93 'til Infinity

The sound of 93 'til Infinity is characteristic of the distinct style explored by the collective, including a rhyme scheme based on internal rhyme and beats centered around a live bass and obscure jazz and funk samples. 93 'til Infinity was released during a period in which the collective released several critically acclaimed albums (including Del tha Funkee Homosapien's No Need for Alarm and Casual's Fear Itself) and rose to national prominence.

93 'til Infinity met commercial success with its title track and lead single, which reached #72 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also featured singles "That's When Ya Lost" and "Never No More" which reached the Hot Rap Singles but never charted on The Billboard Hot 100. According to Allmusic author Steve Huey, "Although the title cut is an underappreciated classic, 93 'til Infinity makes its greatest impression through its stunning consistency, not individual highlights."[1] Huey also goes on to remark that 93 'til Infinity is "one of the most slept-on records of the '90s".

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Christgau's Consumer Guide	A−[2]
RapReviews	9.5/10[3]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	[4]
The Source	3.5/5[5]

93 'til Infinity was critically acclaimed for its subject matter, production, and rapping. Though it was not as popular as other West Coast hip hop albums at the time of its release. Suzann Vogel of Philadelphia Weekly wrote:

At the pinnacle of the G-funked gangsta era, Souls of Mischief took the low road of emotional complexity. Hailing from Oakland, Calif., the foursome's distinctive lyrical mapping, infectious beats and subtle melodies on their debut rerouted gun-toting wannabes back to the underground and vaulted record-label Hieroglyphics to indie legend. MCs Tajai, Opio, Phesto and A-Plus exhibited a surprising charisma between them while undoing ghetto esteem. Their world of boredom, girls, weed, books, lounging and, of course, violence was a more easily understood reality for those caught between Pete Rock's tragedy, De La Soul's hippie aesthetics and Tupac's marginalizing glamour. Follow-up releases by Souls fell pathetically flat of achieving 'Til Infinity's harmony, and MCs have since broached personal topics of greater depth. Still, the genre-altering release possesses one undeniable truth: Reality's never sounded so good.

Steve Huey of AllMusic also positively reveiwed 93 'til Infinity, calling it "the best single album to come out of Oakland's Hieroglyphics camp" as well as saying how Souls of Mischief "completely redefined the art of lyrical technique for the West Coast."[1]

In 1998, the album was selected as one of The Source's 100 Best Rap Albums. The title track was also included on the compilation remix album Another Late Night: Zero 7, released in 2002.

The title track "93 'til Infinity" proved to have an enduring legacy, being referenced and/or sampled in more than 40 songs to date. Some of the most notable include:

• You Never Knew (1998) - Hieroglyphics
• Lysol (2007) - Curren$y feat. Young Roddy
• A Tribute to Souls (2008) - J. Rawls presents The Liquid Crystal Project
• How We Do (2009) - Freddie Gibbs
• 'Til Infinity (2009) - J.Cole
• Infinity (2009) - Mathias Meyer
• 09' Until (2009) - Tyga
• Somedayz (2010) - Big K.R.I.T
• Infinity and Beyond (2012) - Capital STEEZ
• 95 til' Infinity (2013) - Joey Bada$$

Souls Of Mischief:

• Opio - vocals
• Tajai - vocals
• Phesto - vocals
• A-Plus – DJ, producer

Additional personnel:

• Pep Love
• Del the Funky Homosapien - producer
• Casual – rap, vocals
• Bill Ortiz  – trumpet
• Domino - producer
• Jay Biz - producer
• Kwam
• Snupe – background vocals

• '93 'til Infinity' at MusicBrainz (list of releases)