When many say the word ‘Gangster Rap’ what do you associate it with? Young men whom previously lived the “urban” life, ranting down a microphone about how many girls they have/had, how many guns they have and their crack selling days. But as in many generalisations there are always the exceptions, and Onyx is one of them. Leaking from the East Coast scene in 1993 with the likes of the Wu-Tang Clan, there debut album ’Slammed’ (no pun intended) right through the underground of New York, creating the newest ‘bad boys’ of rap. With their creative, over exaggerated, witty, multi-syllable punch lines, these were not some one hit wonders of rap. Neither were they not socially conscious, meat heads, brandishing guns but not able to load a bullet. No, these guys were from the darkness and for years had been ready release venom of the likes society (and the hip hop culture particular) hadn’t seen for years. As I’ve said before Onyx truly were the shinning rocks of hip hop ready to metaphorically shame unorganized, bad commercialized wordsmiths, and bring a new meaning to the words ‘Gangster Rap’.

Note: If you don’t like violence turn and run!

Tracklisting & Rating
1) Bacdafucup Not Rated
2) Bichasniguz 5 Stars
3) Throw Ya Gunz 5 Stars
4) Here 'N' Now 4.5 Stars
5) Bust Dat A-s Not Rated
6) Atak Of Da Bal-Hedz 5 Stars
7) Da Mad Face Invasion Not Rated
8) Blac Vagina Finda 3.5 Stars
9) Da Bounca Ni--a Not Rated
10) Ni--a Bridges 4 Stars
11) Onxy Is Here 4.5 Stars
12) Slam 5 Stars
13) Stik 'N' Muve 5 Stars
14) Bichasbootleguz Not Rated
15) Shifftee 4.5 Stars
16) Phat ('N' All Dat) 5 Stars
17) Da Nex Niguz 4.5 Stars
18) Getdafucout Not Rated

The introduction sets the whole outlook for the personality’s of the groups for members Fredro Starr, Sticky Fingaz, Sonsee and Suave. Jam Master Jay and Chyskillz create a beautiful jazzy underground feel with a production served with trumpets, upbeat wise keys, dark eerie scratching and a swerving drum loop. The energy on this introduction is immediately as all emcee’s “Bring the noise” (so to speak) with raging screaming of ’Move back motherfu-kers, the ONYX is here! Back the fu-k up!!!’. From this prelude you understand this is going to be no relaxing ride, purely underground, jazzy hardcore hip hop.

Soon after we a delivered with another raging, intensely angry song Throw Ya Gunz. Here Jam Master Jay (who under goes nearly all the production on this album) cuts quiet so the only sounds you hear are the angry mob of Onyx raging ’Take em out, take em out, bring em out dead, shine em up, shine em up, shine the bald head. One gun, two gun, three gun, four, you're, mine, it's all about crime…Onyx!’. Straight after we are slapped with tingling keys a jazzy bouncing snare and dark electronic scratching in the background. This is the first track (I feel) to truly show the exaggerated, clever, unique and witty lyrics all emcee’s provide. To put it simply this track is mayhem. Over the jazzy tinkering keys, all four emcee’s drop exaggerated, angry gun verses at the top of their lungs. The way they present their lyrics and the charisma that goes in to it is certainly perfection. All the members perform well but for me Sticky (undoubtedly the strongest member of the group) hits the nail on the head, kicking the most funny, creative verse on the song.

’Ahhh, I hate your fu-kin guts, and I hope that you die, Sticky fingaz, the name, and my life is a lie. Cause I'm havin a bad day, so stay out of my way, and what the pistol packin people say you better obey. Just in the nick of time, I commit the perfect crime, rip my heart, from my chest, put it right into a rhyme.
I don't feel pain cause it's all in the mind, and what's - mines is mines and, yours is mine!’

The next nihilistic, unbelievably violent, but aptly one of the best songs on the album is Atak Of Da Bal-Hedz. Here Kool Tee provides the most funky, underground exaggerated beat to match up to the lyrics perfectly. Jazzy instrumental keys strum in the background accompanied by a upbeat drum loop that cautions off light maracas! Here all the emcees don’t let their ingenuity slide, by hitting the track with creative, witty stories of how they got their bald heads and would never be seen without one. As I said in the aforementioned don’t turn on an Onyx track an expect not to hear violence. Here they spit quick, braggadocio lyrics of how they’ll pull guns on anyone who criticises their bald heads or tries to ‘tack down’ their group at any time. This is another upbeat, furious track from the Queens emcees showing their unique creative ability to be able to craft such a violent, underground track but still not be seen as shallow.

