Menace Clan commentary
HarveyCanal
"a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
Menace Clan was a Project Blowed group from LA whose only album came out on Rap-A-Lot in '95. 
The following comments are taken from Amazon.
The following comments are taken from Amazon.Probably the most distinctive thing about Menace Clan's "Da Hood" album is that it's become a favorite example of white nationalists' complaints about black racism in the music industry (see the Violently Racist Music Site). What a lot of them fail to mention is that: (1.) This album was actually released independently (Rap-A-Lot's major-label distributor, Asylum/Atlantic, refused to put it out themselves), so it's hardly any different than Oye or any other skinhead music in that respect. (2.) The group specifically says at one point in the album: "We only trippin' on the white muthaf*ckas that's in control of the government; we ain't trippin' on you common folk cr*ckers cause y'all just cr*ckers...y'all might as well be n*ggas." In other words, they're not saying kill ALL white people. None of the white nationalist sites that copy-and-paste the text from the Violently Racist Music Site put this quote in there, since it contradicts their message. So what I'm saying is, it's ridiculous that this album is used so frequently as an example of "violently racist music" in that respect. Anyway, controversy aside, Menace Clan has given us a fairly standard (for the mid-90s) hardcore rap album that has some political commentary mixed with standard gangsta posturing. The two MCs, Dee and Assassin, are both OK rappers who show some signs of being good lyricists, but admittedly, their frequent jabs at white people (even if they aren't as racist as some people want you to believe) grow tiring after a while, as does their gangsta boasting. The production isn't a whole lot better, either - lots of standard West Coast G-Funk grooves from the mid-90s done by Rap-A-Lot's in-house producers. Hardcore rap fans may like this, but beyond the album's alleged racism, there ain't much else to recommend.
Im a big fan of hardcore rap, this cd projects plenty of that with ok beats, yet i feel there topics are wrong critising white people, and for what reason?. because they struggled getting a record deal,(thats real life) (no need to cry and write songs about it!). i see why they only produced one cd, they dont have what it takes. Good beats Terrible racist production. Rate 5/100 CRAP! (you know if a white artist let this content on the market there would be compete havok!
With DA HOOD, Menace Clan established themselves as one of the best Hip Hop groups of all time. It's a shame that they released only one album but it's one album that's hard to equal.Menace Clan take on their subjects -- ghetto life, white racism, etc -- with brutal honesty and an intensity that leaves the listener with no doubt that what these artists say is real and true.Take "Record Deal," in which the Clan takes clear aim at white record execs who cheat Black artists.Or "Aggravated Mayhem," a brutal depiction of life in the dog-eat-dog, unsympathetic ghetto. It sets the theme for the entire album: no-holds-barred rebellion against the system; a musical atmosphere that truly sounds like bedlam; and an unrelenting anger that you can feel, sometimes too much.When all is said and done of course, mainstream (read "white") critics will have added Menace Clan to their list of so-called hate music, ignoring the fact that truth and reality dont qualify as hate. The last time I looked at one of those lists in fact there were more Black artists (mainly rap) than there were white artists. Arent whites the ones who started racism/hate in this country? If we're going to talk about hate, let's limit it to those whose main role is to incite violence against groups that are different from them.And if that's the qualification then Menace Clan certainly dont fit that mold. DA HOOD is disturbing and graphic to be sure. That is however life in the American ghetto and to suggest that telling life stories can be hate is to pretty much label most works of art as hate.
With their album titled "Da Hood", you'd probably expect these fellas to be spitting some ol' run of the mill thug rhymes. One listen and you notice that these fellas aren't run of the mill thugs at all, in fact they're on some other ish. These are two furious MC's, ready to take the whole world on, showcased in tracks like "F**k A Record Deal", "Runaway Slave" and "Kill Whitey". The album's crowning jewel however, is the track "F**k What You Say", where the two MC's play out roles of an argument between a senior citizen and a young thug. Some tracks, such as the aformentioned "Kill Whitey" may turn off some listeners due to it's straightforward violent and racist views. Still, the albums many high points outweigh its few lows, making this a stellar addition for anyone looking for something with a twist of originality. The production and lyrics are sharp as a razor (let alone one or two mundane tracks). Not since the early days of Ice Cube, have MC's sounded so legitamately mad, and still sounded so good.
