring fellow ByrdGang artist NOE. Though initially planned as the lead single under the working title Back 2 Back, it was eventually used for promotional efforts rather than as an official single.

The track "Pop Champagne", created alongside Ron Browz and fellow Dipset member Juelz Santana, leaked during summer 2008 and rapidly gained popularity in clubs, reaching #22 on the Billboard Hot 100. Officially released as the lead single on September 4, 2008, it became Jim Jones’ second highest-charting single following his 2006 hit "We Fly High."

In October 2008, Jones released a promotional video featuring his verse on a remix of Kid Cudi’s "Day 'n' Nite." He originally targeted December 9 for the album’s release date to coincide with projects from both Jay-Z and 50 Cent.

To further support the album launch, Jones teamed up with Damon Dash and director J. Kyle Manzay to produce Hip-Hop Monologues: Inside the Life and Mind of Jim Jones. This theatrical musical presentation included professional actors enacting figures from Jones’ past while he performed new tracks from Pray IV Reign. The two-day event attracted fans, media representatives, and celebrities alike, incorporating live instrumentation to evoke a Broadway-style atmosphere.

The single "Na Na Nana Na Na" debuted on January 1, 2009, and was released on iTunes on February 17 as the album’s second official single, featuring vocalist Brittney Taylor (also known as Bree-Beauty). For promotion, Jones collaborated with BET; on March 2, he premiered the video on BET's 106 & Park and launched a fan contest themed around his "Swag Bag."

Additionally, Jones partnered with iTunes for a "Countdown to Jim Jones Pray IV Reign" campaign that rolled out singles ahead of the full album release: "Na Na Nana Na Na" (Feb 17), "Precious" featuring Ryan Leslie (Mar 3), "Frenemies" (Mar 17), culminating in the album's launch on March 24. The lead single "Pop Champagne", which maintained the #1 spot on America’s urban singles chart for two consecutive weeks, was included within this promotional strategy.

Critical Response

The album received a 4 out of 5 rating from XXL, which acknowledged notable progress and several emotionally resonant songs, though some tracks fell short of expectations. They commended the lead single, "Pop Champagne", along with "My My My" and the promotional singles "Precious" and "Frenemies." Conversely, they expressed disappointment with the second single "Na Na Nana Na Na", as well as "Pop Off" and "This Is the Life."

Alex Thornton of HipHopDX identified standout tracks such as "How to Be a Boss" featuring Ludacris, "Precious" with Ryan Leslie, and "My My My." He also praised the lead single "Pop Champagne" but, aligning with many reviewers, criticized the follow-up single "Na Na Nana Na Na."

Commercial Performance

Upon release, the album entered the Billboard 200 chart at position number 9, achieving first-week sales of 42,982 units.

Track Listing

Leftover Tracks

"Trippin" (featuring Laylee)
"Shorty" (featuring NOE and Rell)
"Religion"
"Fast Money" (featuring Mel Matrix and Sandman)
"My Life" (featuring Chink Santana and NOE)
"Catch Up" (featuring Oshy)
"Jackin' Swagga from Us" (featuring Lil Wayne, NOE, and Twista)

Sample Credits

"Intro" incorporates elements from "Sunday and Sister Jones," originally written by Gene McDaniels and performed by Roberta Flack on the album Quiet Fire.
"Frenemies" draws from "Ballad for the Fallen Soldier" by The Isley Brothers.
"This Is the Life" features an instrumental sample previously used by Yung Berg and Ray J on their track "Exotic."
"Jackin' Swagga from Us" contains a sample of M.I.A.'s "Paper Planes," serving as an alternative rendition to "Swagga Like Us," a collaboration between T.I., Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, and Kanye West from T.I.'s 2008 album Paper Trail.

Charts

Chart (2009)	Peak Position
U.S. Billboard 200	9
U.S. Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums	2
U.S. Billboard Top Rap Albums	1

Pray IV Reign: The Mixtape

To support the forthcoming album, Jim Jones released Pray IV Reign: The Mixtape on March 3, 2009. This mixtape includes tracks that were ultimately excluded from the official album.

Charts

Chart (2009)	Peak Position
U.S. Top Rap Albums	11
U.S. Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums	38