Uncontrolled Substance

Uncontrolled Substance is the debut studio album by American rapper and Wu-Tang Clan member Inspectah Deck. The album was released on October 5, 1999, under Loud Records. Originally slated for release in 1995, the record was indefinitely postponed after a flood destroyed over 100 beats in RZA's basement, including his original productions for the album. Eventually released four years later, Uncontrolled Substance received mostly positive reviews, and is Inspectah Deck's most critically acclaimed and most commercially successful album to date. The album features Wu-Tang Clan members U-God and Masta Killa, and appearances from lesser-known affiliates Street Life, Killa Sin, and LA the Darkman. A music video was made for the songs "Word on the Street" directed by Gregory Dark & "Show 'N' Prove" directed by Joseph Kahn. The album's liner notes state that it is dedicated to Inspectah Deck's late father, Frank Hunter.

Uncontrolled Substance
Studio album by Inspectah Deck
Released	October 5, 1999 (1999-10-05)
Recorded	1997–1998
Genre	East Coast hip hop
Length	65:56
Label	Loud, Relativity
Producer	4th Disciple The Blaquesmiths Inspectah Deck Mathematics Pete Rock RZA True Master V.I.C.
Inspectah Deck chronology
Uncontrolled Substance (1999) The Movement (2003)
Wu-Tang Clan solo chronology
Nigga Please (1999) Uncontrolled Substance (1999) Golden Arms Redemption (1999)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
The A.V. Club	(favorable)[2]
Los Angeles Times	[3]
Q	[4]
RapReviews	7/10[5]
Rolling Stone	[6]
The Source	[7]
Spin	7/10[8]
Vibe	(favorable)[9]
The Village Voice	[10]

Commercial performance

The album reached the positions no. 19 and no. 3 on the Billboard 200 and the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts, respectively. According to Inspectah Deck himself, the album managed to reach gold-level sales.^[11]

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Intro"	Jason Richard Hunter	Inspectah Deck	2:01
2.	"Movas & Shakers"	Hunter	RZA	4:33
3.	"9th Chamber" (featuring La the Darkman, Kinetic 9, Killa Sin & Street Life (rapper))	Hunter Samuel Craig Murray Jeryl Grant Patrick Charles	4th Disciple	2:51
4.	"Uncontrolled Substance" (featuring Shadii)	Hunter Robert Fitzgerald Diggs Ronald Maurice Bean	RZA Mathematics	5:00
5.	"Femme Fatale"	Hunter	Inspectah Deck	3:06
6.	"The Grand Prix" (featuring U-God & Street Life)	Hunter Lamont Jody Hawkins Charles	4th Disciple	4:43
7.	"Forget Me Not"	Hunter	The Mighty V.I.C.	3:50
8.	"Longevity" (featuring U-God)	Hunter Hawkins	True Master	4:40
9.	"Word on the Street"	Hunter	Inspectah Deck	3:44
10.	"Elevation"	Hunter	Inspectah Deck	3:15
11.	"Lovin You" (featuring La the Darkman)	Hunter Derrick Harris Lason Jackson	True Master	2:36
12.	"Trouble Man" (featuring Vinia Mojica)	Hunter	Pete Rock	5:05
13.	"R.E.C. Room"	Hunter	True Master	3:16
14.	"Friction" (featuring Masta Killa)	Hunter Jamel Irief	RZA	3:36
15.	"Hyperdermix"	Hunter	Inspectah Deck	4:52
16.	"Show N Prove"	Hunter	The Blaquesmiths	4:08
17.	"The Cause" (featuring Street Life)	Hunter Charles	Inspectah Deck	4:35
Total length:				65:56

Personnel

The RZA – executive producer, producer Mitchell "Divine" Diggs – executive producer, executive supervisor Jeff Trotter – A&R direction Ashuanna Ayers – project coordinator Che Harris – A&R coordinator Charlene Thomas – A&R coordinator Chris Gehringer – mastering, recording Maurice Whitaker – creative direction, design, layout Piotr Sikora – photography Inspectah Deck – producer, mixing Allah Mathematics – producer

Nolan Moffitte – recording, mixing 4th Disciple – producer Djini Brown – recording, mixing V.I.C. – producer, mixing Gabe Chiesa – recording True Master – producer Tony Black – mixing, recording Pete Rock – producer, mixing Brian Stanley – recording Large Professor – mixing The Blaquesmiths – producers Chris "CHAMP" Champions – recording

Charts

Chart (1999)	Peak position
US Billboard 200[12]	19
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[13]	3

References

1. Conaway, Matt. Review: Uncontrolled Substance. AllMusic. Retrieved on January 24, 2010.
2. Rabin, Nathan (March 29, 2002). "Inspectah Deck: Uncontrolled Substance". The A.V. Club. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
3. Baker, Soren (October 15, 1999). "Record Rack: Inspectah Deck – Uncontrolled Substance". Los Angeles Times. p. 200. Retrieved June 15, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
4. "Review: Uncontrolled Substance". Q. London. November 1999. p. 118.
5. DJ Fatboy (October 5, 1999). "Inspectah Deck :: Uncontrolled Substance :: Loud Records". RapReviews. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
6. Lewis, Miles Marshall (July 8, 1999). "Whither the Wu?". Rolling Stone. No. 816–817. p. 146. Archived from the original on May 29, 2009. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
7. Johnson, Elon D. (November 1999). "Record Report: Inspectah Deck – Uncontrolled Substance". The Source. No. 122. New York. p. 216.
8. Salamon, Jeff (September 1999). "Review: Inspectah Deck – Uncontrolled Substance". Spin. New York. pp. 192–193. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
9. Wilson, Elliott (August 1999). "Revolutions: Inspectah Deck – Uncontrolled Substance". Vibe. New York. p. 174. Archived from the original on September 9, 2016. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
10. Christgau, Robert (February 1, 2000). "Happy You Near". The Village Voice. Vol. 45, no. 4. p. 111. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
11. Inspectah Deck Details Losing First Album to RZA's Flood, retrieved February 12, 2023
12. "Inspectah Deck Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved September 18, 2013.
13. "Inspectah Deck Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved September 19, 2013.