T.I.M.E. (The Inner Mind's Eye)

T.I.M.E. (The Inner Mind's Eye)
Studio album by Leaders of the New School
Released	October 12, 1993
Recorded	1992–1993
Genre	Hip hop, East Coast hip hop
Length	61:15
Label	Elektra 61382
Producer	Leaders of the New School The Vibe Chemist Backspin R.P.M. Sam Sever Raheem Isom
Leaders of the New School chronology
A Future Without a Past (1991) T.I.M.E. (The Inner Mind's Eye) (1993)

T.I.M.E. (The Inner Mind's Eye) is the second and final studio album from Long Island hip hop group Leaders of the New School. This effort didn't fare nearly as well as their debut album A Future Without a Past..., receiving mixed reviews. After the album's release, the group began having both creative and personal problems resulting in their disbandment.

Elektra Records A&R Dante Ross revealed that aside from internal conflict, another thing that caused the group to disband was their insistence to release T.I.M.E. (The Inner Mind's Eye) - against Ross' objections.

When Leaders of the New School turned in their second album it was bad – from me to you, it wasn’t a good record. I tried to change the record, make it better. They went back in the studio, had to do it again. It wasn’t working. Busta though, I knew was a star. Busta was killing it on the ‘Scenario’ remix, and when we went to make the second Leaders of the New School record I had Q-Tip ready to help me make the whole record with them, like the way he did for Mobb Deep’s album. None of them dude’s were with it except Bus, and I saw right there that Bus is smarter than these dudes – he’s thinking. I’m gonna be honest with you, making that record – when they turned it in the first time, and I knew it was wack and I sent back in – I told Chris Lighty and Lyor Cohen, ‘It’s time to think about Busta doin’ a solo record.’ In the interim of that record comin’ out, ‘Flava In Ya Ear’ [remix] came out, so I was verified that he was a star to me. I knew the record was bad, that when they turned it in the second time I couldn’t make it no better – they would not let me. I was like, ‘Yo, put the record out, it’s not gonna perform but let’s get Busta thinkin’ solo deal’. And that’s what happened.^[1]

The single, "What's Next", peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot Rap Singles chart in 1993.

Track listing

#	Title	Producer(s)	Performer (s)	Sample(s)
1	"Eternal"		*Interlude*
2	"Understanding The Inner Mind's Eye"	Charlie Brown	Leaders Of The New School
3	"Syntax Era"	The Vibe Chemist Backspin	Leaders Of The New School	*"Yes, We Can, Can" by Pointer Sisters *"Who Can I Run To" by The Jones Girls
4	"Classic Material"	The Vibe Chemist Backspin	Leaders Of The New School	*"In Memory of Elizabeth Reed" by Allman Brothers *"In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" by Iron Butterfly
5	"Daily Reminder"	R.P.M.	Leaders Of The New School	*"The Better Half" by Funk Inc *"Very Special" by Debra Laws
6	"A Quarter To Cutthroat"	Charlie Brown[2]	Leaders Of The New School
7	"Connections"	Cut Monitor Milo	Leaders Of The New School	*"Get Up, Get Into It, Get Involved" by James Brown *"Seventh Heaven" by Gwen Guthrie *"Glory, Glory" by Al Green
8	"What's Next"	Dinco D	Leaders Of The New School	*"Just For Your Love" by The Memphis Horns
9	"Droppin' It-4-1990-Ever"		*Interlude*
10	"Time Will Tell"	The Vibe Chemist Backspin	Leaders Of The New School	*"Valley of the Shadows" by Bob James
11	"Bass Is Loaded"	Busta Rhymes	Leaders Of The New School	*"Synthetic Substution" by Melvin Bliss
12	"Spontaneous (13 MC's Deep)"	Sam Sever	Cool Whip, Brittle Lo, The Capital L.S., Jeranimo, Rampage, Blitz, Sha-Now the Remedy Man, Pudge God, Kollie Weed, Leaders Of The New School
13	"Noisy Meditation"	Busta Rhymes	Leaders Of The New School	*"Pride and Vanity" by Ohio Players
14	"The End Is Near"	Raheem Isom	Leaders Of The New School	*"Pot Belly" by Lou Donaldson
15	"Zearocks"		*Interlude*	*"Get Out Of My Life, Woman" by Lee Dorsey
16	"The Difference"	Busta Rhymes	Leaders Of The New School
17	"Final Solution"		*Interlude*

Chart positions

Album

Chart (1993)	Peak position
Billboard 200	66
Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums	15

Singles

Year	Song	Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks	Hot Rap Singles	Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales
1993	"What's Next"	77	1	7
1994	"Classic Material"	-	-	20

References

1. Dante Ross - The Unkut Interview, Part 2: The Elektra Era
2. Divito, Peter (2009-04-01). "Charlie Brown of LONS Interview! (Not an April Fools’) « 20/20Proof". 2020proof.wordpress.com. Retrieved 2012-03-11.