Constant Energy Struggles

Constant Energy Struggles is the fourth studio album by American hip hop duo Ces Cru. The album was released on March 26, 2013, by Strange Music.^[1] The album features guest appearances from Tech N9ne, Liz Suwandi, JL B. Hood and Mac Lethal. The album debuted at number 98 on the Billboard 200 chart.

Background

In an August 2012, interview with HipHopDX, Godemis spoke about the album saying: "We are in the very very early stages of making this [the LP]. We’re just getting beat submissions and doing some writing. I’ve been writing like a madman. The title is going to be Constant Energy Struggle. Blaow! That’s my first time saying that. The title is going to be Constant Energy Struggle and all that that implies. I think in that way, the album is going to be more well rounded. I think we’re going to try to take the opportunity to open up a little bit, if you will, and let the fans know exactly how we feel and exactly what’s been going on. I know that may not sound so cool sometimes, but we’re also gonna talk about all the cool shit that’s been happening to us. It’s going to be a well rounded album in that way. There will be a lot more substance than there is on 13."^[2]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[3]
HipHopDX	^[4]

Upon its release, Constant Energy Struggles was met with generally positive reviews. David Jeffries of AllMusic gave the album four out of five stars, saying "Tech N9ne's Strange Music label has some "true hip-hop" releases in its back catalog, for sure, but when Ces Cru puts down "We diversified the label/They called it 'Strange-hop'" within their first minute of their debut for the label, they're merely getting the issue out of the way. From then on, it's right to business, street business, that is, with a classic, Mobb Deep feel for the beats and the flow, topped with a Black Star-quality rhyme book."^[3] David "Rek" Lee of HipHopDX gave the album three out of five stars, saying "Fans might compare them to mainstream so-and-so who can’t form proper sentences, but these are emcees who are striving for greatness and at times their rhymes just aren’t there yet. They’ve graduated from the school of rhyming “lyrical-spiritual-miracle,” but there are moments where it feels as if they’re still having ciphers in the parking lot. It’s a very solid first outing on a bigger stage."^[4]

Commercial performance

The album debuted at number 98 on the Billboard 200 chart, with first-week sales of 5,400 copies in the United States.^[5]

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Lotus"	Mike Viglione Donnie King Michael Summers	Seven	2:32
2.	"Juice" (featuring Tech N9ne)	Viglione King Aaron D. Yates Summers	Seven	3:31
3.	"When Worlds Collide"	Viglione King Summers	Seven	4:15
4.	"Meditate"	Viglione King Summer	Seven	4:37
5.	"Shake It Up"	Viglione King Summers	Seven	4:25
6.	"Smoke" (featuring Liz Suwandi)	Viglione King Elizabeth Arnold Summers	Seven	3:47
7.	"Skip"	Viglione Summers	Seven	4:21
8.	"Prefade" (skit)	King	Ben Cybulsky	0:55
9.	"Wavy"	King Summers	Seven	2:42
10.	"Radiate"	Viglione King Justin Gillespie	Info Gates	3:52
11.	"Perception"	Viglione King Kyle Dykes	Leonard Dstroy	4:32
12.	"Get That" (featuring JL B. Hood)	Viglione King Jason Varnes Summers	Seven	3:50
13.	"Confession"	Viglione King Dykes	Leonard Dstroy	3:57
14.	"Seven Chakras"	Viglione King Matthew Peters Robert Pulliam	Matt Peters Bobby Pulliam	4:00
15.	"Bread Break" (skit)	Viglione King	Ben Cybulsky	0:36
16.	"Fuck me On the Dough"	Viglione King Dykes	Leonard Dstroy	4:01
17.	"Wall E"	Viglione King Gillespie	Info Gates	4:30
18.	"Daydream" (featuring Liz Suwandi)	Viglione King Arnold Dykes	Leonard Dstroy	4:50
Total length:				1:03:05

