The 15 Best Rap-A-Lot Records Albums
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5th Ward Boyz – Ghetto Dope (1993)Standouts: “Studio Gangster” “Pleeze” “Thanks for the Blessing”
Following the popularity of the Geto Boys, Rap-A-Lot wanted another group to achieve similar success. They might not exactly have been next in line for the Southern crown, but 007 and E-Rock managed to pump out more Ghetto Dope for everybody to rock with. Mike Dean and N.O. Joe handle most of the crisp, riding production, but it’s the brash, unapologetic style of E-Rock and 007 that make the 5th Ward Boyz so fun to listen to.
Subsequent albums had the same elements (with the addition of Lo-Life after his release from prison), but none of them popped out of speakers the way Ghetto Dope does. It’s held up as one of the best albums to ever come out of the legendary Rap-A-Lot camp.
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Ganksta N.I.P. – The South Park Psycho (1992)Standouts: “Psycho” “Horror Movie Rap” “Smokin Amp”
This is one hell of an X-rated album. Anybody critical of the shock-rap stuff that Odd Future started off doing probably couldn’t stomach more than one verse from Ganksta N-I-P, the notoriously psychotic Rap-A-Lot member who (somehow) managed to be ten times as sick and twisted with his rhymes than any of the Geto Boys were.
N-I-P was outrageously imaginative when it came to violence, especially on “Psycho,” where he burns holes in tongues, kills babies in plastic bags and breastfeeds newborns with unleaded gas (well, he doesn’t, but you get the picture). He’s often mentioned for his disturbing lyrics, but he also deserves recognition as a gifted writer.
Later albums Psychic Thoughts, Psychotic Genius, and Interview With A Killa all prove his longevity. With pounding production from The Terrorists, Crazy C, Doug King and John Bido, The South Park Psycho never disappoints.
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Facemob – The Other Side Of The Law (1996)Standouts: “Millions” “Stay True” “Tales From The Hood”
Think of Facemob as Rap-A-Lot’s Firm. DMG, Devin, 350, Smit-D and Chi-Ray revolved around the songwriting and production of Scarface. The Other Side of The Law, like The Firm, doesn’t quite live up to the expectations of seeing DMG, Dev and ‘Face on tracks together, as Devin doesn’t quite fit into the overly gangsta theme of the group and DMG seems to have lost a step since Rigormortiz. Still, the album plays seamlessly, mostly thanks to Mike Dean and the unifying idea of a sprawling Houston mob made out of five rappers originally hailing from five different states.
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Geto Boys – Grip It! On That Other Level (1989)Standouts: “Do It Like A G.O.” “Let A Ho Be A Ho” “Mind Of A Lunatic”
The Geto (originally Ghetto) Boys needed some tinkering when Johnny C and Jukebox left after their debut album, Making Trouble, dropped in 1988. In came a dancer-turned rapper named Bushwick Bill and a sullen, self-aware spitter named Scarface to join Willie D, and thus the iconic Houston rap group was formed. They became Rap-A-Lot’s biggest act after this album, and Rick Rubin loved the album so much that he bought the rights and reissued Grip It! as Geto Boys for Def Jam.
There’s no huge hit attached to the album. Instead, three guys who have been thrown together as Rap-A-Lot’s flagship crew find a way to balance out each other – three solo Scarface songs, two solo Willie D songs, one solo Bushwick Bill song. The album was a mission statement for both the label and the group that broadcasted one simple message: “We’re gonna fuck you up." DJ Ready Red provides most of the pulsing, sample-heavy production, and by the last track on the album, we get a glimpse of just how progressive the Geto Boys were.
In '89, “Mind of a Lunatic” was one of the first examples of any rap act addressing their own mental instability. To break the wall of a rapper’s braggadocio and reveal brutal honesty allowed the Geto Boys to become one of the greatest and most important rap groups of all time.
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Odd Squad – Fadanuf Fa Erybody (1994)Standouts: “Here To Say A Lil Somethin” “Smoken ‘Dat Weed” “Jazz Rendition”
Some things in this world are so incredible, so beautifully akin to perfection, they can only happen once in a lifetime. That thing is Odd Squad’s only album, which introduced Devin The Dude along with Rob Quest and Jugg Mugg. Devin’s ideas and hooks power the project, which flies dangerously close to Rap-A-Lot’s Doggystyle in terms of consistency. Every song sounds like the audio equivalent of a night out on the town, and that might not be a coincidence, since Quest, the main producer on the album, was something of a homebody after becoming blind at a young age.
