DMG — Rigormortiz

In the early 1990s, Harold Armstrong realizes a few self-produced tapes, however, like most independent kids who gravitate to the underground after starting from nothing, he fails to emerge from the hip-hop scene of his hometown, St. Paul, Minnesota.

 

After a concert of the Geto Boys rapper Scarface, Armstrong meets him and manages to play him one of his cassettes: Scarface decides to help him sign for Rap-A-Lot, with which he produces his debut album. The label provides the entire production, fielding virtually everyone behind the keyboard: Mike Dean, James Smith, Big Chief, N.O. Joe, John Bido and Scarface himself. Armstrong chooses DetriMental Ganxta, soon abbreviated DMG, as his moniker and spits crude, raw and violent bars for nearly an hour: his arguments fall into the generic gangsta sub-genre, while producers deliver a funky and lo-fi panorama, with heavy bass, pounding and dry drums, easy samples, occasional g-funk vibes and light synths. DMG's rapping is similar to that one of Scarface, hardcore, slow and smooth, there's some decent hook, and the production is amazing to be done by Rap-A-Lot Records.

The intro immediately manages to provide the mood of the entire project, thanks to a dry, slow and skeletal drum and to dark vibes. The second joint has one of the best rhythms of the edition, with a relaxed and smooth funky boom bap, and a nice sample of "90% of Me Is You" by Gwen McCrae. "Prelude to a Murdah" is perhaps even better: beatiful dark sample from Stevie Wonder's "Pastime Paradise", the same one that will later be used for Coolio's classic "Gangsta Paradise", DMG is pretty much perfect here, delivering with a slow, smooth, dope flow on a hard, lean pounding drum, great tune.

 

Several funky tracks with lean and slow drum, and a decent smooth delivery of DMG follow, the record lights up again towards the final section, with the arrival of the guests: Big Mike offers some hardcore bars on a relaxed funky boom bap and male soul sample in the background, the St. Paul's MC manages to deliver a solid solo joint with "Send Em Smooth", blessed by a fresh rhythm, so the next one is a slightly cheaper soundscape than usual, and precedes the concluding posse "Buck Em Down".

 

On a simple beat, energetic and funky production, with tight and slow drum, several MCs from some of Houston's greatest hip-hop groups, such as Geto Boys, Convicts and 5th Ward Boyz, performing the track: after a squeaky g-funk synth looped for the hook, the posse is opened by the raw and smooth syncopated delivery of what appears to be a kid, it's in fact 2 Low, Houston rapper of 13-14 years, then Scarface, and the Convicts rappers Big Mike (at the time, he was also a member of the Geto Boys) and Lord 3-2 performing three verses with few lines each; hook, then the rappers of 5th Ward Boyz 007 and E-Rock also present themselves, both uncredited, finally the cut is closed by a long verse of DMG. A relaxed instrumental defines the outro.

DMG's debut is rooted in Houston, with production and guests directly from Rap-A-Lot and a rapping style that's clearly inspired by that of one of hip-hop's greatest MCs of the period: the record is certainly funny and violent, it has a happy success and remains in the charts for so long that it never wants to leave, I think it'll appeal to listeners faithful to the sound of the Geto Boys and g-south in general.

Highlights: "You Don't Hear Me Doe", "Prelude to a Murdah", "One in the Chamba", "Prison Riot", "Rest in Peace", "Send Em Smooth", "Buck Em Down".

Rating: 7.5/10.