Geto Boys
| Company type | Hip hop group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1986 |
| Headquarters | Houston , United States |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
Geto Boys (initially known as Ghetto Boys) originated as a hip hop ensemble from Houston in 1986. The group's most renowned 1990s formation consisted of Bushwick Bill, Willie D, and Scarface, who gained widespread recognition with their 1991 hit "Mind Playing Tricks on Me", reaching number 23 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Their activity continued until the passing of Bushwick Bill in 2019.
Renowned for their provocative lyrics that explore themes such as misogyny, violence, mental health struggles, and substance abuse, the Geto Boys are acknowledged as trailblazers of southern hip hop and were ranked tenth on About.com's compilation of the 25 Greatest Rap Groups Ever.
History
The group initially comprised Raheem, The Sire Jukebox, and Sir Rap-A-Lot. Following their exit, DJ Ready Red, Prince Johnny C, and Little Billy (who later adopted the name Bushwick Bill) became members. Their first single "Car Freak," released in 1986, was succeeded by two additional singles before launching their debut album Making Trouble (1988), which garnered minimal attention. Subsequently, the lineup was revamped to include Bushwick Bill, Scarface, and Willie D, leading to the release of Grip It! On That Other Level (1989).
The 1990 release The Geto Boys stirred controversy due to its explicit content, prompting Def American Recordings to switch distributors from Geffen Records to Warner Bros., with Giant Records handling promotion. During this time, political opposition targeted gangsta rap acts like them.
An incident in 1991 involving Bushwick Bill being shot resulted in heightened sales for We Can't Be Stopped, whose cover featured a stark hospital image of Bill. This album included their notable single "Mind Playing Tricks on Me."
Following Willie D's temporary departure, Big Mike joined forces with Scarface and Bushwick Bill for Till Death Do Us Part (1993), which achieved gold certification and featured the top-40 track "Six Feet Deep." Willie D returned for the albums The Resurrection (1996) and Da Good Da Bad & Da Ugly (1998), which did not involve Bushwick Bill. After a period of inactivity, they reunited for The Foundation in 2005.
The song "Street Life" from Till Death Do Us Part appeared in the movie South Central. Although their releases and performances became less frequent afterward, the group came together again for Cypress Hill's SmokeOut festival in 2009.
In 2010, Bushwick Bill confronted potential deportation issues. By 2015, Scarface expressed in an interview his reluctance to participate in another Geto Boys project. Founding member DJ Ready Red passed away in 2018 at age 53.
After Bushwick Bill was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer early in 2019, a farewell tour was planned with proceeds aimed at cancer awareness but was canceled before commencing. Bushwick Bill died on June 9, 2019, at age 52.
Lyrics and influence
The name Geto Boys is a variation of the word "ghetto." Their first two albums—Making Trouble (1988) and Grip It! On That Other Level (1989)—used the conventional spelling "Ghetto Boys," but starting with their third album, The Geto Boys, they permanently adopted the "Geto" spelling. Their lyrics intensify gangsta rap motifs by delving deeply into subjects such as homicide, explicit sexual content, and brutality. Credited with elevating Southern hip hop’s profile, they influenced numerous artists including 2Pac, Eminem, UGK, T.I., Outkast, 50 Cent, Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, Rick Ross among others. Violent J of Insane Clown Posse recognized them as pioneers of horrorcore rap through tracks like "Assassins" from their debut and subsequent songs such as "Mind of a Lunatic" and "Trigga-Happy Nigga" on their sophomore release.
"The Unseen," featured on the compilation Uncut Dope, conveys an anti-abortion stance. The group's prominence surged again in 1999 when two tracks—"Damn It Feels Good to Be a Gangsta" (from the 1992 compilation Uncut Dope) and "Still" (from The Resurrection)—were included in Mike Judge's film Office Space. Marilyn Manson covered "Mind of a Lunatic" as a B-side on his album The Golden Age of Grotesque. Additionally, "Damn It Feels Good to Be a Gangsta" has been interpreted by Aqueduct and country artist Carter Falco.
Their lyrics often reflect social issues pertinent to their time, addressing police misconduct ("Crooked Officer") and the detrimental effects of violence within urban neighborhoods ("The World Is a Ghetto," "Geto Fantasy," and "Six Feet Deep").
Discography
- Albums in Studio
- Making Trouble (1988)
- Grip It! On That Other Level (1989)
- The Geto Boys (1990)
- We Can't Be Stopped (1991)
- Uncut Dope (1992)
- Till Death Do Us Part (1993)
- The Resurrection (1996)
- Da Good da Bad & da Ugly (1998)
- The Foundation (2005)
Group members
Past members
- Bushwick Bill – hype man (1986–1989), vocals (1989–1997, 2002–2016; deceased 2019)
- Prince Johnny C. – vocals (1986–1989), production (1988–1991)
- Raheem – vocals (1986–1987)
- Sir Rap-A-Lot – vocals (1986–1987)
- Sire Jukebox – vocals (1986–1989)
- DJ Ready Red – vocals, turntables, production (1986–1991; deceased 2018)
- Big Mike – vocals (1992–1994)
Chronology
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External links
- Articles with short description
- Horrorcore groups
- Gangsta rap groups
- Rappers from Houston
- Geto Boys
- Southeastern hip-hop groups
- Hip-hop groups established in 1986
- Hip-hop groups disbanded in 2019
- Hip-hop groups from Houston
- Rap-A-Lot Records artists
- The Geto Boys albums
- The Geto Boys members
- Musical groups disestablished in 2019