Deadlivers

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}

{{Infobox album

| name = Deadlivers

| type = studio

| artist = Grayskul

| cover = Grayskul_deadlivers.png

| alt =

| released = {{Start date|2005|02|15}}

| recorded =

| studio =

| genre = Hip Hop

| length = {{Duration|m=57|s=47}}

| label = Rhymesayers Entertainment

| producer = {{hlist|Mr. Hill|Fakts One|Bean One|Onry Ozzborn|Rob Castro}}

| prev_title = Creature

| prev_year = 2004

| next_title = Bloody Radio

| next_year = 2007

| misc = {{Singles

| name = Deadlivers

| type = studio

| single1 = Prom Quiz

| single1date = 2005

}}

}}

Deadlivers is a studio album by American hip hop group Grayskul. It was released on Rhymesayers Entertainment in 2005.{{cite web|url=http://www.citypages.com/music/grayskuls-rhymesayers-debut-deadlivers-turns-10-6617655|title=Grayskul's Rhymesayers Debut Deadlivers Turns 10 {{!}} City Pages|work=City Pages|first=Chaz|last=Kangas|date=February 25, 2015|access-date=January 15, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150815133909/http://www.citypages.com/music/grayskuls-rhymesayers-debut-deadlivers-turns-10-6617655|archive-date=August 15, 2015|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://rhymesayers.com/grayskul/releases/deadlivers|title=Grayskul - Deadlivers|work=Rhymesayers Entertainment|access-date=January 15, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100114101532/http://rhymesayers.com/grayskul/releases/deadlivers|archive-date=January 14, 2010|url-status=dead}} The album is produced by Mr. Hill, Fakts One, Bean One, Rob Castro, and Onry Ozzborn and features guest appearances from Canibus, Aesop Rock, Sleep, and Mr. Lif, among others. "Prom Quiz" was released as a single from the album.{{cite web|url=http://www.rhymesayers.com/grayskul/releases/prom_quiz|title=Grayskul - Prom Quiz|work=Rhymesayers Entertainment|access-date=January 15, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100114101643/http://rhymesayers.com/grayskul/releases/prom_quiz|archive-date=January 14, 2010|url-status=dead}}

Background

Over half of the album is produced by Mr. Hill, along with contributions from Fakts One, Bean One, Rob Castro, and Onry Ozzborn. It features guest appearances from Canibus, Aesop Rock, Mr. Lif, Abstract Rude, Rob Hampton, and Oldominion members Anaxagorus, Barfly, Bishop I, Destro, Hyena, Mako, Nyqwil, Pale Soul, Sleep, Smoke, Snafu, Syndel, and Tremor.{{cite web|url=https://www.undergroundhiphop.com/products/grayskul-deadlivers-cd|title=Grayskul - Deadlivers - CD - release date, tracklisting, producers|work=UGHH|access-date=January 15, 2017}}

Critical reception

{{Music ratings

| rev1 = Exclaim!

| rev1score = favorable{{cite web|url=http://exclaim.ca/music/article/grayskul-deadlivers|title=Grayskul Deadlivers|work=Exclaim!|first=Daryl|last=Stoneage|date=May 1, 2005|access-date=January 15, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170104164059/http://exclaim.ca/music/article/grayskul-deadlivers|archive-date=January 4, 2017|url-status=live}}

| rev2 = RapReviews.com

| rev2score = 7/10{{cite web|url=http://www.rapreviews.com/archive/2005_08_deadlivers.html|title=Grayskul :: Deadlivers :: Rhymesayers Ent.|work=RapReviews.com|first=Nin|last=Chan|date=August 16, 2005|access-date=January 15, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120316214112/http://www.rapreviews.com/archive/2005_08_deadlivers.html|archive-date=March 16, 2012|url-status=live}}

| rev3 = Sputnikmusic

| rev3score = 3.5/5{{cite web|url=http://www.sputnikmusic.com/soundoff.php|title=Sputnikmusic|work=Sputnikmusic|first=|last=|date=|access-date=January 15, 2017}}

| rev4 = The Stranger

| rev4score = favorable{{cite web|url=http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/SavageLove?oid=20612|title=Grayskul's 'Deadlivers' is Dark Matter for Dark Days|work=The Stranger|first=Charles|last=Mudede|date=February 17, 2005|access-date=January 15, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140811094756/http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/SavageLove?oid=20612|archive-date=August 11, 2014|url-status=live}}

