“The Money Store” by Death Grips was one of my first introductions to experimental hip-hop, and it has broadened my music tastes immensely. “The Money Store,” the first studio album of Death Grips following their debut mixtape “Exmilitary,” is the Sacramento band’s highest-acclaimed album. Immediately following its release on April 24, 2012, it found praise within fans and critics alike, and for good reason. 

Its sheer anger is noticeable from the opening track. MC Ride raps over loud, in-your-face production to create a clear tone of dry, unbridled anger. To call it rapping is also stretching the word. The vocals of MC Ride are more like raspy screaming than anything else, and the lack of smoothness in his voice even further accentuates the lack of organization within the music of Death Grips. It is far more a barrage of noise and sound than a cohesive project created by other top-tier music groups, and that is the beauty of their music. If one goes into the album with the notion that this is music created in a sheer rage that is not meant to be enjoyed with the same artistic lens as much of modern music is, it will provide a refreshing and riveting experience. 

Past the uniqueness of this project, however, one will find a beautiful confluence of noises that, by themselves would be rough to the ear, but together create a beautiful piece of music. However, the only complaint I have is the lack of variability from MC Ride, and the largely monotone voice he “raps” in. With this eccentric, loud, bipolar production in the background, MC Ride slightly takes away from it due to the lack of variability in his voice. Even despite this, the album remains a top-tier album, and I would recommend anyone looking to expand their music tastes to give this album a listen.

13) F*** That

12) Lost Boys

11) Blackjack

10) The Cage

9) B**** Please

8) System Blower

7) Double Helix

6) Punk Weight

5) The Fever

4) Hustle Bones

3) Get Got

2) Hacker

1) I’ve Seen Footage