Boomin' Words from Hell

Template:More citations needed {{safesubst:#invoke:Unsubst-infobox||$params=italic_title,name,type,longtype,artist,cover,border,alt,caption,released,recorded,venue,studio,genre,length,language,label,director,producer,compiler,chronology,prev_title,prev_year,year,next_title,next_year,misc|$extra=italic_title,longtype,border,caption,language,director,compiler,chronology,year,misc|$aliases=italic title>italic_title,Italic title>italic_title,Name>name,Type>type,image>cover,Cover>cover,Border>border,Alt>alt,Caption>caption,Longtype>longtype,Artist>artist,Released>released,Recorded>recorded,Venue>venue,Studio>studio,Genre>genre,Length>length,Language>language,Label>label,Director>director,Producer>producer,Compiler>compiler,Chronology>chronology,Misc>misc|$flags=override|$B={{#ifeq:{{#invoke:Is infobox in lead|main|[Ii]nfobox [Aa]lbum}}|true|{{#if:Template:Has short description | |Template:Short description|noreplace}}}}{{#invoke:Infobox|infobox}}Template:Template otherTemplate:Category handlerTemplate:Main other{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|preview=Page using Template:Infobox album with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y|italic_title |type |name |image |cover |border |alt |caption |longtype |artist |released |recorded |venue |studio |genre |length |language |label |director |producer |compiler |prev_title|prev_year|next_title|next_year|chronology|year|misc}}{{#if:{{#invoke:String|match|error_category=Music infoboxes with Module:String errors|A|1=Judgement Day1992studioBoomin' Words from HellEsham_-_Boomin'_Words_from_Hell.jpgEsham1989
1990 (reissue)
2015 (remastered reissue)Horrorcore52:50Reel Life ProductionsEshamx|2=</?t[drh][ >]|nomatch=}}|Template:Main other}}Template:Main other}} Boomin' Words from Hell is the debut studio album by the American musician Esham.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> It was released in 1989, and reissued the following year.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Production

Boomin' Words from Hell was recorded in one day.<ref name=Death>Template:Cite videoTemplate:Cbignore</ref>

Lyrical themes

The lyrics of Boomin' Words from Hell developed from the turmoil of Detroit at the time, including the era's rise in crack use. According to Esham, "It was all an expression about ['70s-'80s drug cartel] Young Boys Incorporated, Mayor Coleman Young, the city we lived in and just the turmoil that our city was going through at the time. We referred to the streets of Detroit as 'Hell' on that record. So that's where my ideas came from."<ref name="Ketchum">Template:Cite news</ref>

According to Esham, the album's lyrical content was so dark that it was the subject of many rumors:

"People got the first album, and they would just make up stories. They'd get into an accident and be like, 'I got into an accident because I was playing that tape.' It wasn't like we helped ourselves when we described what was in people's heads. It wasn't to shock people, though, but to get people involved in what we were doing. We had to get peoples' attention. [...] We said a lot of things that people wanted to say but didn't say. We talked about a lot of political and social [issues] that people didn't want to talk about."<ref name="Ketchum"/>

Release

Boomin' Words from Hell was first issued in 1989.<ref name="Discography">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="AMGHipHop">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="Ketchum"/> It was promoted via word of mouth.<ref name=Death/> Following the album's initial release, the album was reissued with an alternate track listing and artwork in 1990. Word After Word was also censored in the second half of the line, "I'm not an atheist / But what has god done for me?".<ref name="Discography"/> A 25th anniversary reissue of the album, containing songs from the original release as well as the 1990 version, was released on February 13, 2015.

Reception

Template:Album ratings Esham found it difficult to develop a fanbase, because many wrote off the dark content of his lyrics and imagery as shock value, while hip hop fans did not connect to the album because of Smith's heavy metal influences.<ref name="Ketchum"/> In All Music Guide to Hip-Hop Jason Birchmeier writes that "Many of the songs here are fairly mediocre relative to Esham's later work, but there are a few gems here that foreshadow his subsequent work."<ref name="AMGHipHop"/> Rap Reviews reviewer John-Michael Bond wrote that "the fully realized darkness that surrounds both soundtrack and verses on Boomin Words... stands as a stark reminder that just because someone's a kid doesn't mean he can't have anything to say."<ref name=RapReviews>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Personnel

• Esham – programming, production, engineering, mastering
• Mike E. Clark – engineering, keyboards
• Reginal Nelton – executive producer
• Greg Reilly – mastering
• James H. Smith – executive producer