Total Devastation

by Total Devastation

Overview

For those who can't get enough of Cypress Hill's Black Sunday, Total Devastation offers another stash of marijuana-based rap. Sporting a cartoon cover of the band members toting a "Legalize It!" sign, Total Devastation credits the originator of that phrase by beginning with a snippet of the Peter Tosh classic. Yet despite similar touches throughout the album, it's obvious that the band's appreciation of Jamaican culture centers on ganja rather than reggae. Updating Cheech and Chong for the 90s, tracks like "Hemp Rally" and "Many Clouds of Smoke" contain amusing raps that cover topics ranging from marijuana legislation to then-President Bill Clinton's infamous "I didn't inhale" sound bite. The latter song also sums up the group's philosophy by declaring, "There's only three things in life that I need/Money, safe sex, and a whole lot of weed." Although not really a song in the traditional sense, "Hemp Hemp Hooray (Relegalize Today)" provides the most interesting diversion, as guest speaker Michael M. of H.E.M.P. educates listeners with an historical defense of the controversial plant. While Black Sunday's liner notes contained a similar lesson in a written format, Total Devastation's packaging goes one step further, encouraging grass-roots activism by including the addresses and phone numbers of cannabis-friendly organizations. Total Devastation might have been wise to expand on that angle instead of pursuing the sophomoric humor and gratuitous misogyny which sink to a nadir on the unforgivable "Fat Blunt Caper." Even when the lyrical content is tolerable, unimaginative samples from such overused sources as George Clinton's "Atomic Dog" often result in myopic mediocrity. Total Devastation's best tracks suggest the group is capable of generating more than a weak, fading buzz, but the album as a whole indicates they're probably too stoned to care. ~ Vince Ripol

Product Details

Release Date:	12/07/1993
Label:	Arista
UPC:	0078221873420

Tracks

1. Legalize Today
2. Hemp Rally
3. Mighty Clouds Of Smoke
4. Da Soopa Doopa
5. Fat Blunt Caper
6. Da Horny Man
7. Wonderful World Of Skins
8. Come Again
9. Come Again
10. Cloud Nine
11. The D.G.F. Style
12. You'll Get Blasted
13. Zooted
14. Hemp Hemp Horray
15. Mighty Clouds Of Smoke

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Total Devastation   Primary Artist
Eros Ramazzotti   Primary Artist
Da Rymeskeme   Primary Artist,Guest Artist
Flymar & Whoop "D" Wham   Primary Artist
Michael M. of H.E.M.P.   Primary Artist,Guest Artist
Nappy   Primary Artist,Guest Artist
Whoop "D" Wham   Guest Artist
Flymar   Guest Artist
Steve Farris   Guitar
Celso Valli   Keyboards
Luca Bignardi   Bass
Jim Gilstrap   Vocals (Background)
DJ Tuf Cut Tim   Scratching
Myrna Mathews   Vocals (Background)
Rick Nelson   Vocals (Background)
Brandon Fields   Saxophone
Tony Levin   Bass
Steve Ferrone   Drums
Jai Winding   Piano
Clydene Jackson   Vocals (Background)
Joe Pizzulo   Vocals (Background)
Luis Conte   Percussion
Julia Waters   Vocals (Background)
Phil Palmer   Guitar
Roy Galloway   Vocals (Background)
Neil Stubenhaus   Bass
Maxi Anderson   Vocals (Background)
Beth Andersen   Vocals (Background)

Technical Credits

Danny Clay Williams   Engineer,Mixing,Engineer
Total Devastation   Mixing,Arranger,Composer,Producer
Ad-Rock   Composer
Leon Huff   Composer
Ziggy Modeliste   Composer
Pat Armstrong   Executive Producer
Andre "Krazy Drazyz" Weston   Composer
DJ Tuf Cut Tim   Beats
Felix Senquiz   Photography
Anthony Harrison, Jr.   Artwork
MCA   Composer
Danny   Mixing
Adelio Coguati   Composer
Adelio Cogliati   Composer
Chris Technique   Beats
D.R.S.   Composer
Big Bass Brian   Mastering
Allen Toussaint   Composer
Terry Woodford   Composer
Boss Hog   Executive Producer
Kenny Gamble   Composer
Galt MacDermot   Composer
James Rado   Composer
Greg Jacobs   Composer
Peter Tosh   Composer
Piero Cassano   Composer,Producer
Rick Rubin   Composer
Mike D   Composer
Willie Woods   Composer
Gerome Ragni   Composer
Eros Ramazzotti   Composer