In hip hop, the first impression is always important. This is probably why a lot of legendary hip hop acts' debut records often get called their best. What does this have to do with Creepin on ah Come Up? Well, this was Bone Thugs-n-Harmony's record label debut. The group released a short album prior to this one titled Faces of Death, but that album was atrocious and amateurish, pretty much the group's equivalent of Making Trouble by Geto Boys. However, the group caught the attention of Eazy-E, who then signed them to Ruthless Records. Thankfully for the listener, this meant that under Eazy-E's guidance, the group would put out a drastically better effort than Faces of Death.
For starters, this is an EP, which means little room for error, and indeed that is the case with Creepin on ah Come Up. The EP clocks in at just under 30 minutes, 8 tracks, 5 actual songs. Were any of the songs mistakes? Absolutely not. From track 3 to track 7 (where the actual music is), you'll hear some of the finest production hip hop has to offer, with one of the most engaging styles in a group. The production definitely has a west coast vibe, which is probably due to Eazy-E's creative input. This is not a complaint at all, as the production (handled by DJ U-Neek, Eazy-E, DJ Yella, and Rythm D) is marvelous. "Thuggish Ruggish Bone" and "Foe tha Love of $" are two of the greatest hip hop instrumentals ever made. The first of which was produced by DJ U-Neek, and has west coast written all over it. Even the hook on it was reminiscent of what Death Row would throw on some of their tracks. The latter song features rapping from Eazy-E, and production handled by him and DJ Yella. Surprisingly, this track doesn't have as much of a west coast vibe as the aforementioned track, but it can still be heard. The instrumental is about as flawless as you could ask for. There are so many layers and elements to it when listened to closely, pianos, among other elements run amok this phenomenal instrumental. The way the sung chant "for the love of money" is weaved into the actual beat is very impressive, and sounds stellar.
As for the rapping, the rapping on Creepin on ah Come Up is superb as well. The group's rapid-fire flow is engaging and charismatic, and is guaranteed to have you attempting to rap along to it. One of the standouts for the rapping is "No Surrender", where the group rap at some of their fastest, without coming off as corny or lame while doing it, instead being rather impressive and engaging. The speedy flow is prevalent throughout the EP, and became part of the group's signature style.
I have pretty much no complaints to make for Creepin on ah Come Up aside from the length leaving more to be desired. The production and lyrics are spectacular, and the final result is arguably the best EP in hip hop. The group's style was unique, and not many people sounded like them outside of Three 6 Mafia. There's nothing on this short effort that I'd remove at all, as each song is stellar. The bottom line is, that Creepin on ah Come Up is a marvelous EP.
Ratings:
1. Intro
2. Mr. Quija (Interlude)
3. Thuggish Ruggish Bone: 4.5/5
4. No Surrender: 4.5/5
5. Down Foe My Thang: 4.5/5
6. Creepin' on ah Come Up: 4/5
7. Foe tha Love of $: 4.5/5
8. Moe Cheese (Interlude)
Best song: Thuggish Ruggish Bone
Weakest song: Creepin' on ah Come Up
Production: 9.5/10
Lyrics: 9/10
Overall rating: 92/100
Grade: A-
