6 Feet Deep

6 Feet Deep (alternately titled Niggamortis) is the debut album of the horrorcore supergroup Gravediggaz. It was released on August 9, 1994 by Gee Street Records. The album was re-issued in 1997. 6 Feet Deep received generally positive reviews, with critics praising its ominous production and lyrics, and is considered an influential album in the horrorcore subgenre. The album peaked at number 36 on the Billboard 200 and spawned three singles: "Diary of a Madman", "Nowhere to Run, Nowhere to Hide" and "1-800 Suicide".

6 Feet Deep
Studio album by
ReleasedAugust 9, 1994
Recorded1991-1993.[1]
GenreHorrorcore
Length52:17 (North America)
55:53 (Europe)
LabelGee Street/Island/PolyGram Records
524 016
ProducerPrince Paul, Frukwan, RZA, RNS, Mr. Sime
Gravediggaz chronology
6 Feet Deep
(1994)
The Hell E.P.
(1995)
Singles from 6 Feet Deep
  1. "Diary of a Madman"
    Released: June 21, 1994
  2. "Nowhere to Run, Nowhere to Hide"
    Released: September 6, 1994
  3. "1-800 Suicide"
    Released: January 24, 1995
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Entertainment WeeklyB[3]
NME4/5[3]
RapReviews9.5/10[4]
Robert Christgau[5]
Rolling Stone[3]

Album information

The original title of the album was Niggamortis, but it was changed to have a better reaction with the American crowd. However, the record was called by its original title overseas. The European version also included the bonus song "Pass the Shovel".[6]

The last question on "360 Questions" is a reference to Tommy Boy Records, to which each band member had been signed at one point.

Grym Reaper's first couple of lines from “Here Comes the Grave Diggaz” (You don't pull on Superman's cape/You don't spit into the wind/You don't pull the mask off the old Lone Ranger) are from the song "You Don't Mess Around with Jim (song)," originally by Jim Croce.

Killah Priest and Shabazz the Disciple made their first released appearances on "Graveyard Chamber" and the single "Diary of a Madman". This led to RZA signing them both to his Wu-Tang Records together with their group Sunz of Man. Dreddy Kruger made his recording debut on "Graveyard Chamber" as well.

Three charting singles were released from the album. "Nowhere to Run, Nowhere to Hide" and "1-800 Suicide" found minor success on the rap charts, while "Diary of a Madman" became the group's only single to make it to the Billboard Hot 100, making it to 82.

Reception

The album was well received and is considered to be one of the most influential hip hop albums of all time. It is also notable as a unique collaboration between two of the most influential producers on the East Coast at the time, Prince Paul and the RZA.

Rolling Stone (10/6/94, p. 90) – 3.5 Stars – "[Gravediggaz] evoke the atmosphere of horror movies and ominous effects, they've also been street tested, boasting hard beats and verbal skills."

Entertainment Weekly (8/19/94, p. 62) – "The album doesn't take itself very seriously, but the flustered beats, washed in minor chords, are strangely irresistible--partly because it is all so silly". – Rating: B

Q magazine (11/94, p. 129) – 3 Stars – "The foursome use death, burial and The Grim Reaper as central themes for a chilling mid-tempo stomp through America's urban problems."

The Source (9/94, pp. 91–92) – 3.5 Stars – "No, this isn't the climax of the latest Stephen King flick or Jason, part 17. It's an image created by the Gravediggaz, one of a number of new groups combining rap with horror-movie macabre to create a genre unofficially known as `horror-core'".

NME (12/24/94, p. 22) – Ranked #22 in NME's list of the `Top 50 Albums Of 1994.'

