Scarface

Tony Montana wasn't the only iconic "Scarface" who enthralled a generation of MCs. Despite his overlooked status as a gangsta rap pioneer, Scarface the MC carried the torch after Ice-T and N.W.A. ignited it in the early '80s. The hardcore cats resided in the West, while Miami bass 808s kept apple bottoms shaking down South. However, for Houston rapper Slim Thug (and many other Southerners), Scarface was regarded the way Jay-Z was in New York as the godfather. Gutter rap was everything way before H-Town became known for candy paint and gleaming grills. Scarface, born and raised in the South Park neighborhood of Houston, was right at the forefront. Nas, who's featured on Scarface's "Favor For A Favor" (1999) and "In Between US" (2002), described the former Geto Boys member as "the realest rapper" and admired how honestly he portrayed his grave surroundings. Even if you weren't from Houston, as New York Rapper Juelz Santana once said, you could travel the Fifth Ward through his rhymes and breathe it in. Compared to more gratuitous MCs, Scarface didn't just depict a grim reality; he analyzed it with a gruff, punchy baritone so perfect for his audacious street narratives that even with eyes wide shut you could see the snapshots of thugs playing dominoes on the sidewalks, pistols tucked in their jeans. You have to think Nas had Scarface in mind when he was painting portraits of his own dusty Queensbridge projects; that he must have been conjuring up albums like the classic 1991 debut, Mr. Scarface Is Back, and 2002's The Fix. Bay area rapper E-40 was a fan of Scarface's storytelling and his ability to go from 'hood to super lyrical, not to mention the fact that he carved his own Hip Hop niche. While Miami's Trick Daddy respected that Scarface's rap were far from fairy tales, Atlanta rapper Killer Mike was always fascinated with his depictions of death and the sense of hopelessness that made him seem more human than other gangsta rappers. Originally known as DJ Akshen, Scarface earned the respect for preserving his edge even when he matured beyond the vicious lifestyle he first depicted after Rap-A-Lot Records founder J. Prince recruited him to join Geto Boys with Willie D and Bushwick Bill back in the late '80s. In that clear-cut diamond of a roughneck crew, he stood out, notably on the vivid paranoia anthem "Mind Playing Tricks On Me," where he detailed the anxiety of thug life, describing "visions of bodies being burned" and "fatal thoughts of suicide." With brutal, sample-heavy tracks as the backdrop on his brashly titled solo debut, a seemingly remorseless yet deeply reflective Scarface let listeners in on his complex, murderous mind with grisly imagery that spelled out the perils of life on the edge. It's easy to see why he would be an icon to a rapper like DMX, whose gruesome, horrorcore-style raps and demonic images caused a seismic shift in Hip Hop, circa 1998. On any given day, ask the Yonkers MC who is his favorites are, whom he's listening to at the moment. He'll reply, "Nas and Scarface." Over the course of a dozen albums The Diary (1994), The Last Of A Dying Breed (2000), Made (2007) Scarface's sadistic tales gradually morphed into more introspective lyrics about past drug-fueled pursuits. Eager collaborators included Lil Wayne, Too $hort, Master P, Mos Def, Common... and the list goes on. Bun B was inspired to see Scarface recognized as a real lyricist, despite being from the South. Having collaborated with Jay-Z included him on his personal list of greats (alongside Nas, The Notorious B.I.G., 2Pac, Ice Cube, and Beanie Sigel). Ice Cube hs referenced him as one of the rappers who made him elevate his lyricism during his N.W.A. days. And to Ludacris, the flagship artist on Def Jam South when Scarface was hired as CEO, he was simply "Uncle Scarface," the voice of a generation.