“Hip Hop started on the block / I fell asleep at the wheel, the shit crashed into Pop.” This couplet from the title track of Wakedafucup is a thematic manifestation from rapper Sticky Fingaz and the group Onyx. Since 1993, they have dropped eight albums. The group has witnessed Hip Hop’s Golden Era heyday and the transition into the 21st Century. They’ve watched rappers come and go, rise and fall. Their unique perspective as a group is what enables them to be both observers and critics of Hip Hop in 2014.
Time and again on Wakedafucup, Sticky Fingaz and Fredro Starr remind listeners that they are ambassadors of a more rugged brand of Hip Hop—demanding that rappers and listeners alike “wake the fuck up,” from this current Pop inclination.
Their forte is blunt, streetwise lyrics. On “Buc Bac,” Fredro Starr raps, “The kickback from the pistol will break ya wrists / Then I’ll put you six-feet in the ground and take a piss / I’m disrespectful, I know, but fuck you / I know a couple niggas that’ll kill you for a buck or two.” Lyrics like these are exemplary of their intertwining Gangsta Rap and Horrorcore content that is commonplace on Wakedafucup. This style is also further reinforced on “We Don’t Fuckin Care,” which features A$AP Ferg and Sean Price—who is in prime form. For all of the guest features on Wakedafucup, the enlisting of Price was perhaps the smartest decision. His style is almost perfectly suited for the overall tone of the album. It would behoove his fans to hear it.
Production is handled by the German team Snowgoons. While it maintains a consistent tonal theme throughout, the impact and intricacy provided on top-notch beats like “One 4 Da Team” and “Dirty Cops” isn’t always there, which ultimately takes away from the album as a whole. On “Boom,” the scratches at the end of the track are dope, but equally frustrating because there could have been more of it utilized elsewhere on the album. Granted the Snowgoons were being particular with the beat making, but it falls short of their work on their debut compilation German Lugers.
Besides the production, the other major takeaway from Wakedafucup is the sequencing of the tracks. The first half is slow and at times monotonous, but the second half is a tighter, more cohesive offering. Starting with “The Tunnel,” featuring Cormega and Papoose, Onyx fleshes out the rest of the album with stimulating grittiness. The last track, “Turndafucup” ends abruptly, making for an anticlimactic ending that is both a good and bad: bad because it leaves the listener wanting more, but good because this might be exactly what Onyx wanted; a stoked hunger for more.
Overall Wakedafucup is multi-faceted. It has street records (“Whut Whut”), Horrorcore verses and inclinations (“Wakedafucup”), first person narratives (“Hustlin Hour”), storytelling (“Trust No Bitch”) and conscious Rap (“One 4 Da Team”). There is a lot going on, but it’s stays digestible as a whole, and never loses sight of itself. It’s also a welcome album during a time in which comparable street records are few and far between. Veterans like U-God of the Wu-Tang Clan and Diddy have said Hip Hop is getting too soft, so to see Onyx drop a record that’s truer to its roots than most similar Rap music these days is both welcome and refreshing.
Trash. Absolute trash. Another group of wannabe thug rappers making empty and hollow threats over soft, ringtone beats. You cats aren’t hard. In fact, you’re about as hard as a year old marshmallow. This writer doesn’t have a clue what the fuck he is talking about. Homer Johnsen (or should I say Homer Simpson) can suck a fat dick for all I care. Talentless hacks like him need to be hung by the balls for even rating this crap a solid 3.5. Now all the nerdy, sensitive hip hop heads are going to start screaming “This is way better than a 3.5. This is album of the year”. Fucking clueless bastards. Anyway, MMG’s compilation albums are much more cohesive and enjoyable than this crap. I’m sorry, but nobody cares what Onyx’s opinion of hip hop’s current landscape. If I can’t party to it, then I’m falling asleep to it. That’s the problem with these old rappers and the hip hop fans of today – still stuck in the god damned past and not learning to embrace change. Well, I have news for all you motherfuckers – change is inevitable. You can’t do shit about it except deal with it and do your own stupid thing. I give this album a 1.5/5 and the album review gets a 0/5 because Homer Johnsen is an incompetent boob who doesn’t know what the fuck he’s talking about.
oh shut up little bitch. Go back to your fat mom’s cunt and talk there your bullshit
we don’t fucking care
AHAHAHAH, You sound like the madd rapper.
you clearly don’t know shit
You actually just convinced me to listen to the album, no lie. I absolutely love it. First good hardcore hip hop album released in forever. 5 out of 5 stars.
