Violence Begets Violence

{{For|the phrase|Violence begets violence}}

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

{{Infobox album

| name = Violence Begets Violence

| type = Studio

| artist = Jedi Mind Tricks

| cover = Jedi-Mind-Tricks-Violence-Begets-Violence.jpg

| alt =

| released = October 25, 2011

| recorded = 2010–2011

| venue =

| studio =

| genre = Underground hip hop

| length = 46:54

| label = Enemy Soil

| producer = {{hlist|C-Lance|DJ Kwestion|Grand Finale|Hypnotist Beats|Illinformed|Junior Makno|Mr. Green|Nero|Scott Stallone|Shuko}}

| prev_title = A History of Violence

| prev_year = 2008

| next_title = The Thief and the Fallen

| next_year = 2015

}}

{{Music ratings

| MC = 59/100{{Cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/violence-begets-violence/jedi-mind-tricks |title=Violence Begets Violence by Jedi Mind Tricks Reviews and Tracks |website=Metacritic |access-date=May 12, 2020}}

| rev1 = 411mania

| rev1score = 7/10{{Cite web|url=http://411mania.com/|title=411MANIA|website=411mania.com|access-date=8 June 2023}}

| rev2 = HipHopDX

| rev2score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{Cite web|url=https://hiphopdx.com/reviews/id.1786/title.jedi-mind-tricks-violence-begets-violence|title=Jedi Mind Tricks - Violence Begets Violence|date=3 November 2011|website=HipHopDX.com|access-date=8 June 2023}}

| rev3 = Ology

| rev3score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{Cite web|url=https://ology.com/music/album-review-violence-begets-violence-jedi-mind-tricks|title=Ology Newswire|website=Ology.com|access-date=8 June 2023}}

| rev4 = The Phoenix

| rev4score = {{Rating|3.5|4}}{{Cite web|url=https://thephoenix.com/boston/music/129517-jedi-mind-tricks-violence-begets-violence/|title=Jedi Mind Tricks | Violence Begets Violence - CD Reviews|website=Thephoenix.com|access-date=8 June 2023}}

| rev5 = RapReviews

| rev5score = 8/10{{Cite web|url=https://rapreviews.com/archive/2011_09F_violencebegets.html|title=RapReviews.com Feature for September 13, 2011 - Jedi Mind Tricks' "Violence Begets Violence"|website=Rapreviews.com|access-date=8 June 2023}}

| rev6 = thisbeatgoes

| rev6score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20111030202957/http://thisbeatgoes.com/album-reviews/jedi-mind-tricks-violence-begets-violence-album-review/]}}

| rev7 = URB

| rev7score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.urb.com/2011/10/24/jedi-mind-tricks-violence-begets-violence/|title=URB review|website=Urb.com|access-date=8 June 2023}}

| rev8 = XXL

| rev8score = {{Rating|3|5}}[https://web.archive.org/web/20111027182712/http://www.xxlmag.com/reviews/2011/10/jedi-mind-tricks-violence-begets-violence/]

}}

Violence Begets Violence is the seventh studio album by underground Philadelphia hip hop duo Jedi Mind Tricks.[https://web.archive.org/web/20100906235705/http://www.hiphopug.com/jedi-mind-tricks.html] This is their only album to not feature production from Stoupe the Enemy of Mankind because "his heart wasn't into making JMT records anymore" as well as the fact that both Vinnie Paz and Jus Allah grew tired of waiting.{{Cite web |url=http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.16798/title.jedi-mind-tricks-address-stoupes-departure-citing-lost-passion |title=Jedi Mind Tricks Address Stoupe's Departure, Citing "Lost Passion" | Get the Latest Hip Hop News, Rap News & Hip Hop Album Sales | HipHopDX |access-date=2011-10-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141128011327/http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.16798/title.jedi-mind-tricks-address-stoupes-departure-citing-lost-passion |archive-date=2014-11-28 |url-status=dead }} Two singles were released, "Target Practice" and "When Crows Descend Upon You," for which a video has been made.{{Cite web|url=http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/videos/id.8816/title.jedi-mind-tricks-f-demoz-when-crows-descend-upon-you|title = Jedi Mind Tricks f. Demoz - "When Crows Descend Upon You"|website=Hiphopdx.com|date = 21 October 2011}} In addition, Shuko remixed the song "Target Practice".{{Cite web | url=http://www.2dopeboyz.com/2011/10/05/jedi-mind-tricks-target-practice-shuko-remix/ | title=Jedi Mind Tricks – Target Practice (Shuko Remix)|website=2dopeboyz.com}}

