“Move back motherf***ers, the Onyx is here! Back the f*** up! Back the f*** up!” That was the rallying cry that hollered by way of hip-hop in the summertime of 1993, delivered by the razor-cut voices of an adrenalized quartet of MCs from Queens, New York Metropolis, often known as Onyx. Corralled collectively beneath the mentorship of Run-DMC’s Jam Grasp Jay, the rowdy crew of Sticky Fingaz, Fredro Star, Large DS, and Sonny Seeza declared they had been on a mission to additional the aggressive facet of hip-hop tradition – and the bald-headed Timberland boot-clad troopers had been relentless in pursuing their dirty operation.
Fueled by manufacturing principally credited to Jam Grasp Jay and long-time Giant Professor affiliate Chyskillz, Bacdafucup places religion within the energy of a minimalist mix of abrasive drums and brawny bass tones embellished by simply the briefest flashes of sampled melody. “Attack of the bald-heads, sleep if you wanna/ Beds is burned, you step to this you’ll be a goner,” threatens Fredro Starr through the MC’s opening salvo on “Bichasniguz.” Because the album performs out, the clique delights in operating by way of their house borough to search out bootleggers on “Bichasbootleguz” and particulars a mugger’s manifesto set to disturbingly soothing horns on “Stik ‘N’ Muve.”
Hearken to Onyx’s Bacdafucup now.
Bacdafucup is undeniably hardcore hip-hop, however the album’s legacy contains a few genuinely unlikely crossover hits. Dropping forward of the undertaking’s launch, “Throw Ya Gunz” cracked the UK Prime 40. Over clattering drums spiked with intermittent atonal horn wails, the MCs fireplace off verses brimming with nefarious menace. “I hate your f***ing guts and I hope that you die,” glowers Sticky Fingaz, earlier than plotting to “commit the perfect crime” and signing off ruthlessly: “I’m a bald-head with a knife/ I want your money or your life.”
Bacdafucup’s second single, “Slam,” in the meantime, turned an MTV fixture, soundtracked copious school campus events, and launched a type of energized slam dancing to hip-hop tradition. (The video features a cameo by the New York Metropolis hardcore band Biohazard and options crowdsurfing and mosh pit scenes.) Provoked by its galvanizing hook – “Slam, duh-duh-duh, duh-duh-duh, make noise b-boys!” – the observe peaks with Fredro Starr encapsulating the group’s affect: “Now everybody wanna sound grimey.”
Naturally, Onyx’s gravel-voiced euphoria wouldn’t final ceaselessly – very quickly hip-hop would start to transition right into a shiny go well with period outlined by pop samples and rappers ditching Timberland boots for designer outfits. However, for a lot of 1993, Bacdafucup soundtracked a gloriously grungy hip-hop second in time.
Hearken to Onyx’s Bacdafucup now.