Odd Squad recorded a second album, but it was full of subtle jabs at their label, and Scarface was allegedly keeping Devin from recording with the group because ‘Face was poaching him for Facemob’s album as well as preparing him for a solo career. It’s an ironic shame – Fadanuf Fa Erybody is notoriously known as Scarface’s favorite Rap-A-Lot release.
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Scarface – The Diary (1994)Standouts: “I Seen a Man Die” “Jesse James” “Hand of the Dead Body”
Everybody remembers the first time they heard “I Seen a Man Die." It’s one of those truly melancholy songs where the rapper’s voice sounds physically weighed down by life’s ills. ‘Face was a rapper who always broke ground, whether it was with mental illness, family issues, or depression in his rhymes. The Diary plays as just that – a glimpse of the inner thoughts that mirrored what Brad would see around him.
Gangsta rap had plateaued and Scarface was ahead of his time when it came to addressing more progressive, personal topics. The beats are quintessential Rap-A-Lot, as ‘Face would assist Mike Dean and N.O. Joe in crafting what sounded like the soundtrack to a hip-hop street opera. From top to bottom, The Diary is what solidified Scarface as one of the greatest hip-hop artists of all time.
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Scarface - The World Is Yours (1993)Standouts: "The Wall" "You Don't Hear Me Doe" "Now I Feel Ya"
I promised myself that I wouldn't include more than one Scarface album, and if I wanted to stretch the truth a bit it could probably be done, but anybody that's familiar with 'Face's discography knows that he could easily hold five spots on this list. Early on, it became clear that Scarface would be the standout artist within the standout crew on Rap-A-Lot, and so a run of outstanding albums began with Mr. Scarface in '91.
Brad expands his ability to look at an uncomfortable image in the mirror and come to terms with himself on his sophomore album The World Is Yours, despite how much of a struggle self-evaluation can be. The album seems to build to a climax in "Now I Feel Ya," a mellow ode to the wisdom that elders once tried to bestow upon him. It's the kind of song that not only emulates, but embodies the experience of transitioning from a carefree youth to a responsible, mature adult. 'Face sounds like he had to make the adjustment way too early, but every listener is glad that he did, or else we might not have gotten so many classic albums from the man.
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Do Or Die - Picture This (1996)Standouts: "Po Pimp" "Playa Like Me and You" "6 Million"
You wouldn't expect to see a rap group from the Westside of Chicago pop up on Rap-A-Lot, but by 1996 the label was expanding it's breadth beyond the fertile Southern scene. AK-47, Belo Zero and N.A.R.D. had a hit on their hands with "Po Pimp" featuring a young rapid-fire rapper named Tung Twista (later known as simply Twista), and with production from The Legendary Traxster and some help from Mike Dean and Crazy C, Picture This ended up being the strongest album of their career. A short, concise 11-track event, Picture This sees the Chicago trio get in and get out with style, never letting a song run for too long and refusing to include any detail that wasn't necessary in their rhymes.
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Devin The Dude – The Dude (1998)Standouts: “The Dude” “Do What You Wanna Do” “Boo Boo’n”
Four years after Odd Squad dropped their only album, Devin stepped out into the solo role that Scarface had wished for him. With a voice as soft as the weed he puffs, Devin easily shuttles between rapping and singing about girls, trees, and brew. An array of producers were brought in for Dev’s debut, including Domo, Tone Capone, Rob Quest and N.O. Joe, yet the squad sews together an album without a single skippable song. The Dude is a high-powered night owl, stuck to the couch with devil red eyes and not a care in the world.
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Big Mello – Bone Hard Zaggin (1992)Standouts: “Gank Move” “Don’t Let The Name Fool You” “Live in 3D”
Bone Hard Zaggin is a breath of fresh air every single time it spins. His first two LPs are so good that you actually have to rub your ears to make sure you’re hearing this shit right on first listen. Paired with Crazy C’s loose, top-down production, Big Mello lets the wind run through his hair as he drops gospel about hoes, Lorenzos and “Living For The Weekend.”
Mello isn’t rapping about anything extraordinary, but he transmits so much energy, determination and relaxation in his voice that it sounds like he’s in heaven. Bone Hard Zaggin is such a smooth ride that you don’t even care where the destination is. Mello tragically passed away following a car accident in 2002, and his ebullience has been missed ever since.
