Gravediggaz was an American hip hop group from New York, known for its dark sense of humor and abrasive, menacing soundscapes. Gravediggaz blended hardcore hip hop, gangsta rap and heavy metal with horror elements to pioneer the hip-hop subgenre of horrorcore.
Horrorcore, also called horror hip hop, horror rap, death hip hop, or death rap, is a subgenre of hip hop music based on horror-themed and often darkly transgressive lyrical content and imagery. Its origins derived from certain hardcore hip hop and gangsta rap artists, such as the Geto Boys, which began to incorporate supernatural, occult, and psychological horror themes into their lyrics. Unlike most hardcore hip hop and gangsta rap artists, horrorcore artists often push the violent content and imagery in their lyrics beyond the realm of realistic urban violence, to the point where the violent lyrics become gruesome, ghoulish, unsettling, inspired by slasher films or splatter films. While exaggerated violence and the supernatural are common in horrorcore, the genre also frequently presents more realistic yet still disturbing portrayals of mental illness and drug abuse. Some horrorcore artists eschew supernatural themes or exaggerated violence in favor of more subtle and dark psychological horror imagery and lyrics.
Walter Reed, better known by his stage name Killah Priest, is an American rapper, member of Sunz of Man and Wu-Tang Clan affiliate who was raised in Bedford-Stuyvesant and Brownsville, Brooklyn. He is known for his intensely spiritual lyrics, containing religious references and metaphors. He is connected to the Black Hebrew Israelites through his rhymes, and is known for his controversial and political subject matter. He is also a part of supergroup the HRSMN along with Canibus, Ras Kass, and Kurupt.
6 Feet Deep is the debut album of the American hip hop supergroup Gravediggaz. Formed by former Tommy Boy Records artists Prince Paul, RZA, Frukwan and Poetic, the group utilized horror-themed imagery and lyrics combined with black comedy and satire to vent their frustrations with the hip hop record industry. The album's concept satirizes the hardcore hip hop and gangsta rap of the early 1990s. Released on August 9, 1994, by Gee Street Records, the album helped usher in horrorcore.
Derrick Harris, better known by his stage name True Master, is an American hip-hop record producer and occasional rapper, known for his affiliation with the Wu-Tang Clan.
"Shook Ones (Part II)" is the lead single from Mobb Deep's 1995 album The Infamous.... The song is a sequel to the group's 1994 promotional single "Shook Ones", with similar lyrics, but less profanity. The original song is featured on the b-side of some releases of "Shook Ones, Part II" and was also included on the international version of the group's album Hell on Earth. The narrative is told from the perspective of inner-city youths engaged in territorial warfare and struggling for financial gains. The phrase "shook one" refers to someone who acts tough and hardcore but when faced with murder and crime, they are scared and run away.
The Pick, the Sickle and the Shovel is the second studio album by hip hop supergroup Gravediggaz. Released on September 16, 1997 via Gee Street, V2 and BMG Records, the album has a more socially conscious sound and is considerably calmer than its predecessor; it features heavy production input by the RZA and his production team the Wu Elements.
Anthony Ian Berkeley better known as Too Poetic, was an American rapper and producer. He was also a founding member of the hip-hop group Gravediggaz, for which he used the alias Grym Reaper. He also used the alias Tony Titanium.
Servants in Heaven, Kings in Hell is the fifth studio album by hip hop group Jedi Mind Tricks. It was released September 19, 2006 through Babygrande Records. The first single, "Heavy Metal Kings", featuring Ill Bill of La Coka Nostra, was released in early August through iTunes and a limited edition vinyl pressing. Additional guest appearances on the album are provided by Shara Worden of My Brightest Diamond, Sean Price, R.A. the Rugged Man, Block McCloud and Army of the Pharaohs members Chief Kamachi and Reef the Lost Cauze.
"Millie Pulled a Pistol on Santa/Keepin' the Faith" is a double A-side single by De La Soul released in 1991 off their album, De La Soul Is Dead.
"I'll Be There for You/You're All I Need to Get By" is a duet song by American rapper Method Man, featuring American singer-songwriter Mary J. Blige. The song is a remix of Method Man's "All I Need" which appears on his debut studio album, Tical (1994). The song, a hip hop soul record, was released as a single by Def Jam Recordings and PolyGram Records on April 25, 1995.
The discography of Wu-Tang Clan leader RZA consists of four studio albums, two compilation albums, one instrumental album, four extended plays and five singles.
"Shimmy Shimmy Ya" is the second single by Ol' Dirty Bastard, from the album Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version (1995). It was produced by fellow Wu-Tang Clan member RZA. The song was ranked number 59 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop.
The Hell E.P. is a collaboration EP by English trip hop artist Tricky and American hip hop group Gravediggaz that was released in July 1995 on 4th & B'way Records.
"Your Life's on the Line" is a song by rapper 50 Cent, from his shelved debut studio album Power of the Dollar (2000). The song was released as the third and final single from the album in 1999 and peaked at number 37 on the Billboard Hot Rap Singles chart. It contains a diss towards rapper Ja Rule and his record label Murder Inc.
"Diary of a Madman" is the debut single by the Gravediggaz, released in June 1994 from their debut album, 6 Feet Deep. The song was produced by members RZA and Prince Paul along with RNS and featured verses from Killah Priest and Scientific Shabazz. "Diary of a Madman" was Gravediggaz' most successful single, peaking at No. 82 on the Billboard Hot 100, their only single to reach the chart, as well as No. 8 on the Hot Rap Singles chart.
"Nowhere to Run, Nowhere to Hide" is the second single released from the Gravediggaz' debut album, 6 Feet Deep. Produced by the group's producer, Prince Paul, "Nowhere to Run, Nowhere to Hide" was a minor hit on the Rap charts, where it peaked at 32. The song interpolates Martha and the Vandellas "Nowhere to Run".
Robert Fitzgerald Diggs, better known by his stage name RZA, is an American rapper, actor, filmmaker, and record producer. He is the de facto leader of the hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan, having produced most albums for the group and its respective members. He is a cousin of two other original Wu-Tang Clan members: GZA and Ol' Dirty Bastard. He has also released solo albums under the alter-ego Bobby Digital, along with executive producing credits for side projects. After forming the Wu-Tang Clan, RZA was a founding member of the horrorcore group Gravediggaz, where he went by the name The RZArector.
"1-800-273-8255" is a song by American rapper Logic featuring Canadian singer-songwriter Alessia Cara and American singer-songwriter Khalid. It was released on April 27, 2017, through Visionary Music Group and Def Jam Recordings, as the third single from Logic's third studio album, Everybody. The song's title is the previous phone number for the American National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (NSPL), now known as the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Although the lifeline has since changed its phone number to 988 in July 2022, the original number still remains in use today. It was written by the three recording artists alongside Dylan Wiggins, Drew Taggart of The Chainsmokers, and 6ix, who produced the track with Logic. "1-800-273-8255" eventually peaked at number 3 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and received nominations for Song of the Year and Best Music Video at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards.
"Shadowboxin'" is a song by American rapper and Wu-Tang Clan member GZA, featuring fellow Wu-Tang member Method Man. It was released as the fourth and final single from GZA's second studio album Liquid Swords (1995), on March 28, 1996. The song was produced by RZA.
