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Gotta Add To Your 90's Hip-Hop Collection Feb 19, 2010
Now that I have extra money in my life I am expanding my music collection.....especially from the 90's. This is a must have in your collection, and it's very unfortunate that this group was shunned by the radio stations because of their edgy lyrics (despite the crap we hear nowadays)!
I had the pleasure of hanging with Pat Swayzak (god I hope I spelled that right) back in 89' up in Allentown gettin' in trouble and listening to him spew his lyrics walkin' back from 'Daves' house late at night. Even then I knew he had a great future ahead of him..... just the times weren't ready for them, I guess! Oh, they had their following, but if they hit the market today they would freakin' blow up ova here!!!
I guess the point is, being a white boy with a really bad 'Billy Ray Cirus' mullet and listening mainly to hair bands at that time, Pat opened my eyes to not only a new and funky-ass sound...... but also to the social realities that were not being brought to the attention of the average 'MTV' listener at that time. Hell, he was a walkin' CNN to people that listened, but what makes money to the record labels is all that mattered in those days!
Pat..... I'm sure you'll pop on here and read this someday! It's your boy Eddie.......... now get back up and kick some asss, will ya! The world is ready for the remixes of 'Not Your Typical American' & 'Wake and Bake'. I even remember sitting in your apartment on 15th listening to you sing "Wake & Bake" for the first time and watching you put the lyrics together..... after Jon Jon just stopped by of course (wink!) ............................. The world is Ready for 'The Goats' once again!!!
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
 They're Not Your Typical AmeriKKKans (Rating: 9 out of 10- -4.5 stars) Apr 12, 2009
1992 was the year that spawned out gangster rap music from the likes of west coast rappers such as Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg, while the east coast had such groups as Pete Rock & CL Smooth, Gang Starr, who created the alternative hip hop movement that rallied a number of fans for it's longevity. With the exception of artists such as Will Smith & Jazzy Jeff, and the Roots, there was a group called The Goats, who were also part of the alternative rap group from Philly. The group consists of many people who come from different roots and backgrounds (but the rappers here are Oatie Kato, Madd, and Swayzack), who tackled such social political issues within society like such albums as Genocide & Juice and Hypocrisy Is the Greatest Luxury with similar material. Signing with Ruff House Records (known for acts like The Fugees, Cypress Hill, Nas, and even Tim Dog), their debut Tricks of the Shade has to be one of the most unique albums that I've heard, receiving high praises from critics (most notably The Rolling Stone Magazine). All throughout an album is an interesting storyline that follows a guy named Chicken Little, who ends up in a carnival looking for his Uncle "Scam" to help out in the situation he is stuck in. All throughout the album, the main character, Chicken Little, meets a number of people, most of them who are held in Uncle "Scam's" carnival against their will. A well put together storyline.
The music hold it's as well on this album. With songs like "Typical American", "Burn The Flag", "Aaah D Yaaa", and "¿RU Down With The Goats?" explains their feelings on the American society. The title track goes more into detail with the style of music they specialize in, with Swayzack, who I personally believe is a cut above the other two guys, dropping rhymes like "Columbus destroyed more Indians, than Hitler killed Jews//but on his birthday, you get sales and shoes..." "¿Do The Digs Dug?" was one of their major singles, and well crafted here.
Stepping away from their political style, The Goats excel on such songs as "Got Kinda Hi", their ode to smoking and drinking, and showing their mic skills on "Hip Hoopla".
Surprisingly enough, Tricks of the Shade, is one of the top albums of 1992 that not many have heard. With the over saturation of gangsta rap material that was coming out around that time, it was quite easy for an album such as this to be lost in the mix. The Goats sits in a category such as PE, The Coup, Disposable Heros of Hiphoprisy, and others. Surprisingly enough, Sony/Columbia no longer keeps this album in print, and prices run quite high. One should definitely consider purchasing this album for it's unique creativity, and raw lyricism that this group holds. Peace.
Lyrics: A+
Production: A-
Guest Appearances: N/A
Musical Vibes: A-
Top 5 Tracks:
1. Aaah D Yaaa
2. Got Kinda Hi
3. Tricks of the Shade
4. TV Cops
5. ¿Do The Digs Dug?
Honorable Mention:
1. Whatcha Got Is Whatcha Gettin'
2. Wrong Pot 2 Piss In
3. Hip-Hoopla
Finally, i found it! Mar 22, 2009
Thanks to amazon, i finally found this album again. someone i knew gave it to me about 15 years ago. My CASSETTE TAPE was lost, and i have been searching for it ever since. I even did a search on google that came up with nothing! So back then, i really didnt like rap or hip hop. That is how i know this album is BAD A**!! Give them a chance. It is almost 2 decades old, but it is still awesome. Like everyone said, they were very creative and instead of rappin about their guns and their diamond necklaces, they actually had alot more insight than todays rappers.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
The Original Promise Of Hip-Hop Realized.... Apr 17, 2008
I brought this album when it was first released, after reading in some sidebar article in Rolling Stone that Billy Bragg highly recommended it. This admiration appears to be mutual, since the Goats give Billy a well-deserved shout-out during "R U Down Wit Da Goats?".
For me, this is one of the all-time greatest concept albums ever produced, genre notwithstanding. Here, Social Satire collides with Politcal Commentary with the result a Jackson Pollack-like audio portrait that not only stands up to multiple listens, but 16 years later is still relevant.
Like all of my all-time fave albums, this took a couple of listens to get my head around. The track that did it for me was "Drive-By Bumper Cars". The album is saturated with slamming samples (the chicken sample in "Got Kinda Hi" is a standout!), beats, grooves, lyrical references, etc. that compels me to listen to the entire album each time I pick it up.
I was fortunate to have caught The Goats live a couple of times; once when "Tricks" first was released (a show that featured G-Love, Dell The Funky Homosapien and Shootyz Groove) and the second time when "No Goats...No Glory" was released. This band live ROCKS, utilizing live musicians in place of beat boxe
8 of 8 found the following review helpful:
Yes,Yes,Yes... Jun 06, 2006
This is soo ahead of its time (1992-originally). Goats are hard to describe, but I guess I can say they are like a mix between Typical Cats w/ some def jux vibes (obscure samples, that other groups would immediately dismiss) thrown in with a little bit of that funky ish ; very diverse, and original. Tricks of the shade is a verrry under the radar album (and group) that definitely should not be overlooked by any fans searching for some more original hiphop to add to their collection. "Hip Hopola" is a straight classic, along with "Do the digs dug" , "Whatcha Got is whatcha gettin'" & some others. Goats are a very poltical, and this is a great concept album, but beware, this album is only for advanced hiphop heads, as it is not your average sound that most won't understand on first listen. Check all the other reviews , pure brilliance...cop it! Peace!
"So save the sob story for a storybook and look
Jack-in-the-box can take a lickin' but I'm never gettin' took
By Uncle Scam and his band of political crooks
Searchin' nooks and crannies of my grammy's pocketbook"
"To the tic toc on my clock you know my swatch is tickin
A finger licken on my fingers count the suckers vicin
Should I be wishin that I'm sittin while the others missin
The rhyme hittin now I'm dissin all the suckers hissin
The beat breaks so you know the beat is being broke
I awoke to find another record being soaked
Should I just hope and take a chance at being Ton-Loc? "
Lyrics - 10/10
Beats - 9.5/10
Originality - 10/10
Replay Value - 9/10
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