Geto Boys

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Geto Boys
The Foundation
Origin	Houston, Texas
Country	United States
Years active	1990 - present
Genres	Rap, Southern Rap Horrorcore
Labels	Rap-A-Lot Records
Members	Scarface Willie D Bushwick Bill
Website(s)	Official Website

The Geto Boys are a rap group from Houston, Texas, consisting of Scarface, Willie D and Bushwick Bill. They are known for ultra-violent lyrical content and socially conscious messages.

Influenced by Run DMC and N.W.A., The Geto Boys earned noteriety for their lyrics dealing with violence, sex and death. In this respect, they may be seen as forerunners of both Esham and Eminem. Despite the explicit content of their songs, critic Alex Henderson argues that the group "comes across as much more heartfelt than the numerous gangsta rap ... wannabes who jumped on the gangsta bandwagon in the early '90s."[1]

The Geto Boys broke new ground with their soulful southern sound (perhaps a precursor to the Dirty South style), which was produced by people like Johnny C, Doug King, their DJ Ready Red, and later John Bido (producer) N.O. Joe and Mike Dean.

1 History
2 Discography
- 2.1 Albums
- 2.2 Compilation albums
3 Members and lineup changes
4 Name
5 See also
6 External links

[edit] History

Their 1990 album The Geto Boys had to switch distributors from Geffen to Giant Records because of controversy over the graphic portrayal of rape, necrophilia, and murder in the song "Mind of a Lunatic." It was later released with alternate lyrics on iTunes and in their compilation CD, Uncut Dope. The Geto Boys (released by Rick Rubin's Def American Recordings, later re-named American Recordings) is actually a compilation, consisting mainly of ten tracks taken from their 1989 album Grip It! On That Other Level as well as two new songs and one song from their debut LP, Making Trouble.

In the early part of the decade, several American politicians attacked rappers, including the Geto Boys (though most famously Ice T and 2 Live Crew). A high-profile incident in which Bushwick Bill lost an eye in a shooting with his girlfriend helped boost sales of their third album We Can't Be Stopped. The album cover had a picture of the injured Bushwick being carted through a hospital by Scarface and Willie D. In the album's title track, they responded to being dropped by Geffen. "Mind Playing Tricks on Me" became a hit in the rap community.

All three members began solo careers, but Willie D. was the only one who actually left the group. Scarface and Bushwick Bill continued with Geto Boys, adding Big Mike for Till Death Do Us Part in 1993. Willie D. returned for 1996's The Resurrection and 1998's Da Good Da Bad & Da Ugly. After years on hiatus, they released their seventh album The Foundation in 2005. The Geto Boys were featured on Scarface's My Homies Part 2 album.

The Geto Boys' popularity was boosted somewhat in 1999 by the prominent use of two songs ("Damn It Feels Good to Be a Gangsta" and "Still") in Mike Judge's film Office Space.

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

Album cover	Album information
	Making Trouble Released: 1988 Billboard 200 chart position: - R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: - Singles:
	Grip It! On That Other Level Released: 1989 Billboard 200 chart position: #166 R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #19 Singles: "Do It Like A G.O/F#@* 'Em"
	The Geto Boys Released: 1990 Billboard 200 chart position: #171 R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #67 Singles: "Do It Like A G.O/F#@* 'Em"
	We Can't Be Stopped Released: July 1, 1991 Certification: Platinum Billboard 200 chart position: #24 R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #5 Singles: "Mind Playing Tricks On Me", "I Ain't With Being Broke/My Mind Playing Tricks On Me/Gotta Let Them Hang"
	*Till Death Do Us Part* Released: March 19, 1993 Certification: Gold Billboard 200 chart position: #11 R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #1 Singles: "Six Feet Deep", "Crooked Officer", "Straight Gangstaism"
	The Resurrection Released: April 2, 1996 Certification: Gold Billboard 200 chart position: #6 R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #1 Singles: "The World Is A Ghetto/Still"
	Da Good Da Bad & Da Ugly Released: November 17, 1998 Billboard 200 chart position: #26 R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #5 Singles:
	The Foundation Released: January 25, 2005 Billboard 200 chart position: #19 R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #3 Singles: "G-Code/When It Gets Gangsta/The Secret", "Yes, Yes, Y'All"

[edit] Compilation albums

Album cover	Album information
	Uncut Dope: Geto Boys' Best Released: 1990 Billboard 200 chart position: #147 R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #31 Singles:
	Greatest Hits Released: November 5, 2002 Billboard 200 chart position: - R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: - Singles:

[edit] Members and lineup changes

1986 - K-9, Raheem, Jukebox
1988 - DJ Ready Red, Bushwick Bill, Jukebox, Prince Johnny C
1989 - Willie D, Bushwick Bill, Scarface, DJ Ready Red
1991 - Willie D, Bushwick Bill, Scarface,
1993 - Bushwick Bill, Scarface, Big Mike
1996 - Willie D, Bushwick Bill, Scarface,
1998 - Willie D, Scarface,
2005 - Willie D, Bushwick Bill, Scarface,

[edit] Name

Their name, Geto Boys, is correctly spelled Geto, and not Ghetto. For both their first album "5th Ward Chronicles: Making Trouble" (1988) and their second album, "Grip It! On That Other Level" (1989), the spelling was Ghetto Boys, according to standard English spelling rules. For their third album, "The Geto Boys", they changed it to the "Geto" spelling, which they still use today.

According to an urban legend, the "Geto" spelling originated from a spray-painted street sign in North Houston (the sign has long since been replaced), along with graffiti written within the restroom walls at Willowridge High School in Missouri City, Texas during the late 1980s.