Scarface "The World Is Yours" (August 17, 1993)

Does the Original Gangsta from Houston's 5th Ward ever run out of lyrics about bitches, punk ass n!ggaz, punk cops and the life of a G? Apparently not. After the huge success of his solo debut, Mr. Scarface Is Back, and performances on Kool G Rap's Live And Let Die ("Two To The Head"), the South Central soundtrack ("Street Life"), Compton's Most Wanted's Music To Driveby ("Dead Men Tell No Lies") and the Geto Boys latest album Till Death Do Us Part, Face hits us with his second solo release. This time out Scarface takes a break from the straight up hardcore gangsta boom and goes for the G-style gangsta funk that's sweeping the country. You might want to call this one "The Chronic Pt.II with a 5th Ward Swing" because of its easy going funk beats that are perfect for n!ggaz to get budded to as they roll up on a spot to chill. When Scarface proclaimed that he had the mind of a lunatic, the man wasn't lyin'. His lyrics are like guerilla warfare, with good and evil going toe-to-toe and evil beating the shit outta good. "The Wall" is a psychological profile of a gangsta who tries to go over and around his problems instead of hitting them head on. On "Do Me A Favor," Face gives an "Indecent Proposal" of his own when he asks his woman to break his homie off some p#ssy. That's some sick shit, but only Mr. Scarface could go there and make it sound cool. Other dope tracks include "Let Me Roll," a live bass guitar funk jam about getting budded and rollin' with the homies, "You Don't Hear Me Doe," a fat gangsta beat that's made to ride to, "Dyin' With Your Boots On" with its fat live sample of Fukadelic's "I Betcha" and Scarface's 9mm lyrics. Cont'd...

The best song, the somber "Now I Feel Ya," finds Scarface reflecting on the major events of his life. Only now, after run-ins with other gangstas, women and the unjust killing of his bodyguard by Louisiana police officers, does he fully understand the value of the street knowledge his parents kicked to him as a child back in the gap. The only real disappointment comes with "Mr. Scarface Part 3: The Final Chapter," which has dope new rhymes but is limited by the familiar plot structure and a beat that seems watered down when compared to the first two episodes. Overall, The World Is Yours kicks straight up non stop funk without heavy samples from beginning to end, but it comes up a little short on concept and structure. But when you're Mr. Scarface and the "world is yours," it doesn't really matter. - The Source (Sept., 1993). Face is easily one of the greatest MCs of all-time!

Scarface "Drink Champs Episode" (Video)

Your favorite rapper's favorite rapper... the famed MC (Scarface) shares his journey in hip hop! Face receives his flowers when his peers like Bun B, LL Cool J, DJ Khaled, Ice- T, Big Daddy Kane, E-40, T.I., Gillie Da Kid and more call in to give him his well-deserved props. He also tells stories about 2Pac, DMX, the Nas and Jay-Z beef; his time as president of Def Jam South, and creating some of hip hop’s most iconic music. Face even gives insight into his political career in the future. One of the most important MCs and creatives in our culture, Scarface is an exceptional artist, and like DJ EFN, I'd also include him in my top 5, especially of artists to appear on Drink Champs. Props to NORE and EFN for sitting down with the legend, and giving that man his flowers. We came close to losing him (more than once), so it's more important than ever that we hear his story and dig deeper. If you haven't had a chance, pick up a copy of his book, Diary of a Madman, which is available in my online store. From the Geto Boys to today, enjoy this dope episode of Drink Champs ... make some noise!!!

