A History of Violence | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | ||||
Studio album by | ||||
Released | November 11, 2008 | |||
Recorded | 2007–2008 | |||
Studio | Found Sound Recording (Philadelphia, PA) | |||
Genre | Underground hip-hop | |||
Length | 45:15 | |||
Label | Babygrande | |||
Producer | Stoupe the Enemy of Mankind | |||
Jedi Mind Tricks chronology | ||||
|
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Chart Attack | 4.5/5 [1] |
HipHopDX | 4/5 [2] |
PopMatters | 6/10 [3] |
RapReviews | 8.5/10 [4] |
Spin | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
A History of Violence is the sixth studio album by American hip-hop group Jedi Mind Tricks. It was released on November 11, 2008 via Babygrande Records. Recording sessions took place at Found Sound Recording in Philadelphia. Production was handled by member Stoupe the Enemy of Mankind. It features guest appearances from Block McCloud, Demoz, Doap Nixon, King Magnetic and OuterSpace.
In the United States, the album debuted at number 169 on the Billboard 200, number 49 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, number 21 on the Top Rap Albums, number 19 on the Independent Albums, number 12 on the Tastemakers Albums and number 6 on the Heatseekers Albums charts, selling 4,168 copies in its first week out. [6]
The album followed multiple summer releases from the Jedi Mind Tricks camp, including the group's first DVD, titled Divine Fire: The Story of Jedi Mind Tricks, and the Vinnie Paz-executively produced projects Jedi Mind Tricks presents Doap Nixon: Sour Diesel , Jedi Mind Tricks presents King Syze: The Labor Union , and Jedi Mind Tricks presents OuterSpace: God's Fury . [7] The album's first single "Monolith" was released on October 2, 2008. [8] Their second single "Godflesh" was released on their website. The album marks the return of former Jedi Mind Tricks member Jus Allah. [9]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Intro" | Kevin Baldwin | 1:06 |
2. | "Deathbed Doctrine" |
| 4:23 |
3. | "Deadly Melody" (featuring Block McCloud and Demoz) |
| 4:33 |
4. | "Monolith" |
| 3:38 |
5. | "Those with No Eyes" (Interlude) | Baldwin | 1:21 |
6. | "Trail of Lies" |
| 4:27 |
7. | "Heavy Artillery" |
| 3:41 |
8. | "Seance of Shamans" (featuring OuterSpace and Doap Nixon) |
| 4:09 |
9. | "Geometry in Static" (Interlude) | Baldwin | 0:50 |
10. | "Godflesh" (featuring Block McCloud and King Magnetic) |
| 4:08 |
11. | "Terror" (featuring Demoz) |
| 4:02 |
12. | "Butcher Knife Bloodbath" |
| 3:55 |
13. | "The Sixth Gate Shines No More" (Interlude) | Baldwin | 0:48 |
14. | "Death Messiah" |
| 4:14 |
Total length: | 45:15 |
Chart (2008) | Peak position |
---|---|
US Billboard 200 [10] | 169 |
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums ( Billboard ) [11] | 49 |
US Top Rap Albums ( Billboard ) [12] | 21 |
US Independent Albums ( Billboard ) [13] | 19 |
US Heatseekers Albums ( Billboard ) [14] | 6 |
Jedi Mind Tricks (JMT) are an American underground hip hop group from Philadelphia, founded in 1996 by two high school friends, rapper Vinnie Paz and producer Stoupe the Enemy of Mankind. In 1999, rapper Jus Allah joined the group to record their second studio album, Violent by Design. Jus left the group shortly after, but returned in late 2006 and began working on the sixth studio album, A History of Violence. In 2011 Stoupe left the group because "his heart wasn't in making JMT records anymore". In 2013, Jus split from the group indefinitely, and Stoupe returned in 2015.
Babygrande Records is an American independent record label based in New York City, founded by Chuck Wilson. Babygrande is distributed by The Orchard and represented by the Creative Artists Agency in Hollywood.
Army of the Pharaohs is an American underground hip hop collective originating from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, formed by Jedi Mind Tricks founder Vinnie Paz in 1998. The collective has strong links to other underground east coast groups such as OuterSpace, Snowgoons, La Coka Nostra, Demigodz, 7L & Esoteric, and JuJu Mob. AOTP's affiliations and member roster has changed several times since its formation.
OuterSpace is an underground hip hop duo from North Philadelphia. Originally a trio consisting of three Puerto Rican friends that then took the artist names Planetary, Jedeye and Crypt the Warchild. The founding member Mario Collazo (Planetary) was then attending 10th grade, while the other two, Richard Cruz (Jedeye) and Marcus Albaladejo, were in 8th grade.
Violent by Design is the second album by underground hip hop group Jedi Mind Tricks. Despite never reaching any Billboard album chart, the album sold 50,000 copies in its first week on shelves. The album was originally released on JMT's self-run Superegular Records on October 3, 2000. JMT's previous label, Babygrande Records, re-released the album on May 25, 2004. The original vinyl release featured twenty tracks, while the original CD release featured two extra tracks: the "Heavenly Divine Remix", originally released on the B-Side to JMT's "Heavenly Divine" single, and "War Ensemble", originally released as the B-Side of the Army of the Pharaohs Five Perfect Exertions EP. Babygrande's Deluxe Edition featured three more bonus tracks: "Untitled", "Retaliation Remix" and "Blood Runs Cold", the latter two originally featured on the "Retaliation" single. The Deluxe Edition also included a bonus DVD, featuring a video scrapbook from their Visions of Gandhi tour, and the music video for the group's 1997 track "I Who Have Nothing".
