Lord Willin' is the major label debut and second studio album by hip hop duo Clipse. The album was released on August 20, 2002 in the United States by Star Trak and Arista. Recording sessions took place over a year, beginning in 2001. Production was handled by The Neptunes. Following the shelving of their original debut studio album Exclusive Audio Footage by Elektra Records, long-time friends and collaborators The Neptunes signed the duo onto their record label Star Trak Entertainment. The Neptunes would go on to handle the production on Lord Willin, with Pharrell Williams featuring on 6 different tracks, including the hit singles "Grindin'" and "When the Last Time". Additional features include Ab Liva, Roscoe P. Goldchain, Faith Evans, Fabolous, Jadakiss and Styles P. The deluxe edition of the album contained 2 more tracks which were remixes of "Grindin'". The album debuted on number 4 on the Billboard 200 and number 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, selling 122,000 units in its 1st week of release. The album was well received by critics, and is considered one of the best hip hop albums of the 2000s.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.xxlmag.com/news/hip-hop-today/2015/08/today-in-hip-hop-clipse-release-lord-willin/|title = Clipse Drop 'Lord Willin Album: Today in Hip-Hop |website=Xxlmag.com}}</ref> The album was ranked 12 on Rolling Stones 100 Best Debut Albums of All-Time list. Background After forming the duo in 1992, Clipse had trouble securing a record label contract. Childhood friend and producer Pharrell Williams helped them secure a deal with Elektra Records in 1996. With help from Williams' production duo The Neptunes, Clipse began recording material for their debut studio album Exclusive Audio Footage. They released their first single "The Funeral", which helped gain fan interest but failed to make a significant commercial or chart impact. With "The Funeral" being considered a commercial failure, Elektra Records shelved the album and the duo was dropped from the label. In early 2001, Williams signed the duo to Arista Records through his recently established Star Trak imprint. With the backing of The Neptunes and the record label, Clipse proceeded to begin recording material for Lord Willin'. Singles Two singles were released prior to the album. The lead single, "Grindin'", was released on May 14, 2002. The song became a summer Top 40 hit, reaching number 30 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It has since been regarded by numerous publications as one of the best songs of the 2000s. It was ranked