The Villain (album)
| Company type | Record label |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founder | Trick Trick |
Key people | Trick Trick |
| Products | Music albums |
| Owner | Trick Trick |
The Villain represents the sophomore solo album by American hip-hop artist Trick Trick. It includes collaborations with artists such as Big Sweetz, C.A.C, Eminem, Esham, Fatt Father, Goon Sqwad, Guilty Simpson, Ice Cube, Kid Rock, Marv Won, Paradime, Royce Da 5'9", Throatslash, along with his ensemble, the Mathis Family Choir.
Production and promotion
This eighteen-song project was made available on November 11, 2008, through the labels WonderBoy Entertainment, Time Entertainment LLC, and Koch Records. The production team features notable names including Eminem, Dr. Dre, Lil' Jon, as well as Trick Trick himself.
Around the same timeframe, Trick Trick worked alongside Fatt Father on Fatt Father's inaugural solo album under Time Ent. In 2008, Fatt Father supported his releases by distributing two mixtapes: You Are The Father! and Christmas With Fatt Father.
The album's primary single, "Let It Fly," showcases vocal contributions from Ice Cube and was produced by Lil' Jon.
Controversy
Soon after its debut, the album became a subject of dispute due to lyrics perceived as anti-homosexual. An article dated November 11, 2008, pointed out contentious lines such as "...He's a fucking faggot so I'm lettin' off my AK/Bust 'em in his forehead/He ain't worth lettin' live/A man and man shouldn’t raise another man's kids!" In response, Trick Trick remarked, "Homosexuals are probably not going to like this album. But it's okay, I don't want their faggot money any goddamn way... I address that issue hard as hell."
Following these statements, AllHipHop published an article on November 13 presenting perspectives from various gay and lesbian figures within hip-hop.
Personnel
- Aaron Julson – bass
- Andre Young (Dr. Dre) – producer
- Byron Simpson (Guilty Simpson) – rap vocals
- Chris Mathis (Trick Trick) – executive producer, mixing engineer, producer, rap vocals
- DeShaun Holton (Proof) – rap vocals
- Esham Smith – rap vocals
- Fred Beauregard (Paradime) – rap vocals
- Jeff Bass – bass guitar
- Jonathan Smith (Lil Jon) – producer, backing vocals
- Kameel Mathis – rap vocals
- Marshall Mathers (Eminem) – producer, rap vocals
- Marvin O'Neil (Marv Won) – rap vocals
- O'Shea Jackson (Ice Cube) – rap vocals
- Robert Ritchie (Kid Rock) – rap vocals
- Ryan Montgomery (Royce da 5'9") – rap vocals
- Shabazz Ford (Fatt Father) – rap vocals
- T-Money Green – bass guitar