Tricky & Gravediggaz - The Hell E.P. (1995)

Previously on OPIUM HUM:
Gravediggaz - Nightmares in A-Minor (2001)

Collaborative EP by Tricky and Gravediggaz, neither of whom should need any introduction. In actuality, only the second half of The Hell E.P. is truly collaborative, as "Hell Is Round the Corner" -- one of two classic trip-hop tracks to sample "Ike's Rap II" by Isaac Hayes -- and its hella-tight remix are all Tricky.

Just gonna use this space to point out that, despite his icon status, Tricky is horrifically undervalued as an artist. He's one of those artists whose entire catalogue tends to get compared unfavorably to a legendary (and deservedly so) debut album. This is particularly true in the case of Angels with Dirty Faces, one of the most singularly misunderstood and brilliant records of its time, which I'd definitely dedicate a whole post to if I weren't sure that it'd get hit with a copyright claim faster than you can say "unfairly maligned piece of brilliance."

Track listing:
1. Hell Is Round the Corner (Original Mix)
2. Hell Is Round the Corner (The Hell and Water Mix)
3. Psychosis
4. Tonite Is a Special Nite (Chaos Mass Confusion Mix)

Are you someone else?

You'd also like:

Killah Priest -
Heavy Mental (1998)

David Holmes - David Holmes
Presents The Free Association (2002)

Gravediggaz - Nightmare in A-Minor (2001)

Third record from Wu-Tang offshoot Gravediggaz. At this point, Gravediggaz had an almost completely different lineup from that of their much-loved first record, and largely left behid the horror themes for which they're best known in favor of more straightforward, politically and socially conscious hip-hop -- not at all unlike Wu-Tang, really.

Track listing:
1. Mic Check Intro: Prince Paul (Intro)
2. Bloodshed
3. False Things Must Perish
4. Last Man Standing (Skit)
5. Killing Fieldz
6. Burn Baby Burn
7. Wanna Break
8. God vs. Devil
9. Zig Zag Chamber
10. Today's Mathematics (Skit)
11. Running Game on Real
12. East Coast vs. West Coast (Skit)
13. Rest in da East
14. Guard Ya Shrine
15. Nightmare in A-Minor
16. End of da World
17. Man Only Fears
18. Universal Shout-Outs (Skit)
19. Da Crazies (Skit)

What if it's your own that's the villain?

More Wu-related releases:

Killah Priest -
Heavy Mental (1998)

Inspectah Deck -
Uncontrolled Substance (1999)

Killah Priest - Heavy Mental (1998)

First solo album by Wu Tang affiliate/Sunz of Man member Killah Priest. As far as Wu-related releases go, Heavy Mental is on the darker side, but you could still put it on at a party and no one would be bummed.

Track listing:
1. Intro
2. One Step
3. Blessed Are Those
4. From Then 'Til Now
5. Cross My Heart
6. Fake MC's
7. It's Over
8. Crusaids
9. Tai Chi
10. Heavy Mental
11. If You Don't Know
12. Atoms to Adam
13. High Explosives
14. Wisdom
15. B.I.B.L.E.
16. Mystic City
17. Information
18. Science Project
19. Almost There
20. The Professional

The heaviest chains cannot bind

You'll also wanna hear:

Inspectah Deck -
Uncontrolled Substance (1999)

Nujabes -
Metaphorical Music (2003)

Inspectah Deck - Uncontrolled Substance (1999)

Did any of you see the shitshow that was Wu-Tang on the Daily Show a few weeks back? Not only did they rap over backing tracks (oof) but Ghostface didn't even bother to memorize his verse. Then, as if to drive home the point that they (as a group) suck now, they did "Triumph", thereby reminding the audience of what good music actually sounds like.

So, here's Inspectah Deck's 1999 solo debut. It's one of my favorite Wu-Tang solo albums, and surely way better than whatever lazy pile they're about to put out.

Track listing:
1. Intro
2. Movas and Shakers
3. 9th Chamber
4. Uncontrolled Substance
5. Femme Fatale
6. The Grand Prix
7. Forget Me Not
8. Longevity
9. Word on the Street
10. Elevation
11. Lovin' You
12. Trouble Man
13. R.E.C. Room
14. Friction
15. Hyperdermix
16. Show n Prove
17. The Cause

My style's so underground, I write rhymes on fossils