}}

Daryl Stoneage of Exclaim! commented that the surprise on the album is "that not all of their production fits their macabre theme and most of the memorable songs have production that's more similar to the Beatnuts than anything else." He added that "the production seems to be working a lot more than the lyrics or flows which are fairly mediocre." Charles Mudede of The Stranger called that the beats "heavy, operatic, with background string and horn loops that would be gray and black if translated into the visual terms of cinema." He described the album as "a heady concentration of Marvel comic books, gothic literature, B-rate horror movies, and post-Blade Runner science fiction."

Track listing

{{Track listing

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| title1 = You People

| extra1 = Mr. Hill

| length1 = 0:16

| title2 = Behold

| extra2 = Fakts One

| length2 = 2:37

| title3 = Bombs and Chemicals

| extra3 = Bean One

| length3 = 3:33

| title4 = Adversarial Theatre of Justice

| note4 = featuring Canibus and Barfly

| extra4 = Mr. Hill

| length4 = 3:16

| title5 = Action Figure of Speech

| extra5 = Mr. Hill

| length5 = 3:10

| title6 = The Spectacular Rescue

| extra6 = Onry Ozzborn

| length6 = 3:31

| title7 = Voltronic Instructional Espionage

| note7 = featuring Aesop Rock and Cip One

| extra7 = Onry Ozzborn

| length7 = 3:13

| title8 = Once Upon a Time

| extra8 = Mr. Hill

| length8 = 3:12

| title9 = Do They Exist

| extra9 = Mr. Hill

| length9 = 3:13

| title10 = Cursive

| note10 = featuring Mr. Lif

| extra10 = Fakts One

| length10 = 4:09

| title11 = Hatred Displayed

| extra11 = Rob Castro

| length11 = 2:44

| title12 = Vixen

| extra12 = Mr. Hill

| length12 = 3:50

| title13 = After Hours

| note13 = featuring Abstract Rude

| extra13 = Mr. Hill

| length13 = 3:10

| title14 = The Skul

| note14 = featuring Rob Hampton

| extra14 = Mr. Hill

| length14 = 3:36

| title15 = Prom Quiz

| extra15 = Mr. Hill

| length15 = 3:09

| title16 = Deadlivers

| extra16 = Mr. Hill

| length16 = 3:39

| title17 = Secret Wars

| note17 = featuring Anaxagorus, Barfly, Bishop I, Destro, Hyena, Mako, Nyqwil, Pale Soul, Sleep, Smoke, Snafu, Syndel, and Tremor

| extra17 = Mr. Hill

| length17 = 7:39

| total_length = 57:47

}}

Personnel

Credits adapted from liner notes.

{{Div col}}

  • Onry Ozzborn – vocals, production (6, 7), art direction
  • JFK – vocals, art direction
  • Rob Castro – bass guitar, production (11), recording
  • Mr. Hill – production (1, 4, 5, 8, 9, 12–17)
  • Fakts One – production (2, 10)
  • Bean One – production (3)
  • Canibus – vocals (4)
  • Barfly – vocals (4, 17), illustration, layout
  • Aesop Rock – vocals (7)
  • Cip One – vocals (7)
  • Miranda – chorus vocals (8)
  • DJ Wicked – turntables (9, 16)
  • Mr. Lif – vocals (10)
  • Abstract Rude – vocals (13)
  • Rob Hampton – vocals (14)
  • Anaxagorus – vocals (17)
  • Bishop I – vocals (17)
  • Destro – vocals (17)
  • Hyena – vocals (17), illustration
  • Mako – vocals (17)
  • Nyqwil – vocals (17)
  • Pale Soul – vocals (17)
  • Sleep – vocals (17)
  • Smoke – vocals (17)
  • Snafu – vocals (17), mixing
  • Syndel – vocals (17)
  • Tremor – vocals (17)
  • Barry Corliss – mastering
  • Justin "Coro" Kaufman – front cover portrait
  • Marissa Kaiser – photography

{{Div col end}}

References

{{Reflist}}