NME (Magazine) (9/10/94, p.46) – 8 – Excellent – "Gravediggaz feverishly document the low life – graveyard low.[7]"

In 2009, Fangoria named it as an iconic horrorcore album.[8]

Track listing

# Title Time Producer(s) Performers
1 Just When You Thought It Was Over (Intro) 0:10 Undertaker
  • Intro: The Undertaker
2 Constant Elevation 2:30 Undertaker
3 "Nowhere to Run, Nowhere to Hide" 3:55 Undertaker
  • First verse/Fourth verse: The RZArector
  • Second verse: The Grym Reaper
  • Third verse: The Gatekeeper
  • Outro: The Grym Reaper, The Undertaker
4 "Defective Trip (Trippin')" 5:04 Undertaker
  • Intro: The Grym Reaper & The Gatekeeper
  • First verse: The Gatekeeper
  • Second verse: The Grym Reaper
  • Third verse: The RZArector
5 "Two Cups of Blood" 1:24 Undertaker
  • The RZArector & The Grym Reaper
6 "Blood Brothers" 4:47 Gatekeeper
  • Intro/First verse/Fifth verse: The RZArector
  • Second verse/Fourth verse: The Gatekeeper
  • Chorus/third verse: The Grym Reaper
7 "360 Questions" 0:33 Undertaker
8 "1-800 Suicide" 4:18 Undertaker
  • First verse: The Gatekeeper
  • Second verse: The Grym Reaper
  • Third verse: The RZArector
9 "Diary of a Madman" 4:34 RNS, RZArector & Undertaker
10 "Mommy, What's a Gravedigga?" 1:44 Undertaker
  • Intro: The Undertaker
  • First verse: The Grym Reaper
  • Second verse: The Gatekeeper
  • Third verse: The RZArector
11 "Bang Your Head" 3:24 Undertaker
  • Chorus/First verse: The RZArector
  • Second verse: The Grym Reaper
  • Third verse: The Gatekeeper
12 "Here Comes the Gravediggaz" 3:44 Mr. Sime
  • Intro/First verse: The Grym Reaper
  • Second verse: The Gatekeeper
  • Chorus/Third verse: The RZArector
13 "Graveyard Chamber" 4:57 The RZArector
  • First verse: The Grym Reaper
  • Second verse: Dreddy Kruger
  • Third verse/chorus: The RZArector
  • Fourth verse: Scientific Shabazz
  • Fifth verse: The Gatekeeper
  • Sixth verse: Killah Priest
14 "Death Trap" 2:57 Undertaker
  • Intro: Masta Ace (uncredited)
  • Chorus/First verse: The Gatekeeper
  • Second verse: The RZArector
  • Third verse: The Grym Reaper
15 "6 Feet Deep" 4:36 RZArector
  • First verse/Sixth verse: The Grym Reaper
  • Second verse/Fourth verse: The Gatekeeper
  • Third verse/Fifth verse: The RZArector
16 "Rest In Peace (Outro)" 2:01 Undertaker
  • The RZArector

Note: The source of the producers is the sleeve jacket of the album.

Charts

Singles

Year Album Peak
position
Billboard Hot 100 Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks Hot Rap Singles Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales
1994 "Diary of a Mad Man" #82[12] #57[12] #8[12] #11[12]
"Nowhere to Run, Nowhere to Hide" - - #32[12] #27[12]
1995 "1-800 Suicide" - - #46[12] #29[12]

References

  1. "Prince Paul Reveals Gravediggaz Recordings Predate Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)".| Retrieved August 10, 2020
  2. Swihart, Stanton (2011). "6 Feet Deep – Gravediggaz | AllMusic". allmusic.com. Retrieved June 29, 2011.
  3. CD Universe
  4. Bond, John-Michael (2011). "Gravediggaz :: 6 Feet Deep :: Gee Street/Island/PolyGram Records". RapReviews. Retrieved June 29, 2011.
  5. Christgau, Robert (2011). "Robert Christgau: CG: Gravediggaz". robertchristgau.com. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved June 29, 2011.
  6. "Gravediggaz – Niggamortis". Discogs. Retrieved March 16, 2008.
  7. Gravediggaz - 6 Feet Deep CD Album
  8. Molgaard, Matt (August 12, 2009). "Rapped and Tagged: Horrorcore's Iconic Albums". Fangoria. Archived from the original on August 16, 2009. Retrieved August 19, 2009.
  9. "Gravediggaz Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
  10. "Gravediggaz Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
  11. "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1994". Billboard. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
  12. "Singles charts and awards for 6 Feet Deep". Allmusic. Retrieved March 28, 2008.
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