Ask any serious students of contemporary hip-hop to name ten of the greatest lyricists to touch the microphone and you are libel to spark a serious debate about who deserves to be in that elite group. But when it comes to Scarface’s place in hip-hop’s upper echelon there is no debate. Any rap fan worth their weight in salt knows that when it comes to dropping gritty reality-based rhymes that have stood the test of time, Scarface is in a class by himself. For the past twelve years Scarface has consistently dropped stellar albums both as a member of the legendary Geto Boys and as a solo artist. While Face’s work with the Geto Boys was a catalyst for his luminous career, it is his work as a solo artist that has brought him the most accolades. In fact his solo discography reads like a litany of hip-hop’s classic albums, each one certified platinum. Now as Face approaches the next phase of his fifteen-year career it is more than appropriate that he drops Scarface’s Greatest Hits, a collection of eighteen of the award-winning MC’s best-loved hits, including a brand new track ³Love & Friendship.² Listening to classic joints like "Mr. Scarface" and "A Minute to Pray" from Face’s first album, Mr. Scarface Is Back will transport the listener to hip-hop¹s golden era, when it wasn’t about marketing schemes or glam and glitz, just banging beats and tight rhymes. For example on "A Minute to Pray" the Houston native flips a spine chilling cautionary tale where the moral of the story is vengeance begets vengeance, which equals senseless violence. To further underscore his point Scarface uses a loop from Marvin Gaye’s classic song, "Inner City Blues (Makes Me Wanna Holler). Of course no collection assessing Scarface’s fifteen years in the rap game would be complete without including classic hits such as the funky bass-driven "Money & the Power," the haunting and introspective "I’ve Seen A Man Die" and the his soul-stirring hit "Smile" featuring the late great Tupac Shakur and vocals by Johnny P. The collection also contains underground favorites such as "G’s" "Hand of a Dead Body" featuring Ice Cube, "Born Killer" and "Southside." Track List for Scarface’s Greatest Hits: 1. Love & Friendship 2. Mr. Scarface 3. Money & The Power 4. Let Me Roll 5. Southside 6. Mary Jane 7. Goin¹ Down 8. Smile feat. 2PAC & Johnny P. 9. F*** Faces feat. Too Short, Devin The Dude & Tela 10. Homies & Thugs feat. Master P. 11. G¹s 12. Now I Feel Ya 13. I Seen A Man Die 14. Hand Of The Dead Body feat. Ice Cube 15. Look Into My Eyes 16. Jesse James 17. Born Killer 18. A Minute To Pray
Ask any serious students of contemporary hip-hop
to name ten of the greatest lyricists to touch the microphone and you are libel
to spark a serious debate about who deserves to be in that elite group. But
when it comes to Scarface’s place in hip-hop’s upper echelon there is no debate.
Any rap fan worth their weight in salt knows that when it comes to dropping
gritty reality-based rhymes that have stood the test of time, Scarface is in
a class by himself.
For the past twelve years Scarface has consistently
dropped stellar albums both as a member of the legendary Geto Boys and as a
solo artist. While Face’s work with the Geto Boys was a catalyst for his luminous
career, it is his work as a solo artist that has brought him the most accolades.
In fact his solo discography reads like a litany of hip-hop’s classic albums,
each one certified platinum.
Now as Face approaches the next phase of his
fifteen-year career it is more than appropriate that he drops Scarface’s
Greatest Hits, a collection of eighteen of the award-winning MC’s best-loved
hits, including a brand new track ³Love & Friendship.²
Listening to classic joints like "Mr. Scarface" and "A Minute
to Pray" from Face’s first album, Mr. Scarface Is Back will transport
the listener to hip-hop¹s golden era, when it wasn’t about marketing schemes
or glam and glitz, just banging beats and tight rhymes.
For example on "A Minute to Pray" the
Houston native flips a spine chilling cautionary tale where the moral of the
story is vengeance begets vengeance, which equals senseless violence. To further
underscore his point Scarface uses a loop from Marvin Gaye’s classic song, "Inner
City Blues (Makes Me Wanna Holler).
Of course no collection assessing Scarface’s
fifteen years in the rap game would be complete without including classic hits
such as the funky bass-driven "Money & the Power," the haunting
and introspective "I’ve Seen A Man Die" and the his soul-stirring
hit "Smile" featuring the late great Tupac Shakur and vocals by Johnny
P. The collection also contains underground favorites such as "G’s"
"Hand of a Dead Body" featuring Ice Cube, "Born Killer"
and "Southside."
Track List for Scarface’s Greatest Hits:
1. Love & Friendship
2. Mr. Scarface
3. Money & The Power
4. Let Me Roll
5. Southside
6. Mary Jane
7. Goin¹ Down
8. Smile feat. 2PAC & Johnny P.
9. F*** Faces feat. Too Short, Devin The Dude & Tela
10. Homies & Thugs feat. Master P.
11. G¹s
12. Now I Feel Ya
13. I Seen A Man Die
14. Hand Of The Dead Body feat. Ice Cube
15. Look Into My Eyes
16. Jesse James
17. Born Killer
18. A Minute To Pray
