Grip It! On That Other Level

“Grip It! On That Other Level” is the second studio album by the Geto Boys, then credited as the Ghetto Boys, released on March 12, 1989, through Rap-A-Lot Records.

The story

Before the record was made, Rap-A-Lot founder James Prince reshaped his Houston group, dropping Sire Jukebox and Prince Johnny C, whom he considered too close to New York styles. In their place he brought in Willie D, who had been leaning toward a solo career, and a young rapper then known as Akshen, later Scarface, who earned his spot at an audition by rapping about unusually dark subject matter. They joined Bushwick Bill and DJ Ready Red, creating the lineup most associated with the group.

Sound and production

DJ Ready Red handled most of the production, with further credits for Doug King, John Bido, Prince Johnny C and James Smith. The tracks are built on funk and soul samples from sources such as Curtis Mayfield, James Brown and Parliament, alongside a Pink Floyd lift. Over them, the lyrics pushed violent and misogynistic content well past most rap of the time, most notoriously on “Mind of a Lunatic.” “Do It Like a G.O.” was the only single used to promote it.

Legacy

The album peaked at No. 166 on the Billboard 200 and No. 19 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, and eventually sold around 500,000 copies independently. A year later, Rick Rubin remixed ten of its songs for the group’s 1990 album “The Geto Boys.” Its shock content is widely credited with pioneering horrorcore, and The Source included it on its 1998 list of the 100 best rap albums before later granting it a five-mic rating.

Released March 12, 1989. More from hip hop in 1989.