Search - Esham :: Kill the Fetus

The One & Only God of Detroit and His Symphony of Insanity

Daniel B. Anderson | The Black Lodge, Ohio, United States | 12/06/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you are a fan of Detroit rap(Eminem,Kid Rock,Insane Clown Posse)and you DON'T have this album by now, then you need to run out and buy it IMMEDIATELY! Esham birthed the Detroit hip-hop scene and "Fetus" is considered by many fans(myself included)to be his best album. Much like 2Pac, Esham's lyrics on "Fetus" give the listener a window into his mind. While 2Pac's lyrics portray a mind that is troubled with anger & frustration, Esham's lyrics portray a mind that is troubled with anger, frustration, paranoia, death, suicide, murder, mayhem, etc., etc. If you are young & disaffected then you will love this album. This album is not just someone spouting angry mindless sentiments, however. Through his lyrics, Esham portrays himself as someone who has been marginalized in American society and who experiences a great deal of anger and emotional strife as a result. Rather than viewing this music as self-loathing that is not edifying for anyone, one can view it as Esham's (and to an extent, his listeners')way of trying to come to terms with a reality that is nightmarish to him. Those are my opinions, however; please feel free to form your own interpretations. The music on "Fetus" is just as riveting as the lyrics. Esham, who produces and performs the music of "Fetus," creates a sound that is best compared to N.W.A. or early Public Enemy. Esham uses turntables and other instruments to create music that is noisy, harsh, but still funky. The thing that makes Esham's music on "Fetus" different from other similar rap music that was being produced at the time, is that in addition to samples from 70's soul and funk records, he used samples from heavy metal music (Black Sabbath, Ozzy Ozbourne, Led Zeppelin). In effect, the sound Esham created for "Kkkill the Fetus" was the predecessor for rap-metal, the only difference being Esham used turntables, keyboards, & drums instead of a full band. In conclusion, I feel that I have an obligation to warn you that the "wicked [..]" isn't for everyone; listening to Esham can induce severe psychiatric disorders in the uninitiated. As a poster that advertised "Kkkill the Fetus" in 1993 said, "May not be suitable for weak [..] minds!""