Discography Check: Scarface

By @TrueGodImmortal

There aren't many legends in this game who have managed to stand the test of time. For Houston's own Brad Jordan, longevity just came by design. Entering the rap game as a part of the legendary group Geto Boys, Scarface was an instant standout among the group, as a talented lyricist and good storyteller. As he embarked on a solo career a few years later, I don't think any of us saw him becoming the legend he has become. Scarface is one of the greatest rappers of all time, and he's certainly the greatest rapper from Texas and arguably the South. With that, we wanted to look at his illustrious career and highlight his amazing work. Today, we look at the official solo discography (there are unofficial projects that we wont discuss.... because they are unofficial) of Scarface. Let's get into it.

*Mr. Scarface Is Back (1991)

-His debut project is interesting. A bit uneven in some spots, it still has enough classic music and solid lyricism on it to make it a pretty good album. The thing that lacks here the most in the album itself is just cohesion and sequencing, but overall, the songs are solid enough to let that slide. From the sinister tracks like "Body Snatchers" and "Diary of A Mad Man" to the most notable tracks like "Mr. Scarface", "Born Killer", and "Money And The Power", Face was able to navigate between gangsta rap, horrorcore, and the essence of hip hop pretty well. This wasn't a classic, but it is a solid album, was critically acclaimed and served as a good debut for the Geto Boys rhyme slinger.

Top 3 Songs
"Money And The Power"
"Born Killer"
"Diary Of A Mad Man"

*The World Is Yours (1993)

-His 2nd project saw a bit of decline in critical acclaim, but I enjoyed this album. Utilizing the underrated N.O. Joe on production, Face crafted an album that was smoother than the debut in production, but not as well put together as his first. Face lyrically coasts on this album and some of the production here is funky and soulful in its own right. He managed to pull off a hit with the track "Let Me Roll", and while this vibe here is different than most of his other albums, it's still a dope listen.

Top 3 Songs
"Strictly For The Funk Lovers"
"Let Me Roll"
"The Wall"

*The Diary (1994)

-Often recognized as the best album or his best from the 90's, this album is a masterpiece from start to finish. Every track is perfect, minus one or two tracks, and this is Face at his best lyrically up until this point in his career. With only features from Ice Cube and Devin The Dude, Face controls the album himself effortlessly with classic songs like "I Seen A Man Die" and "Jesse James". This album is as good as it gets in hip hop, and hands down, Face delivered as always.

Top 3 Songs
"Jesse James"
"Hand Of The Dead Body"
"I Seen A Man Die"

*The Untouchable (1997)

-When we talk about the best Scarface albums, this is certainly in the conversation for the top 3. The focus Face and N.O. Joe had on this project was unparalleled honestly, and this project would see Face utilize some landmark features and have his most successful single cone on this album in the form of the 2Pac assisted "Smile", my favorite song on this project. Other features include Daz Dillinger, Devin The Dude, Dr. Dre, Too Short, and Ice Cube to have a very West Coast centered supporting cast. Overall, I think this is the 3rd best Face album after The Diary and The Fix.

Top 3 Songs
"Smile"
"Faith"
"Mary Jane"

*My Homies (1998)

-There are double albums all over hip hop, but none more interesting than this one. It's not great. It's not bad. It's just.... it's interesting. After two classic albums (or at least one classic and an arguable classic), Face decided to give us more music, with this double album, but I'd be lying if I didn't say this album runs way too long and has a bunch of features that don't add to the album. The album is set up like that of course by the title, but some of the appearances from the Hoodlumz, Snypaz, Facemob, and Master P were just unnecessary. I do like a majority of the tracks and the big name features do not disappoint for the most part. Any album with verses from Pac, Cube, Too Short, Devin, and UGK is sure to please the audience, and while this album could benefit from cutting off about 20% of the tracks, it's still a good listen. This is the first true middle of the road album from Face.

Top 3 Songs
"Fuck Faces"
"In My Blood"
"Do What You Want"

*The Last Of A Dying Breed (2000)

-I really enjoyed this album, but it's not one of my favorites from Face. It showcases him stepping out of his comfort zone a little, but not too much. Production from Erick Sermon, Mr. Lee, and Mike Dean help to accompany N.O. Joe this go round, and the results are mostly successful. With his usual feature list of Too Short, Devin The Dude, and UGK in tow, Face also brings along Redman and Jay-Z for the ride, and round out a very solid album. This isn't a classic, but it's a really dope listen all the way through.

