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From the Vault...
10/21/2012
#1330 |
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info
Body Count
"Murder 4 Hire"
© Body Count/Escapi Music Records
Year of Release: 2006
Rating:
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track listing
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Invincible Gangasta
The End Game
You Don't Know Me (Pain)
The Passion Of Christ
In My Head
D Rocs (R.I.P.)
Murder 4 Hire
Down In The Bayou
Dirty Bombs
Lies
Relationships
Mr. C's Theme
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Body Count
"Murder 4 Hire"
Ice-T makes his debut with his heavy metal rap band, Body Count. Highly controversial was their song "Cop Killer."
Like most Rap acts, the topics of violence is emphasized. It's here too, as basically it's a chance of survival to stay alive
in Ice's world. Murder 4 Hire would be the last album Body Count released in 2006. By this time, three of its members
were dead: Beatmaster V (drummer) [Victor Ray Wilson; leukemia], Mooseman (bass) [Lloyd Roberts; random shooting], and
D-Roc (rhythm guitar) [Dennis Miles; lymphoma]. (Of the three deaths, the death of D-Roc hit the hardest. Ice-T had grown
up with him, and it was unexpected.) Another member who passed on was Griz (bass).
What makes this album interesting, is the mix of heavy metal music with Rap lyrics. The lyrics are dark, with violence,
survival, self-determinations. It makes the listener think though, how corrupt it is in some living environments. Ice-T
did have a rough childhood, mostly dealing with racism. His upbringings are indicated through his music and lyrics.
The album leads off with "Invincible Gangsta" -- "Play the game, get cash, get paid. Get your money, get your
power." Money rules. Next, "The End Game" is all about survival. The next track, "You Don't Know Me (Pain)"
has the notion that, "despite what the media says about me, you don't (really) know me." "The Passion Of Christ" asks
Is there a God? Christian beliefs are here, set to a heavy metal soundtrack. "In My Head" Is this a tune about
stalking? Ice-T's narration is quite haunting. "D-Rocs (R.I.P.)" is an instrumental, dedicated to Body Count's
deceased bandmember, D-Roc. "Murder 4 Hire" -- just as the titles states.
"Down In The Bayou" -- this one is kinda catchy -- one's life is explained, and to heck with the others. "Dirty
Bombs" tells of terror and how it is unsafe of terrorism. "Lies" is gloomy, as the music could easily fit today's
harder Alternative Rock formats. "Relationships" tells of the title, and to many, "I love you, but you're driving me
crazy!" I'm sure many relationship people can relate. "Mr. C's Theme" is from the other original member of Body Count,
Ernie C. This song is a pretty cool hard rock instrumental.
I give this album 2 and a half stars, basically because it's a different Rap concept album. That is, using heavy metal
music, rather than the annoying boom-boom-boom of what is heard in most Rap albums and songs. Ice-T is a true Rap artist,
he's different than the others. His lyrics may relate to many of the commonday rap artists, yet his showmanship and
creativity in his music makes you want to listen to him more.
Ice-T's solo albums and other Body Count releases are yet to come on WSVNRadio.net. I am a huge fan of Ice-T.
Just as in his song on this album, -- Despite what all the media says, I have learned that Ice
is a great person to know. Look forward in more reviews of Ice-T's work here on WSVNRadio.net.
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Review or any portion may not be reproduced
without written permission. Cover art is the
intellectual property of
Body Count/Escapi Music Records
and is used for reference purposes only.
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