GraveDiggaz '6 Feet Deep' Turns Twenty

MUSINGS: A belated 20th Anniversary salute to the GraveDiggaz '6 Feet Deep' album, released 9th August 1994

Last year I had the honour and pleasure of writing a retrospective feature on this classic debut for my good friends over at bboytechreport. 

If you haven't checked it out already, go ahead and do so:

bboytechreport.com/2013/10/04/retrospective-classic-gravediggaz-6-feet-deep

Hey, even if you have read it before, read it again.

Without giving too much away the feature explores how the four-man supergroup used horror movie imagery and themes as metaphors and allegories for the horrors to be suffered in the ghettos of Anytown, USA. 

The four-man supergroup used horror movie imagery and themes as metaphors and allegories for the horrors to be suffered in the ghettos of Anytown, USA. 

It also pays respects to the talent and untimely passing of one of hip hop's most charismatic and most underated MC's, Anthony Ian 'Poetic' Berkeley, AKA Grim Reaper.

It also touches on how Prince Paul 'came back from the dead' with the album, after years of being left as good as dead by the music industry.   

The New Beatmaker favourite and Prince Paul aficionado, Evil Alex, had this to say about '6 Feet Deep' and Prince Paul's contributions to hip hop culture when we caught up with him recently: 

'I always thought this was one of many records that stated the case for the early to mid 90's being a golden era for hip hop: De La Soul, Tribe, Black Sheep, Del, Souls Of Mischief, Pharcyde, Wu Tang, Goodie Mob, KMD, you get the idea. 

Prince Paul has so much to do with refining sampling in hip hop production  You could easily call that early 90's sound the "Prince Paul "sound.  RZA, DOOM, Madlib, Dilla, all follow the blueprint drawn by Paul by using old TV and obscure sources of sounds to design new soundscapes.'

Prince Paul has so much to do with refining sampling in hip hop production.  You could easily call that early 90's sound the "Prince Paul "sound.  RZA, DOOM, Madlib, Dilla, all follow the blueprint drawn by Paul by using old TV and obscure sources of sounds to design new soundscapes.

- Evil Alex

Alex continued:

'Paul also had the ability to do a gritty streets of NY-type of record like GraveDiggaz and then take the concept further with 'A Prince Among Thieves' and then even with  'Psychoanalysis...' in the middle of all that.  (The Bboytechreport.com feature) says how Paul was left for dead by the industry and that has not really changed.  Prince Paul does not get the credit he deserves to this day for his impressive body of work.  

You could honestly do an article like this for:

• 'A Prince Among Thieves'
• 'Psychoanalysis: What Is it?'
• 'De La Soul Is Dead' 
• 'So...How's Your Girl?''

I totally agree and I am very much up for celebrating those albums in future features.  
Watch this space.
 
In the meantime, check out my celebration of '6 Feat Deep' over at Bboytech and be sure to let us know what you think below.

And remember, Positve Energy Activates Constant Elavation. 

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