Here to Save You All is the debut studio album by American rapper Chino XL. It was released on April 9, 1996, through American Recordings. The recording sessions took place at Platinum Island Studios and Firehouse Studio in New York, at Canyon Post Digital and Kitchen Sync Studios in Los Angeles, and at Secret Six Studios. It was produced by B-Wiz, Bird, DJ Homicide, Eric Romero, KutMasta Kurt, and Dan Charnas, who also served as executive producer. It features guest appearances from Gravitation, Kool Keith and Ras Kass. The album debuted at No. 56 on the Top R&B Albums and No. 39 on the Heatseekers Albums in the United States.

Background

The lyrical content revolved around dark, hardcore themes (mostly metaphorical braggadoccio), dismissing the commercialized hip hop that was starting to gain momentum at this time. It contains the infamous but well-known song "Riiiot!" which had a line that possibly alluded to the rumor of West Coast rapper 2Pac being raped in prison. 2Pac later called him out on "Hit 'Em Up", and Chino responded with a freestyle diss. Chino himself stated that the line was not meant as a diss, and he and 2Pac were on good terms at the time of his death.

Critical reception

The Los Angeles Times wrote that "Chino XL returns to some of the bold, freewheeling, brutally honest elements that have been missing in the money-hungry, over-commercialized genre, and he does it without fear of what it will do to his standing among his rap peers or in the commercial marketplace."

Track listing

Personnel

Charts