6 Feet Deep

6 Feet Deep
Studio album by Gravediggaz
Released August 9, 1994
Recorded 1993–1994[1]
Genre Horrorcore, East Coast hip hop
Length 52:17 (North America)
55:53 (Europe)
Label Gee Street/Island/PolyGram Records
524 016
Producer Prince Paul, Frukwan, RZA, RNS, Mr. Sime
Gravediggaz chronology
6 Feet Deep
(1994)
The Hell E.P. with Tricky
(1995)
Singles from 6 Feet Deep
  1. "Diary of a Madman"
    Released: June 21, 1994
  2. "Nowhere to Run, Nowhere to Hide"
    Released: September 6, 1994
  3. "1-800 Suicide"
    Released: January 24, 1995
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Entertainment WeeklyB[3]
NME4/5[4]
RapReviews9.5/10[5]
Robert Christgau[6]
Rolling Stone[7]

6 Feet Deep (alternately titled Niggamortis) is the debut album of the horrorcore supergroup Gravediggaz. It was released on August 9, 1994 by Gee Street Records. The album was re-issued in 1997. 6 Feet Deep received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised its ominous production and fear-inducing lyrics and is considered an influential album in the horrorcore subgenre. The album peaked at number 36 on the Billboard 200 and spawned three singles: "Diary of a Madman", "Nowhere to Run, Nowhere to Hide" and "1-800 Suicide".

Album information

The original title of the album was Niggamortis, but it was changed to have a better reaction with the American crowd. However, the record was called by its original title overseas. The European version also included the bonus song "Pass the Shovel".[8]

The last question on "360 Questions" is a reference to Tommy Boy Records, to which each band member had been signed at one point.

Grym Reaper's first couple of lines from “Here Comes the Grave Diggaz” (You don't pull on Superman's cape/You don't spit into the wind/You don't pull the mask off the old Lone Ranger) are from the song "You Don't Mess Around With Jim," originally by Jim Croce.

Killer Priest and Shabazz the Disciple made their first released appearances on "Graveyard Chamber" and the single "Diary of a Madman". This led to RZA signing them both to his Wu-Tang Records together with their group Sunz of Man. Dreddy Kruger made his recording debut on "Graveyard Chamber" as well.

Three charting singles were released from the album. "Nowhere to Run, Nowhere to Hide" and "1-800 Suicide" found minor success on the rap charts, while "Diary of a Madman" became the group's only single to make it to the Billboard Hot 100, making it to 82.

Reception

The album was well received and is considered to be one of the most influential horrorcore albums of all time. It is also notable as a unique collaboration between two of the most influential producers on the East Coast at the time, Prince Paul and the RZA.

Rolling Stone (10/6/94, p. 90) – 3.5 Stars – "[Gravediggaz] evoke the atmosphere of horror movies and ominous effects, they've also been street tested, boasting hard beats and verbal skills."

Entertainment Weekly (8/19/94, p. 62) – "The album doesn't take itself very seriously, but the flustered beats, washed in minor chords, are strangely irresistible--partly because it is all so silly". – Rating: B

Q magazine (11/94, p. 129) – 3 Stars – "The foursome use death, burial and The Grim Reaper as central themes for a chilling mid-tempo stomp through America's urban problems."

The Source (9/94, pp. 91–92) – 3.5 Stars – "No, this isn't the climax of the latest Stephen King flick or Jason, part 17. It's an image created by the Gravediggaz, one of a number of new groups combining rap with horror-movie macabre to create a genre unofficially known as `horror-core'".

NME (12/24/94, p. 22) – Ranked #22 in NME's list of the `Top 50 Albums Of 1994.'

NME (Magazine) (9/10/94, p.46) – 8 – Excellent – "Gravediggaz feverishly document the low life – graveyard low.[9]"

In 2009, Fangoria named it as an iconic horrorcore album.[10]

