Search - Menace Clan :: Da Hood

Exaggerated "menace"

Nathanial Grogan | CH, NC | 10/08/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

"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."

An underground Compton legend

Sub Arkts | NY, USA | 11/10/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"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."

A unstoppably furious album!!!

Sub Arkts | 02/15/1999

(4 out of 5 stars)

"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."