Aggravated - Accept

Aggravated - Accept

Aggravated is a collective from the vicious streets of Houston, TX. As a whole, the group represents for the city of Houston but some of the members are from smaller cities in the vicinity such as, Pasadena and Freeport. While membership has varied throughout their active years, the original group consisted of Grimm, Filero, Balazo, Shadow, Lord Loco, Pranksta, Slinkey, Ikeman and Troublemaker. Now, the birth of Aggravated was laid by another local group in the early nineties known as the Mixed Colored Mafia. The Mixed Colored Mafia consisted of Big C, Lord Loco, A-K and Troublemaker. Under unfortunate circumstances, Big C and A-K were incarcerated. This then led to Lord Loco and Troublemaker hooking up with Grimm and Filero. This formation was billed as Aggravated and work soon began for a full length album. Accept is their debut album and it was released in 1995 on Aggravated Records. By the time Big C and A-K were released from jail, the album was near completion but both A-K and Big C did manage to get a guest spot in there. Production on this piece was led by Filero and Balazo with Grimm and his brother, Shadow also lending a helping hand. The beats are an ensemble of dark, synth filled rhythms that really set the theme for the entire album. Their edginess is surreal at times and their composure embodies the sound of the streets. While most are original in nature, there are some that are sample driven. The most notable one coming from the famous song "Burnin' And Lootin'" by Bob Marley & The Wailers which is used heavily on the track "I Am Your Future." Lyrically the record also bodes well. All the members carry a distinct style and they can all dominate the microphone with ease. Their rhymes are delivered sharply and vividly. Word play and various schemes are kept at a canny level. Meanwhile, extra emphasis is placed on the character and structure of a song. Also with such an extensive membership, there is never a dull moment. Mainly due to the different artists being used on different tracks, with some even getting a solo or a duet. Guest appearances are made by DJ Screw, K-Rino, A.C. Chill, DBX, Geto African, Hollowpoint, Ruff Eyque, Strych 9, Big C, A-K, Dren, Lil' Chuck and Acie. The record signs off with a modest total of eleven tracks all the while leaving the listener craving for more. This release was able to garner a good bit of success which eventually put the group into an ordeal with their record label. John J. Hernandez, the owner of Aggravated Records, wanted to take some members out and replace them with some other ones. He also wanted to change the group's distinct sound and powering image. Grimm and his fellow band mates wanted no part in this horrendous idea. This then became an internal conflict which was resolved by a litigation through the judicial system. John won the case and kept the rights to the name of the group. He then acted on his personal agenda and made his own version of Aggravated all the while releasing albums under that moniker. The original group moved on and signed with Jam Down Records and eventually became the group known as, The Most Hated. Accept will always be looked upon as a diamond in the rough type deal. It's a compelling work of art that also a brings upon an ominous feeling because of the group's unfortunate demise.

Deadly Verses

I Am Your Future (Radio) ft. Klondike Kat

Deadly Video

Creepin

Album Notes

* Aggravated is also part of the South Park Coalition.

Aggravated - Mexicans & Cappin'

Aggravated - Mexicans & Cappin'

Aggravated is a group that represents from the roguish streets of Houston, TX. The collective was formed by Filero and Balazo in the year 1994 in the small city of Freeport but it quickly spread to the neighboring city of Houston. While membership has varied throughout the years, the original members were Grimm, Balazo, Shadow, Filero and Lord Loco. Later on they added more members like Slinkey, Pranksta, Big Deuce and Troublemaker. The original members did not participate in this release except for Shadow, who is credited for producing one of the tracks. Mexicans & Cappin' is their fourth album and it was released in 2002 on Aggravated Records. The bulk of the production is handled by Big Deuce while Shadow chips in on one of the tracks. The beats are very generic to be quite frank. They are certainly lacking that dark, street vibe that Aggravated was most known for. The foundation of the rhythms seems to be very basic and any use of real instruments is definitely absent. There are only a handful of tracks that really stand out while the rest are largely mundane. This type of moderate production could only be blamed on the missing cast of members, who would initially help in producing and guiding their prior releases. Lyrics are mostly satisfying but again, they are lacking that charm and the vibe of the original group. Slinkey, Pranksta and Big Deuce are respectable on the microphone and their rhymes are delivered precisely. They can display their vocal artistry with ease and their lyrics carry more of a contemporary feel. Guest appearances are made by Sambo, O.Z., Lady G and Diva Nay. Overall a decent effort by the group that has an ample total of sixteen tracks. This is another one of those releases that became a victim of the sound change that occurred after the new millennium. Aggravated was always known for their harsh and edgy personas. Their style and flair is what really made them stand out among many artists from the city. But when that change came, it was either jump on the band wagon or get left behind. This rendition of Aggravated is the result of that very jump and it is now understandable why the original members did not want anything to do with this release. This album is also marked as the last album by the famed group.

Deadly Verses
Locs At Night


Album Notes
* Aggravated is also part of the South Park Coalition.

The Texas Shootout

The Texas Shootout
The Texas Shootout is a very unique type of album that was released in 1996 on Elite Records. Some might classify this record as a compilation but it is truly much more than just that. It is constructed with six bona fide lyricists whom all represent out of Houston, TX. The banging production is provided by Noel "The Chief" Aleman and it easily exceeds expectations. Each track is made with exquisite precision and is filled with many notable instruments. These are some top quality rhythms and they can only be described as that genuine hardcore sound which had surrounded the city of Houston in the mid ninety's. Now with that being said, the album is divided into four parts. Each part is assigned to an artist and each of them delivers four tracks a piece. The record begins with a bonus group track and then splits into its' appropriate sections. Leading the charge is a group called Critical Madnez. It is a duo made up of two females who are under the aliases, Critical and Madnez. Their style is very exclusive and it should not be taken lightly. Both of them excel on the mic and their rhymes are equally rough. They can certainly hold their own and are responsible for tracks two through five. Madnez also chips in as a back up vocalist on different tracks for other members. Next up is Snipe, who is also known as "Da Funky 1/2 Breed." He rips tracks six through nine and spits them at a sensible rate. He also possesses a solid vocabulary and is not afraid to use it. Snipe's performance on the record is definitely one of the ones that stand out. Following after that is the roguish duo known as Infrared. It consists of Grinch and Ginx. Their assault on the mic is dreadfully ruthless and harsh. They abundantly trade verses and provide tracks ten through thirteen. The final artist to contribute is Wood, who later became a member of the infamous Half Dead Organization. As always, he does not disappoint on the microphone. His raw tongue twisting rhymes are present and are clearly cold blooded. Wood concludes the album with tracks fourteen through seventeen. He executed them in such a superb manner that it is certainly worthy of mentioning. Overall the record is a complete hidden gem and it is put together very immensely. Each artist conveyed a solid presentation which in turn made it a necessity to own. The album ended up being out of print mostly because of the record label shutting down over financial issues. Also members Snipe, Infrared and Critical Madnez later became members of the group called, "Aggravated."

Deadly Verses
Aztec Eyez