Scarface "The Fix" (August 6, 2002)

"...with a superb cross-section of hip-hop's best producers, singers and MCs riding shotgun, The Fix is an undeniable balance of street consciousness and mass appeal. The title for this album [The Fix] is more than a dope-game synonym. It's a statement about how Face methodically stitches a hemorrhaging rap game one heart-wrenching couplet at a time... The lead track, "Safe," says it best: "So listen up, my n!@@as  / And I ain't tryin' to preach / I'm just tellin' it from my side 'cause I'm in the streets...." In the spirit of Italian poet Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy, Face keeps the lyrics on this album in three distinct planes of thought: a drug-laced Hell on Earth; a contemplative Purgatory where he muses on the life he's lead; and, of course, the eternal bliss of Paradise. He appeases long-time Scarface fans with killer cuts like "In Cold Blood." Over a lilting piano sample courtesy of Gladys Knight, Face proves there is no honor among thieves - and drug pushers - as he dupes a dealer he's working for out of his supply.... The gangsta boogie continues on "I Ain't The One" featuring W.C. and "Guess Who's Back" featuring Jay-Z and Beanie Sigel. Over Kanye West's pounding keys and interlaced strings, Jigga and Beanie Mac bookend Face's declaration of financial independence: "From the womb to the tomb / A hot pot of joy and a spoon / Tryin' to make me $40,000 and move...." Beyond being "infectious," this track is downright terminal." Click play, cont'd...

The album pivots on tracks like the more reflective "In Between Us" which pairs angelic moans and plucky chords with a stripped-down and vulnerable Nas who steers the song like a suicidal conductor: "Circumstances are like my first fight / I lost it / Was swingin' / My arms buggin' / Adrenaline pumpin' / Oh shit, this little n!@@a's thuggin'...." Uncle Face let's the young'un ride on this one but comes back on "Sellout" with his own thug speak: "I been in fist fights with n!@@as twice my size / Got an incredible record, 27 and five / And the five losses I got, I had to redeem 'em / So he had to fight me every time I seen 'em." Though he painstakingly details his struggles with vices and men, it's Face's battle for his soul that is the most compelling. On songs like the Kelly Price-assisted "What Can I Do?" Face crafts sermons for street disciples who spray paint altars to pay tribute to saints in the 'hood. Kirk Franklin he is not." (The Source). The review continues to champion the LP, but you get the idea. You can't forget the classic single, "My Block," nor The Neptunes-produced "Someday" with Faith Evans. All-around, The Fix rightfully earned the highly coveted 5-mic review! Released on this day in '02, Scarface's The Fix should be revisited, and if you own the CD, break out the plastic baggy that held the liner notes and read more! Also, pick up a copy of Brad 'Scarface' Jordan's book, Diary of a Madman, for more required reading. Salute, 'Face!

ATCQ "People's Instinctive Travels..." (30th Anniversary)

On April 10th, 1990, A Tribe Called Quest released their iconic debut album People’s Instinctive Travels and The Paths Of Rhythm. Hip-Hop journalist and historian Dart Adams wrote a really great article on the legacy of Tribe's debut for OkayPlayer, here's a excerpt: "Jarobi White’s narration turned a bunch of random songs into a full body of work. It was an album reminiscent of the jazz, funk, and soul LPs from the late ’60s to the mid ’70s that I was digging through at record stores around this time. The production especially stood out to me. The sequencing of tracks and the way it flowed took a 14-year-old me on another ride beside the one I was already on. I felt like A Tribe Called Quest was consciously taking the listener along with them on their travels, while I was going through my own quest trying to discover myself. Listening to the album for the first time was one of those moments where I placed a mental bookmark on what an album could and should sound and feel like going forward." Please read the full article at OkayPlayer, and below is a video from 2018 of Scarface breaking down the significance of Tribe's debut and why the LP was so inspirational to him. Dig into the tags/labels below for a ton of content on various Tribe releases (solo and as a group).

Brad "Scarface" Jordan (Greatest Rapper Of All-Time?)

