Unless you are over the age of 30 and a scumbag, you might not know about the infamous GEHENNA. If you don’t, get on the fucking program: they are one of the best hardcore bands of the past 20 years, and if you’re into stuff like cocaine, Integrity, and being an asshole, you will love them.
Gehenna vocalist Mike Cheese is not only a hardcore legend, but a lifelong rap fan. Every now and then he reviews rap songs for us, and I am stoked that he is back with the third volume of what are easily some of my favorite SYWH posts.
If you haven’t, check out the interview I did in 2010 with Mike (which includes another interview I did with him, from way back in 1996 or so) as well as the first and second installments of his rap reviews! – Sergeant D
Travis Porter “Make It Rain”
I’m not sure why these fella’s decided to name their band after a kid that got kicked out of my third grade class for shitting his pants everyday. I’m also not sure why they spent all of the money they did to make a different version of their video. One thing I do know though is that Georgia has produced some of the best strip club music ever. It’s part of the culture. Even though I’m not feeling this single, or this version of the video, I can see where this could be a strip club anthem. The name of this group sucks though.
Nelly “Country Grammar”
When I first heard this shit back in 2000 I hated it, but after prolonged exposure I came to the decision that Nelly is fucking dope. Anybody who’d argue doesn’t realize how ballsy the dude really is. First he comes out rapping/singing like a kid who drank too many juice boxes during recess and has to piss. Then he walks around with a bandaid on his cheek. Then he accepts a challenge to battle from KRS-ONE, knowing full and well that KRS-ONE could destroy a week emcees carrier. Even though KRS did destroy him, he shrugged it off and released another successful record that topped the charts again. I also like Nelly cause my good friend Derek Judson pointed out to me that any time you play Nelly drunk bitches will dance their asses off. I also should point out that “Dilemma” with Kelly Roland can clear a bar full of metal heads in like 4 seconds, and that is why I like it.
Waka Flocka “Hard In Da Paint”
I love Lex Lugers production and I thought this song was dope when it came out early last year, but I’ve got some questions and concerns about Waka Flocka Flame. He’s supposedly a blood from Georgia. Why did he shoot his video in L.A., in a Blood neighborhood and pay an OG Blood to be in his video? Why not shoot the video in his Blood neighborhood in Georgia? Why rap about your affiliation on every song, then deny your gang affiliation when approached by Crips, or white media? Why the fuck is he driving a car that is obviously a rental? I believe it’s because Waka Flocka isn’t really a Blood, or a gangster of any sort. He’s just another music industry made poser. Nice try paying the realest Blood to get a ghetto pass, and good choice in video girls. But Waka Flock is whack. Lex Lugers beat is what makes this song dope.
Ill Bill “UBS”
Ill Bill is fucking great. I’ve been a fan of everything related to NON-PHIXION since I first heard “Legacy” on a Nimsy mixtape in 1996 (Gortex rips that shit). When these fuckers went and got Away from VOIVOD to draw up their logo my mind was blown. These dudes were metal heads that rapped, so I had to like ‘em. I remember playing NON-PHIXION shit constantly and in 2004 when “What’s Wrong With Bill?” came out… it was over. There wasn’t anything that could touch Bill’s style. Ill Bill’s brother, Necro used to call the record store I worked at to try and get us to buy Necro records and all of the releases on his label, Psycho+Logical, direct from him. I’d always ask him to freestyle and he would change the subject. He got super bummed out one day when I told him that he since he couldn’t rap worth shit he should stick to making his brothers beats. Then he spit one of the most fucking vicious freestyles I’ve ever heard. I told him “O.k., O.k., You got me Necro. I’ll shut the fuck up and order some shit from you?” Necro replied “Word man. I’m ready for the order. What d’ya want?” I told him “Let me get 10 copies of ‘What’s Wrong With Bill’ and 2 copies of both of your instrumental records. I heard enough of your fucking voice and for a lifetime.” He hung up.
Anyhow Ill Bill is the fucking truth and “The Hour Of Reprisal” was the best record of 2008. The fact that he took a nod from NAS and did “U.B.S.” is killer too.
K9 Posse “This Beat Is Military”
This doesn’t ring a bell at all. I really am just sort of stumped here.
Dem Franchise Boyz “Oh I Think They Like Me”
This was a banger in 2005 but I didn’t like it. Cars, clubs, house parties, bars or where ever you went this song was playing and the midget guest feature on this track is the reason why. Anything Jermaine Dupri touches is pop gold. It seems like ever since KRIS KROSS this mother fucker just stays popping up producing the biggest club hits of the year, or rapping on remixes, or fucking a pop diva. Jermaine Dupri, the pedophile who trolled shopping malls “looking for talent”. I guess when you’re born with the curse of being short, ugly, stupid and hooked on exploiting children, life creates a system that works in your benefit and you get to fuck Janet Jackson. Nature works in mysterious ways.
