Esham’s Influential ‘Closed Casket’ LP Turns 30!

Over thirty years ago in the Motor City.  Esham’s  November 22nd, 1994  influential “Wicket Shit” classic ‘Closed Casket’ emerged as a harrowing beacon within the evolution of gangster rap. Pushing the boundaries of the genre into uncharted nightmarish territories. The aptly named horrorcore masterpiece spun chilling tales that enveloped Detroit in a sinister murderous aura, unlike any other work before it. It was more than just rap music; this was an ominous acid rap symphony that painted the city with fear and fascination, guiding listeners through corridors of their own darkest imaginations.

The chilling mental health narratives woven into Esham’s  ‘Closed Casket’ verses resonated deeply in Detroit’s underground scene and echoed far beyond its borders  Of course, Insane Clown Posse’s theatrical darkness, Eminem’s raw lyrical confrontation, KGP’s blasphemous rhyme schemes, all owe some lineage to the innovation Esham infused into his worlds of gore and existential dread. His audacity to blend vivid horror imagery with  heavy metal influence, not only defined Esham’s signature wickedness .  But ‘Closed Casket’ also vastly inspired many future Wicked Underground artists who sought to shock audiences while confronting societal taboos.

After 30 years. ‘Closed Casket’  continues to remain to be a thrilling testament to how fear can be an art form—driving home life’s inevitable encounters with death while deftly reshaping the contours of gangster rap itself. As much as it terrorized by scaring Michigan residents to hell and back. The LP also uplifted people to fight back against their own personal urban decayed nightmares; marking a stark line where fantasy meets reality in compelling  choreographed emcee skills mastered by Esham’s unfettered creativity. It is this delicate balance between terror and artistry that continues to haunt listeners’ hearts. Even three decades after Closed Casket’s official street date!

 

from Faygoluvers