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RHH: WHAT IS YOUR OPINION ON THE HOUSTON LABEL RAP-A-LOT RECORDS?

September 9th, 2011 Leave a comment Go to comments

The record label has been out almost as long as Def Jam. In the 90s Houston had some of the most gangster and violent hip-hop, even more so than the West Coast that gets most of the credit for gangster albums. Most of the Rap-A-Lot early releases have gone pretty much unnoticed and only acknowledge by those who dig deep for hip-hop music. So, for this post I’ll be shedding some light on the forgotten city of H-town and some of it’s gem.

In my opinion these are great albums that could make a great addition to your collection:

1991:Geto Boys: We Can’t Be Stopped- This one is a straight classic and it’s what put Texas on the map. I will not going into detail as I feel this album is already known by most fans, who can forget Mind Playing Tricks on Me?

1992 Big Mello: Bone Hard Zaggin- This album is on some pimp-smooth sh*t. The album has great production that’s great for riding in the car and I would dare to say that it’s better than the overrated The Chronic. Mac’s Drive ‘Lac’s is the highlight song in my opinion that would give you that southern player style that represents Texas.

1991:Convicts:Convicts- This album is the best ignorant rap album in history. It has some of the most ignorant views, but it’s done in a way that’s appealing for being so straight forward without holding back. The songs are set to old-style Houston beats, strictly harmonicas and church organs. It’s basically the genius of ignorant rap.

1992: Ganksta N-I-P: The South Park Psycho- This one is simply a horrorcore/gansgter rap album. NIP says some of the most weirdest things on this album, like clamming he has had sex with 90 year old grannies to women having sex with pit bulls. Check out it out, if you like dark topics…

91& 94: Scarface: Mr. Scarface Is Back/The Diary- These two albums are pretty much known by most, so I won’t say anymore.

1993: Seagram: The Dark Road- This rapper is from Oakland and he was shot to death in 96. The guy talks about dark subject matter and life experiences. Seagram makes a lot of reference of the devil, acknowledging Satan as ruler of the world. This is really Sea’s best LP, the dark roads has the old school samples from Tom Tom Club, Isaac Hayes, Zapp, & Chocolate Milk. It also has some groovy feel to it reminiscent to DJ Quik.

BQ: What is your favorite album from Texas?
Out of all those I HIGHLY recommend Big Mello: Bone Hard Zaggin. Dope.
Johnny Blaze: Yeah, definitely check out Bone Hard Zaggin, Mr. Scarface Is Back, The Diary, We Can’t Be Stopped first and see how that goes. The production is old-school southern Texas style, nothing like the east or west…
s. perrotta – sense makes dollas: Yeah I know, sometimes it gets boring to hear the same thing over and over in this section, wu-tang, nas, mobb deep… and yeah I agree Wegonefunkwichamind is dope. I just mentioned these because I felt most people here would like it, and another two of my favorites is 1989: Willie D – Controversy & 1991: O.G. Style – I Know How to Play ‘Em to add to your list…

I’ve got to say – it is hella refreshing to know that someone on here likes early 90s southern hip-hop…

Rap-A-Lot has spawned a lot of great rappers and has an unbelievable back-catalogue of albums – the label has stood the test of time incredibly well and although its well past its peak and influence, its still one of the great hip-hop logos and was crucial in giving southern hip-hop a regional platform to build on – and definitely proved, at least in the long run, that there was more to the south than Bass music…
The label branched out a lot with west coast and midwest acts which I think is notable, and is probably one of the reasons why acts like E-40 and Spice 1 collaborated with so many southern artists and helped promote and expand the south’s appeal…

Geto Boys and Scarface go without saying…

Convicts never did that much for me personally – they had some decent tracks and a great gimmick, but I can’t help but lump into a pile of solid but unremarkable Houston groups like and Too Much Trouble and Trinity Garden Cartel…

I’ve been throwing out Ganksta N-I-P’s Interview With A Killa on a lot of horrorcore-oriented questions and he’s an incredibly underrated rapper skill-wise as well and his debut has stood the test of time well – the southern equivalent of Esham if anything…

Wegonefunkwichamind is my personal favorite of Big Mello’s though – that album is not far away from classic status and epitomises southern g-funk at its finest – raw grooves with deep vocals and lumbering basslines…

Meanwhile Seagram’s probably the closest the west has come to Big L – without the relentless punchlines – his shit was unbelievably raw and The Ville is classic Bay Area shit… the Bay has a plethora of great 90s rappers that never quite got their dues and Sea is definitely one of them…

A few others that would fall into your category…

Blac Monks – Secrets Of The Hidden Temple
Coop MC – Currency
DMG – Rigormortiz
E.S.G. – Sailin’ Da South
5th Ward Boyz – Rated G
Snypaz – Livin’ In The Scope
The Terrorists – Terror Strikes: Always Bizness, Never Personal
Willie D – Play Witcha Mama

