G.I. Joe Killaz

Uggghhh!
Turn the radio off!
What is that crap?
New Kids On The Block!?
What the fuck!
What happened to music?
Sounds like everyone’s either deaf or just stupid!
G.I. Joe Killaz gonna make you know our name,
Give you something fresh to listen to for a change!

Creativity is something that is often lacked within the music styling of hip-hop and rap. True, the music will get your head bobbing, and you can sometimes be entertained by clever lyrics, and hip word play, but if you’re looking for genuine artistic expression and creative output rap/hip-hop is not usually the place to find it in.

Thankfully, however, there are some who try to push the limits of rap and hip-hop. DJ Shadow and Kid Koala set new ground in the world of hip-hop, while cLOUDDEAD and Deltron 3030 prove that new things can still be done on the rap side. And now another group has joined the ranks of those pushing rap forward. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you...

G.I. Joe Killaz

With a new breed of tech-hop and rap, the G.I. Joe Killaz have given birth to something truly unique. Their unique sound is reminiscent of minimalist techno, spliced with heavy, almost down tempo hip-hop beats. Anyone familiar with Dr. Octagon, or even El-P, will have a general idea how the G.I. Joe Killaz sound.

But to be honest the music, even though it is amazing, could be horrible and you would still love this band. The G.I. Joe Killaz are all about killing G.I. Joes and making ridiculous songs about their adventures in stealing rare artifacts, hiding out in a secret iceberg headquarters, and world domination. The group chants their devotion to Cobra, and swears that G.I. Joes suck. Their stuff is so absurd that fans of The Moldy Peaches would be extremely proud, and at the same time offended.

The two key figureheads of the Killaz organization are Destro and the Baroness, who both play out their roles amazingly. Destro’s ability to rap is top class and, while Baroness has no problem laying down the vocal harmonies for the chorus, she can also lay down some great rhymes as well.

With something as good, and funny, as the G.I. Joe Killaz it’s very unfortunate that they aren’t signed to a good label, or even have secure distribution. In fact, the band puts out their records on their own label, Cobra Records. I had to get their Self Titled release through the Forced Exposure website.

For a truly unique experience in the realm of rap and hip-hop, hunt down the G.I. Joe Killaz, even though they are sure to be hiding, awaiting to ambush unsuspecting Joes.

Discography

The Christmas EP
Released: December 2000
Notes: The birth of the G.I. Joe Killaz recording career came with this release. It was given out for free to friends and family as Christmas presents.

Takin’ Over Tha World EP
Released: April 2001
Notes: Another free album, this time released through an online record label, No Type; the main goal of this release was for promotional purposes. The EP consisted of mostly remixes from the Christmas EP, but also one previously unreleased track.

The G.I. Joe Killaz Self Titled
Released: October 2002
Notes: With a little bit more secure distribution, with help from Alien8 Recordings and other places, this album received more exposure and some critical hype. Also gained distribution in Europe and Japan.