With news of Brad "Scarface" Jordan testing positive for the coronavirus, it's important we lift him up in prayer, continue to give him his flowers while he can smell them and recognize him as potentially one of the greatest of all-time. To do so, let's look back on my brother Justin Hunte aka The Company Man's #TBDShow discussing Face: "Let’s do the math. 7 group albums since 1988 as part of the Geto Boys. One platinum (We Can’t Be Stopped). Two Gold. (Till Death Do Us Part & The Resurrection). 11 solo albums since 1991’s Mr. Scarface Is Back. 3 Platinum (The Diary, The Untouchable & My Homies). 4 Gold. At least 3 certified classics. The Geto Boys Grip It On Another Level received 5 Mics in The Source. The Fix received 5 mics in The Source. The Diary received a perfect score in The Source and XXL. Mr. Scarface Is Back is absolutely in a classic conversation. Super pioneering piece of work. We’ll get back to that. Face was honored by BET with the I AM Hip Hop Award in 2015. He won best lyricist of 2001 at The Source Awards, beating out Jay-Z, Eminem, Prodigy, and Talib Kweli. That’s a diverse ass class. 29 years. Incredible productivity. Commercial impact. Spilling critical acclaim. That combination helps put into context why Scarface is consistently considered your favorite rapper’s favorite rapper. Every region is littered with emcees that revere the legendary Brad Jordan. Scarface may be the greatest rapper of all time." Get well, Brad!

Geto Boys "We Can't Be Stopped" (July 9, 1991)

The Geto Boys' fourth album, We Can't Be Stopped, hit the music world like a hurricane... It's no secret that this trio of misfits was put together by J. Prince, founder and CEO of Rap-A-Lot Records. The Geto Boys were his vision and a brilliant one at that. These three distinct voices and personalities meshed well on record, but in real life, the Boys rarely spoke. In fact, throughout the entire recording of We Can't Be Stopped, they were rarely in the studio together. In general, each member would come to the studio separately, lay their verses and then leave. It wasn't until the final period of the process that I really saw them all working together. Regardless of all that, We Can't Be Stopped is the album that kicked off this entire Southern revolution we are currently enjoying... [The cover of We Can't Be Stopped] showed Scarface and Willie D wheeling Bushwick Bill down a hospital hallway on a stretcher, just days after the diminutive rapper had shot his eye out. The cover was a shocking piece of macabre art, one that perfectly represented the psychosis of these three tortured gangsta geniuses. It was the perfect intro to an album full of tortured, gangsta genius gems including the mega hit "Mind Playin' Tricks On Me." "I guess I would say that one of [my favorite Rap-A-Lot albums] would have to be We Can't Be Stopped." J. Prince remembers, "And I say that because "Mind Playin' Tricks On Me" did so much for the South, period. It was the song that got the South our respect, and [it] made people start listening to us and reckoning with us from radio to everybody..." We Can't Be Stopped kicked the music industry's door down and introduced the world to a whole new coast, one where the place was a little slower but the fire burned just as hot. - 20 Essential Southern Albums, Ozone Magazine. Salute, Matt Sonzala. There were some distribution issues surrounding the album's release, so the official release date is fuzzy, but as far as I can see, We Can't Be Stopped was released on July 9, 1991. Got more info?

A random sketch of the We Can't Be Stopped artwork...

DJ Big Texas "Mr. Scarface Is Back (Originals)" (Mixtape)

Mr. Scarface Is Back is the solo debut album from Scarface of the Geto Boys. It was released on October 8, 1991 via Rap-A-Lot with production from Crazy C and Scarface. On its 25th Anniversary, DJ Big Texas has dug in the crates to pay tribute to this classic album with original sample materials and edits, showcasing what a true gem this album is both lyrically and sonically. The success of the mix led to an extended deluxe edition being released by DJ Big Texas, which now includes bonus tracks and new remixes. Mixes like this are very important, dig in below... Props to DJ Big Texas.

