(ThyBlackMan.com) We’ll get back to heavy metal and hard rock next week but I wanted to look at the bizarre, dark side of hip-hop. Halloween’s next month and this brand of hip-hop tends to go unnoticed except for the hardcore hip-hop heads who delve below the surface of what hits commercially.
So, let’s take a look at five artists who deliver dark, weird, comical—unique—music from the past and present. Expect this to feature a part two because just like metal and rock, there are a ton of artists that fit the bill.
Brotha Lynch Hung
Hailing from Sacramento, California, Brotha Lynch Hung got into music following an incident where he was shot while trying to break up a fight between a fellow Crip and Blood. He began his career in the late 1980s during the gangsta rap’s early period on the west coast.
In 1992, was the main producer on fellow 24th St. Garden Crip member X-Raided’s debut album and dropped his own debut album Season of da Siccness: The Resurrection in 1995. This debut mixed gangsta rap with what was known as horrorcore in a way that it’s almost indistinguishable.
His brand of horrorcore—hip-hop where the realities of crime and street life go hand-in-hand with horror imagery and lyrics—became known as ripgut. Another entry on the list are also considered pioneers in horrorcore but often took a comedic approach to it. Brotha Lynch’s horrorcore is graphic.
Sometimes, it’s not even explaining life in the hood, it’s a horror with bars.
Recommended Tracks: Welcome 2 Your Own Death (ft. Hyst), Stabbed (ft. Tech N9ne and Hopsin)
Recommended Album: Mannibalector (2013)
King Gordy
“Cobain the Dead” hails from Detroit, Michigan and has been in the business since 2000, getting his start on the battle rap scene. He’s done tracks with and worked with almost everyone who was around during the 2000s. D12, Eminem, Obie Trice—he’s worked with a number of them.
His debut album The Entity featured some production handled by Eminem. One of his most consistent collaborations is with D12 member Bizarre, the two forming the horrorcore act Last American Rock Stars or L.A.R.S. Whether it’s gangsta rap or horrorcore, his style never comes off as out of place. As a result, he is a member of a few artist collectives and regularly collaborates with other acts.
King Gordy’s style is similar to fellow Detroit act D12 with the content carnage of Brotha Lynch. He’s one of several claimants to the title of “King of Horrorcore” and has the catalog and songs to back it up. In 2011, he also did a blues album King Gordy Sings the Blues that wasn’t bad at all.
Recommended Track: Come Outside (ft. The Fat Killaz), Chasing People Thru The Woods
Recommended Album: The Entity (2003)
Bfb Da Packman
Midway through his 20s, Bfb Da Packman is one two youngsters on this list. A Flint, Michigan native living in Houston, Da Packman works as a mailman in addition to rapping. While he is capable of delivering street songs, he really blew up on his brand of comical realism that has seen him become a trend on the Tiktok platform.
One of his songs—and the recommended track—blew up in large part because of its use in TikTok videos and YouTube reactions of the hilarious music video. Some of his other songs mix in comedy and reflection on life which can be overshadowed by his comedic delivery.
His music lyrical standup, trolling, and self-deprecating but it all works and it’s a massive breath of fresh air in a genre where many artists brag and take themselves seriously.
Recommended Tracks: Free Joe Exotic (ft. Sada Baby) (Highly Recommended), Tamika, Issa Scam
Recommended Album: God Blessing All the Fat N****s (2019)
YN Jay
Another youngster from Michigan, YN Jay hails from the resurging Detroit scene. Yeah, Big Sean is best representative of the current generation from the city has a different vibe and energy that comes from close ties and collaborations with neighbor Flint.
YN Jay has a cool, laid back style and delivers on trap songs while also delivering comedy at times. It makes for an interesting mix. He’s another artist who managed to snag popularity via his music being featured in TikTok videos.
When featured in other artists’ songs he will take a more serious approach sometimes but on his own stuff, he’s there to have a blast and brings the listener along on mishaps, partying, street life, and sexploits—sometimes with regular collaborator Louie Ray, the two making a formidable tag team.
Recommended Tracks: Coochie (ft. Louie Ray) (Highly Recommended), Nicki Minaj, Club Banger (ft. Louie Ray)
Recommended Album: Coochie Land (2020)
Kool Keith
The alter ego of Bronx hip-hop veteran Kool Keith had to be on this list. It’s odd because his 1996 debut Dr. Octagonecologyst is his debut as a solo artist but he opted to release it under the Dr. Octagon persona.
Of the artists on this list, Kool Keith is probably the most diverse in his approaches. Musical artists tend to not want to be put into a box or a particular genre. They often feel that their music diverse when often times, it’s more of a departure in tempo or mild elements of a different but somewhat related genre are mixed in.
For example, not wanting to be considered purely heavy metal and doing hard rock songs or prog rock. Or being a rapper but having songs that take a light R&B approach and feature a singer.
Kool Keith walks way outside of the box to the point you can just call his stuff underground hip-hop—which is more of a level of hip-hop than a concrete genre. It’s just too vague to be a genre.
Sure, Kool Keith has albums that would be conventional hip-hop for that period and that region but he played around with different approaches in his catalog. He’s done dirty rap twice, horrorcore several times, alternative hip-hop as a base—and that’s just his solo material.
Not only that, but he does concept albums when he walks outside of the alternative hip-hop sphere to stretch his legs. It’s awesome to see that level of creativity and risk-taking across decades.
It’s actually hard to pick a recommended track and recommended album for Kool Keith, so I’m giving him two albums.
Recommended Tracks: I’m Destructive, Spank-Master (Take Your Clothes Off)
Recommended Albums: Dr. Octagonecologyst (1996), Sex Style (1998)
Staff Writer; M. Swift
This talented writer is also a podcast host, and comic book fan who loves all things old school. One may also find him on Twitter at; metalswift.