This song was a hit. I still don’t like it.
Artifacts “Wrong Side Of The Tracks”
Classic shit! Me and LOOKS ONE used to blast this in his Subaru when we were driving to rack cans and go freeway bombing in San Diego throughout 1994. I remember when I first saw this 12″ in the record store I wasn’t too sure about it. When I got home though I bugged the fuck out. Part of it was El Da Sensei and Tame’s lyrics but a bigger part was T-Ray’s production. I mean that dude was doing beats for FUNKDOOBIEST, CYPRESS HILL, DOUBLE-X POSSE, MC SEARCH and now ARTIFACTS. I must have played that 12″ 40 time in a row that night in my room. It was flawless. Great beats paired with great lyrics and style. I still love this song and I’d bet every writer who heard this then still loves it too. This record is just pure hip hop.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0V5KyXuMhQU
D4L “Laffy Taffy”
When I was 8 I loved Laffy Taffy. It had all kinds of silly jokes on the wrapper, and it tasted great. When I was 18 I loved strip clubs. They had all sorts of silly music and naked girls inside. When I was 32 this song came out. I was a little confused by how silly the beat was then I realized it was made for 8 year olds and strip clubs. The whole snap dance thing is silly as fuck, but what do you expect from dudes with the brains of an 8 year old.
2 Live Crew “Me So Horny”
Luke is the fucking shit. I’ve never understood why he isn’t the president of the United States of America. It’s probably the same reason I’m not. My friend Jav gave me a book a book called “Check The Technique” by Brian Coleman. The book is filled with overviews and interviews about some of the most important records in hip hop. In the section with track by track breakdowns of 2 LIVE CREW – “As Nasty As They Wanna Be” Luke talks about the song “Put Her In The Buck” (which is the second song on this record right after “Me So Horny”). His exact quote seemed like some shit I would say in a GEHENNA interview. Luke Skyywalker: “I don’t know who came up with that one. But I’ll tell you what – you get me a bottle of liquor and I’ll come up with hooks and concepts and all kinds of shit!” A true genius, but he’ll never be the president.
Mike Jones “Back Then”
I really like how you’ve submitted me with the Clean Versions of most of these songs, Sarge. It gives me a who new view on things… Anyhow… Screwston Texas. You got to love it. You can’t deny how hard Mike Jones and all of the third coast folks grind. The great thing about this song (and this album in general) was that when it was released it was the only thing that anyone I knew was playing. No one was sleepin on this shit. It was like everybody loved it the first time the heard it. I think it was the sincerity of a dude who drove up and down Interstate 10 selling CD’s to anybody and everybody, out of his trunk, that made it good. The idea that some would broadcast his fucking telephone number and real name in every song just so people could get at him incase they wanted to buy and extra copy of the CD is amazing. The dude was hosting wet t-shirt contests and giving out CD’s at strip clubs! Mike Jones worked hard to get where he’s at. So I understand why he has to to have a 5 foot tall dread to put pretty bitches in full nelsons when they want to talk to him.
But I just wish in that part of the video he turned around and looked at the girl in the full nelson, cleared his throat and said:
“Back then girl, you didn’t want me. Now my personal assistant will assault thee.”
Young L “Respect My Dick”
I fucking hate all of these weak assed European techno beats coming into hip hop now. It’s fucking lame. I also hate this YOUNG L clown. “Respect My Dick”? Really? This song should be subtitled “Young L couldn’t get any respect for his dick cause he has so many issues with his own sexuality.” Hey Young L, does Lil B sing this to you while you blow him?
Seriously Young L. Get into who you are and come out of the closet and quit trying to fool everybody.
I really like these features. Mike Cheese knows what’s up.
“I also should point out that “Dilemma” with Kelly Roland can clear a bar full of metal heads in like 4 seconds, and that is why I like it.”
This is the criterion by which I examine the mainstream validity of a rap song. Sure, I might not like it, but the smelly dude with unwashed hair will like it less, making it okay.
^ this exactly
The Lex Luger beat on hard in the paint is awesome. I didnt know the whole blood thing was made up/he pusses out when confronted with it though; i otherwise liked WFF. I guess if you want authentic blood rap you will need to find Jon Geezy!
That Laffy Taffy song is about pussy lips right?
Listening to the edited version of Hard in the Paint is impossible.
I love this. I like how most of what he says is more stories about the rappers/producers and then at the end he’s like “the song’s pretty cool too”.