Legacy of Blood is the fourth studio album by American hip hop group Jedi Mind Tricks. It was released on August 24, 2004, via Babygrande Records. Production was handled by member Stoupe the Enemy of Mankind, with Chuck Wilson serving as executive producer. It features guest appearances from Des Devious, GZA, Killah Priest and Sean Price.
James Bostick, better known by his stage name Jus Allah, is an American rapper from Camden, New Jersey. He is best known for being a former member of Philadelphia-based hip hop groups Jedi Mind Tricks (JMT) and Army of the Pharaohs (AOTP).
Kevin Baldwin, better known by his stage name Stoupe the Enemy of Mankind or simply Stoupe, is an American hip hop producer, DJ, and member of the underground hip hop group Jedi Mind Tricks. Stoupe has worked with only a limited number of artists outside of Jedi Mind Tricks, including Stove God Cooks, 7L & Esoteric, Canibus, Virtuoso, Guru of Gang Starr and Switch.
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.
Vincenzo Luviner, better known as Vinnie Paz, is an Italian-born American rapper and producer behind the Philadelphia underground hip hop group Jedi Mind Tricks. He is also the frontman of the hip hop collective Army of the Pharaohs.
Marcus Albaladejo, better known by his stage name Crypt the Warchild, is an underground rapper from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Albaladejo is one half of the rap duo OuterSpace and is a member of Army of the Pharaohs. Crypt the Warchild is the older brother of rapper King Syze, who is also a member of Army of the Pharaohs.
David Albaladejo is an underground rapper from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, of Puerto Rican descent. He is a member of the underground hip hop supergroup Army of the Pharaohs (AOTP), having featured on all their studio albums. He is known for his frequent collaboration with AOTP members; OuterSpace. Outside of rap, Albaladejo works as a member of a trade union which has inspired the names of many of his studio albums.
Mario Collazo, better known by his stage name Planetary, is an American underground rapper from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is one half of the rap duo OuterSpace and a member of Army of the Pharaohs.
"Retaliation" is a single by Hip Hop group Jedi Mind Tricks, the third released from their second album Violent by Design, following "Heavenly Divine" and "Genghis Khan". Released in 2001, the single was the group's last release on self-run Superegular Recordings. The following year, the group migrated to Babygrande Records. "Retaliation" contains a musical sample from "El Rio Y Las Rosas" by Rosita Peru, a vocal sample from "Cross My Heart" by Killah Priest, and a vocal sample from "Money in the bank" by Kool G. Rap. The single also contains the edited "Retaliation (Remix)", and the B-Side track "Blood Runs Cold", featuring Heltah Skeltah's Sean Price, both originally only available on this single. Babygrande Records re-released Violent by Design in 2004, including both "Retaliation (Remix)" and "Blood Runs Cold" as bonus tracks.
Kenneth Greene, better known by his stage name Doap Nixon, is an American hip hop artist and rapper who is a former member of supergroup Army of the Pharaohs. He has collaborated with a variety of underground hip hop artists and released his debut full solo album, Sour Diesel in 2008.
Decalogue is the first full-length solo studio album by American hip hop record producer Stoupe the Enemy of Mankind. It was released on March 31, 2009 via Babygrande Records. Production was entirely handled by Stoupe himself, with Chuck Wilson serving as executive producer. It features guest appearances from his fellow Army of the Pharaohs groupmates Block McCloud, Demoz, Des Devious, Jus Allah, King Magnetic, OuterSpace and Reef the Lost Cauze, as well as Joell Ortiz, M.O.P., Saigon, Slaine, Supastition, and his future Vespertina bandmate Lorrie Doriza.
Rip the Jacker is the fifth studio album by American rapper Canibus. Produced by Stoupe the Enemy of Mankind of the group Jedi Mind Tricks, the album was released on July 22, 2003, through Babygrande Records.
Violence Begets Violence is the seventh studio album by underground Philadelphia hip hop duo Jedi Mind Tricks. This is their only album to not feature production from Stoupe the Enemy of Mankind because "his heart wasn't into making JMT records anymore" as well as the fact that both Vinnie Paz and Jus Allah grew tired of waiting. Two singles were released, "Target Practice" and "When Crows Descend Upon You," for which a video has been made. In addition, Shuko remixed the song "Target Practice".
The Thief and the Fallen is the eighth studio album by American Philadelphia-based underground hip hop duo Jedi Mind Tricks. It was released on June 2, 2015 through Enemy Soil Entertainment. Production was handled entirely by Stoupe the Enemy of Mankind, who had left the band before their 2011 album Violence Begets Violence. It features guest appearances from Yes Alexander, Eamon, A-F-R-O, Dilated Peoples, Lawrence Arnell, R.A. the Rugged Man and Thea Alana. The album peaked at number 105 on the Billboard 200, at number 11 on both Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and Independent Albums charts, at number 10 on both Top Rap Albums and Tastemakers charts, and at number one on the Heatseekers Albums chart in the United States.