Extinction Level Event: The Final World Front

Template:Redirect-distinguish {{safesubst:#invoke:Unsubst-infobox||$params=italic_title,name,type,longtype,artist,cover,border,alt,caption,released,recorded,venue,studio,genre,length,language,label,director,producer,compiler,chronology,prev_title,prev_year,year,next_title,next_year,misc|$extra=italic_title,longtype,border,caption,language,director,compiler,chronology,year,misc|$aliases=italic title>italic_title,Italic title>italic_title,Name>name,Type>type,image>cover,Cover>cover,Border>border,Alt>alt,Caption>caption,Longtype>longtype,Artist>artist,Released>released,Recorded>recorded,Venue>venue,Studio>studio,Genre>genre,Length>length,Language>language,Label>label,Director>director,Producer>producer,Compiler>compiler,Chronology>chronology,Misc>misc|$flags=override|$B={{#ifeq:{{#invoke:Is infobox in lead|main|[Ii]nfobox [Aa]lbum}}|true|{{#if:Template:Has short description | |Template:Short description|noreplace}}}}{{#invoke:Infobox|infobox}}Template:Template otherTemplate:Category handlerTemplate:Main other{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|preview=Page using Template:Infobox album with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y|italic_title |type |name |image |cover |border |alt |caption |longtype |artist |released |recorded |venue |studio |genre |length |language |label |director |producer |compiler |prev_title|prev_year|next_title|next_year|chronology|year|misc}}{{#if:{{#invoke:String|match|error_category=Music infoboxes with Module:String errors|A|1=The Imperial1998Anarchy2000studioExtinction Level Event: The Final World FrontBusta-ELE.jpgBusta RhymesDecember 15, 19981998Template:UblHip hop70:28* Flipmode

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Extinction Level Event: The Final World Front is the third studio album by American rapper and record producer Busta Rhymes. It was released on December 15, 1998, by Flipmode and Elektra Records in North America. The album follows the apocalyptic theme explored by Rhymes' first two albums, The Coming (1996) and When Disaster Strikes (1997). The album comprises East Coast, West Coast, horrorcore, and hardcore hip hop music.

Widely praised by critics, the album earned three Grammy Award nominations: Best Rap Album, Best Rap Solo Performance and Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group at the 42nd Grammy Awards. It also spawned three Billboard chart hits, including the Janet Jackson-featuring "What's It Gonna Be?!", which became Busta's highest-charting single on the US Billboard Hot 100 as a lead artist, reaching number three. In early 1999, E.L.E. was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for selling over one million copies.

"I'd had success with two albums, and I felt like I didn't have to prove anything to other people anymore. But I had to prove something to myself. I did things that nobody had been able to do before, such as having Janet Jackson and Ozzy Osbourne on the same album. I caught [producer] J Dilla at the best time. Nobody else got him as good as me." – Busta Rhymes<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>{{#if:|{{#if:|}}

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Reception

The album received generally favorable reviews. At the 42nd Grammy Awards, the album earned three nominations, one for the album itself in the category of Best Rap Album, a Best Rap Solo Performance nomination for "Gimme Some More" and a Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group nomination for "What's It Gonna Be?!" with Janet Jackson.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In August 2020, Busta Rhymes announced a sequel to the album, Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath of God, which was released on October 30, 2020.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Template:Music ratings

Commercial performance

The album debuted at number twelve on the official US Billboard 200 album chart, remaining on the chart for thirty-two weeks.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> E.L.E. peaked at the number two spot on the R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, peaking inside the top fifty for thirty-five weeks.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In the United Kingdom, E.L.E. entered at number fifty-four on the official UK Albums Chart, charting for seven weeks.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> On January 8, 1999, the album was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipping 1,000,000 copies.<ref name="riaa.com">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Album cover

The album, and cover were influenced by popular disaster movies around the time of the album's release in 1998, primarily Armageddon and Deep Impact. Busta Rhymes explained that the cover was inspired by the disaster movie Deep Impact, showing his image of an asteroid hitting New York City.<ref>Interview in radio program P3 Soul in Sveriges Radio P3 on 2008-09-07</ref>

Track listing

Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.<ref name="liner notes">Template:Cite AV media notes</ref> Template:Track listing

Notes

• ^{^[a]{{#if:| }}} signifies a co-producer

Charts

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Chart (1998)	Peak position

Year-end charts

Chart (1999)	Position
US Billboard 200<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	49
US R&B/Hip-Hop Albums<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	14