The group was formed in 1992, bringing together Prince Paul (The Undertaker), Frukwan (The Gatekeeper), Poetic (The Grym Reaper) and RZA (The RZArector). It came about largely due to the efforts of Prince Paul. Frukwan and Prince Paul were previously together in the group Stetsasonic. According to Frukwan, the group's name means "digging graves of the mentally dead, and it stood for resurrecting the mentally dead from their state of unawareness and ignorance." The group's lyrics mix black humor (regarding topics such as suicide, death, killing, psychopathy, hell, etc.), criticism regarding the music industry, cartoonish violence reminiscent of the Geto Boys, and esoteric references to the Nation of Gods and Earths. The group pioneered the horrorcore genre.
The group's first album was originally to be titled Niggamortis; however, this potentially risqué title was changed to 6 Feet Deep for the American market (European versions of the album retained the original title, and also included the bonus track "Pass the Shovel"); it was released on August 9, 1994. The four members adopted Gravedigga alter egos for their work with the group: RZA became The RZArector, Poetic became The Grym Reaper, Prince Paul became The Undertaker, and Frukwan became The Gatekeeper. In 1995, the three rapping members (without Prince Paul) released a collaborative EP titled "The_Hell_E.P." with UK trip hop artist Tricky.
The second full-length Gravediggaz album The Pick, the Sickle and the Shovel was less humorous, dealing more with social and political issues; it also used calmer and more conventional production. Prince Paul played a considerably smaller role in the making of this album, with many of the production duties now taken care of by RZA and his Wu-Tang affiliates (including True Master and 4th Disciple).
A bootleg Gravediggaz album surfaced in 1998, called Scenes From The Graveyard. It featured seven unreleased tracks plus some remixes from the first two albums.
Gravediggaz recruited DJ Diamond J. Poetic died of colon cancer in July 2001. Frukwan stated in an interview not long after Poetic's death that a new album using leftover Poetic material would be released. Nightmare in A-Minor, the third official album for Gravediggaz, came out in 2001; it featured two of the original members, Poetic and Frukwan. This album was their darkest work yet, including many references to Poetic's struggle with cancer, as well as apocalyptic themes to do with the teachings of the Five Percent Nation. Although RZA did not take part in the album, some Wu-Tang Clan affiliates such as 4th Disciple, True Master and Beretta 9 were involved. The album was mostly produced by Poetic and Frukwan. A different version of the album (minus the song "Better Wake Up") was released in 2002, for which some of the tracks created by Poetic were replaced or altered.
In 2003 Frukwan released his debut solo album, Life. The fourth Gravediggaz album 6 Feet Under was released in 2004 by Cleopatra Records and featured songs from Nightmare in A-Minor and Life. According to Frukwan, he had nothing to do with the release and claimed that song titles were changed without permission, making it an unauthorized release.
In 2010, Gravediggaz recorded a new song, "2 More Cups of Blood". In 2011, it was announced that the group had been recording new tracks involving Shabazz The Disciple & Killah Priest.
In 2018, Gatekeeper released "1 Cup of Blood" under the Gravediggaz name.
Bang Your Head
Gravediggaz Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Bang your head... bang, your, head!
Bang your head... bang, your, head!
[Grym Reaper] Rzarector!
[Rzarector]
I'm old with the Clan from my land, down under
Deep in the darkness, just like you regardless
Of who? It's obvious! Wee... ha!
So lounge in my burial ground, boy, my despot
I build a house on top, of Salem's Lot
Front porch, bloody, back yard, muddy
Like Amityville, a family kills
Force of humanity, drove me to insanity
Duel in all my rivalries, I speak of profanity
Motherfuck this! Motherfuck that! Bang your, head!
Chorus
[Someone (Don't know the guy's name)]
Here comes the killer with the GraveDigga sword, gimme room
Like devils in a Ouiji board I'm spellin' doom
Ever since
And
Spots'll blow like nuclear bombs
With the killer instinct, rhymes are in synch
be -be -be -be -Bang your head til it shrinks!
Midnight marauder, bodies are gettin' slaughtered
Bring a cross and a bucket of holy water
You'll still'a be cajoled, 'cause the motherfuckin' Gravediggaz
Let's go, to the graveyard spot
Count up the knots, on the bodies that got dropped
So bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang!
Chorus x 2
[Somebody (Don't know who's voice)]
Gatekeep!
[Gatekeeper]
Yo,
I creep with the evil intent to represent
The course, the night, a swarm with the dark force
The killer brigade, twelve o'clock starts the raid
Torch is lit, oh
Feel no pain those exposed to the raven
Deep in every step, a
Yo! I eject the fume that spells doom
The wickedest flow, sweep, ya up like a broom
'Cause in the shadowy graves, of Medina high
You're one step away from the arena of death
Boom, bang! Here I am, the bezerk
The ruthless killer, I do work
Dark forces thick, motherfuckers for real
Here's a tale from the crypt, bang your head!
Chorus x 7
The lyrics to Gravediggaz's song Bang Your Head are a complex blend of horror, violence and bravado. The song is structured in three parts, each featuring a different member of the group and a different perspective on death and destruction. The chorus is a repetitive chant urging listeners to "bang your head" as if in a trance-like state, perhaps suggesting the addictive nature of violence and aggression.
The first verse is delivered by Rzarector, who presents himself as an aging figure from the Clan. He speaks of darkness and burial grounds, as well as the power struggle between himself and his rivals. He shouts profanity, indicating his anger and frustration with the situation, before concluding with the command to "bang your head." The second verse is rapped by someone whose name is unclear, but who is identified as a member of the Gravediggaz crew. He raps about his violent tendencies since he was six years old, and how his crew is now catching "vicks" on a graveyard shift. He also refers to himself and his crew as "nuclear bombs" and urges listeners to bang their heads until they "shrink."