Yeah Kidd Upstairs (white as fuck rapper for chicks who like oxy) has some Lex Luger beats on his mixtape and I can’t stop bumping that shit. Everything Lex touches makes me want to pound liquor and fuck.
Haven’t heard that Nelly song since ’03 or so, but it really is dope/catchy as fuck. I’m already downloading it for into work listening.
Funny trivia about 2 Live Crew – when that song came out (’90 or so), Henry Rollins and some lawyer dude did a campus debate tour – and Rollins was obviously pained having to defend the album – so lulzy.
That Ill bill record was crazy. Listened to the track “white nigger” (song title gives you an idea of where his head space is) when it suddenly occurs to me: “is that….no way….yeah…that’s a fucking DRAGONFORCE sample on a rap song, and it is banging.” One of the best tracks on the record in fact.
If you’re not aware, he also has a collaboration album out with Vinnie Paz of the famous Jedi Mind Tricks. That record is Metal As Fuck. Not just because there’s clever metal references throughout (“Grab him by his throat, take his fucking head and scalp him;I carry black metal like I’m Venom’s second album), but the delivery is raw and tense.
Like, think of a solid death or thrash band who want to record the most brutal and intricate solos and magnanimous riffs, nothing overtly deep, just straight up packaged brutality. Bill/Vinnie try to put together some of their sharpest most punishing lyrics into cohesive bursts, concerned with neither a message nor a party vibe, just straight up tight rhymes. They use their sick rap flows like a guitarist uses sick solos.
Lovin these Mike cheese posts. Its nice to see an OTB person talking serious about rap who isn’t doing it just for a need to be taken seriously about art. Motherfucker was there when it happened and still loves it (and lettuce b cereal, not a lot of brothers in the rap game who can say say the same.)
Yeah “Heavy Metal Kings” is the shit. I’ve been a fan of JEDI MIND TRICKS fir a long time and Vinnie Paz has always had a real vicious sounding flow. Maybe it’s the missing teeth. Who knows.
how did I never think of “OTB” before?? brilliant!
Maaan, Country Grammar was my shit, and those were some very accurate comments about it.
Necro story made me laugh out loud.
Uncle Luuuuke! Dude is a legend. I was super bummed he didn’t win his bid for mayor…a world where Luke is mayor is a world I wanna live in.
On point with the song choices. D4L and Dem Franchise Boyz take me back to the days of being an uptight snob, trying to pretend i didn’t like snap music.
Ill Bill is the shit! His new record with Vinnie Paz is one of the best things to come out all year, I play that shit over and over and over. HEAVY METAL KINGS.
the artifacts rule and the respect paid to t-ray is right on the money..who the fuck else would have thought to cut up a 9TH WONDER track(the bubble gum) AND A JACK BRUCE track(born to be blue) and come up with one of the best beats in hip hop history(wrong side) radasss!!
http://s3.amazonaws.com/kym-assets/photos/images/newsfeed/000/100/312/bwUar2.gif?1297896064
Mike Cheese is fucking hilarious, and these posts always expose me to awesome shitty rap. Keep it up!
But IMO, the best Nelly song is “Grillz” by far.
What is OTB?
Ol’ Tired Bastard?
If so you hit the nail on the head. I’m all 3 of those.
I have a term called “OTW,” which means “other than white”- usually used to describe people of uncertain ethnicity (like if you see some hot girl at the mall, but can’t tell if she’s latin, persian, filipino, or none of the above). In this case I am assuming it means “other than black.”
As you know, typically OTB people only listen to either artsy fggt rap (if they are indie pussies) or go the opposite direction and try to show everyone how down they are by exclusively listening to the most grimy, thugged out shit they can find (which is embarrassing as well for obvious reasons). It’s not very often you find someone who is simply a hip hop fan and can just appreciate it for what it is, and that’s why it’s so refreshing to find people who can get into a Nitti beat!
dis a nitti beat *money and women fall from the sky*
Ahhh I see. O.T.B. = Other Than Black.
VyceVictus is correct. I’m O.T.B.
Have you thought about posting something Vyce? Your writing is phenomenal and your grasp of so many different facets of pop culture is solid too. Seriously. Think about it man.
yeah dude, you are welcome to any time! you would be great
Holy shit. So this is what a REAL internet brofist feels like. Thanks for the compliments, I will consider.
please more of these. mike is the man and he also loves the infamous which is awesome.
holy shit fire everyone else on SYWH let Mike write everything forever
Props for the artifacts post, i didnt think many people knew about them. theyre incredible
That Young L song is laughable, but just about every single other solo Young L song from the past two years has been A+.
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