Free at Last (Freeway album)

Free at Last is the second studio album by Philadelphia rapper Freeway. It was released on November 20, 2007 by Roc-A-Fella Records and Def Jam Recordings in the United States. The album enlists guest performances from Jay-Z, 50 Cent, Marsha Ambrosius, Rick Ross, Busta Rhymes, and Jadakiss.

Free at Last
Studio album by Freeway
Released	November 20, 2007
Recorded	2005–2007
Genre	East Coast hip-hop Hardcore hip-hop[1]
Length	51:01
Label	Roc-A-Fella Def Jam
Producer	Bink! Carvin & Ivan Chad "Wes" Hamilton Cool & Dre Dame Grease Dangerous LLC DJ Noodles Don Cannon Double-O J.R. Rotem Jake One Needlz Ron Fair
Freeway chronology
Philadelphia Freeway (2003) Free at Last (2007) Philadelphia Freeway 2 (2009)
Singles from Free at last
"Roc-A-Fella Billionaires" Released: July 10, 2007 "Lights Get Low" Released: November 20, 2007

Background

In a November 2007 interview, Freeway explained why he took such a lengthy hiatus.^[2] He had this to say:

I just been grinding you know the whole Roc break up really took a toll on me and kind of even held my career up a little bit, but I been working and I'm ready to get back out. It was a couple of things. The whole family structure wasn't in place like it was. There was a time when I could just go to Bassline [studios] and knock it out but it wasn't like that this time.

Production

Free at Last features production from Bink!, J. R. Rotem, Needlz, and Cool & Dre, amongst others. Guest appearances include Marsha Ambrosius, Jay-Z, 50 Cent, Scarface, Busta Rhymes, Jadakiss, and Rick Ross. According to Freeway, the album was executive-produced by 50 Cent—who also purchased publishing on the album—leading several publications to falsely conclude he was signed to G-Unit Records.^[3]

Commercial performance

Free at Last debuted at number 42 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart, selling about 36,000 units during its first week.^[4][5] As of April 2, 2008, the album has sold 100,206 copies in the United States.^[6]

"Roc-A-Fella Billionaires" is the lead single. The song, produced by Dame Grease, features a guest appearance from Roc-A-Fella label-boss and fellow American rapper Jay-Z. Grease's production contains a sample of a version of "Big Spender", originally written for the 1966 musical Sweet Charity, by Cy Coleman and Dorothy Fields, as performed by Chita Rivera and Paula Kelly.^[7]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
About.com	[8]
AllHipHop.com	[9]
Allmusic	[10]
Entertainment Weekly	B−[11]
Pitchfork Media	(7.7/10)[12]
Rolling Stone	[13]
PopMatters	[14]
USA Today	[15]

Free at Last was called "The Album of the Month" by the German hip hop magazine Juice, aiming 5 of 6 "Crowns". In the 01-02 / 2008 Issue (# 104).

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"This Can't Be Real" (featuring Marsha Ambrosius)	Leslie Pridgen Ivan Barias Carvin Haggins Gil Scott-Heron	Carvin & Ivan	3:44
2.	"It's Over"	Pridgen Jacob Dutton Herb Magidson Allie Wrubel	Jake One	3:40
3.	"Still Got Love"	Pridgen Roosevelt Harrell Curtis Mayfield	Bink!	3:45
4.	"Roc-A-Fella Billionaires" (featuring Jay-Z)	Pridgen Damon Blackman Shawn Carter Cy Coleman Dorothy Fields	Dame Grease	3:41
5.	"When They Remember"	Pridgen Harrell Alan Bergman Alan and Marilyn Bergman Marilyn Bergman]] Marvin Hamlisch	Bink!	3:43
6.	"Take It To The Top" (featuring 50 Cent)	Pridgen Jonathan Rotem Curtis Jackson	J. R. Rotem Carvin & Ivan (vocal)	3:42
7.	"Spit That Shit"	Pridgen Teraike Crawford Jason Turnbull Ryan Presson	Teraike "Chris Styles" Crawford Jason "Sire" Turnbull	3:43
8.	"Reppin' The Streets"	Pridgen Chad Hamilton Presson Homer Banks Carl Hampton	Chad "Wes" Hamilton	3:59
9.	"Free at Last" (featuring Kidz In The Hall)	Pridgen Michael Aguilar Presson Michael Gradney Jr. David Oliver	Double-O	3:38
10.	"Baby Don't Do It" (featuring Scarface)	Pridgen Hamilton Presson Brad Jordan Willie Hutch	Chad "Wes" Hamilton Ryan Press (co.)	3:27
11.	"Nuttin' On Me"	Pridgen Khari Cain	Needlz	2:55
12.	"Walk Wit Me" (featuring Busta Rhymes and Jadakiss)	Pridgen Donald Cannon Trevor Smith Jason Phillips	Don Cannon	4:06
13.	"Lights Get Low" (featuring Rick Ross)	Pridgen Marcello Valenzano Andre Lyon William Roberts	Cool & Dre	3:47
14.	"I Cry"	Pridgen Matthew Naples Raeford Gerald Gary Byrd	DJ Noodles	3:11
Total length:				51:01

Leftover Track

• "Where U Been"

Sample credits

• "This Can't Be Real" embodies portions of "Did You Hear What They Said?", written by Gil Scott-Heron.
• "It's Over" contains elements of "I'm Afraid the Masquerade Is Over", written by Herb Magidson and Allie Wrubel, and performed by David Porter
• "Still Got Love" contains samples from "Eddie, You Should Know Better", written and performed by Curtis Mayfield.
• "Roc-A-Fella Billionaires" contains a sample of "Big Spender", from the "Sweet Charity Original Soundtrack", written by Cy Coleman and Dorothy Fields.
• "When They Remember" contains samples from "The Way We Were", written by Alan Bergman, Marilyn Bergman, and Marvin Hamlisch; and performed by Gladys Knight & the Pips.
• "Reppin' the Streets" contains samples from "I'll Be the Other Woman", written by Homer Banks and Carl Hampton, and performed by The Soul Children.
• "Free at Last" contains a sample of "I Wanna Write You a Love Song", written by Michael Gradney Jr. and David Oliver, and performed by David Oliver.
• "Baby Don't Do It", embodies portions of "Overture of Foxy Brown", written by Willie Hutch.
• "I Cry" contains a sample of "I Cry" written by Raeford Gerald and Gary Byrd, and performed by Millie Jackson.

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2007) Peak position US Billboard 200[16] 42 US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[17] 5

Year-end charts Chart (2008) Position US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums[18] 70