…I wonder if the Geto Boys are trick-or-treatin’.
It went down like this: It was September of 1991, and I was in 7th grade. I’m in the process of making my umpteenth tape of shit off the radio, when this newness enters my world. I’d been mildly familiar with the Geto Boys, because my brother had one of their albums, and I liked their “Do It Like A G.O.” video from the year before. But they really showed up on my radar with “Mind Playing Tricks On Me”, which I must’ve played about 10 times on the way to school the next morning.
As one of the only hardcore groups from the South at the time, Scarface, Bushwick Bill, and Willie D picked a winner with that one. In ’91, “gangsta rap” wasn’t getting much mainstream love at all- not even groups like N.W.A., who were selling records out the ass anyway. As a matter a fact, it was also when “gangsta rap” artists weren’t aiming for that acceptance either. There were no “obligated singles” on the albums, all stickin’ out like a sore thumb and begging for attention. With groups like the Geto Boys, it was 100% street shit, take it or leave it.
Here it was, flat on the table: three different people dealing with paranoia due to the lives they lived. Scarface’s character can’t even close his eyes without thinking somebody’s out to get him, and he’s even driven his girl away because he didn’t trust her. Willie D thinks he’s being followed everywhere he goes, knowing it could be someone out for revenge. Lastly, Bushwick is really fucked up in the head, because he snaps and starts beatin’ the shit outta someone who isn’t even there. The paranoia theme has been covered a number of times since ’91 (from Cypress Hill to Master P to Beanie Sigel), but only a few have driven it home like the GBs did.
“Mind Playing Tricks…” is one of those instances where a song simply strikes a chord with the people. It doesn’t come with a bunch of fanfare or a brand-name producer’s name stuck to it. It doesn’t get play because of who the artist is (especially since the GBs had no commercial savvy whatsoever at that time). It wasn’t what was commonly known as a “hit”, with a catchy chorus or an MTV-friendly video. The quality and content of the record was just so strong that it stood on its own and is acknowledged as a classic today. They don’t make ‘em like this anymore. God damn, homie.
Geto Boys “Mind Playing Tricks On Me” (1991)
-D!
Posted by Danj! 
