Catalog # GF-1000

This is the LP that helped to usher in a new era of awareness in rap and put Paris on the hip-hop map. Hard and unrelenting, this debut is considered by many to be a classic in the politically-conscious rap genre. It yielded 2 top twenty singles - the politically charged "Break The Grip of Shame" and the title track. Black panther imagery and progressive thought abound here, with Paris combining ominous funk soundscapes with poignant, insightful rhymes. Check the lyrical fury of "Panther Power" and the brooding, focused anger of "Escape From Babylon." From the waging of righteous warfare on the Yusef Hawkins tribute "The Hate That Hate Made," which recalls a racial killing in Bensonhurst, NY, to "Warning" a brief, albeit explicit diatribe against police brutality, The Devil Made Me Do It is unrelenting in its pro-black, anti-establishment stance. Definitely food for thought in these troubled times.

Back in limited release, this debut effort from Paris represents an era when potent political commentary wasn't an exception to the rule in hip-hop. This definitive edition has been digitally enhanced and reworked, and has provided the artist the rare opportunity to improve on the initial release by benefiting from advancements in technology previously unavailable. Also contains rare alternate versions.