Scarface

Following his 1991 exit from the Geto Boys to pursue solo work, Scarface established himself at once as the South’s most respected rapper and retained that standing across the entire ’90s. Although none of his numerous albums registered national hits or climbed high on the pop charts during those years, his authority throughout the region went unchallenged. He had already mapped the template for Southern thug rap long before the phrase Dirty South gained currency. That influence surfaced unmistakably in the late ’90s when a wave of young MCs from Houston, New Orleans, and Memphis adopted his hard-boiled, street-rooted, unfiltered hardcore approach. Beyond originating that style, Scarface drew collaborators from every corner of hardcore rap in the ’90s—Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, 2Pac, and Master P among them—all seeking credibility with the devoted Southern audience. Even so, mainstream acceptance remained elusive; his albums contained stretches of filler, his lyrics proved too abrasive for radio, and his loyalty to producer Mike Dean yielded a signature yet unchanging sonic palette. Because he never chased crossover appeal and stayed tethered to the streets, however, his stature endured, allowing him to outlast many shorter-lived peers in the volatile rap landscape. Def Jam Records recognized that longevity in the early 2000s by offering him a substantial contract, extensive industry ties, and strong promotional support. The result was The Fix (2002), the most commercially successful album of his career, alongside renewed attention to his earlier work that Rap-A-Lot repackaged the same year as Greatest Hits.

Before he answered to Scarface, Brad Jordan (born November 9, 1970) recorded under the name Akshen. In that guise he launched his career as a solo artist in his hometown of Houston during the mid-’80s on James Smith’s newly formed Rap-A-Lot label. Smith was assembling a group he called the Geto Boys and invited Akshen to join in the late ’80s. The group’s second album and first with Scarface, Grip It! On That Other Level (1990)—later repackaged and reissued the same year simply as The Geto Boys—startled listeners with its graphic violence and extreme tone. The record included the track “Scarface,” which unveiled Akshen’s alter ego, a moniker he adopted permanently thereafter. The resulting controversy placed the Geto Boys in the national spotlight and paved the way for We Can’t Be Stopped (1991). Once the group achieved mainstream traction, solo projects followed, beginning with Scarface’s own debut, Mr. Scarface Is Back (1991). That release clarified which member possessed the greatest talent, and the praise directed at Scarface created friction with Bushwick Bill and Willie D. By the arrival of his second album, The World Is Yours (1993), Scarface’s reputation eclipsed the group’s. Willie D left, and subsequent Geto Boys efforts with new members never matched the impact of We Can’t Be Stopped, though the original lineup eventually reconvened in the late ’90s. Scarface meanwhile concentrated on solo releases—The Diary (1994) and Untouchable (1997)—before issuing the double-disc My Homies (1998), a sprawling set crowded with guests drawn from the South’s leading rappers.

Only with Last of a Dying Breed (2000) did Scarface earn broader respect from the wider rap community; the album stood as his most introspective and cohesive work in years. Consequently he received Lyricist of the Year at the 2001 Source Awards and secured a promising contract with Def Jam Records. The label placed him in charge of its Def Jam South imprint, where he promptly signed Ludacris—who quickly became a superstar—before delivering his own The Fix (2002). Fronted by the Kanye West-produced “Guess Who’s Back” featuring Jay-Z, the project also yielded the popular single “My Block” and widespread acclaim. Rap-A-Lot reinforced this coast-to-coast recognition by issuing his first career retrospective, Greatest Hits (2002). Scarface then rejoined Willie D and Bushwick Bill for The Foundation (2005). In 2006 he presented his new crew, the Product, on One Hunid, followed by a second volume of My Homies. Also that year came 2 Face, a collection of tracks pairing Scarface with the late 2Pac. MADE (2007) reaffirmed his continued relevance, debuting at number two on the R&B/Hip-Hop chart. He concluded his solo run the next year with Emeritus. Retirement proved temporary; Deeply Rooted arrived in 2015, entering the Billboard 200 at number 11 and featuring Rick Ross, Z-Ro, John Legend, and Cee Lo Green.