Rhyme Pays cover

Album dossier / 1987

Rhyme Pays

Ice-T · Hip-Hop/Gangsta Rap

Released July 28, 1987 as the first hip-hop album on Sire/Warner Bros. and the first LP to carry a Parental Advisory sticker, Ice-T's gold-certified debut predated Straight Outta Compton by over a year and is widely credited with laying West Coast gangsta rap's narrative template.

Year1987
GenreHip-Hop/Gangsta Rap
Chart peakN/A
Vinyl sales (est.)N/A

Record facts

Label
Sire Records
Producer
Afrika Islam, Ice-T
Chart peak
N/A
Notable tracks
  • ★ 6 'N the Mornin'
  • ★ Make It Funky
  • ★ Somebody Gotta Do It (Pimpin' Ain't Easy)

Artist & discography

Open Ice-T dossier →

Rhyme Pays cover
Rhyme Pays
1987 · Sire Records
 Power cover
Power
1988 · Sire

Complete 1980s Studio Discography

3 studio albums released from 1980–1989 by Ice-T. Archived records link directly to full dossiers; remaining releases are queued for harvesting. MusicBrainz source.

Rhyme Pays cover
Rhyme Pays
1987 · Sire Records
✓ In Archive — Open Dossier →
 Power cover
Power
1988 · Sire
✓ In Archive — Open Dossier →
♫ 1989
The Iceberg / Freedom of Speech… Just Watch What You Say
1989 ·
⏳ Queued for Harvesting

Complete track listing · 13 tracks

  1. Intro / Rhyme Pays
  2. 6 'N the Mornin'
  3. Make It Funky
  4. Somebody Gotta Do It (Pimpin' Ain't Easy!!!)
  5. 409
  6. I Love Ladies
  7. Sex
  8. Pain
  9. Squeeze the Trigger
  10. Make It Funky (12" Mix)
  11. Sex (Bonus Beat)
  12. Somebody Gotta Do It (Pimpin' Ain't Easy!!!) (12" Mix)
  13. Our Most Requested Record

Watch & listen

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Also from 1987

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Sign o' the Times
Prince
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Hysteria
Def Leppard
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Faith
George Michael
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Kick
INXS
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Paid in Full
Eric B. & Rakim

Campaign & landing routes

The Trunk-Sale Records That Came Before Straight Outta Compton →
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Source register

en.wikipedia.org, discogs.com, genius.com · track listing: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhyme_Pays · cover art: coverartarchive.org

Last enriched: 2026-09-04