Now as always we come to the only slightly weaker track on the album, Blac Vagina Finda. Now the production on this is nice and smooth as Jam Master Jay proceeds with triangle sounding keys and light drum loop and a suitable chorus of low keys trumpets. Also Sticky does a marvellous job of spitting his verse in succession to the nursery rhyme Jack Be Nimble. But the song is let down not only by the boring (but in parts funny) subject matter, but more so the under-average performance of the other three emcee’s. Here like the song gives away, they all talk about woman who are only good for sex and stuff like that. I know many enjoy it, but you know me I wasn’t too crazy. Even past that I do feel it’s clever the way they use the nursery rhyme to show the danger of STD’s ’Jack be nimble, jack be quick. Jack thought he was slick, now he got a sick di-k’. An above average song but the worst on the album.

The certainly ’Classic’ single Slam enters next, once again fluctuating with violent, brilliant and creative lyricism and production. Chyskillz and Jay don’t let go of the boards creating one of the most infectious, amazing and underground production ever to be released on a single. The ’Old Skool’ sounding beat of colliding scratching, trumpets, keys and bass rip over a beautifully iced drum beat. This is the only track on the album in which none of the members swear, but you simply don’t notice over the screaming and the jazzy production. If you want amazing commercialism (and even though this song wasn’t meant to be it did propel them to stardom), then listen to this track. With the exception of Big DS (who doesn’t appear on here) all emcee’s spit killers, but once again Sticky takes the cake and eats it too with the most metaphorically catchy, clever and sophisticated word play. With his verse alone this song is a killer. Note to P.Diddy, this is how to achieve commercialism with respect.

’The mad author of anguish...my language, polluted, Onyx is heavyweight (And still undisputed!!). He took the words right out my mouth and walked a mile in my shoes, I've paid so many dues, I feel used and abused. And I'm.... so confused.... umm, excuse me, for example, I'm the inspiration, of a WHOLE generation. And unless you got 10 Sticky Fingaz Its straight imitation’.

Stik 'N' Muve undoubtedly contains one of the best (if not the best) production on the album. Jam Master uses one of the most simple, but effective beats on the album with low trumpets and a beating, rugged drum loop. Here (without shouting) but fierceness the members release yet more gun brandishing, exaggerated lyrics to caution all those of the successive world. Though violent it’s less moderate than some of the previous tracks but still gives its fair share of censored issues and language. With this song (like basically all of the album) you get the feeling that Sticky excels from the rest of the member, superior in lyrics, flow, charisma and creativity.

Shifftee shows my aforementioned comment about Sticky to the fullest. Chystillz conjures up a beat much like the one of Slam with introductory electronic scratching, dark twinkling keys and a bumping, futuristic drum loop. Here he gives the appearance of the track being old, making the emcee’s stand further away from the microphone and crackling the keys. Each member performs really well creating yet another intelligent song. Not surprisingly Sticky releases a verse of more complex rhymes, great retrospective story telling and passion. You may think I’m just saying that because he’s my favourite member of the group, by buy the album (or listen if you’ve already got it) and see what I mean!

’One day I'ma rule the f-ckin world, just mark my word, I've got the filthiest sh-t, human ears ever heard! And even if you wash my mouth out with soap, I'll still be as disgusting and despicable, Unpredictable, liable to flip my lid! My moms dropped me on my head, when I was a kid’.

Coming to the end of the humorous, stimulating and violating fifty minute LP, we get an amazing closing with Phat ('N' All Dat). Onyx simply ”Bear Arms” fitting the song with the exaggerated, violent lyrics it begun with. Chyskillz gives the usual rampaging keys and a banging, jiggling drum loop. Here all emcee’s scream their hearts out not excluding the chorus where they raw ’Phat Phat, da da da da, Phat, Phat, Phat and all Dat’. They come with full frontal, in your face violence showing the world of hip hop they are truly hear to stay. With metaphor magic and brilliant balance with the production, no more were the days of the West Coast reign because Onyx were truly here to stay.

To say Onyx created a ’Classic’ album would have been true up until 1995 when they released their actual life time medal All We Got Iz Us. But to say Bacdafucup is an achievement would certainly be true. When Onyx released this not only was the timing to the tee but the East Coast (well actually the world) needed this album. They needed to see young youth swearing and leashing venom on American society, because that was the actuality. What Onyx did for so called “Gangster Rap” is vastly under rated. They carved a type of rap which showed that you could be angry and witty at the same time but have hints of seriousness showing throughout. Combined with Jam Master Jays production you couldn’t help but notice and respect Onyx. Because as they have already shown us they were coming at full force and if you don’t like it you better Bacdafucup for your own sake!

Overall rating
4.5 Stars…Near Classic


Recommended: Yes

Great Music to Play While: Exercising