The Goats


The Goats were an American alternative hip hop trio from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

History

The group began in 1991 with founding vocalists rappers OaTie Kato, Madd, and Swayzack. Earlier lineup formations during the 1991 era featured the sisters Love and Rucyl Mills and Oatie's Brother, Vinnie Angel.. Unusual for a rap group, the Goats had a full musical band as well, which later included drummer Chuck Treece. The group recorded on Columbia Records / Ruffhouse Records, and their first album, Tricks of the Shade, is considered one of the best Philadelphia albums of all time.
They released two studio albums. Tricks of the Shade and released by Ruffhouse Records. It peaked at No. 58 in the UK Albums Chart in August 1994. Their follow-up album was No Goats, No Glory, released by Columbia Records.
The Goats toured with Urge Overkill, Dog Eat Dog, Cypress Hill, Public Enemy, Beastie Boys and Luscious Jackson.
In 1994, OaTie Kato departed The Goats after reportedly, the other members of the group were too involved in recreational substances for him, to which additional vocalist and drummer Derek "D'Recka" Pierce moved in as his replacement. soon after he founded the group Jimmy Luxury which signed to Sony Records in 1999 and as of 2009 He now holds seminars on the use of Bitcoin and various other topics such as climate change, Swayzack would cease all musical activity after the band disbanded remaining member Madd continued to perform and produce music until the early 2000s, firstly with the Goats spin-off group known as Incognegro and the later Black Landlord.
In 2019, they released a live album, Live at Khyber Pass — July 4th, 1993, which was featured on the iTunes UK landing page for a week. In the introduction to the 2019 book about Ruffhouse Records by Chris Schwartz, Roots lead man QuestLove writes that the Goats requested his band to warm up for them, resulting in their first live show.

Discography

''Tricks of the Shade''

Tricks of the Shade is the debut album by The Goats. It was released on November 3, 1992 though Columbia Records sub-label, Ruffhouse Records and was produced by OaTie Kato and Joe "The Butcher" Nicolo. The album earned some critical acclaim, including 4 of 5 stars in its review by Rolling Stone., Although largely touted as a theme album with a backstory following the two characters Chicken Little and Hangerhead as they make their way through Uncle Scam’s Federally Funded Welfare & Freakshow to find their mother who was jailed for attempting an illegal abortion, it was not a commercial success and did not reach any Billboard charts. The politically charged lyrics took aim at such figures as then-US President George H. W. Bush, Christopher Columbus, and Daryl Gates. Criticism and observations were made upon topics such as militarism, police brutality, patriotism, classism, and racism. Other persons mentioned in songs include Nelson Mandela, Willie Horton, Yusef Hawkins, Minnesota Fats and Leonard Peltier. The artwork was done by Oatie's brother and former Goats member, Vinnie Angel.
In 2016, NME named it the 12th best album of 1993. The album has since gone out-of-print.
Two singles were released from the album, "¿Do The Digs Dug?" and "Typical American", the latter of which appeared on Ruffhouse Records' final release in 1999, the greatest hits compilation Ruffhouse Records Greatest Hits. Whereas "¿Do the Digs Dug?" was included on the 1992 Columbia Records Zebrahead soundtrack.
;Track listing
  1. "We Got Freaks"- 1:00
  2. "Typical American"- 4:36
  3. "Hangerhead Is Born"- 1:24
  4. "Whatcha Got Is Whatcha Gettin'"- 4:13
  5. "Columbus' Boat Ride"- 1:17
  6. "Ru Down wit da Goats"- 4:21
  7. "Cumin' in Ya Ear"- 3:51
  8. "Noriega's Coke Stand"- 1:30
  9. "Got Kinda Hi"- 3:23
  10. "Unodostresquattro"- 1:21
  11. "Georgie Bush Kids"- 1:17
  12. "Wrong Pot 2 Piss In"- 3:42
  13. "Hip-Hopola"- 4:42
  14. "Leonard Peltier in a Cage"- 1:24
  15. "¿Do The Digs Dug?"- 4:31
  16. "Carnival Cops"- 1:46
  17. "TV Cops"- 4:23
  18. "Tattooed Lady"- 1:36
  19. "Tricks of the Shade"- 4:19
  20. "Not Not Bad"- 3:29
  21. "Rovie Wade, the Sword Swallower"- 1:09
  22. "Aaah D Yaaa"- 3:26
  23. "Drive-By Bumper Cars"- 1:48
  24. "Burn the Flag"- 3:53
  25. "Uncle Scam's Shooting Gallery"- 2:46
;Track listing
  1. "Typical American"- 4:36
  2. "Whatcha Got Is Whatcha Gettin'"- 4:13
  3. "Ru Down wit da Goats"- 4:21
  4. "Cumin' in Ya Ear"- 3:51
  5. "Got Kinda Hi"- 3:23
  6. "Unodostresquattro"- 1:21
  7. "Wrong Pot 2 Piss In"- 3:42
  8. "Hip-Hopola"- 4:42
  9. "¿Do The Digs Dug?"- 4:31
  10. "TV Cops"- 4:23
  11. "Tricks of the Shade"- 4:19
  12. "Aaah D Yaaa"- 3:26
  13. "Burn the Flag"- 3:53

    ''No Goats, No Glory''

No Goats, No Glory is the second and final album released by The Goats. It was released on September 20, 1994 through Ruffhouse Records with production handled by both The Goats and Joe "The Butcher" Nicolo. After the release of the first album, lead rapper OaTie Kato had left the group leaving Madd and Swayzack to continue the Goats as a duo. The album was not as critically successful as Tricks of the Shade, as many felt the content of this album was inferior to Tricks of the Shade.
  1. "Wake 'N' Bake"- 4:24
  2. "Philly Blunts"- 4:04
  3. "The Boom"- 3:47
  4. "Lincoln Drive"- 4:16
  5. "Butcher Countdown"- 0:57
  6. "Mutiny"- 4:30
  7. "Rumblefish"- 3:01
  8. "Blind with Anger"- 3:49
  9. "Revolution 94"- 8:24
  10. "Times Runnin Up"- 2:50
  11. "Idiot Business- 6:33

    ''Live at Khyber Pass — July 1993''

Live at Khyber Pass was a soundboard recording of a live Goats show. Mixed and recorded by Art Noel.
  1. "TV Cops"
  2. "Pot to Piss In"
  3. "Cumin In Ya Ear"
  4. "Not Not Bad"
  5. "Typical American"
  6. "Tricks of the Shade"
  7. "Burn The Flag"
  8. "Got Kinda Hi"
  9. "Bring the Beat Back"
  10. "Digs Dug"
  11. "Hip-Hopola"
  12. "RU Down"
  13. "The Real Philly Blunts"