Originally released in 1991, this third album from Geto Boys (formerly called Ghetto Boys) reached platinum status and is considered one of the best rap albums of all time by some very important people. This reissue comes remastered and on colored double vinyl, a great vehicle for showing how well their Houston-influenced hip-hop ways have aged.
“Rebel Rap City” opens with dense drums and a quick spoken word that sets the pace for the album. “We Can’t Be Stopped” then brings finger snapping fun to the beat-filled climate that showcases the trio’s inimitable rapping skills.
Moving along, “Homie Don’t Play That” recruits samples and plenty of funk ideas, while “Chuckie” brings horrorcore ideas amid Bushwick Bill’s inimitable rapping that adopts other personas. “Mind Playing On Tricks” then recruits guitar and a horn sample for the darker-spirited delivery where Scarface takes the first couple of verses.
Deeper into the 14 tracks, “Ain’t With Being Broke” benefits from plenty of rawness in a more sparse setting that’s got plenty of drums, and “The Other Level” is even more tame, even haunting in its southern rap mood. “Trophy” exits with Willie D’s pipes front and center across grooves and soulfulness.
The band stuck around until 2019 in various formations, but then Bushwick Bill passed way from pancreatic cancer, and the Geto Boys legacy ended.
Geto Boys put southern hip-hop on the map and were largely known for their explicit lyrical themes that pushed the boundaries of gangsta rap. It’s possible they even began the sub-genre “horrorcore,” and legends like Outkast, 2Pac, Eminem and Insane Clown Posse took inspiration from them.
We Can’t Be Stopped is the best-selling album from Geto Boys, and this version puts the classic record back in print and sounding better than ever.
