Return of the Boom Bap is the debut solo studio album by American rapper KRS-One, released on September 28, 1993, by Jive Records. The recording sessions took place at D&D Studios and at Battery Studios, in New York. The album was produced by DJ Premier, Kid Capri, Norty Cotto, Showbiz, and KRS-One. It features guest appearances from Ill Will and Kid Capri. The album peaked at number 37 on the Billboard 200 and number 5 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums in the United States. The album produced two singles: "Outta Here" and "Sound of da Police". The latter reached number 89 on the US Billboard Hot 100. The track "P Is Still Free" appeared on the Menace II Society (The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) labeled as a B.D.P. track. The track "Black Cop" was originally released as a 12" single and a track for the CB4 (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), thus also labeled as a B.D.P. track. In 1998, the album was selected as one of The Source's "100 Best Rap Albums". According to KRS-One, the album has sold over 300,000 copies.

Critical reception

Robert Christgau, in The Village Voice, stated: "His best, because the music has finally subsumed the lyrics—with outside guidance from Gang Starr's DJ Premier and others, the rapmaster's bassy beats and monophonic hooks have never sounded more catchy or more his own. Horn blats, 'Three Blind Mice' guitar, siren imitation, human beat-box, whatever—all recur hypnotically and leave you hungry for more. Nor have the words fallen off. The history he teaches is mostly his own. And a couple of times he just kills the cops."

Track listing

Charts

Album chart positions

Singles chart positions