B.O.A.T.S.: Based on a True Story

B.O.A.T.S.: Based on a True Story is the debut album of American rapper, Alias, and it is the first solo album outside from band Seventeen. The album was released on July 3, 2000, on Columbia Records in the United States. Alias began recording material after Seventeen decided to go on a hiatus after two albums released. Alias used material that was previously unreleased for Seventeen's sophomore album, XVII II, for his debut album.

B.O.A.T.S. focuses on the theme of the urban New York lifestyle and the Mafia, influenced by Jay-Z. Upon release, B.O.A.T.S recieved generally positive reviews from critics, who praised the production and Alias's maturity. The album was a commercial success, selling over 250,000 copies in its first week. Overall, B.O.A.T.S. has sold over a million copies. The album went platinum on September 5, 2000.The album debuted at number 2 on the Billboard 200 charts, and debuted at number 2 on the Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums.

Background
After the release of Seventeen's sophomore album, XVII II, Jonathan "Alias" Banner, confirmed, on December 4, 1999 that he would be officially working on his debut album after two successful albums from Seventeen. Although Seventeen did not split after the release, the members agreed to Banner's decision to create a solo album, prior to Kelli Love's pregnancy in 1999 and Donnie Lanningburg's film debuts. In March 4, 2000, Banner released his first single, "Street Dreamin' (Keep On Believin')" with collaborations from Nas and a sample from 2Pac.

Critical reception
Upon release, B.O.A.T.S received generally positive reviews from critics.