Ive in the past year taken interest in music and politics coming from the inner city. This record honestly describes the horrors, passions, and resentment in gang life in the most straightforward fashion ever. With songs like "Aggraveted Mayhem", a brutal rebellious song, "Mad Nigga", a wild story of a thug who lived and died ghetto, "Da Hood" and "Cold World" which describe a life of fear and struggle. I would recommend this album to anyone with similar fascinations and curiosity.
Comments
or rather are you trying to make this a 5pager all by yourself with these quotes?
Take it how you want it.
I saw that best hip hop video ever thread and my first thought was Menace Clan's What You Say which features rappers Dee and Assassin portraying a young buck and an old man squared off and arguing in Leimert Park.
The video apparently isn't on the internet anywhere. As I was searching for it, I ran across all of the Violently Racist speak and considered it infinitely interesting.
As far as defending anything, I've seen Menace Clan perform at the Good Life at least a couple of times. I've met them in passing. They were cool dudes to me, in that they were hardly the only ones at the Good Life spitting anti-white sentiment (Lil Juggsta, Chu Black, RBX, Figures Ov Speech, etc.). It just went with the territory and for some of those more unruly dudes it took a minute to get them not to try to jack you or some ish.
One time in 95 Aceyalone came through Austin with Masta Ace on some Source promo tour. My buddy Ridd was with them and he called me to ask if I could score them some bud. I brought 3.5 to dudes' hotel and when Ace pulled out the dough to pay, Chu was telling him to just not pay me. Chu was a pretty healthy, big, crazy dude back then, so after we maddogged each other back and forth a bit...luckily Ridd and Ace stepped in to squash it and give me my money. Any time after that when I was around Chu, he was cool, albeit still kinda reluctantly cool to me.
Point being, sometimes there are barriers to separate the fake from the real...and if you put yourself up to certain tests, you better know how to handle yourself. Otherwise you get exposed as fake and get punked with the quickness. And one of those practically routine beginner tests for white dudes was to see how they responded to extremely hateful rhetoric towards whites in general. Either you understand where it's coming from and treat it like a given, or you instead act like an asshurt chump and get your lunch money swiped.
as much as I like some of the good life descendents, I had always heard that the atmosphere there was somewhat hostile toward the white folks. I can't say I ever went there myself.
this happened to someone I know, though it was Mikah, not Chu. and it was more than 3.5. and no he never got the money.
The Good Life was first and foremost a health food store with a very friendly staff. You'd get there and B. Hall would be at the door to greet you with a big warm smile. Again, there was present there on Thursday nights quite a significant backlash against racist white society...remember that many of the mc's involved were actual participats in the 92 Rebellion...but overall it wasn't any more hostile than trying to play basketball on the first court at Venice Beach.
Only thing Menace Clan-related I've found beyond that so far is a telephoned freestyle from jail on a Yukmouth mix cd.
Edit: My bad...they were also on Scarface's 98 My Homies comp by way of a song called "Menace N*ggas Never Die".
KKKlan Beatz, son!
Yep...Mike Dean is so racist, he even withholds medicine from the Dude.
The cover art makes me nostalgic for the days when hockey jerseys were hip-hop's athletic wear of choice.
HAZ: real talk Mr. FAB's new tape or Turf Talk's new tape? what you got?
Turf. And its amazing.
I'm feeling it as well. FAB's got some good beat/collabos but his written raps are not nearly on Turf's level IMHO.
And Rick Rock has that fyah. e-a-ski's "super star" is awesome, too. Is that one of the Frontline on the chorus?
not sure.
Yeah, it's Locksmith.
I gotta say, though, that's one of my least favorite joints on the whole album (an album that I love). And it blows FAB's CD out of the water. I like FAB's joint, but the Turf is in another league.
he is a worthy E-40 successor.
And once again...
There you go...
that's[/b] who I'm talmbout.
definitely anticipating the new trae although all ive heard is smile and some mixtape cuts. is z-ro coming out with something new? im sure he'll have like ten mixtapes out in like the next month but im talking album albums