Onyx

Back in 1993, Queens crew Onyx scored a huge hit with their hyperactive debut single "Slam." Though several comeback attempts have proved unsuccessful, their platinum-selling debut album remains a fan favorite. Produced in part by Jam Master Jay, Bacdafucup features some of the best rambunctious rap ever released.

What the Geto Boys were to the insanity defense, Onyx are to the irony defense. Not that they'd cop to it themselves. They're not honest enough, for one thing. And they're also not smart enough, which doesn't mean they're as dumb as they pretend to be--or dumb in the way they pretend to be, either. The official line is that nobody takes them seriously, or literally, or something--that not only are they obviously not n*gg*-killing, whitey-robbing, pussy-stretching bad guys, they obviously aren't pretending to be. Instead, if you're still with me, they pretend to pretend, greatly amusing those in the know with the old n*gg*-in-your-nightmare routine. So for me I guess they're something like Frederick Barthelme. Vulgar fellow that I am, I still prefer my jokes boffo. (Grade - C+)