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Big Mike – Somethin’ Serious (1994)Standouts: “Havin’ Thangs” “Playa, Playa” “World of Mine”
As Big Mike grew, his commanding gravity on the mic developed, and after becoming a Geto Boy for ‘Til Death Do Us Part a year earlier, Big Mike dropped one of the best Rap-A-Lot albums ever with Somethin’ Serious. Pimp C stops by to kick a verse on the classic “Havin’ Thangs” while his UGK partner Bun B shows up on the last track, “On da 1,” but it’s Big Mike who ushers us into his swampy world and surrounds us with it.
Many tended to focus on the shocking aspects of Rap-A-Lot’s music, but Big Mike was a regular old dude, riding through the hood and seeing things he wants to change. Thus, Somethin’ Serious is one of the more endearing entries in a gigantic catalog of classic records.
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Blac Monks – Secrets Of The Hidden Temple (1994)Standouts: “Getos In The Mind” “Aggravated Monkeys” “Death Before Dishonor”
Often sounding like a midpoint between the dark haze of Cypress Hill and the high-sprung energy of Souls of Mischief, the Blac Monks were Da, Awol and Mr. 3-2 for their debut album. The Blac Monks weren’t worried about infiltrating the streets or making hit records. They were coming straight out the jungle without a fuck to give – I mean, have you seen their second album cover? They had a Wu-Tang spirit but you can hear how clean the Mike Dean mixes are throughout the album. With production from DJ Ready Red, John Bido and Pedewestra, the Blac Monks may be one of the more forgotten Rap-A-Lot acts, but this album bangs from front to back.
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Convicts – Convicts (1991)Standouts: “1-900-Dial-A-Crook” “Fuck School” “I Ain’t Going Back”
The Convicts have tons of juicy stories behind their career. The group, which was composed of Big Mike and Mr. 3-2, crafted the concept of their only album around two convicts who just got out of prison. After the album dropped, Suge was pursuing Big Mike to join Death Row Records, and even put the two up in an apartment in Long Beach. Mike and 3-2 ended up recording a song with Snoop and Warren G, but when Willie D left the Geto Boys and Lil’ J offered the spot to Big Mike, he had to bite.
Some say that Suge and Dre actually got the idea of “Death Row Inmates” from this Convicts album. Others contend that Snoop might have borrowed some of his flows from 3-2. One thing is certain – Convicts is full of stories that spring to life, from the high-octane tension of “Peter Pan” to the brilliant idea of a gangster hot line on “1-900-Dial-A-Crook”, a concept that Jay-Z later lifted for “1-800-Hustler.” “Fuck School” and “Wash Your Ass” are some of the lessons to take away from the educational Convicts, but the album goes to show that skillful execution of an original idea can reverberate for decades through artists of all generations.
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Bushwick Bill – Little Big Man (1992)Standouts: “Little Big Man” “Ever So Clear” “Copper To Cash”
Bushwick Bill almost sounds like a Five Percenter on the Little Big Man intro as he disses America and the Statue of Liberty while big-upping wisdom, knowledge and overstanding. Then he jumps into the organ-driven “Little Big Man” and all debauchery is restored – “Gougin’ out your fuckin’ eyeballs and then I skullfuck you, bitch.” Produced mostly by Lil’ J, Little Big Man keeps the organs consistent throughout the production, but it’s Bushwick Bill who makes you keep listening.
The songs here paint the picture of a tortured artist, but his delivery is focused, whether it’s maniacal or kicked back. His elastic way with words is what made him an integral part of the Geto Boys, and the ability to make fun of himself on his own solo record endeared him to fans while also granting him the ability to lash back with over-the-top vignettes of violence. He’s got a special appetite for legs, and not the ones from frogs either.
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DMG – Rigormortiz (1993)Standouts: “You Don’t Hear Me Doe” “One in the Chamba” “Buck Em Down”
DMG (DetriMental Ganxta) was known in St. Paul, Minnesota for his underground rap tapes when he attended a Scarface show and was so fascinated by the rapper that he followed him back to his hotel room to play ‘Face some songs. Surprisingly, Brad liked what he heard and set DMG up with a record deal on Rap-A-Lot. Rigormortiz is a cult classic featuring the usual suspects behind the boards as well as label head Lil’ J and Big Chief, but what makes it stand out is DMG’s pure ferociousness. His voice has an unmistakable Scarface influence, considering the guy was practically DMG’s mentor, and that might be why he’s been pushed to the back of Rap-A-Lot’s illustrious history.
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