Track listing

# Title Time Producer(s) Performers Samples
1 Just When You Thought it Was Over (Intro) 0:10 Undertaker
  • Intro: The Undertaker
  • "Sad Chicken" by Leroy & The Drivers (1967)
2 Constant Elevation 2:30 Undertaker
3 "Nowhere to Run, Nowhere to Hide" 3:55 Undertaker
  • First verse/Fourth verse: The RZArector
  • Second verse: The Grym Reaper
  • Third verse: The Gatekeeper
  • Outro: The Grym Reaper, The Undertaker
4 "Defective Trip (Trippin')" 5:04 Undertaker
  • Intro: The Grym Reaper & The Gatekeeper
  • First verse: The Gatekeeper
  • Second verse: The Grym Reaper
  • Third verse: The RZArector
5 "Two Cups Of Blood" 1:24 Undertaker
  • The RZArector & The Grym Reaper
6 "Blood Brothers" 4:47 Gatekeeper
  • Intro/First verse/Fifth verse: The RZArector
  • Second verse/Fourth verse: The Gatekeeper
  • Chorus/third verse: The Grym Reaper
7 "360 Questions" 0:33 Undertaker -
8 "1-800 Suicide" 4:18 Undertaker
  • First verse: The Gatekeeper
  • Second verse: The Grym Reaper
  • Third verse: The RZArector
9 "Diary of a Madman" 4:34 RNS, RZArector & Undertaker
  • "Warm and Tender" and "No Love (But Your Love)" by Johnny Mathis
10 "Mommy, What's a Gravedigga?" 1:44 Undertaker
  • Intro: The Undertaker
  • First verse: The Grym Reaper
  • Second verse: The Gatekeeper
  • Third verse: The RZArector
  • "Pigs" by Cypress Hill (from the 1991 album Cypress Hill)
  • "Since We Said Goodbye" by the Counts (from the 1974 album Funk Pump)
  • "Givin' it up is Givin' Up" by Patrice Rushen (from the 1979 album Pizzazz)
  • "It's A New Day" by Skull Snaps (from the 1973 album Skull Snaps)
11 "Bang Your Head" 3:24 Undertaker
  • Chorus/First verse: The RZArector
  • Second verse: The Grym Reaper
  • Third verse: The Gatekeeper
12 "Here Comes the Gravediggaz" 3:44 Mr. Sime
  • Intro/First verse: The Grym Reaper
  • Second verse: The Gatekeeper
  • Chorus/Third verse: The RZArector
  • "You Don't Mess Around With Jim" by Jim Croce (from the 1972 album You Don't Mess Around With Jim) (vocal interpolation)
  • "The House That Hatred Built" by Gravediggaz (1992)
  • "The Ubiquitous Mr. Lovegrove" by Dead Can Dance (from the 1993 album Into the Labyrinth)
13 "Graveyard Chamber" 4:57 The RZArector
  • First verse: The Grym Reaper
  • Second verse: Dreddy Kruger
  • Third verse/chorus: The RZArector
  • Fourth verse: Scientific Shabazz
  • Fifth verse: The Gatekeeper
  • Sixth verse: Killah Priest
14 "Death Trap" 2:57 Undertaker
  • Intro: Masta Ace (uncredited)
  • Chorus/First verse: The Gatekeeper
  • Second verse: The RZArector
  • Third verse: The Grym Reaper
  • "7 Minutes of Funk" by Tyrone Thomas & the Whole Darn Family (from the 1976 album Has Arrived)
15 "6 Feet Deep" 4:36 RZArector
  • First verse/Sixth verse: The Grym Reaper
  • Second verse/Fourth verse: The Gatekeeper
  • Third verse/Fifth verse: The RZArector
16 "Rest In Peace (Outro)" 2:01 Undertaker
  • The RZArector

Note: The source of the producers is the sleeve jacket of the album.

Album Chart Positions

Year Album Chart positions
Billboard 200 Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums
1994 6 Feet Deep #36[11] #6[11]

Singles Chart Positions

Year Song Chart positions
Billboard Hot 100 Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks Hot Rap Singles Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales
1994 "Diary of a Mad Man" #82[12] #57[12] #8[12] #11[12]
"Nowhere to Run, Nowhere to Hide" - - #32[12] #27[12]
1995 "1-800 Suicide" - - #46[12] #29[12]

References

  1. http://www.hiphopsite.com/2013/07/25/exclusive-prince-paul-breaks-down-gravediggaz-6-feet-deep-track-by-track/
  2. Swihart, Stanton (2011). "6 Feet Deep - Gravediggaz | AllMusic". allmusic.com. Retrieved 29 June 2011.
  3. CD Universe
  4. CD Universe
  5. Bond, John-Michael (2011). "Gravediggaz :: 6 Feet Deep :: Gee Street/Island/PolyGram Records". RapReviews. Retrieved 29 June 2011.
  6. Christgau, Robert (2011). "Robert Christgau: CG: Gravediggaz". robertchristgau.com. Archived from the original on 6 June 2011. Retrieved 29 June 2011.
  7. CD Universe
  8. "Gravediggaz - Niggamortis". Discogs. Retrieved 2008-03-16.
  9. Molgaard, Matt (August 12, 2009). "Rapped and Tagged: Horrorcore's Iconic Albums". Fangoria. Retrieved 2009-08-19.
  10. 1 2 "Album charts and awards for 6 Feet Deep". Allmusic. Retrieved 2008-03-28.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Singles charts and awards for 6 Feet Deep". Allmusic. Retrieved 2008-03-28.
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