Geto Boys "My Mind's Playing Tricks" (The Source, 1991)

"When "My Mind's Playing Tricks On Me" blew the fuck up, we were surprised. It got props on both coasts and in the middle, and scored on both Video Jukebox Network and Yo! MTV Raps. But we shouldn't have been surprised. The Geto Boys have always shown major skills, and "Mind Playing Tricks On Me" brought them together to create four of the most chilling minutes in hip-hop. Surreal and substantive, the single took us on a terrifying trip through the mind of gangster under the gun. With Willie D, Scarface and Bushwick Bill as guides over a powerful beat sprinkled with a light guitar chord, "My Mind's Playing Tricks On Me" was an experience that was not matched. Even before the single dropped, the Geto Boys proved that they couldn't be stopped... by anyting. After Geffen Records refused to distribute their major-label debut and the group left Rick Rubin's Def America, many though that they would fade away into obscurity. Wrong." Peep the visuals, cont'd below...

"After Bushwick Bill, drunk and depressed, shot his eye out, many thought that the Geto Boys were too crazy and self-destructive to matter. Wrong. Instead of wallowing in the Geffen-Rubin mess, they went back to Rap-A-Lot, the Houston independent label, and hooked up with Priority to get their shit out. Instead of running from tragedy, they embraced it, going far enough to put a picture of an injured, hospital-gowned Bushwick Bill - flanked by his partners - on the cover of their next album, the appropriately-titled (and fiercely compromising) We Can't Be Stopped. The cover may have been hard to swallow, but the album wasn't: the record went gold without a video in a time when "no video" supposedly equals "no sales." If that's not enough, Willie D and Scarface dropped solo records, which sold buck wild - with Bushwick Bill not too far behind. Going into 1992, the Geto Boys are no longer a novelty act; they have became a true rap superpower." - The Source, 1991.

Scarface "Diary Of A Madman" (Book)

"If you don’t know me, or my career, or who I am or what I’ve done, that’s what I’d tell you: I am you. I’m the way you think and the way you feel; the things you’ve seen and loved and the things you’ve seen that you can never unsee. I’m your hopes and your fears, the quiet, dark moments that house the secrets that you hold tight deep at night and the loud public moments that grip and rip your block in broad daylight. I’m the pain and the progress, the sadness and the celebration, the dream and the nightmare. I am you. I am your voice." - Brad ’Scarface’ Jordan, "Diary of a Madman."

Scarface "The Fix" (Vibe Magazine, 2002)

"Someone once said that the rap game reminded him of the crack game. Though it's a facile comparison, there's no question that many hip-hop fans, plagued by redundant subject matter and recycled phrases, are fiending for substance like Robert Downey Jr. in a locked hotel room. It's only appropriate, then, that Scarface the original street pharmacist, step up with The Fix, his best album in almost a decade... On songs like "Sell Out," Face proves he can run with today's best, firing off polysyllabic rhymes with the nonchalance of Jada and the subtle depth of Nas... He has finally broken free of his patented pendulum flow, heightening the emphasis on the last words of each. Thematically, though, Face more or less sticks to the script his listeners have come to expect: The streets are coldhearted and your best friend will stab you in the back over a dime piece, a dime bag, or even just two nickels, so surrender yourself to spirituality and find peace. But like a truly great MC, Scarface finds new ways to address the same old problems... But rhymes alone don't make an album, and it's Face's superb selection of soulful, bass-heavy beats that propels The Fix along."

"...Blueprint alumnus Kanye West once again proves to be an able vinyl reanimator, offering up sweet organ samples on the Jay-Z and Beanie Sigel collab, "Guess Who's Back," as well as glassy xylophone accents and an abrasive, funky drum break on "In Cold Blood." And yet, the cement that holds the LP together is not the big-name beatmakers; it's the markedly improved production of Mike Dean and Scarface himself. Experimenting with creative arrangements on songs like the intense Nas collab "In Between Us," the two deftly defy the current formula for 16-bar verses and 8-bar choruses. As a genre, gangsta rap has had an incredibly hard time growing up; most of its artists run out of new things to say shortly after the release of their first album. But with The Fix, Scarface makes a compelling argument that gangstas can, in fact, mature. More importantly, they can use that hard-won wisdom and experience to create some of the best music of their lives." - Vibe, 9/02. Dig it...