Reception

This album received mixed and often polarized reviews. XXL Magazine gave the album an L, saying that despite Stoupe's absence on the production, "not even the occasional curve ball (like the reggae-inflected “Chalice”) can harness Paz’s Mephistophelean fervor."{{Cite web | url=http://www.xxlmag.com/reviews/2011/10/jedi-mind-tricks-violence-begets-violence/ |title = Jedi Mind Tricks, Violence Begets Violence |website=Xxlmag.com}} HipHopDX noted in a 3/5 review that "the rage filled rants can become monotonous as the album wears on, but some longtime fans will be satisfied with the angst-fueled vocals."{{Cite web |url=http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/album-reviews/id.1786/title.jedi-mind-tricks-violence-begets-violence |title=Jedi Mind Tricks - Violence Begets Violence |website=Hiphopdx.com|access-date=2011-11-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111105001644/http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/album-reviews/id.1786/title.jedi-mind-tricks-violence-begets-violence |archive-date=2011-11-05 |url-status=dead }} Other critics were not so kind. Matthew Cole, writing for Slant Magazine, derided the disc's production in a 0.5/5 write-up, saying "a crew of guest producers step in to stuff the album with sub-Luger trunk rattlers and RZA knock-offs that are a lot less spooky than their portentous titles would suggest."{{Cite web | url=http://www.slantmagazine.com/music/review/jedi-mind-tricks-violence-begets-violence/2658 |title = Review: Jedi Mind Tricks, Violence Begets Violence|website = Slant Magazine|date = 22 October 2011}} The album earned 66 out of 100 from review aggregator Metacritic based on 5 reviews.{{Cite web | url=http://www.metacritic.com/music/violence-begets-violence |title = Violence Begets Violence by Jedi Mind Tricks|website = Metacritic}}

Sales

The album debuted at #92 on Billboard 200 being the group's best chart performance earning their first ever top 100 spot, selling 4,400 copies in the first week.{{Cite web |url=http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.17459/title.hip-hop-album-sales-the-week-ending-10-30-2011 |title=Hip Hop Album Sales: The Week Ending 10/30/2011|website=Hiphopdx.com|access-date=2011-11-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140912204253/http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.17459/title.hip-hop-album-sales-the-week-ending-10-30-2011 |archive-date=2014-09-12 |url-status=dead }} As of January 1, 2012, the album has sold 10,652 copies in the US.

Track listing

{{track listing

| extra_column = Producer

| title1 = Intro

| extra1 = Scott Stallone

| note1 =

| length1 = 2:05

| title2 = Burning the Mirror

| extra2 = C-Lance

| note2 =

| length2 = 3:33

| title3 = When Crows Descend Upon You

| extra3 = Hypnotist Beats

| note3 = featuring Demoz

| length3 = 3:55

| title4 = Fuck Ya Life

| extra4 = Junior Makhno, cuts by DJ Kwestion

| note4 = featuring Blacastan

| length4 = 3:59

| title5 = Imperial Tyranny

| extra5 = C-Lance, cuts by DJ Kwestion

| note5 = featuring King Magnetic

| length5 = 3:41

| title6 = Design in Malice

| extra6 = Mr. Green

| note6 = featuring Young Zee & Pacewon

| length6 = 3:38

| title7 = Weapon of Unholy Wrath

| extra7 = Shuko

| note7 =

| length7 = 3:53

| title8 = Target Practice

| extra8 = Hypnotist Beats

| note8 =

| length8 = 2:39

| title9 = Carnival of Souls

| extra9 = Grand Finale

| note9 = featuring Demoz

| length9 = 3:55

| title10 = Willing a Destruction onto Humanity

| extra10 = C-Lance

| note10 =

| length10 = 2:54

| title11 = Chalice

| extra11 = Illinformed, additional production by Scott Stallone

| note11 = featuring Chip Fu

| length11 = 3:46

| title12 = BloodBorn Enemy

| extra12 = Nero, cuts by DJ Kwestion

| note12 =

| length12 = 2:50

| title13 = The Sacrilege of Fatal Arms

| extra13 = C-Lance, cuts by DJ Kwestion

| note13 =

| length13 = 2:43

| title14 = Street Lights

| extra14 = Nero

| note14 =

| length14 = 3:24

}}

Charts

class="wikitable"

! Chart (2011)

! Peak
position

US Billboard 200{{Cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/billboard-200/|title=Billboard 200|first=Rosalie|last=Cabison|website=Billboard.com|date=2 January 2013|access-date=8 June 2023}}

|align="center"|103

US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums

|align="center"|15

US Heatseekers Albums

|align="center"| 1

US Independent Albums

|align="center"|24

US Tastemaker Albums

|align="center"|16

References

{{Reflist}}