On this day in Hip Hop history, the Houston based Geto Boys released their groundbreaking sophomore album Grip It! On That Other Level, which now celebrates its 37th anniversary. Originally dropped on March 12, 1989 through Rap A Lot Records, the project helped establish Southern Hip Hop as a force to be reckoned with at a time when the genre was still largely dominated by artists from New York and Los Angeles.
Interestingly, the group was still using the original spelling of their name, “Ghetto Boys,” at the time of the album’s release, which is reflected on the original album artwork. Not long after, the group would adopt the now iconic spelling “Geto Boys,” a name that would become permanently etched in Hip Hop history as their influence grew across the culture.
The album also marked a pivotal turning point for the group itself. While the original Geto Boys lineup had released their debut project Making Trouble the previous year, Grip It! On That Other Level introduced what would become the group’s most recognized era with Scarface and Willie D joining forces with Bushwick Bill. That trio would go on to define the group’s identity and shape the raw, unapologetic sound that made the Geto Boys legendary.
Produced primarily by Rap A Lot founder J Prince alongside DJ Ready Red, Grip It! On That Other Level delivered a gritty sonic landscape that matched the unfiltered street narratives coming from the group. The album’s production combined booming drum patterns with funk driven samples and eerie melodies, creating a sound that perfectly complemented the group’s dark storytelling and confrontational lyricism.
Tracks like “Mind Of A Lunatic”, “Read These Nikes”, “Do It Like A G.O.”, and the title track quickly became underground classics. The album’s controversial themes and graphic storytelling pushed boundaries in a way few rap records had done at the time. While critics and media outlets often labeled their music as shocking, the Geto Boys were simply reflecting the harsh realities of inner city life in Houston and other communities across America.
Perhaps most importantly, Grip It! On That Other Level helped redefine what Southern rap could sound like. At a time when the South was still fighting for recognition in Hip Hop, the album proved that artists outside of the traditional rap hubs could produce music that was just as impactful, complex, and culturally significant.
The success and notoriety of the project would eventually lead to the group signing a distribution deal with Def American Recordings, where the album was later remixed and partially re released under the title The Geto Boys in 1990. That reissue introduced the group to an even wider audience and set the stage for the release of their landmark album We Can’t Be Stopped the following year.
Thirty seven years later, Grip It! On That Other Level still stands as one of the most important releases in Southern Hip Hop history. The album not only solidified the Geto Boys as pioneers of hardcore rap, but it also helped open the door for generations of artists from Houston and the rest of the South.
Salute to Scarface, Willie D, Bushwick Bill, J Prince, DJ Ready Red, and everyone involved in the creation of Grip It! On That Other Level. Nearly four decades later, the album remains a cornerstone of Southern Hip Hop and a reminder of how the Geto Boys helped shift the balance of power in the culture.