Scarface "Deeply Rooted" (Album Stream)

The twelfth studio album from Houston's OG, Scarface. To describe the album, Aaron McKrell of HipHopDX said, "Musically, Deeply Rooted is low-key, superbly playing to Scarface's strengths. Piano loops and thick drums draw in the listener while allowing Scarface to take center stage on several tracks, providing the album with a cohesive feel without sounding repetitive." Erin Lowers of Exclaim! said, "Although Deeply Rooted may not hold up to previous albums in the grand scheme of his discography, the veteran once again planted seeds for his legacy to grow." My favorite track on the album is surprisingly not an album cut, but the single "God," featuring John Legend.

"I wonder when I sleep is he there sitting on my chest

Stealing breath, shortening my days even less

Lost souls never rest, a killer walks the streets seeking flesh

A adolescent hangs she's depressed

A priest who confessed, a judged typing a nigga in a text

Your honor, what the fuck did you expect?

A father kills his son look at life it's a mess

Just imagine what would happen if the lord up and left..."

Geto Boys "Six Feet Deep" (1993)

"Til Death Do Us Part" is the fourth studio album from the Houston "gangsta rap" group the Geto Boys. With production from N.O. Joe, the album was released in March 1993 on Rap-A-Lot Records. Big Mike joined the group in Willie D's absence, joining Scarface and Bushwick Bill. With the Commodore's "Easy" as the major sample on the track, "Six Feet Deep" was released as a charting single from the album with a video to accompany its release. Scarface reflected on the record with Complex, sharing: “That record came about because I lost a really good friend of mine on June 28 named Rodney Parker. Rodney had gotten out of the streets and everything, he was just sitting in this club and a motherfucker shot him in the chest by accident. That ‘Six Feet Deep’ was a record that was heartfelt  ... Growing up, I thought about being in darkness. I always imagined waking up alive in a coffin. I'm six feet under the ground so I can’t get out and I just live there forever, until I die again. I would imagine being in darkness and you can’t move, the darkness is stopping and altering all your movements. You can’t touch, you can’t feel, you can’t see, you can’t move, you’re just in darkness. I was thinking about that as a kid. My biggest fear is my children growing up and having those thoughts. I try to keep them as busy as I can and make them feel love." It's clear that Scarface has battles with his own demons and depression. He turned his pain and darkness into art and light for others going through it too. Scarface is in my top 10 greatest eMCees of all-time.

Ed O.G. & Da Bulldogs "Love Comes & Goes" (1993)

Ed O.G. & Da Bulldogs released "Love Comes & Goes" - produced by Diamond D - on their second album, "Roxbury 02119" in 1993 on Chemistry Records. I believe it was the second 12" release, which actually dropped in '94. Ed O.G. had already dropped "Be A Father To Your Kids" on his debut album "Life of a Kid In The Ghetto," which was the song that got me interested in his music, so by the time "Love Comes & Goes," I saw him as an artist with relatable content and sharp messaging. On the West Coast, Scarface and the Geto Boys were releasing "Til Death Do Us Part," which featured the song "6 Feet Deep;" arguably one of the most emotional cuts in Hip-Hop history. Next to "Love Comes & Goes," they showed an interesting parallel of both coasts and human emotion as a whole. Let's tackle one at a time; dig into Ed O.G.'s video below, and up next will be "6 Feet Deep."