BQ: Probably Devin the Dude’s To Tha X-Treme – the production was perfect and its definitely his most varied in terms of subject matter… He’s just so entertaining to listen to and all of his albums have a degree of nostalgia in that they’re really fun and lighthearted but still offer some deep material…

  1. Pointless
    September 9th, 2011 at 22:34 | #1

    they like to rap a lot
    References :

  2. Dick B
    September 9th, 2011 at 22:53 | #2

    I don’t know, I don’t recall hearing of them. I’ll check those albums out when I get a chance though.
    References :

  3. Johnny Blaze
    September 9th, 2011 at 23:30 | #3

    "claiming he has had sex with 90 year old grannies to women having sex with pit bulls"

    *starts looking for DL link*

    you have rec’d these at the right time, im listening to a lot of albums i havent heard atm. (trying to expand away from my usual stuff) imma try check out what i havent heard..

    BQ: The Fix

    @40s, I just started listening to The South Park Psycho, I have heard the Scarface and Geto Boys albums, its just the other one’s i need to check out
    References :

  4. Aaron B – The Atheist Swagg Compels You.
    September 9th, 2011 at 23:44 | #4

    I love every release I’ve heard from them. Geto Boys and Scarface are underrated in this section. Big Mello is the sh*t.

    BQ: Ridin’ Dirty
    References :

  5. 2dopeboyz ¬ ?FWG????
    September 10th, 2011 at 00:04 | #5

    i hate them………they took pimp c’s unreleased material away from his family when he died and they released them and the family barley got any money from it…..those unreleased songs/verses were suppose to support his family finically for life……..now they’re dead ass broke

    BQ:
    Z-Ro-Cocaine
    Chamillionaire-Mixtape Messiah 3 & 7
    Devin The Dude-Waiting to inhale
    Bun B- Trill OG

    i can’t decide on my favorite one though
    References :

  6. Cognautic Creix
    September 10th, 2011 at 00:30 | #6

    Rap-A-Lot Records’ building is near the club I fence at (I fence, in case you didn’t already know). Just something interesting…

    They certainly have a few legendary acts, Geto Boys and Scarface certainly, among a few others. They pretty much define Southern gangsta rap, home of nearly all their biggest representatives. I’ve got to investigate its artists more, so thanks for mentioning some albums that I can download.

    BQ: The Diary.
    References :

  7. s. perrotta – sense makes dollas
    September 10th, 2011 at 01:11 | #7

    I’ve got to say – it is hella refreshing to know that someone on here likes early 90s southern hip-hop…

    Rap-A-Lot has spawned a lot of great rappers and has an unbelievable back-catalogue of albums – the label has stood the test of time incredibly well and although its well past its peak and influence, its still one of the great hip-hop logos and was crucial in giving southern hip-hop a regional platform to build on – and definitely proved, at least in the long run, that there was more to the south than Bass music…
    The label branched out a lot with west coast and midwest acts which I think is notable, and is probably one of the reasons why acts like E-40 and Spice 1 collaborated with so many southern artists and helped promote and expand the south’s appeal…

    Geto Boys and Scarface go without saying…

    Convicts never did that much for me personally – they had some decent tracks and a great gimmick, but I can’t help but lump into a pile of solid but unremarkable Houston groups like and Too Much Trouble and Trinity Garden Cartel…

    I’ve been throwing out Ganksta N-I-P’s Interview With A Killa on a lot of horrorcore-oriented questions and he’s an incredibly underrated rapper skill-wise as well and his debut has stood the test of time well – the southern equivalent of Esham if anything…

    Wegonefunkwichamind is my personal favorite of Big Mello’s though – that album is not far away from classic status and epitomises southern g-funk at its finest – raw grooves with deep vocals and lumbering basslines…

    Meanwhile Seagram’s probably the closest the west has come to Big L – without the relentless punchlines – his shit was unbelievably raw and The Ville is classic Bay Area shit… the Bay has a plethora of great 90s rappers that never quite got their dues and Sea is definitely one of them…

    A few others that would fall into your category…

    Blac Monks – Secrets Of The Hidden Temple
    Coop MC – Currency
    DMG – Rigormortiz
    E.S.G. – Sailin’ Da South
    5th Ward Boyz – Rated G
    Snypaz – Livin’ In The Scope
    The Terrorists – Terror Strikes: Always Bizness, Never Personal
    Willie D – Play Witcha Mama

    BQ: Probably Devin the Dude’s To Tha X-Treme – the production was perfect and its definitely his most varied in terms of subject matter… He’s just so entertaining to listen to and all of his albums have a degree of nostalgia in that they’re really fun and lighthearted but still offer some deep material…
    References :

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