A Future Without a Past...

A Future Without a Past... is the debut studio album from American hip hop group Leaders of the New School.^[2][3] It was released in 1991 on Elektra Records.^[4]

A Future Without a Past...
Studio album by Leaders of the New School
Released	July 2, 1991
Recorded	1990–1991
Genre	Alternative hip hop[1]
Length	66:06
Label	Elektra
Producer	Busta Rhymes Charlie Brown Cut Monitor Milo Dinco D Eric "Vietnam" Sadler Geeby Dajani John Gamble Mr. Dante Ross The Vibe Chemist Backspin
Leaders of the New School chronology
A Future Without a Past... (1991) T.I.M.E. (The Inner Mind's Eye) (1993)
Singles from A Future Without a Past...
"Case of the P.T.A." Released: 1991 "Sobb Story" Released: 1991 "The International Zone Coaster" Released: 1992

Production

A Future Without a Past... is a loose concept album about high school, divided into three parts.^[5]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music	[6]
RapReviews	8/10[7]
The Village Voice	[8]

The Baltimore Sun noted that "the group modulates the density of each track, [so] there's always a sense of flow to the sound, of tension and release, buildup and climax."^[9]

Stanton Swihart of AllMusic praised the work, calling the group's debut "one of the most infectious rap albums ever created."^[1] Trouser Press called the album "highly amiable," writing that the group's "subtle Afrocentric politics came coated in tasty upbeat rhymes."^[5] Complex wrote that the album revives "the barbershop quartet-style group dynamics of early hip-hop crews like the Treacherous 3 and the Cold Crush Brothers."^[10] Fact called it "a jolly throwback affair ... enlivened by Busta's freewheeling presence and some smart production work."^[11]

Track listing

A Future Without a Past...

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Homeroom"			2:25
2.	"Case of the P.T.A."	Bryan Higgins Trevor Smith Jr. James Jackson Sheldon Scott	Cut Monitor Milo	3:42
3.	"Too Much on My Mind"	Higgins Jackson Marlon King	The Vibe Chemist Backspin	4:26
4.	"What's the Pinocchio's Theory?"	Higgins King	The Vibe Chemist Backspin	3:43
5.	"Just When You Thought It Was Safe..."	Higgins Smith Jackson Eric Sadler	Eric "Vietnam" Sadler	2:30
6.	"Lunchroom"			2:30
7.	"Sound of the Zeekers @#^**?!" (featuring Cracker Jacks, Rumpletilskinz and Kollie Weed)	Higgins Smith Jackson Scott Desmon Gordon B. Freedom Shawn Oliver K. Porter T. Pierce E. Romero Koolie Weed	Busta Rhymes	5:16
8.	"Sobb Story"	Higgins Smith Jackson Sadler	Eric "Vietnam" Sadler	4:51
9.	"Feminine Fatt"	Smith King	The Vibe Chemist Backspin	3:08
10.	"Transformers"	Higgins Smith Jackson John Gamble Dante Ross Najeeb Dajani	John Gamble Mr. Dante Ross Geeby Dajani	4:00
11.	"Afterschool"			1:24
12.	"Show Me a Hero"	Smith King	The Vibe Chemist Backspin	4:35
13.	"Trains, Planes and Automobiles"	Higgins Smith Jackson Sadler	Eric "Vietnam" Sadler	4:04
14.	"The International Zone Coaster"	Higgins Smith Jackson John Gamble Dante Ross Najeeb Dajani	John Gamble Mr. Dante Ross Geeby Dajani	5:05
15.	"Teachers, Don't Teach Us Nonsense!!"	Higgins Smith Jackson	Leaders of the New School	4:06
16.	"My Ding-a-Ling"	Jackson Scott	Dinco D Cut Monitor Milo	3:41
17.	"Where Do We Go from Here?"	Higgins Smith Jackson Scott	Charlie Brown	6:51

Charts

Chart (1991)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard 200[3]	128
U.S. Heatseekers	1
U.S. R&B Albums	53

Personnel

• assistant engineering – John Gamble
• engineering – Dr. Shane Faber, Mike Mangini, Christopher Shaw
• mixing – Busta Rhymes, Charlie Brown, Geeby Dajani, John Gamble, Dante Ross, Eric "Vietnam" Sadler
• production – Busta Rhymes, Charlie Brown, Cut Monitor Milo, Geeby Dajani, Dinco D, John Gamble, Leaders of the New School, Dante Ross, Eric "Vietnam" Sadler