Hawd Gankstuh Rappuhs MCs Wid Ghatz

Less than six months after releasing their debut full-length, 2 Hype 2 Wype, Hawd Gankstuh Rappuhs MCs Wid Ghatz (or more simply, HGR) have followed up the higher profile Wordsound release with Wake Up and Smell the Piss, distinguishable as the first rap record on rock label Load Records. Surely this is an odd choice to be the first venture into a new hip-hop market by Load. Normally, HGR are not widely appealing, with beats that sound like a variety of sounds were just banged together, bouncing between Bomb Squad-inspired brilliance to near-chaotic cacophony, and voice-pitched vocals that could have been written by the autistic love triplets of Flavor Flav and Kool Keith, listening can be a difficult experience for many, and for some, painful. Smell the Piss gets more lo-fi, bringing more gritty noise to the beats and stup(id)endous, drugged-out freestyles. At points it gets too out of hand and fails ("Wilin' On a Desert Island" and "Shut Up and Listen"). Each member gets at least one solo track, and DJ Brownfinger is no exception when he rocks the old school vibe on "See Me in the Shadows." And as strange as Guy Albino, Flybot Van Damn and Dook Crapmore can be on songs, they get most wacky on the second last song, "Monster Manual," where the whole alter ego clan drops by, including an appearance by MC Paul Barman, and on the finale that pays homage to hip-hop's hemp heroes, Cypress Hill.