The Goats
| Company type | Musical group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1991 |
| Headquarters | Philadelphia , United States |
| Products | Albums, live performances |
The Goats were a Philadelphia-based American trio known for their work in the alternative hip hop genre.
History
According to group member Swayzack, their name was derived from blending the term "scapegoats" with the expression "Don't get my goat," symbolizing their perception of government antagonism at the time of their inception. Established in 1991 by rappers OaTie Kato (James D'Angelo) and Swayzack (Patrick Shupe), the initial roster also featured sisters Love and Rucyl Mills alongside OaTie’s sibling, Vinnie Angel. They initially released a cassette under their own name before including Madd (Maxx Stoyanoff Williams), who was introduced through dance artist King Britt.
The Goats incorporated a full band setup, which included drummer Chuck Treece, multi-instrumentalists Pierce Ternay and bassist E.J. Simpson, as well as keyboardist Mark Boyce, who additionally provided character voices on their first album. A promotional photo from Ruffhouse displays a lineup of eight members.
Their debut album, Tricks of the Shade (1992), produced by OaTie Kato and Joe "the Butcher" Nicolo, was released through Columbia Records / Ruffhouse Records and is regarded as one of Philadelphia’s standout albums. It reached number 58 on the UK Albums Chart in August 1994. Their second release, No Goats, No Glory (1994), also came out under Columbia Records.
Throughout their career, The Goats toured alongside groups such as Urge Overkill, Dog Eat Dog, Cypress Hill, Public Enemy, Beastie Boys, and Luscious Jackson.
In 1994, OaTie Kato departed from the group reportedly after missing a flight; he was succeeded by vocalist and drummer Derek "D'Recka" Pierce. Following the band's dissolution, OaTie transitioned into film directing and launched Jimmy Luxury, which was signed to Sony Records; he later shifted his focus toward Bitcoin education and climate change activism. After the split, Swayzack withdrew from music activities. Madd remains active in performance and production through projects like Incognegro, Black Landlord, and SPK.
A live album titled Live at Khyber Pass — July 4th, 1993 was issued in 2019 and made available on iTunes UK. In Chris Schwartz’s 2019 book about Ruffhouse Records, QuestLove credits The Goats for inviting his band The Roots to open for them, marking The Roots’ inaugural live performance.
Albums
- Tricks of the Shade – Ruffhouse/Columbia, 1992
- No Goats, No Glory – Ruffhouse/Columbia, 1994
- Live at Khyber Pass — July 4th, 1993 – 2019