Horrorcore

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Umbrella Genre: Hip Hop

Date and Location of Development: 1980 in Brooklyn , New York, United States; Evolved in the mainstream during the early 90’s in Houston, Texas and Memphis, Tennessee, United States

Stylistic Origins: Horror Films, Gangsta Rap

The Proto Era

According to Chaz Kangas of ‘LA Weekly,’ Horrorcore got brought into the mainstream with the single “Adventures of Super Rhyme” by Brooklyn rapper Jimmy Spicer in 1980. Although the song followed the cadences of the rising hip hop scene– mostly following the “Rapper’s Delight” phenomenon of gloating about talented artists who partook in the skill of “rapping” – it went a different route by making analogies to the Superman action flick and Muhammad Ali. It also gave a bizarre story of the vampire, Dracula. “And while I rocked the mic, this is what I said,” goes Spicer while switching his flow. “About Dracula, the living dead/He didn't like blood, not this vampire/The disco beat was his desire.” Notably in that portion he paints a picture about Transylvania– giving a spooky feeling.

Jimmy Spicer in the 1980s.

Kangas notes in that same ‘LA Weekly’ article that in the 80s, more rappers were inspired to discuss tales of horror characters and sci-fi storylines. The Harlem natives, Andre “Dr. Jekyll” Harrell and Alonzo “Mr. Hyde” Brown formed the group, Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde. Kangas mentions, “while not overly demonic, [they] used the spooky fun of horror imagery in their aesthetic.” DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince talked about Freddy Krueger on “Nightmare On My Elm Street;” as did the Fat Boys on “Are You Ready Freddy.” In 1985, Doug E. Fresh sampled the melodies of the animated sci-fi series, ‘Inspector Gadget’s’ theme song on “The Show.”

Actual Horrorcore Foundation

The Geto Boys of Houston– who originally spelled their name as “The Ghetto Boys” – would be credited for making the first horrorcore album and popular song. When their debut album, Making Trouble , released in 1988, the quartet of The Sire Jukebox, DJ Ready Red, Prince Johnny C, and Little Billy (now known as Bushwick Bill) differed from other gangsta rap artists. “Assassins” is regarded as the first horrorcore song full of a menacing beat, gun shots, a tale of a man being robbed of his jewelry in 5th Ward, and the psychology of being a serial killer. “But all was in my head was 'kill the bitch like Freddy’” raps Johnny C. In 1999, The Insane Clown Posse covered “Assassins” in the midst of their Juggalo movement inspired by horrorcore.

Bushwick Bill performing in 2005.

Releasing a few more albums, The Geto Boys caused a stir with the art of their third studio album, 1991’s We Can’t Be Stopped . It features the pint-sized Bushwick Bill in the emergency hallway of a hospital. His gunshot wound from around his eyeball is exposed, as the now trio rolls him on a gurney. Their breakout single, “Mind Playing Tricks on Me,” discusses suicide, PTSD, and paranoia. The song went No. 23 on the Billboard Hot 100 and peaked at No. 1 on the Hot Rap Songs chart.

Underground rap continued to explore the genre, as heard on fellow Houston native, Ganksta N-I-P’s 1992 LP, The South Park Psycho . The LA crew, Insane Poetry, featured themselves in straightjackets on 1992’s Grim Reality . In 1993, Detroit’s Esham released one of the first double albums in hip hop history, according to Complex, with KKKill the Fetus . And in 1994, the New York City supergroup, Gravediggaz– composed of Wu-Tang’s RZA, De La Soul’s producer, Prince Paul with Frukwan and Poetic– released 6 Feet Deep . Big L took on the persona of being Harlem’s Freddy Krueger on Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous.

Horrorcore Dominates The Mainstream

By the mid-90s, horrorcore became popular in the mainstream. Coolio went No. 1 on the Hot 100, and other global charts with “Gangsta’s Paradise” in 1995– crossing over successfully in pop music. In 1996, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony melodically sang about “Tha Crossroads” softening the hardcore element of horrorcore, but mourning death with a character in their music video playing a Grim Reaper. While the song also went No. 1 on the Hot 100, it lost the category of Best Rap Video at the MTV VMA’s to Coolio.

While the Geto Boys are noted for giving the foundation, it’s Three 6 Mafia that made it synonymous with the mainstream and the sound of Memphis. Consisting of DJ Paul, Juicy J, and Lord Infamous, Three Six Mafia dropped their debut album, Mystic Stylez in 1995. Their most notable song, “Tear da Club Up” featured a menacing beat that resembled starting a riot at a club. They also dissed Bone Thugs on “Live by Yo Rep (B.O.N.E. Dis).” Geto Boys were an inspiration for the album, where they went into detail about extreme violence, graphic sex, the occult (aka three sixes…), Satan and Theistic Satanism. Their third studio album, Chapter 2: World Domination , featured the even darker follow up, “Tear Da Club Up ‘97,” a song that’s been lifted from by the likes of Travis Scott, Latto and GloRilla, and Waka Flocka Flame and Nicki Minaj.

Horrorcore became a common part of late ‘90s hip hop for more versatile rappers. After his 1996 murder, Death Row released The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory from 2Pac’s alter ego, Makaveli. “Hail Mary” and “Against All Odds” had menacing production where 2Pac heavily discussed his thoughts of dying as well as dissing his foes. Elements of The Notorious B.I.G.’s Life After Death morphed horrorcore themes with Mafioso rap– most notably on “My Downfall.” Then there’s DMX, who released both It's Dark and Hell Is Hot and Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood in 1998 becoming one of the highest selling rappers of the year. “Stop Being Greedy” had a dark menacing tone that featured the rapper from Yonkers barking like a vicious Pitbull.

The album cover of Mystic Stylez .

A still from the music video of “Tha Crossroads.”

The Next Generation of Horrorcore And Beyond

As stated before, The Insane Clown Posse were heavily inspired by The Geto Boys. In 1999, they released The Amazing Jeckel Brothers – their fifth studio album which became a part of the rap rock and nu metal movement. The Insane Clown Posse were originally a part of the horrorcore foundations– as their debut Carnival of Carnage dropped in 1992 with more acid and hallucinogenic effects.

Hailing Kansas City, Tech N9ne released The Worst in 2000 and Anghellic in 2001 as his second and third albums– both containing the sounds of horrorcore and dark imagery. Eminem rose to prominence and dominance with his constant themes of horrorcore and his graphic details that included the topics of rape, as well as foreshadowing the violence of stan culture in “Stan” (2000) about an obsessed fan.

Tyler with his VMA in 2011.

Horrorcore went back underground in the 2000s, but the ideas of demonic imagery and subject matter resonated in the SoundCloud era of the 2010s. This led way to other subgenres, including emo rap, PluggnB, and tread from the likes of XXXTentacion and Lil Uzi Vert, just to name a few. The menacing quality and production of “Yonkers” by Tyler, the Creator (who won the VMA for Best New Artist) and 21 Savage also falls in launting with the haunting nature of horrorcore. His song with Metro Boomin’ entitled “Don’t Come Out The House” falls in line with the genre. Eventually in 2023, Doja Cat would deliver Scarlet which plays on the themes of horrorcore with a bloody alter ego.