Dope!
Fuck Rozay O’Donnel hateful opinion. 5!
Shut up bitch nigga
CLASSIC ONYX!!!
You are a sad young man Rozay. Taking your name from an admittedly dope MC, but one who has been proven to be fraud. Whats that say bout YOU?
The fact is anyone who you attempt to belittle will look at your comments on both the review and the actual album, both young and old, and swiftly realise that its your comments, just like mine, are totally irrelevent. Yes, there are definately older heads who need to ealise the beloved Hip Hop they love from the 90s – early 2000s will never return, but at the same time, your little boy comments of hate disguised as some kind of intellect or knowledge is killed by your name alone. Just like GURU said, respect the architects. If you dont you die. Dont you think when you reach your 40s that anyone will give a monkeys for your thoughts or feelings? No? Dont care to answer? Who cares, is much more accurate. Im glad you arent important except to your family.
“Taking your name from an admittedly dope MC”
I assume you haven’t listened to Mastermind
Actually, I’m quite important, thank you very much. I happen to be one of Ross’ closest confidantes and ghostwriters. In fact, I’ve been approached by Ross to officially ink a deal with Maybach Music Group. Hopefully, I will release an album that will not only get people talking about my music centuries down the line, but get these old fossils to #wakedafuckup
O/n/y/x yeaaaaaaaah
Their best album since All We Got Iz Us. Solid effort. Stick sounds hungry again.
Is Sonny Seeza involved at all?
nope!
@Rozay. If you cant party to Onyx`s shit you must be the biggest retard alive. Go party to some Drake songs you pussy. Their shit is raw as fuck and they heat it up live! #wakedafucup – best album since shut em down imo.
Who wants to listen to some aggressive, depressed, and grumpy old men talk about the good old days when hip hop was rough and hardcore? Um, duh, it still is. You just got to put on your bifocals and try looking for it. If you want to listen to some raw talent, then I suggest listening to Mastermind. From beginning to end, Ross really defines the meaning of the word “raw” while touching on topics such as social commentary/racism (Black & White), religion (Sanctified), and paranoia (Nobody). Mastermind proves to be Rick Ross’ most versatile release yet, so I say that it deserves a perfect 5/5
Anybody who takes the time to respond to a troll called “Rozay O’Donnell” is a bigger clown then he is
And this album would have been dope with better production, Just like the MOP album snowgoons produced, their style is monotonous, a few tracks I can deal with but a whole album of their shit gets boring fast
Dope album. I can`t wait for tour!
This album is weak to me because of the SG productions…. Onyx put out a good effort but these fake hard core beats don’t cut it… As for the Rick Ross cats, he is terrible, he has a terrible rap voice with no flow and dumb subject matter…His production is really terrible even for the radio, no growth or risk taking and horrible guest appearances…
YOU SOUND LIKE AN IDIOT. YOU MUST BE AS DEAF AS THE REVIEWER. TERRIBLE RAP VOICE? ARE YOU KIDDING ME? LISTEN TO NO GAMES FEATURING FUTURE. TELL ME HE DOESN’T CHANGE UP HIS VOICE. AND PRODUCTION WIDE, THE NIGGAS BEATS ARE INCREDIBLE. HE REALLY HAS A PENCHANT FOR PICKING GOOD BEATS. NO GROWTH? OH I GUESS YOU NEVER LISTENED TO BLK & WHT OFF MASTERMIND? TRAYVON MARTIN, GOT MY EYES ON THE TARGET? FUCK OUTTA HERE.
trash album. i can’t stand snowgoons however onyx is weak since 2000. 1 star
Mostly dope, but some of these beats are a bit on the weaker side. Better than Pinata, though. 3.5/5
u mean better than ya mama? pinata was 5/5 fool
No, I meant Pinata has problems topping YO UGLY MAMA and sister. Say hello to both of them. 😉
Pinata is not and will never be better than 3/5. Freddie went hard but the beats doesn’t fit him. It’s nothing else than good samples fucked up with shitty drums. It’s good if you don’t like drums over samples.
Snow Goons are alright but I would have liked to hear them on Chyskillz tracks (Chyskillz produced every track on the first album but two).
The Snow Goons, production is a little monotonous and Chyskillz new shit would have been a perfect fit.
gonna get it
Been banging this album since it dropped!
Dirty Cops is the banger. Love the whole album but I see where the reviewer was coming from… but Dirty Cops is that shit. I keep that on loop in my Yellow Mustang waiting to get my next speeding ticket.
