Rock City Rhymes

In recent years Detroit has become the focus of a large portion of the hip hop community thanks to Eminem and his crew D12 as well as the likes of Slum Village. Although there is definately an elevated interest in the Detroit scene it can't be forgotten that artists have been putting the murder city on the map while Marshall Mathers was still snatching pills from under his mum's mattress. Detroit has played a highly influential role in the creation and development of music. Motown Records, the birth of Techno music and legendary rockers such as Kiss, amongst other things, have helped shape a unique landscape that provided fertile ground for rappers to come up from the rock city and make a mark on the hip hop scene.

Awesome Dre And The Hard Core Committee - Dogmatic

Awesome Dre and his Hard Core Committee returned in 1993 after already having left his mark on the Detroit scene with the 1989 album'You Can't Hold Me Back'. This time the Detroit originator and his crew were on Strictly Roots Records and dropped the album 'A.D's Revenge', which somewhat surprisingly was also released on pictured cover vinyl. Although not as good as the previous effort, this album is still an excellent release none the less. 'Dogmatic' showcases A.D's raw and no hold's barred approach to rapping that makes his music as enjoyable as it is. It's a shame that Awesome Dre never got the shine that he deserved but that is something that can be said for a lot of artists, at least the likes of ICP and Esham have shown him respect and shouted him out over the years.

Natas - Telly Savales

Very few artists have represented the D as well as this Acid Rap pioneering trio consisting of Esham the Unholy, Mastamind and TNT. The trio have been putting Detroit on the hip hop map for over a decade with a host of top draw group releases as well as solo projects. This track is off of the 'WWW.Com' album which Natas dropped in '99 on Gothom Over Core/TVT. The whole album is on a different level in comparison to anything I've heard before, production wise this futuristic sounding album oozes originality and the raps are out of this world at times as well. Hard to rank the groups albums as they are all quality for their own reasons but this album would certainly be near the top of the pile. Natas have always embodied the rock city sound and therefore they served as inspiration for the likes of Eminem and the Insane Clown Posse.

Detroit's Most Wanted - Pop The Trunk

When thinking about Detroit's hip hop scene DMW inevitably come to mind, the name certainly plays a part but their product speaks for itself. DMW have been around for quite a while and their hard yards have resulted in a rather extensive and respectable catalogue of releases. 'Pop The Tunk' is off of the group's 1992 Bryant Records/Ichiban release titled 'Tricks Of The Trades Vol II: The Money Is Made'. This track has a funky up-tempo feel to it while the lyrics are concise and straight to the point. These factors combined with some mad scratches and scattered samples ensure this track adequately does these pioneers justice.

Gank Move - Fuck You

With a name like Gank Move and a track titled 'Fuck You' it is fairly obvious that this D-Town duo weren't playing around when they dropped their 'Come Into My World' album in 1993 on Push Play Records. This track, although not ground-breaking, is pretty mad with both K.O. Kill and Young Bango dropping gangsta verses which are complimented with scratches courtesy of DJ Occie The Great and some nice sample selections (ie. Eazy E's "A little street wise nigga, ya know me"). I've got to admit that I really know nothing about these guys except for what I've heard on this album, which I bought off of ebay a while back because the name, cover and tracklisting grabbed my attention. The production could have been better as the audio clarity leaves alot to be desired but the rawness more than makes up for its short comings.

Inner City Posse - Ghetto Zone

Before Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope became famous face painted entertainers for their work under the name Insane Clown Posse, the South West Detroit rappers were recording under the name Inner City Posse. In this time the group dropped the now highly requested 'Dog Beats' EP in 1991. 'Ghetto Zone' starts off with a sample from the classic gang movie 'Colors' before Violent J cuts in with his well delivered rhymes over a hard hitting beat. I love everything about this track, not in the least the classic oldschool "the cops just don't know what to do" Ice T sample which is used throughout the track. I've heard some more modern ICP stuff that I don't mind, but this is by far the best stuff I've ever heard out of their camp.

MP3's:
Awesome Dre And The Hard Core Committee - Dogmatic
Natas - Telly Savales
Detroit's Most Wanted - Pop The Trunk
Gank Move - Fuck You
Inner City Posse - Ghetto Zone
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