Deluxe edition bonus tracks
No.	Title	Producer(s)	Length
19.	"Get Off" (featuring Mac Lethal)		4:27
20.	"Witness"		2:55
21.	"Breathe"		4:34
Total length:			1:12:01

Notes

Track listing and credits from album booklet.
"Juice" features scratches by DJ Sku.
"Prefade" features additional vocals by Young Prez.
"Perception" features keyboards by Reggie B.
"Confession" features keyboards by Joe Miquelon and bass guitar by Jimmy Dykes.
"Bread Break" features additional vocals by Smart Alec.
"Wall E" features additional vocals by Seven, Christina Summers, Matt Peters, Bobby Pulliam and Carrine Spinks.
"Daydream" features keyboards by Joe Miquelon and bass guitar by Jimmy Dykes.

Sample credits

"Prefade" contains samples of "Klick, Clack, Bang" as performed by Ces Cru.
"Bread Break" contains samples of "6 Minits" as performed by Godemis.

Personnel

Credits for Constant Energy Struggles adapted from the album liner notes.

Richie Abbott – publicity
Tom Baker – mastering
Aaron Bean – marketing & promotions, street marketing
Brent Bradley – internet marketing
Violet Brown – production assistant
Valdora Case – production assistant
Jared Coop – merchandising
Glenda Cowan – production assistant
Ben Cybulsky – mixing, producer
DJ Sku – scratches
Jimmy Dykes – bass guitar
Penny Ervin – merchandising
Braxton Flemming – merchandising
Godemis – primary artist
Ben Grossi – project consultant, general management
Mary Harris – merchandising
Info Gates – producer
JL B. Hood – featured artist
Leonard Dstroy – producer
Robert Lieberman – legal
Ryan Lindberg – internet marketing
Liquid 9 – art direction & design
Korey Lloyd – production assistant, project management
James Meierotto – photography
Joe Miquelon – keyboards
Jeff Nelson – internet marketing
Cory Nielsen – production assistant
Dawn O'Guin – production assistant
Travis O'Guin – executive producer, A&R
Matt Peters – producer, additional vocals
Bobby Pulliam – producer, additional vocals
Jose Ramirez – street marketing
Reggie B. – keyboards
Victor Sandoval – internet marketing
Brian Shafton – project consultant, general management
Smart Alec – additional vocals
Carrine Spinks – additional vocals
Christina Summers – additional vocals
Michael "Seven" Summers – producer, additional vocals
Liz Suwandi – featured artist
Tech N9ne – featured artist
Ubiquitous – primary artist
Dave Weiner – A&R, associate producer
Young Prez – additional vocals

Charts

Chart (2013)	Peak position
US Billboard 200^[6]	98
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)^[7]	14
US Independent Albums (Billboard)^[8]	20

References

↑ "iTunes - Music - Constant Energy Struggles (Deluxe Edition) by Ces Cru". Itunes.apple.com. 2013-03-26. Retrieved 2014-07-04.
↑ Company, The (2012-08-31). "CES Cru Announces Strange Music Album Title, Details "Colosseum" Concept". HipHop DX. Retrieved 2014-08-13.
1 2 David Jeffries (2013-03-26). "Constant Energy Struggles - Ces Cru". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-07-04.
1 2 David "Rek" Lee (2013-03-28). "Ces Cru - Constant Energy Struggles". HipHop DX. Retrieved 2014-07-04.
↑ Paine, Jake (2013-04-03). "Hip Hop Album Sales: The Week Ending 3/31/2013". HipHop DX. Retrieved 2014-07-04.
↑ "Ces Cru – Chart history" Billboard 200 for Ces Cru. Retrieved 2013-09-18.
↑ "Ces Cru – Chart history" Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums for Ces Cru. Retrieved September 19, 2013.
↑ "Ces Cru – Chart history" Billboard Independent Albums for Ces Cru. Retrieved December 27, 2013.

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