Geto Boys

Biography

Geto Boys (originally spelled Ghetto Boys) is a rap group from Houston, Texas, consisting of Scarface, Willie D and Bushwick Bill.

The Geto Boys earned notoriety for its lyrics which included misogyny, gore, psychotic experiences, and necrophilia. Despite the explicit content of their songs, critic Alex Henderson argues that the group "comes across as much more heartfelt than the numerous gangsta rap...wannabes who jumped on the gangsta bandwagon in the early ’90s." The Geto Boys broke new ground with their soulful southern sound (a precursor to the Dirty South style).

The original Ghetto Boys consisted of: Prince Johnny C, The Slim Jukebox, DJ Ready Red and Little Billy, the dancer who later came to be known as Bushwick Bill. The group released an album titled Making Trouble in 1988, which got very little attention. The group broke up shortly after and a new line-up was put together with the inclusion of Scarface and Willie D, both aspiring solo artists.

The group’s 1990 album The Geto Boys caused Def American Recordings, the label to which the group was signed at the time, to switch distributors from Geffen Records to Warner Bros. Records (with marketing for the album done by WB sister label Giant Records) because of controversy over the lyrics. In the early part of the decade, several American politicians attacked gangsta emcees, including the Geto Boys. A high-profile incident in which Bushwick Bill lost an eye in a shooting with his girlfriend helped boost sales of its third album, We Can't Be Stopped. The album cover had a picture of the injured Bushwick being carted through a hospital by Scarface and Willie D. On the album's title track, the group responded to Geffen Records ending its distribution deal with Def American. The album featured the single "Mind Playing Tricks on Me", which became a big hit in the hip-hop community.

All three members began solo careers, but Willie D. was the only one who actually left the group. Scarface and Bushwick Bill continued with the Geto Boys, adding Big Mike for Till Death Do Us Part in 1993. Although Till Death Do Us Part was certified gold it was not as well received by fans, as the lyrically gifted shoes of Willie D who also wrote for Bushwick, proved too big to fill for Big Mike. Subsequently, Big Mike was dropped and Willie D returned for 1996's critically acclaimed The Resurrection and 1998's Da Good Da Bad & Da Ugly.

The song "Street Life" from the album Till Death Do Us Part was featured on the motion picture South Central. A video clip for the song with footage from the film was released.

Although the band rarely releases albums or perform together, the interest in the group has never wavered as fans anxiously await one more album or performance. However, the group did come together for a much anticipated reunion at the Smoke Out Festival in San Bernardino, CA on October 23, 2009.

In 2010, Richard Stephen Shaw (Bushwick Bill) was threatened with deportation to Jamaica. In 2012, the Geto Boys will release a song with the Insane Clown Posse on The Mighty Death Pop!'s "White Pop" bonus album "Mike E. Clark's Extra Pop Emporium". The song would actually be an extended Geto Boys remix on the song "Forever". They will also make a live performance together in the 13th Annual Gathering of the Juggalos.

Discography
	Geto Boys - Making Trouble	Rap-A-Lot Records	1988
	Geto Boys - Grip It! On That Other Level	Rap-A-Lot Records	1989
	Geto Boys - The Geto Boys	Def American Recordings	1990
	Geto Boys - We Can't Be Stopped	Rap-A-Lot, Priority Records	1991
	Geto Boys - Uncut Dope: Geto Boys’ Best	Rap-A-Lot, Priority Records	1992
	Geto Boys - Till Death Do Us Part	Rap-A-Lot, Priority Records	1993
	Geto Boys - The Resurrection	Rap-A-Lot, Noo Trybe Records	1996
	Geto Boys - Da Good Da Bad & Da Ugly	Rap-A-Lot Records	1998
	Geto Boys - Greatest Hits	Rap-A-Lot Records	2002
	Geto Boys - The Foundation	Rap-A-Lot 4 Life	2004
	Geto Boys - Best Of The Geto Boys	Rap-A-Lot Records	2008
	Geto Boys & Scarface - Best Of...	Rap-A-Lot 4 Life	2008
Guest Appearances
	Do It Like It G.O. Willie Dee - Controversy	Rap-A-Lot Records	1989
	1-900-Dial-A-Crook Convicts - Convicts	Rap-A-Lot, Priority Records	1991
	Only The Strong Too Much Trouble - Bringing Hell On Earth	Rap-A-Lot, Priority Records	1992
	Studio Gangster 5th Ward Boyz - Ghetto Dope	Rap-A-Lot, Priority Records	1993
	Assassins Insane Clown Posse - The Amazing Jeckel Brothers	Island Records	1999
	Buss Back Swiff Haywire & Bay-B Gyrl - F.A.M.E.	Haywire Records, Inc.	2009
Compilations
	Mind Playing Tricks On Me Various - Straight From The Hood	Priority Records	1991
	Must Be The Music Various - Gangsta Rap	Priority Records	1991
	Mind Playing Tricks On Me Various - Rap Beat From The Street	K-Tel Distribution	1992
	We Ain´t With Being Broke Various - Rap-A-Lot's Underground Masters	Rap-A-Lot Records	1992
	Bring It On Various - Jason's Lyric (The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)	Mercury	1994
	Six Feet Deep Various - Rap G Style	Priority Records	1995
	The World Is A Ghetto Various - Original Gangstas (The Soundtrack)	Noo Trybe Records	1996
	Mind Playing Tricks On Me Various - 10th Anniversary - Rap-A-Lot Records	Rap-A-Lot Records	1996
	My Life Scarface - My Homies, Part 2	Rap-A-Lot 4 Life	2006
	Car Freaks Various - Rap-A-Lot Street Classics Vol. 1	Rap-A-Lot Records	2008
	Mind Playing Tricks On Me Various - Rap-A-Lot Greatest Hits	Rap-A-Lot Records	2008
	When It Gets Gangsta Scarface - Greatest Features	Rap-A-Lot Records	2009
	Mind Playin' Tricks On Me Various - Number 1 Streets Hits	Rap-A-Lot Records	2010
	Why U Playin' Various - Gangstas And Hustlers	Rap-A-Lot Records	2010
	Murder After Midnight Various - Crazy & Psychotic Vol. 1	Rap-A-Lot Records	2010
	Forever (Extended Geto Mix) Insane Clown Posse - Mike E Clark's Extra Pop Emporium	Psychopathic Records	2012
	Gangsta Put Me Down Various - Sex, Money, And Drug	Rap-A-Lot Records	2013
	First Light Of The Day Various - Swagger Check	Rap-A-Lot Records	2013