After upsetting a number of diehard Chip-Fu fans, it’s only right that I shed some light on the gimmick groups from that era that managed to nail it…at least for a while.
23 thoughts on “Nineties gimmick rap groups that won”
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I can’t argue with a damn sentence here. Salute.
Outside of Das EFX I don’t really see how any of these groups were gimmicks cause they all went on to have decent careers with music that stood the test of time.
@Ben: The concepts behind the groups were gimmicks but they were good enough to rise above it and make classic records.
teenage me really cranked “hold it down” but grown up me not that much. also I like that you conveniently left out the group that everyone was hollering about.
I’ll still go to bat for Hold It Down, even though it’s waaaaay long. I don’t mind Straight Up Sewaside either; they always had solid beats behind them. And Dead Serious is still great, even though the scores of shitty imitators could’ve easily hurt its replay value.
Successful/popular gimmick groups:
House of Pain/Funkdoobiest
Gravediggaz
Onyx
The Brotherhood (UK)
Questionmark Asylum (Pharcyde wannabes)
The ‘Liks never did it for me. Found them very middle-of-the-road ordinary. Their USP seemed kinda corny given how skunk rap was well under way by the time they came along. Oh you drink alcohol do you? Wow…
Too Much Trouble were a gimmicky Geto Boys who (after the first album and line-up) were in turn a gimmicky NWA.
I guess I’m alone in rating The Fu Schnickens. I’ll get my coat…
LOL BABY GETO BOYS
Southern rap is fucking WACK!!!!!! Poison Klan were HORRIBLE!
I don’t consider The Brotherhood gimmicky, I still listen to “Elementalz” and loved the fact that they were English and didnt try and imitate faux American accents like some UK acts in 80s and 90s.
@Andy Kimber: The Brotherhood were good (for the time) BUT the whole gothic “dungeons” shtick and the “one mixed-race, one Black one Yid” multicultural thing were gimmicks. They were much better than Honky, Kaliphz and the other English acts with multicultural line ups but still a gimmick.
@Robbie thats a good point, I was just thinking more about the music itself but there personas could be considered gimmicks.
Which group in the nineties didn’t name a gimmick?
* have
A signature style is not a gimmick.Das Efx is official.
Poison Clan is official Miami rap and not a gimmick. don’t put shit past no hoe was bumping when it came out. I know cuz I was in Miami when it did.
By this criteria Wu Tang is a gimmick group(Kung fu), Mobb Deep is a gimmick(QB project thug rap),Big Pun(fat spanish guy,The Roots(live band rap), etc
You shortchanged your knowledge with this article.
The ‘Liks was DEFINITELY NOT no gimmick group
LIK’S best west coast group!
Exactly… Fine line between a gimmick and an angle. Pants on backwards definitely a gimmick though.
Liks were dope especially second album…. beats and rhymes for days.
@BlackIce Houston rap rocked the shit outta the south and the West in the 90s! @Robbie: Nice,that u always finds the opportunity to big up the old school South. There where more exciting/Fucked up/CRC approved acts in the 90s than on the West coast. Word to Tim Dog Fuck Compton! Just look at corny ass Lamar. He can even fuck up a good Alc beat! The Convicts is my shit. So fuckin obnoxious! And the 1st Poison Clan was and still is the bomb. Spoiled Ro`en!!!
Hold it Down is a slept on classic in my opinion!
Apart from being quite decent MC’s the Cella Dwellas came with more dungeon rap and mystical lyricism charisma and clever flows so for me a win on those grounds.For some they might not fall under gimmick at all.
Totally agree with Drew Huge and @Mike G the Hold it Down album IS a classic period.
@opsta now – If Cella Dwellas had a gimmick, I’d say it’s that they could cover so many bases so well. They did the mystical dungeon shit well (“Land Of The Lost”), mafioso shit well (“Good Dwellas”), relationship drama shit well (“Perfect Match”), and just battle/brag shit well (“We Got It Hemmed”). Still love Realms N’ Reality. Great record, talented dudes.
Loved the alkoholiks, pure gimmick on the drink. Saw them as a sorta counter part to the beatnuts.
Poison clan had one dope track, one hit womders, universaly.
Das efx had to deal with the epmd fallout, and they fast rap crap got boring, quick.
Lords of the, had some dope music, and sufferred the same fate.
Give us some more articles, man!
I loved that Poison Clan 1st album I think because they had some east coast production.
Same thing for Home Team.
Tha Liks I’ve like everything they did…still like anything Tash does.