One of the pioneers of horrorcore rap, Geto Boys made a name for themselves with their sophomore album Grip It! On That Other Level. Many people are unaware of the group's debut album Making Trouble, and that's a good thing in reality. The album didn't even have any of the primary members rapping, as it was before the Geto Boys that hip hop fans know and love even existed, and the album was just plain awful. Regardless, after this album, the original members left, and Bushwick Bill (who was originally just a background dancer) gathered Scarface and Willie D to re-assemble the group into what it became known for, and recorded Grip It! On That Other Level.
Often lauded and recognized for its graphic nature, the album was innovative and original in that respect since the group was pretty much the first group to execute horrorcore, and they did it so well. Tracks like "Mind of a Lunatic" and "Read These Nikes" not only had brutal lyrics, but perfectly fitting backdrops. The horrorcore tracks were ever so graphic but never corny, showing some of the best horrorcore rap that hip hop has ever seen. Even though the horrorcore tracks are great, the standout on the album is "Life in the Fast Lane", a Scarface solo. Taking a break from the horrorcore theme of the album, Scarface does some storytelling (far before he was even known as a great storyteller) about what it's like to be a drug dealer and the troubles that come with it.
As a whole, Grip It! On That Other Level is a spectacular album with influential horrorcore styling, and Geto Boys were definitely some of the best at what they did. I wouldn't quite say this is a classic album, but it is definitely fantastic, and a good intro to the horrorcore sub-genre.
Ratings:
1. Do It Like a G.O.: 4.5/5
2. Gangsta of Love: 4/5
3. Talkin' Loud Ain't Saying Nothin: 4.5/5
4. Read These Nikes: 4/5
5. Size Ain't ***: 4/5
6. Seek and Destroy: 4.5/5
7. No Sell Out: 4/5
8. Let a Ho Be a Ho: 4/5
9. Scarface: 4.5/5
10. Life in the Fast Lane: 5/5
11. Trigga Happy Nigga: 4/5
12. Mind of a Lunatic: 4.5/5
Best song: Life in the Fast Lane
Weakest song: No Sell Out
Production: 8.8/10
Lyrics: 8.8/10
Overall rating: 88/100
Grade: B+
