We Can't Be Stopped

For the No Limit Records compilation album, see We Can't Be Stopped (No Limit Records album).

We Can't Be Stopped
Studio album by Geto Boys
Released	July 1, 1991
Recorded	1990-1991
Genre	Gangsta rap, southern rap
Length	51:45
Label	Rap-A-Lot Records
Producer	Bushwick Bill James Smith John Bido Johnny C Roland Scarface Simon Willie D
Geto Boys chronology
The Geto Boys (1990) We Can't Be Stopped (1991) Till Death Do Us Part (1993)

We Can't Be Stopped was the 4th studio album by Geto Boys, released in 1991. It was among their most successful records in terms of units sold. The album is broken down track-by-track by Geto Boys in Brian Coleman's book Check the Technique. We Can't Be Stopped was certified Platinum in early 1992.

Recording

We Can't Be Stopped took only few weeks to record. During the recording of the album, DJ Ready Red, one of the original Geto Boys member, left the group due to personal reasons.

The title track was a criticism of the Geto Boys' former label, Geffen Records, after the label refused to distribute the group's previous album due to the album's violent lyrics. The Bushwick Bill solo, "Fuck a War" is a criticism of then president George Bush and an anti-war song and was inspired by a close relative of Bill's going serving in the Persian Gulf War. The hit single "Mind Playing Tricks on Me" was originally intended to be a Scarface solo with three verses but later became a group song with Bushwick Bill rapping Scarface's last verse. "I'm Not a Gentleman" was a response to Queen Latifah's "Ladies First," while "Chuckie" is a Bushwick Bill solo written by fellow Rap-A-Lot member, Ganksta N-I-P after two watched the movie Child's Play together. The track "Punk Bitch Game" was influenced by Salt of Salt-n-Pepa wanting more female participation in the song, while the album's final track, "Trophy," was about the Geto Boys' frustration over the lack of attention they were receiving from music awards.

In We Can't Be Stopped, each member of the group has three solo tracks and three tracks feature all three members on the rapping roster, including a short verse from DJ Ready Red on the title track.

Album Cover

The album cover is a graphic picture of member Bushwick Bill in the hospital. Bill had shot himself in the eye after his girlfriend refused to shoot him during an altercation. The other two Geto Boys members and the group's management team yanked Bill out of the hospital room in order to take the picture, removing Bill's eyepatch and IV in the process. Bill has expressed regret over the album cover, saying "Its still hurts me to look at that cover because that was a personal thing I went through... I still feel the pain from the fact I've got a bullet in my brain... I think it was pretty wrong to do it, even though I went along with the program at first."

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	link
Entertainment Weekly	(B) link
RapReviews.com	link
Robert Christgau	link

Alex Henderson of Allmusic called the album "an engaging, disturbing effort that comes across as much more heartfelt than the numerous gangsta rap albums by the N.W.A and Cube clones and wannabes who jumped on the gangsta bandwagon in the early '90s." James Bernard of Entertainment Weekly gave the album a "B," concluding his review with "Still, much of their new album stings, and their raw honesty has driven it onto the Billboard pop Top 40..."

The track "Mind Playing Tricks on Me" has been singled out for praise. Pitchfork Media ranked the song #45 on its Top 200 Tracks of the 1990s list, with reviewer Tom Breihan writing "This track established the South as a serious force in the music, proving that these Texans could do dark better than anyone on either coast." XXL ranked the song #14 on its list of the 250 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs from 1990 to 1999. The Source gave the track its "Best Song" award in 1991.

Track listing

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Rebel Rap Family"	1:22
2.	"We Can't Be Stopped"	3:34
3.	"Homie Don't Play That"	3:48
4.	"Another Nigga in the Morgue"	3:14
5.	"Chuckie"	3:48
6.	"Mind Playing Tricks on Me"	5:11
7.	"I'm Not a Gentleman"	4:01
8.	"Gota Let Your Nuts Hang"	4:11
9.	"Fuck a War"	4:16
10.	"Ain't with Being Broke"	3:47
11.	"Quickie"	3:08
12.	"Punk-Bitch Game"	2:16
13.	"The Other Level"	6:01
14.	"Trophy"	3:08

Samples used

The following samples were used on We Can't Be Stopped:

"Rebel Rap Family"

• "Scarface Theme" by Giorgio Moroder

"Homie Don't Play That"

• "(Not Just) Knee Deep" by Funkadelic
• "More Bounce To The Ounce" by Zapp & Roger
• "West Coast Poplock" by Ronnie Hudson
• "Atomic Dog" by George Clinton
• "Pumpin' It Up" by P-Funk Allstars

"Mind Playing Tricks On Me"

• "Hung Up On My Baby" by Isaac Hayes

"Gota Let Your Nuts Hang"

• "Corey Died on the Battlefield" by The Wild Magnolias

"Fuck A War"

• "Devil With The Bust" by Sound Experience

"Ain't With Being Broke"

• "Damn Right I'm Somebody" by Fred Wesley & The J.B.'s

"Quickie"

• "Oh Honey" by The Delegation

"Punk-Bitch Game"

• "Don't Call Me Nigger, Whitey" by Sly & The Family Stone

"The Other Level"

• "Kool Is Back" by Funk Inc.
• "Love Hangover" by Diana Ross

"Trophy"

• "The Grunt Pts. 1 & 2" by Fred Wesley & The JBs

Charts

Album

Chart (1991)	Peak position
Billboard 200	24
R&B Albums	5

Singles

Year	Song	Chart positions
		Hot 100	Hot R&B/Hip-Hop	Hot Rap	Rhythmic Top 40
1991	"Mind Playing Tricks on Me"	23	10	1	32