Roses & Razorblades

Roses & Razorblades is an album by the Detroit rapper Hush, released on June 10, 2003, on Rock City Records. It was his last independent album before he signed with Geffen Records.

The story

Hush made the album after his work in Da Ruckus with Uncle Ill and his 1999–2000 releases on Intuit-Solar. Rock City Records also issued the singles “Fade Away” and “Hollywood” in 2003, and a single for “Detroit Players” is listed separately on Discogs. The liner notes simply call it “Detroit Hip-Hop.”

Sound and production

Hush produced almost the whole album himself, 13 of 14 tracks. Cadillac Dale produced “Detroit Players” and BMX produced the title track. Guests include Royce da 5’9” on “Knuckle Up,” Cadillac Dale and Shane Capone on “Detroit Players,” and Paradime on “Too Far Gone Now.” Family members also appear, including Michael Carlisle on “The One You Love To Hate” and Mother Hush on “Barricaded Gunman.”

Legacy

The album comes just before Hush’s move to a major label. “Knuckle Up” carried on in his catalog: a new “Knuckle Up” featuring Royce da 5’9” is listed as a 2022 single. Roses & Razorblades shows Hush as a self-produced Detroit artist before the Geffen years.