Body Count - Body Count

"COP KILLER.....better you than me"

BODY COUNT:

Ice-T:Lead Vocals
Ernie C: Lead And Acoustic Guitars
Mooseman: Bass
Beatmaster "V": Drums

"Cop Killer" Album:
1. Smoked Pork
2. Body Count's In The House
3. Body Count
4. A Statistic
5. Bowels Of The Devil
6. The Real Problem
7. KKK Bitch
8. C Note
9. Voodoo
10. The Winner Loses
11. There Goes The Neighborhood
12. Oprah
13. Evil Dick
14. Body Count Anthem
15. Momma's Gotta Die Tonight
16. Out In The Parking Lot
17. Cop Killer

For those who are just getting into Body Count, the original name of Body Count's debut album was titled "COP KILLER" until they stopped the production of the album because of the controversy and the backlash from law enforcement officials all over the country over the song "Cop Killer" and the title on the cover. Fortunately, an estimate of about 500,000 made it to store shelves and into the hands of Body Count fans. They then re-released a censored version re-titled "BODY COUNT" with "Freedom Of Speech" replacing "Out In The Parking Lot" and the notorious "Cop KIller". (Just wanted to make it clear between the original version and the censored version of the album)

Body Count is one of the best bands in the Rap-Metal genre and one of the few bands that both left their mark on the Heavy Metal genre and caused an uproar of criticism from politicians and law enforcement officials across the country. I've been a Body Count fan for a few years and I couldn't get enough of them. The album has some funny track titles like "Evil Dick" but just because the title is funny that doesn't make it any less brutal. "Bowels Of The Devil" has heavy and brutal speed metal-like riffing that would definitely start the the mosh pits (I know since I moshed to that song at one of their concerts). The best songs on this album are: "The Winner Loses" (great power ballad from Ice-T and the band), "There Goes The Neighborhood", "Bowels Of The Devil", "Body Count", and "Cop Killer" (the rest are good too!). The song "Cop Killer" is a classic metal song that is sadly taken too seriously by most people.

I own both versions of Body Count's debut album but I would recommend getting the cop killer version since it is a collectable and you deserve the real deal and not a stripped down version.



July 17, 2008

"On with the BODY COUNT!"

Ice-T's metal group Body Count, which he introduced on his classic 1991 album O.G. Original Gangster, became a subject of controversy for Tipper Gore's crusade against their anti-police track "Cop Killer." While Gore's intentions were misguided (Ice-T wasn't exactly the first rapper to say "f--- the police," after all), the publicity made the band's 1992 self-titled debut somewhat historic whereas it otherwise probably would have been forgotten as an ambitious side project.

The concept is a good one. Ice-T loves metal and has fun with it. The thrashing guitar riffs and driving percussion are fast and furious, and while the musicians are far from outstanding, they capture their own metal sound. But "Body Count" is neither a great rap album nor a great metal album; it attempts to be something in between. Ice-T carries over some of the rebellious social agenda from O.G. Original Gangster, tackling racism, inequality, and corruption. But being sung/yelled over a metal backing, it lacks the stinging power of his rap music, coming across as much simpler. The mixed messages come in some of the later tracks that contain cartoonish metal imagery; one might question whether the music is serious or a parody at some points. "Body Count" is a novelty, but most of the time it's well executed, and more than anything else, it's fun.

The group is introduced on the mostly-instrumental "Body Count's in the House," after which the self-titled track (which was part of the O.G. Original Gangster tracklist) is included. This is the best song on the disc, an inspired and spirited metal rendition that carries social relevance. The Black Sabbath-inspired "Bowels of the Devil" and strange "KKK B----" are both average. "Voodoo" is a weaker track; one might question sincerity as Ice-T talks about voodoo dolls, and musically the song is subpar. "The Winner Loses," though, is great, a mournful and trippy ballad with good production, and I also like "There Goes the Neighborhood." "Evil D" and "Body Count Anthem" are both decent, but "Momma's Gotta Die Tonight" is cool. The original pressing contains the aforementioned "Cop Killer," but this was eventually removed and replaced with an old track.

There's so much to be said for "Body Count," and at the end of the day it's fun. I recommend it more to rap fans than to metal fans, who may find the actual playing and songwriting suspect. It is a timepiece. Body Count still records today and maintains a small devoted fanbase, but this remains their landmark album. April 16, 2008

Needs to be taken in the context of it's time

Raw is the one word that I would use to describe this record - raw production values, raw lyrics, raw attitude.

When this album came out, the Rodney King incident and the L.A. Riots had just occurred. If there was one record that could freeze the feelings of that time, this would qualify. The music is loud, fast, sloppily played at times, profane, and angry, and it leaps right out of the speakers at you. The songs feel like they were each written under 5 minutes during someones bender - yet somehow the chaos of it all works in the end.

Anyone who likes to hear true grass-roots revolution-rock, punk like Black Flag, The Mentors, Atari Teenage Riot, etc. - probably will enjoy this album. Metallica fans - it's not for you. March 17, 2008

Rediscovered Body Count 15 years later

I purchased this CD when it was first released. I probably bought it at the time because of the controversy. I was in college living with a roommate whose dad was in the State Police. It REALLY pissed her off that I paid money for this disc. Somewhere along the line, I lost track of it and hadn't given it much of a thought in a long time.
Well years later, I was flipping though my SISTER'S CD collection, and lo and behold, what do I find? BODY COUNT!! Turns out this music is just as relevant and rockin as it was 15 years ago. I was lucky enough to get the original release with the now banned song, but by no means is it the best track. I do agree with the other reviews, the Cop Killer track is so tame by today's standards. Definetley give this a listen if you like metal and or rap and are liberal minded. Recommended tracks: KKK Btch and The Winner Loses.

February 20, 2008

Overrated, with or without Cop Killer...

I bought this album just before the Cop Killer controversy erupted. After having this album for several years, I realised that it's not particuarly good. In fact, the lyrics are really boring and the riffs are rather simplistic. As an energy rush, it works very well. But like a lot of rap/punk/thrash music, there is absolutely nothing except a visceral kick here. That may be fine for many, but this is an overriding reason I dislike punk and rap music so much. It's a matter of taste, I suppose, but after you listen to this album a few times, there's really nothing more to get from it.

Some of the songs were creepy (like Body Count in the House), funny (KKK Bitch), good riffs (There Goes the Neighborhood), and good thrash (the aformentioned Cop Killer song, which is not on this edition). But the rest of it is tepid. The songs have no resonance beyond the first few listens. I got rid of this CD a few years back on Ebay. Honestly, I don't miss it very much. You can probably find an MP3 of Cop Killer floating around cyberspace nowadays. November 22, 2007

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