Scarface "The Untouchable" (Rap Pages, 5/97)

"Brad Jordan may as well become an author or screenwriter. Marking the tenth anniversary of his career in the rap music game, The Untouchable, Jordan's fourth oratorical cinematic / literary work under the name of his Scarface alter ego, is the apex of his gangsta career. Much like those he was influenced by - filmmaker Brian DePalma and author Mario Puzo - Face has been able to make the ordinary un-ordinary. He, above any other gangsta rap artist, has made each album a soundtrack for the worst aspects of Black life in America. In opposition to his recent socially conscious Geto Boy mindset, Brad Jordan here reintroduces the Scarface g-rap fans have grown to love on the title track, once again displaying the ability to intertwine eerie, haunting piano chords with soul-inspired bass action while shooting 187 narratives. This is showcased best on the cuts "Sunshine" and "No Warning." Much of the album follows the same formula of heavy-hitting musicianship combined with tales of how his crime-savvy characters justify their ruthless, mobster survival tactics in a world full of sinners. Scarface's shit never gets boring, only more interesting." Check "Smile", cont'd below...

"Two tracks in particular, "Smartz" and "Smile" (featuring Tupac), tug at Jordan's consciousness; here, he shares his insights and personal pain while viewing the plight of his people. Another musical gem is "Money Makes The World Go Round," which teams Face with Devin of the Facemob and Daz, whose bouncy harp chords and xylophone chimes add diversity to his bluesy gangsta album... The Untouchable can be chalked up as another successful venture for Scarface. In this gangsterized Hip-Hop society, Face's personality and lyrics remain fresh and avoid trite status. His ability to take street savvy and pair it with superhuman feats have always been his forte. The Untouchable is a mirror of the ugliest urban Amerikkkan realities. It's what Face has been puttin' down since he started. He's the best there is at what he does, which is why he remains untouchable." - Rap Pages.

Geto Boys "Press Kit" (1990)

"Let's get a couple things straight. One, The Geto Boys are not obscene. The Geto Boys rap about the obscene: poverty, racism, growing up in a climate of fear, brutality, and neglect. Two, the Geto Boys are mad. Not just about the recent flap over their new self-titled Def American Recordings' album, but deep mad about the world around them. And anger is a scary thing. Their music can be scary too... They're wake up calls meant to shake up deaf Americans... Despite their fury, they are truly thoughtful and reflective young men. If anyone expects The Geto Boy to apologize for songs like "Fuck 'Em" or "Let a Ho Be A Ho," which unleash torrents of expletives in a blaze of profane glory, forget it. "All we do is speak for the black struggle," says Willie D. "Because of that, they say we're racist and sexist, or condoning violence. These are the same people that go out and watch Rambo blow up an army." ... "Stick a man in the 5th ward, and he'll learn how to think," says Bushwick Bill. All four were tough, got into trouble regularly, and were headed for lives of crime. Yet they were saved. "What we did," says Willie D., "is take all the bad things that happened to us, and formed them into art." The band, in its earlier incarnations, was the very first to develop the Gangsta Style of rap, predating even N.W.A. They became the hottest rap act in Houston, selling thousands of records throughout the mid-south, midwest, and panhandle regions." Cont'd below...

"With the new line-up complete, the next development came when Rick Rubin, founder of Def American Recordings and Def Jam Records, became interested in collaborating with the Geto Boys. The new album combines the very best of previously released Geto Boys songs as well as new songs, entirely remixed with additional production by Rubin... When Digital Audio Disc Corporation declined to manufacture, and Geffen Records refused to release The Geto Boys this summer, a new chapter had been written in the sinister story of recent American censorship. It marked the first time a manufacturer and distributor refused to press and ship a rap album based on lyrical content alone, and it put the Geto Boys under the national media spotlight. All sorts of media observers, label executives and industry pundits commented, but no one ever seemed to ask the Geto Boys for their opinions. Says Willie D., "It was funny to me. We've been together less than a year, and already we're making history." Added Bushwick Bill, "We do not curse for the sake of cursing. We're only stressing what goes on around us. It's like them people have us under a microscope." The microscope is flawed however, because practically none of the self-appointed judges of the Geto Boys' music have actually heard it... As long as young black men and women find in rap an artistic outlet for their frustrations and expressions, rap will thrive... It has indeed paid off. The Geto Boys have reshaped the twisted aspects of their past into something steel-hard and razor-sharp. For people not afraid of getting cut, there are many rewards to be found in the music of the Geto Boys. You just have to listen. Hey, it's only a record. It won't kill you." - Press Kit, September 1990.