The final verse is delivered by Gatekeeper, who introduces himself as a representative of the "evil intent" of the group. He speaks of "dark forces" and a "swarm with the dark force," and describes the Gravediggaz as "ruthless killers." He concludes by inviting listeners to join him in the "arena of death."
Overall, the lyrics to Bang Your Head paint a grim picture of violence and death, with the Gravediggaz presenting themselves as powerful and frightening figures not to be crossed.
Line by Line Meaning
Bang your head... bang, your, head!
Chanting the need to bang one's head
Bang your head... bang, your, head!
Chanting the need to bang one's head
You are not the same that I was when I was younger
Comparing the present self to the past and acknowledging the changes made over time
I'm old with the Clan from my land, down under
Belonging to the old Clan from his homeland where they dig graves
Deep in the darkness, just like you regardless
Acknowledging the darkness within oneself and others
Of who? It's obvious! Wee... ha!
Confirming the obviousness of the darkness within oneself and others
So lounge in my burial ground, boy, my despot
Inviting someone to relax in his burial ground while he has control over it
I build a house on top, of Salem's Lot
Building a house on the top of Salem's lot where there is history of witches and supernatural beings
Front porch, bloody, back yard, muddy
Listing the attributes of his house with a bloody front porch and muddy back yard
Like Amityville, a family kills
Referencing the infamous Amityville horror where a family was killed
Force of humanity, drove me to insanity
Attributing the reason for his insanity to the evil in humanity
Duel in all my rivalries, I speak of profanity
Fighting with all his rivals and using foul language
Motherfuck this! Motherfuck that! Bang your, head!
Exclaiming the need to bang one's head and cursing
Bang your head... bang, your, head!
Chanting the need to bang one's head
Here comes the killer with the GraveDigga sword, gimme room
A killer with a GraveDigga sword arriving, asking for space
Like devils in a Ouiji board I'm spellin' doom
Comparing himself to the devil on a Ouija board and spelling doom
Ever since
Throwing objects since he was young
And
Being caught doing something wrong at a graveyard shift
Stating that something is not new since his crew knows it already
Spots'll blow like nuclear bombs
Suggesting that spots will blow like nuclear bombs which applies to either the situation or the people
With the killer instinct, rhymes are in synch
Being in sync with the killer instinct in him
be -be -be -be -Bang your head til it shrinks!
Repeating the need and desire to bang one's head repeatedly
Midnight marauder, bodies are gettin' slaughtered
Being a marauder at midnight and killing people
Bring a cross and a bucket of holy water
Suggesting that even if someone brings a cross and holy water, he will still kill them
You'll still'a be cajoled, 'cause the motherfuckin' Gravediggaz
Cajoling someone to do something while being a Gravediggaz team member
Something happens to one's body in a similar manner to a kleptomaniac
Let's go, to the graveyard spot
Inviting someone to go to the graveyard spot
Count up the knots, on the bodies that got dropped
Counting the knots on the bodies that were dropped
So bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang!
Chanting the need to bang one's head multiple times
Bang your head... bang, your, head!
Chanting the need to bang one's head
Bang your head... bang, your, head!
Chanting the need to bang one's head
Bang your head... bang, your, head!
Chanting the need to bang one's head
Bang your head... bang, your, head!
Chanting the need to bang one's head
Bang your head... bang, your, head!
Chanting the need to bang one's head
Bang your head... bang, your, head!
Chanting the need to bang one's head
Bang your head... bang, your, head!
Chanting the need to bang one's head
Gatekeep!
Calling the Gatekeeper
Yo,
Saying 'hello'
I creep with the evil intent to represent
Creeping with an evil intent to represent something
The course, the night, a swarm with the dark force
The night course is filled with dark forces
The killer brigade, twelve o'clock starts the raid
Starting a killer brigade and raiding at twelve o'clock
Torch is lit, oh
A torch is lit and something is being referenced
Feel no pain those exposed to the raven
Those exposed to the raven feel no pain
Deep in every step, a
Something is in every step that is similar to a blunt like Wes Craven
Yo! I eject the fume that spells doom
Ejecting the fume that spells doom
The wickedest flow, sweep, ya up like a broom
Flowing in a wicked manner, sweeping someone up like a broom
'Cause in the shadowy graves, of Medina high
Referring to the shadowy graves at Medina high
You're one step away from the arena of death
Being one step away from the arena of death
Boom, bang! Here I am, the bezerk
Saying 'Boom, bang!', he arrives as a berserker
The ruthless killer, I do work
Being a ruthless killer and doing work
Dark forces thick, motherfuckers for real
Thick dark forces and motherfuckers are for real
Here's a tale from the crypt, bang your head!
Telling a tale from the crypt and chanting the need to bang one's head
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ANTHONY IAN BERKELEY, ARNOLD E. HAMILTON, PAUL E. HUSTON, ROBERT F. DIGGS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@charlieleuluai2267
1994 best era,, still banging in 2024
@scampagni7761
Damn, so went to Reading Festival 94, knew who I was going to see, hadn't heard of these, Got so messed up on the Friday, standard, Saturday morning comes, already messy, just heard this bass line and we were just running to get to the front, best act of the weekend and the most memorable, it was an amazing weekend for sure, plenty of quality acts but these killed it.
@HelixTheCunt
Bangin' my head in 2021 ✊
@cantgethurtnetworkcghn4091
july fourth march
@sethligotino5272
2020!!!
@virtualmusiclife
2020
@drewt1717
2021!! 👍😂
@LensJunior
Yessir 😎
@KodakKid
This is WAY ahead of its time!!!! GRAVEDIGGAZ!!!!
@Rustynailz
Still bangin my head 25 years later