View source for Eye & I

{{Infobox album
| name       = Eye & I
| type       = [[Album]]
| artist     = [[Kardinal Offishall]]
| cover      = Eyei.jpg
| border     = yes
| alt        =
| released   = December 9, 1997 <small>(Canada)</small>
| recorded   = 1996–1997
| venue      =
| studio     =
| genre      = [[Canadian hip hop]]
| length     = 69:18
| label      = [[Capitol Hill Music]]
| producer   = Chase Parsons <small>(exec.)</small>, [[Saukrates]] <small>(exec.)</small>, [[Kardinal Offishall]] <small>(associate exec.)</small>
| prev_title =
| prev_year  =
| next_title = [[Husslin']]
| next_year  = 2000
| misc       = {{Singles
| name        = Eye & I
| type        = studio
| single1     = [[On wit da Show]]
| single1date = 1997
}}
}}
'''''Eye & I''''' is the debut album of Canadian [[rapping|rapper]] [[Kardinal Offishall]], released independently in December 1997, on [[Capitol Hill Music]], and distributed by [[St. Clair Entertainment Group|St. Clair Entertainment]]. The album was critically acclaimed.<ref name=eyeandi/><ref name="seemagazine"/><ref name="allmusic"/> One single, "[[On wit da Show]]", was released from the album.
==Background==
In 1996, after releasing his first single "[[Naughty Dread]]", Kardinal signed a publishing deal with [[Warner/Chappell Music|Warner/Chappell Music Canada]]. About 40 percent of the album's cost was provided by the publishing deal.<ref name=kardinal>{{usurped|1=[https://archive.today/20120712211017/http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Artists/O/Offishall_Kardinal/1998/05/26/748411.html Kardinal Offishall making waves]}} JAM! Music. Accessed on April 12, 2009.</ref> The only single released from the album was "[[On wit da Show]]", which was accompanied by a [[music video]]. The single also appeared on Kardinal's second studio album, ''[[Quest for Fire: Firestarter, Vol. 1]]''. In 1998, a music video of the song "Jeevin' (Life)" was also released.<ref name=kardinal/>
Members of The Circle appear on the album, including [[Solitair]], [[Saukrates]] and [[Jully Black]]. Ro Dolla appears on the album as Afrolistics; Lock Jaw appears as L.J.
==Reception==
The album received rave reviews from music critics.<ref name=eyeandi>[http://www.octopusmediaink.com/CitizenHipHop.html Kinder, Gentler Rap, Eh?] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081022104623/http://www.octopusmediaink.com/CitizenHipHop.html |date=2008-10-22 }} Ottawa Citizen. Accessed on November 1, 2008.</ref><ref name="seemagazine">[http://www.seemagazine.com/Issues/1998/0625/cover1.html Kardinal Offishall, with guests] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927150111/http://www.seemagazine.com/Issues/1998/0625/cover1.html |date=2011-09-27 }} SEE. Accessed on October 21, 2009.</ref> [[AllMusic]] stated that Kardinal "blended soul, dancehall, reggae, hip-hop, and a wholly inventive approach to beats on his 20-track debut album, ''Eye & I''."<ref name="allmusic">[{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p423368|pure_url=yes}} Kardinal Offishall > Biography] Allmusic. Accessed on November 1, 2008.</ref> However, the album was poorly distributed in Canada, and a lack of radio support resulted in the album receiving limited commercial attention.<ref name=eyeandi/><ref>[http://www.exclaim.ca/articles/coverstory.aspx?csid1=75 Kardinal Offishall - Man on Fire] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070626131337/http://www.exclaim.ca/articles/coverstory.aspx?csid1=75 |date=2007-06-26 }} Exclaim!. Accessed on November 1, 2008.</ref> Over 4,000 copies of the album were sold in its first three months of release.<ref name=kardinal/>
==Track listing==
All songs produced by Kardinal Offishall,<ref>[http://canadianmusician.com/showcase/index.php/1998/03/11/kardinal-offishall-marchapril-1998/ Canadian Musician Showcase] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708113727/http://canadianmusician.com/showcase/index.php/1998/03/11/kardinal-offishall-marchapril-1998/ |date=2011-07-08 }} Canadian Musician. Accessed on September 25, 2009.</ref> except "Sweet Marie" and "Jeevin (Life)", produced by Saukrates. "Breakdown (Keep Moving)" is co-produced by Saukrates.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! #
! Title
! Featured guest(s)
! Length
|-
|1.
|"Breakdown (Keep Moving)"
|Denosh
|4:42
|-
|2.
|"[[On wit da Show|On wid da Show]]"
|
|4:06
|-
|3.
|"Da Brown"
|
|4:13
|-
|4.
|"Hint-a-lude"
|
|0:43
|-
|5.
|"Mysteries"
|
|4:34
|-
|6.
|"P.W.O.T."
|Afrolistics
|4:03
|-
|7.
|"My Niah"
|L.J.
|4:14
|-
|8.
|"Madmoizellez"
|Wade O. Brown
|4:52
|-
|9.
|"Hint-a-lude"
|
|0:10
|-
|10.
|"Make It Happen"
|[[Rascalz|Red-1]]
|4:53
|-
|11.
|"W.I. Philosophi"
|Miss Raelene
|1:26
|-
|12.
|"Sweet Marie"
|Nicole Sinclair
|4:02
|-
|13.
|"Bellee Buss (Don't Make Me Laugh)"
|
|3:24
|-
|14.
|"LoLo"
|
|1:56
|-
|15.
|"King of da Hill"
|Tara Chase
|4:32
|-
|16.
|"Elle A"
|
|3:57
|-
|17.
|"Jeevin' (Life)"
|[[Jully Black]]
|5:16
|-
|18.
|"Naughty Dread Pt. II"
|
|4:40
|-
|19.
|"Hint-a-lude"
|
|0:30
|-
|20.
|"Friday Night"
|
|3:18
|}
==Samples==
*"Bellee Buss (Don't Make Me Laugh)" contains samples of "[[Paid in Full (Eric B. & Rakim song)|Paid in Full (Coldcut Remix)]]" by [[Eric B. & Rakim]] and "Brainstorm" by [[Gang Starr]]
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20110710213045/http://contests.eyeweekly.com/eye/issue/issue_12.04.97/music/kardinal.php Ready to reload - Kardinal Offishall drops his debut album]
{{Kardinal Offishall}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Eye and I}}
[[Category:1997 debut albums]]
[[Category:Albums produced by Kardinal Offishall]]
[[Category:Albums produced by Saukrates]]
[[Category:Kardinal Offishall albums]]