The Firm (album)

The Firm is the debut studio album by the hip-hop group The Firm, released in 1997. The group consisted of rappers Nas, AZ, Foxy Brown, and Cormega (who was later replaced by Nature prior to the album's release). The album was produced by Trackmasters, Dr. Dre, and other prominent hip-hop producers. While highly anticipated due to the individual successes of its members, The Firm received mixed reviews and was not considered a critical success, though it did debut at number one on the Billboard 200 chart. Common criticisms included the album's overly commercial sound compared to the individual members' previous works and a lack of thematic depth. Despite the initial sales, the album quickly declined in popularity and is often considered a disappointment relative to the hype surrounding its release.