In the early 1990s, hip-hop was evolving fast—gangsta rap was on the rise, and the industry was growing more commercial. But in the shadows of all that, a group of brilliant, frustrated artists came together to create something darker, weirder, and defiantly different: Gravediggaz.
The group was born from discontent and creativity. At its core was Prince Paul, the genius producer behind De La Soul’s early sound. After feeling burned out and disillusioned with the industry, he linked up with three like-minded MCs—each bringing their own baggage, talent, and vision. One of them was RZA, who at the time was still finding his footing before the Wu-Tang Clan took off. Back then, he went by The RZArector. Then there was Frukwan (aka The Gatekeeper), formerly of Stetsasonic, and Too Poetic (aka The Grym Reaper), a fiery and complex lyricist battling both personal demons and professional setbacks.
Together, they became Gravediggaz, a group that pioneered horrorcore—a subgenre that fused horror movie imagery with gritty street storytelling and social commentary. But it wasn’t just shock value. They used the darkness to explore real-life pain, anger, racism, mental health, and the struggles of Black life in America—just through a twisted, gothic lens.
Their debut album, 6 Feet Deep (1994), was an underground classic. It was cinematic, strange, and revolutionary. Tracks like “Diary of a Madman” and “Nowhere to Run, Nowhere to Hide” were haunting, intelligent, and ferociously raw. It wasn’t just about horror for horror’s sake—it was satire, therapy, and rebellion rolled into one.
Gravediggaz didn’t last forever—Prince Paul stepped away after their first album, and the group’s momentum slowed as Wu-Tang exploded and the industry shifted again. Tragically, Too Poetic passed away from colon cancer in 2001 at just 36, cutting short a voice that had so much more to say.
Still, the Gravediggaz left a deep mark. They carved out a unique space in hip-hop, proving you could be weird, fearless, and brilliant all at once. They didn’t chase the spotlight—but they created a legacy that still echoes in the darker corners of the genre today.
