This is Texas hardcore rap from the boom period rooted in west coast gangsta rap, that nearly defies one single genre description. You could easily call it Murder-core, Horror-core, or any other synonym that matches its volatile beats and brutal lyricism...neither is for the faint of heart.

I'm hesitant to say anything that this album is good for, other than listening. The production value on many of the songs is strong, like a complex and physical wall of sound set out to assault and terrify, while on others it's more subtle and fitting to the content of the less violent tracks. I would guess that it's probably a good cd to workout to, and is useful for any situation requiring a rush of adrenaline.

The opening track "Fuck 'Em" dives right into the controversial topics of murder, corruption, and violence, and sets the tone for the rest of the album with a sonic and lyrical assault. There should be no questions, five minutes in, as to what the Geto Boys or this album are about. Further into the album, you can see how some songs sort of develop into stories almost...the lyrics are stronger than simple boasts, and veer into slasher film script scenarios. The closing track, "City Under Siege" shows a depth to the social consciousness the group would explore in later releases, albeit in their signature violent manner.

When I first purchased this on cassette back when it came out in 1990, the song "Gangster Of Love" contained a very appropriate sample from The Steve Miller Band's "The Joker" that was replaced by an awful sounding snippet of Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama" that feels less like a part of the song and more like something that was forced into it by a lawsuit.

...I wanted to play it back again! The tracklist is cohesive and plays smoothly from start to finish, teetering between insanity and consciousness with attitude and violent flourishes that make you almost imagine the blood splattered on your walls as you're listening.

Pumped...as long as you can separate the violence from reality. Putting aside the hyperbole, this is aggressive music by nature and while it shouldn't turn you into a serial killer, it's possible it could make you train harder, faster, and give you a mental edge in a fistfight.

The Geto Boys, in this album, really began to come into their own with their storytelling and production. With a solid lineup featuring Scarface, Willie D, and Bushwick Bill alongside DJ Ready Red, this was as stable as they'd been and it was beginning to show. It's a solid disc with few throwaway tracks.

Seriously, you have to be able to understand that while the lyrics are violent, sexist, and brutal, it's a work of fiction...these guys aren't killers or rapists, but entertainers preying on the violent tendencies in certain segments of the population. It's clearly not for everyone. If gore and violent imagery isn't your thing, you can definitely skip this cd.

I listened to this as a young teenager, and I pretty much turned out ok. If this were a horror movie it'd be one of the most violent, sure, but it should be regarded as one of the classics of its era.

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Created Jun 16, 2017 at 1:47pm • Submit your own review...