I heard Wakedafucup only sold 50 copies.
Snow Goons make nice beats but they should have got somebody else
Heater.
Mo to tha, E To Tha.
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If its so easy why his album is not considered a future classic album like Kendricks?
I mean not even highly talked about…
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Very dope album worth the price for sure.
Dear Homer Johnson
this review sounded like a copy and paste from wikipedia. you have obviously seen the comments on the audio page where whoever posted it up referred to onyx as a lone rapper. This quote here is quite worrying
“his couplet from the title track of Wakedafucup is a thematic manifestation from rapper Sticky Fingaz and the group Onyx. Since 1993, they have dropped eight albums”.
this shows that you reviewed the album with no idea of who onxy are. you put “from rapper Sticky Fingaz and the group Onyx” anyone reading this review knows who onxy are and we dont need to be told that Kirk Jones is a rapper. You might want to familiarise yourself with onyx and their previous members Big DS and Sonsee (Suave, Sonee Seeza).
Thanks for the wikipedia research review. You should be fired
!!!!!!
It’s John-S-E-N. But thanks, though.
In the immortal and enduring words of Money Mike:”Don’t be sorry hoe, be careful!”
No, this shows that he’s providing a bit on context for people who may not know a lot about Onyx. It’s called an introduction, bitch. Calm down.
Dope ass track!!!!
The best hardcore rap release in over a decade.
Heavy Metal Kings 2011
They really put a fucking hashtag in the title of the album? Ugh.
Thats like looking back now at all the people that thru “2000” in there album titles 14 years ago
raw album
DOPE ASS ALBUM THROW YA GUNZ N DA AIR JIMBO AKA LENNY RIP SOUTHSIDE ROCAWAY BULLY geez
this is hard and uncompromising, on point album worth owning. Not this bubble gum, 2 minute albums all over the place. Great release
Hash tag in title? Hey Onyx that is gay! Wake the fuck up!
Onyx is dope, but why work with these untalented german nerds? These snowgoons kids make wack ass beats and try to act tough but always fail. I guess its because the germans got a lot of money to buy verses… = fake beatmakers.
good album, really good. gonna be on the top 5 in 2014 IMO.
This album is trash snowgoons trash onyx washed up.
YESSSSS LOVE ONYX KEEP DOING WHAT YOU DOING G! AWWWWWWWWSHIIITTT
I don’t understand the hate for SnowGoons. They have solid tracks most of the time. Yes there are some that you just shake your head and wonder why, but they put out better beats then most songs I hear.I think people have just settled for these simplistic southern beats or beats that are overly bass driven. Again, they aren’t perfect but they put out better music then most trash nowadays. Plus for the most part they don’t feature artists with recycled lines and bars about money hoes and cars, just saying.
Their beats are usually good. There some wack drums here and there, but the main problem is that they’re a bit repetitive on this album. ‘The Tunnel’ and ‘We Don’t Fuckin’ Care’ are the best beats they have done, I hoped rest of this album had beats like those two.
The Snowgoons beats sound way too flat.
onyx straight up
Hi Onyx, Wake the fuck up. you’re sound like 2 old men saying “the kids of these days”.
slam was fun, sticky is a genius, but this is boring as fuck. 2 fucking serious. try focus on make good music, bye.
Yo, you obviously have no idea what you talkin bout. If you was there in 92 – 93 when hiphop was HIP-HOP your ass would understand. But you’re right about one thing though… “the kids of these days”.
good music is always good music man, most of oldschool joints still sounds good and authentic, including onyx, whats your point? this song still sucks, no fun. no vibes, no creativity. only jealousy vibes. dont hate me for standarts bro. they could do better.
and wtf hip hop was hip hop in 92? what about 94? 95? 96? 97? or any day outkast dropped shit? and this is why i dont know what im talking about? 🙂 its like ill say “onyx is bad because africa bambatta is real hip hop”
“Slam was fun”…is that your knowledge of Onyx? The song “Slam?” That’s like someone saying “Hell yeah I love Led Zeppelin! Stairway to Heaven is my favorite from them!”
Track is dope but where Sonny Seeza at?
In the gutter.
he owns chuck e cheese
Fukkin fire period.
onyx are legendary, this tape is awesome. angry rap at its finest.
4 stars
This is what the game needs right now. Fuc all that cornball tight jeans music. Onyx!