Top 3 Songs
"They Down With Us"
"Get Out"
"In & Out"

*The Fix (2002)

-This is my personal favorite Scarface album. I also think it's his best work in general and his most cohesive project. The themes of this album revolve around life, loss, God, religion, and love. This one was very much so out of his comfort zone, working with more modern producers like The Neptunes and Kanye West, along with Nottz as well. There was no contribution from N.O. Joe this go round, but Mike Dean was present to give the traditional Face sound. However, with a new focus, bigger message, and greater sound, Face had never sounded better. With features kept to a minimum, Face shines alongside the also legendary Jay-Z on "Guess Who's Back" with Beanie Sigel helping to close out the amazing track, and gets slightly upstaged by an amazing Nas (another legend) verse on "In Between Us". His tough yet honest lyrics on tracks like "Someday" and "Heaven" show a much more mature Face and showcased depth we never heard before from him. The Fix is his best work and while the earlier works might be more of what people wanted to hear, Face's personal salvation and journey sounds so much better than anything he has done.

Top 3 Songs
"Someday"
"In Between Us"
"Heaven"

*Balls And My Word (2003)

-This was a compilation of outtakes and unnecessary. Still, this album was solid in spurts and some of the songs here are really solid. Features include Z-Ro, Devin The Dude, Too Short, and Tela, but I wonder if Face had made this as an actual album how it would stack up to the rest of his catalog. Solid, but extremely flawed as a project, My Balls and My Word is

Top 3 Songs
"Dirty Money"
"Only Your Mother"
"Recognize"

*My Homies Part 2 (2006)

-I find it hard to include this album on the list, because it's not a real album. It's yet another collection of tracks from Face that's in the model of the first My Homies, but this one doesn't work as well. The features are mostly bland minus the verses from Pimp C, Game, Beanie Sigel, and Juvenile. The production ranges from bouncy to sinister, but this album is too incomplete. I consider this more of a compilation, but it's listed as an official album. Still, while it isn't as good as the first, it has some solid music on it as always.

Top 3 Songs
"Never Snitch"
"Gotta Get Paid"
"My Life"

*Made (2007)

-After two albums of virtually outtakes and leftover tracks, Face returned with another mature and wise album that I think is slept on. Made has solid production, very deep lyrics, honest wisdom from Face, and the acceptance of his flaws, much like he did on The Fix. It's not as good as The Fix, and not quite as solid as The Diary or The Untouchable, but it's right below those albums in terms of ranking. Features include Trey Songz, Z-Ro, and Wacko, allowing for Face to control the album himself and it works very well on this project. Made is a really good album, and is one of his best.

Top 3 Songs
"Who Do You Believe In"
"Never"
"Girl You Know"

*Emeritus (2008)

-It seems like when Face is focused, there is no one quite like him with making albums. This album was said to be his last and he retired following it, and it was yet another great listen like his previous albums. This one was just a bit below Made, but very solid overall, with production from N.O. Joe, Cool and Dre, Nottz, Illmind, and more. Face had a perfect selection of beats on this album, and with features from Bilal, Lil Wayne, and Bun B, Face has a solid supporting cast to wish him farewell. Of course, this wasn't his last album.

Top 3 Songs
"Can't Get Right"
"Forgot About Me"
"It's Not A Game"

*Deeply Rooted (2015)

-After a 7 year hiatus and supposed retirement, Face would make a triumphant return to hip hop. With an album that features Nas, Rick Ross, John Legend, and a slew of other top tier guests, Face signaled his big return with his 12th album (if you ask him, he might say it's his 10th or 11th). In a bit of a return to form, a majority of the production is handled by N.O. Joe, who sounds better than he ever has on this album. This was a welcome return from Face and if this was his last project, it was a solid way to go out.

Top 3 Songs
"Dope Man Pushin"
"Anything"
"Do What I Do"

Make no mistake about it, his discography is one of the best in hip hop and Scarface is a true legend in the game. Album after album, he gave us consistency and great music. Is there another album on the way from Face? Only time will tell.

-True