Scarface "The Diary" (The Source, 1995)

"They say you should never read someone's diary because you might find something you didn't want to know. That's not the case with this audio journal of "the world according to Scarface." The Diary takes you on a lyrical day-to-day trip that goes from inflicting pain ("Jesse James") and avenging a homie's death ("No Tears"), to sexing a new ho on the block ("Goin' Down"). For the production, Scarface has taken a more relaxed approach and shows he's not afraid to experiment. Smooth basslines and mellow keyboards create a sound that, on many tracks, is less aggressive than his previous works. While there are enough rugged tracks to please his fans, this new production helps hold the LP together and will appeal to those who may have believed Face's talent was limited."

"Scarface is business as usual lyrically, but like the production, there are tracks that are not done in his usual mode of operandum. The first single, "I Seen a Man Die," is one of those. This common tale of brothers getting caught up in the game is brought to life as Face, in a tone that is more solemn than usual, successfully utilizes his version of a sing-songish flow. Remaining serious, he teams up with Ice Cube on "Hand Of The Dead Body" to fight back at the organizations that have been trying to silence "reality rap." The sequel, "My Minds Playin Tricks On Me '94," brings back the classic, story-telling Scarface, as he carries the song without the help of Bushwick and Willie D. Overall, The Diary is a diverse piece of work that will appeal to a wider range of listeners. Some tracks may be too experimental for Scarface's core audience, but they will be pleased with the majority of his work. Others will see that this Geto Boy has tapped into something new and has laid the foundation for an even brighter future." - The Source, 1995. Listen to The Diary album above...

The Combat Jack Show "Scarface Episode"

On the latest episode of the Combat Jack, the crew sits down with the Southern OG, Brad "Scarface" Jordan! One of the only MCs that feels comfortable telling people he meets (and likes) to call him by his government name. To their surprise (and mine), Scarface has lost close to 100 pounds! Health reasons forced the man to 'run for his life' and he did it! Salute that man! In typical fashion, Scarface bumrushes the interview, takes over, but leads it down a path that's hard to put to words, lol. He touches on battles with drugs and depression, time in prison, his son and further expresses why he is a legend in this rap game, without having to say a word about it; it's just a fact! Dig in...

Geto Boys "Till Death Do Us Part" (The Source, 5/93)

"...when the album actually starts, the real story is Big Mike. Formerly a member of the Convicts, his lyrical flow is right up there with Scarface's. And from the first taste of Mike on "G.E.T.O.," you realize that he is a welcome replacement after Willie D's departure... Bushwick's little, Black, Chuckie ass is just as bugged as he was on his solo album, Little Big Man ... Later on the album he eats somebody's eyeballs ... that's nasty. On the production tip, you can't say that they seem to have an LA or a New York influence. They always made music like this, with the low end and the gospel-sounding samples over a drum machine on every song. They must have found their niche because the sound hasn't really changed from album to album." Check out "Six Feet Deep," cont'd below...

"Once again Scarface's lyrical antics are some of Till Death's high points. And unless you've been  under a rock for the last five or six years you already know to expect dope shit from that rhyme-writing, gun-toting brother. "Attention motherf#ckers! About face / Salute the one that hit 'em up, quick to get 'em up / ... Quick to not give a f#ck / Never bringin' the false shit / I left the mic for a year and I still ain't lost it." One day on the phone, Face told me that he didn't think I liked his record, "New York don't like gangsta music." Shut up, brother! Your shit is dope." - The Source, 5/93