Blacktrash remains my favorite onyx project mostly because its a sticky fingaz project and not a onyx album this album is average and thats what onyx as a whole is. the rest hold back sticky too much who imo is the only one in the group with talent 3/5 the production wasnt there for me and the replayability isnt really there
This album is so sick from beginning to end. Never heard of the Snowgoons before but their production is on point.
Look into snowgoons then they have some crazy albums out
Onyx fucked around and dropped a classic. Honestly, I wasn’t even checking for this because I haven’t dug anything from Onyx since All We Got Iz Us but this album is fire! Snowgoons made the difference, the album flows really well and the bars were nothing spectacular but true to vintage Onyx. This is that grimey throwback NY shit
nice one
This shit is played out. its 2014 and not 1991. NYC rappers just dont get it. They made one classic and fell of after that, they only repaet themselves with every album they made. Its hard but its not good.
Agree
your a bitch! you know naddaaaa
As opposed to what? The constant bullshit Lil Wayne puts out? How about the same crap Rick Ross does? Find me where they are versatile and then I’ll agree. Until then, enjoy your dumbed down, half retarded music from the likes of Boosie, Ty Dolla Sign, YG, DJ Mustard, and what ever other trash is popular now…
EVERY single beat from these hip-pop guys sound exactly the same. With the same stupid high-hat drums or whatever they’re called. Anything from tyga, lil gay, fake, officer ricky, dj fat kahled, etc…is straight embarrassing.
Sometimes when you’re at a bar or club that plays whack music, you absolutely cannot tell when one song ends and the other begins. Then they just repeat some stupid shit over and over…”I get high as fuck…I get high as fuck…I get high as fuck”…”I’m different. I’m different. I’m different…”Versace versace versace…”I’m tripping, I’m trippin, I’m trippin”…I just saw some HORRIBLE Meek Mill video and had to change it before my head hurt. Stop the hipster-tight pants, blouse-wearing retard ringtone rap movement!
How could it be played out if no one even listens to good hip-hop like this anymore? I don’t think played out means what you think it does. Awesome beats from Snowgoons.
Thank U ONYX for a solid effort and not coming half ass’d.. No this ain’t All We Got Is Us, No This Ain’t Shut Em Down.. No Son Sees ain’t on it but U know what.. Shit’s Still DOPE!!
The hashtag is clearly for marketing, people will blow up Twitter and have it trending tweeting this album name… and thus people will be sheeps and check what’s trending. Smart title in that respect.
It might be a dumb/whack title to you fans, but it is a smartass idea to a BUSINESS MAN who knows social media networking websites are populated by the majority of the planet.
Wow you’re such a computer hipster-visionary! Tell us more about this “Social media” stuff you seem to have the inside scoop on. I’m so glad you gave us word that social media is all over the planet. I hope this “Twitter” thing you spoke of is successful. What a good business man you are.
I wasn’t around when Onyx was at their peak with hits like Slam. So for me I went into this album with a fresh set of eyes. And boy was I surprised at the deep hardcore lyricism. I remember sticky fingaz from Em’s song Remember me.. and I also have an album of his. He is dope . But now I know that you are defined by the company you keep and sticky fingaz keeps a hardcore company , after this album I got hold of the entire discography and even though I haven’t heard every song. This hiphop group has suddenly risen to one of the top cats out there for me. I hope they keep making more of these albums
Dope lyrics and Beats. I bump this constantly. Something for my ear to grab as a producer\engineer.
Guess what?! y’all emo fucks, Street Hop is here, hide.
its too bad these new niggaz are gonna judge onyx based on this garbage album. believe it or not, Sticky used to be one of the illest rappers out.
do yourself a favor, fuck this album and go download that Black Trash album from Sticky Fingaz. that shit was crazy
?? Garbage? You’re gonna tell cats to cop sticky’s blacktrash album ( softer ) than copping this raw shit??? Don’t get me wrong, sticky’s album was ill, but this bitch just fucks your eard drums up! raw!!!!
album is crazy….
Kozak
Jebac wszystkie popowe dziwki… Onyxa brakowaÅ‚o jak tlenu… Åšwieży powiew zachrypnietego rapa…. Wakedafucup! 4ALL!
Just what you’d expect from Onyx. Tight, raw with great beats from the Snowgoons.
No filler here! Will have this on repeat for the foreseeable future. Respect!
Although this album is not the most lyrical, it Is definitely a dosage of rawness that hip hop music needs right now! These soft rappers need to get smacked up a bit! The beats are mad incredible and the lyrics are simply just to pump you up! No poetic approach here, just straight raw boom bap!