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Onyx: All We Got Iz Us
Onyx: All We Got Iz Us

2nd Hip Hop Album from Queens NY Group

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Either Roll With The Rush Or Get Rushed, Cause All We Got Iz Us. These Evil Streets....

  • Aug 25, 2011
Rating:
+5
Back in 1993, the Queens NY hip hip group Onyx, took the hip hop world by storm with their hardcore, rowdy, and in your face style with their first album Bacdafucup. Many folks I remember claimed that they were NWA(Niggas With Attitudes) clones or wannabe's. This was always an argument I debated for one simple reason; Onyx were actually better lyricist to me, and with the exception of Ice Cube, NWA were not lyrical monsters. And this was the one thing that set them apart in my view.

Their first album seriously slammed and folks were starving for them to drop a second release. In 1995, they would go on to release their second LP All We Got Iz Us, but this was a different Onyx though, as this album did not have a radio friendly feel, and it didn't recapture that energetic vibe of their first album. Ironically, their first album ended with a skit, that saw Onyx burning down buildings and rioting as if they were preparing for a pending apocalypse. This album seems to reflect that in a way, because it's much darker than the first album, and the group lays down a majority of their vocals with a sinister feel behind them, as an example, for the most part, just think Shiftee coming into this one, from the mic presence to the production. This album didn't catch on immediately, however, in time, many fans of the group would go on to hail this as their best album, despite it not selling as well as the first.

Fredro Starr, Sticky Fingaz, and Sonsee return for the album, and the late Big DS refused to, because he felt he didn't get enough play on the first one. The group definitely grew lyrically for this album, as there's a bit more complexity in their lyrics. Each of them hold their own very well and the chemistry can be felt. Even though I don't feel the teamwork is as tight this time around, they still do a fantastic job. The production was handled in house by the group members and it's very dark, but the beats are easy to bob your head to.

The intro pretty much sets the pace for the album, as it opens up with a man contemplating gun suicide, with a voice that could either be in his head, or perhaps a second person is present talking him into doing it. The beat has a sinister feel to it, letting the listener know this is something different if they heard the first album, it could also be playing into Onyx mindset as well, in which the first track kind of feels like this. The lead track Last Dayz, features one of my favorite instrumentals ever, with a nice background vocal that fits like a glove and perfectly captures the mood. It works in parallel with the light bass line, filled with a slow drum loop. This track is completely different from the rest of the album, since every thing else has a higher tempo. The lyrics are well thought out, and the group appears to be fed up with some things in the political system, and even think about suicide. This is one of my favorite tracks on the album.

The follow up happens to be the title track All We Got Iz Us, which is Onyx delivering a street narrative, and basically being brutally honest on taking what they want, and telling you what you need to do if you want to survive. And I love that hook delivered by P.I. Purse Snatchaz is an awesome lyrical track with the group throwing it down with a multi-syllable rhyme style, over a pretty basic beat with a depressing violin piece. The album contains almost no features, but there's one posse cut that I do like called Getto Mentalitee, with the crew just getting ill on the mic. Betta off Dead is one of my favorite tracks without a doubt with eerie production, and the crew delivering some hard violent lyrics. This is one of their deeper tracks though, and the metaphor can be taken in different ways. Many feel their going at commercial rap here.

My favorite track on the album happens to be Onyx most conscious track 2 Wrongs, which was surprisingly produced by Sticky Fingaz. Here, they go after the US government and just talk about things that gets on they nerves. Now don't come into this expecting Public Enemy because they're not as deep and detailed, but it was a very nice change of pace from a group that appears very one dimensional. The beat has a simple old school feel, but I think it has a damn good bassline filled with well placed scratches. Walk in New York closes out the album on a strong note. The production like the rest of the album doesn't have that radio friendly feel, and the crew just give their perspectives on New York streets.

The album could have been a lot better had the skits been better or left off completely. Unlike their first album where the skits weren't the issue because they were so fun. Here, they feel as if they add little to the album, thus, adding in that bit of unnecessary filler. Looking over that small issue there, the tracks are very strong to the point where they overshadow all of that. Personally, this is my favorite Onyx album, and I do like their first one a lot, but I'm the type of person who prefers my hip hop to be on the darker side a little more. Now don't get me wrong, I do love the fun stuff too.

In any case, this is a very strong album by the group, and I highly advise not coming into this expecting what you got from their first album. It's two different animals, and I feel this beast has a bit more bite.

Favorite Tracks:
2 Wrongs, Last Dayz, Betta Off Dead

Honorable Mentions:
Shout, Purse Snatchaz, Most Def

Track list:
1. Life Or Death (Skit)
2. Last Dayz
3. All We Got Iz Us (Evil Streets)
4. Purse Snatchaz
5. Shout
6. I Murder U (Skit)
7. Betta Off Dead
8. Live Niguz
9. Punkmotherfukaz
10. Most Def
11. Act Up (Skit)
12. Getto Mentalitee
13. 2 Wrongs
14. Maintain (Skit)
15. Walk In New York

Pros:
-Well written and tight lyricism, gritty yet great production

Cons:
-Skits

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August 28, 2011
Oh yeah man this is a great album right here, excellent review.
August 31, 2011
Thanks.
 
August 26, 2011
man, I am sssoo out of touch of my music.... :(
August 26, 2011
That's what happens when you try to juggle so many things. I'm trying to deal in regular flicks, horror flicks, certain new releases in theatres, games, comics, american animation, anime, and home products. There's just not enough time in the year to do all that.
 
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All We Got Iz Us is the second album from hardcore rap group Onyx. It is widely considered to be a great follow up to their classic Bacdafucup, with many fans actually citing it as the best album Onyx made. It reached gold sales status despite having no radio-friendly tracks on the album. Turning away from the more humorous approach to violence of their debut, All We Got Iz Us had an overall darker and more serious tone, dealing with subjects such as suicide, heavy substance abuse and racism. For example, the intro/opening track features a split-personality monologue: Sticky Fingaz threatening himself at gunpoint, eventually committing suicide.

Two charting singles were released from the album, "Last Dayz" which made it to 89 on the Billboard Hot 100 and 10 on the Hot Rap Singles and "Live Niguz", also known as "Live!!!", made it to 17 on the Hot Rap Singles and 81 on the R&B charts.
Music videos were released for the tracks Last Dayz, All We Got Iz Us, Walk In New York and Live Niguz, the last being influenced by the 1995 hip-hop film The Show.
In 2008, Vibe magazine named it the best-produced album of 1995 and listed it as one of twenty albums all hip hop fans must own (but may have missed).
The instrumental of "Last Dayz" was used in the film "8 Mile" during the rap battle scenes. Sampled excerpts from Sticky Fingaz' (third) verse in "Last Dayz" makes up the chorus of the Vinnie Paz song "Drag You to...
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