Alex Henning of
Rhapsody wrote that "Quik's debut set the groundwork for the
G-funk era, largely due to the success of "Tonite." Much like
Warren G, Quik focuses less on violence and more on mind-altering substances, ladies and cold chillin'. The optimistic "
Born and Raised in Compton" offers a remedy to the hard life in the ghetto. Alex Henderson of
AllMusic wrote that "in 1991 begged the question: does rap really need yet another gangsta rapper? Indeed, by that time, rap had become saturated with numerous soundalike gangsta rappers -- most of whom weren't even a fraction as interesting as such pioneers of the style as
Ice-T,
N.W.A, and
Schoolly D. Nonetheless, rapper/producer Quik turned out to be more noteworthy than most of the gangsta rappers who debuted that year. Lyrically, the former gang member (who grew up in the same L.A. ghetto as N.W.A, Compton) doesn't provide any major insights. His sex/malt liquor/gang-banging imagery was hardly groundbreaking in 1991. But his hooks, beats, and grooves (many of which owe a debt to 1970s soul and funk) are likeable enough.
Entertainment Weekly writer James Bernard said that "[T]he secrets of this debut's success — it has sold over half a million copies — are its unashamed, down-to-earth warmth and its full, thumpin' beats, which sound better in your car than at home. Through it all, DJ Quik, who wrote, arranged, and produced Is the Name, raps to us as if we were his best friends, hearing him talk about his weekend on Monday morning during first period at school." == Accolades ==