:.:.: Convicts :.:.:

Convicts - Convicts [1991]

Convicts is a 1991 album by the group of the same name. Convicts consists of Houston, Texas rappers: Big 'Money' Mike (before Geto Boys) and 3-2 (before Blac Monks) on the straight up gangsta and the south'n aspect of the rap game and the street. The album has been out of print for years and is highly sought after by fans. I'm setting this off real big with is said to be one of the holy grails of the my collection. Featuring sometimes Geto Boy Big Mike and Lord 3-2 (who was bounced around to and from various Rap-A-Lot projects over the years before releasing a solo album in ‘96), The Convicts are a concept group based mostly around being, well, convicts. From dealing with parole hearings, jail cell blues, to what to do with your broad when you get out (WHOOP HER ASS!). A couple tracks seem to lose sight of the concept, but that doesn’t detract from the quality (like the would be anthem “Fuck School” or “Peter Man“). Although it’s dope from top to bottom, I think the highlight of the album is “1-900-DIAL-A-CROOK“, where the Geto Boys show up to help the convicts give step by step advice on how to steal a car, get into the coke game and even kill Sadaam Hussein, each over a different beat change. Supposedly Dre had intended to lure The Convicts from RAL when he first started Death Row and you can definetly see this album as a precursor to the Chronic sound. Many people see this as the finest record the label released and I’m somewhat inclined to agree.

Anyway, if you reading this now and you like the screwed-up joints from Rap-A-Lot, hit them an' J. Prince up and ask about the Convicts screwed and chopped version and let's see if we can keep the true classics alive! OHHH, Rap-A-Lot did mess up with one release, but that was 'cause she could do a mean one for a contract!! You know what it is... One