Geto Boys ~ “Mind Playing Tricks on Me” (L)

“This year Halloween fell on a weekend

Me and Geto Boys are trick-or-treatin’

Robbin’ little kids for bags

‘Til a law man got behind our ass

So we speeded up the pace

Took a look back and he was right before our face…”

That slowed down Isaac Hayes sample and guitar riff is instantly gratifying. Every. Time.

This is always one of our favorite Old School Wednesday traditions – “Mind Playing Tricks on Me” for Halloween!

“Mind Playing Tricks on Me” is easily one of the most defining tracks of 1990’s rap. At the time, most Gangsta Rap was about the glorification of that life, then Geto Boys are like – Hold my Gold Medal Flour – release ”Mind is Playing Tricks on Me” and the game changed. Scarface, Willie D, and Bushwick Bill are rhyming about the trauma of gangsta life in 1991 and although it has a hard edge to it, the topics they touch on are relevant to 2020 pandemic times: PTSD, paranoia, loneliness, isolation, anxiety, and suicidal ideation (The struggle is real y’all, so don’t be afraid to talk to someone).

I think its amazing that Scarface got the inspiration for the song’s title from his mawmaw.

Happy Halloween Y’all!

Samples:

Isaac Hayes ~ “Hung Up on My Baby”

Such an amazing track.

Graham Central Station ~ “The Jam”

The drum sample is about 5:13 into the song.

Geto Boys ~ “Mind of a Lunatic”