Description
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The 1993 film “Judgment Night” brought with it a unique soundtrack that blended the worlds of hip-hop and rock in an innovative fashion. Released on September 14, 1993, the album’s uniqueness is exemplified in how every track features a collaboration between artists from these two distinct genres. This was a pioneering move, especially when one considers the lineup it boasted: “Fallin'” saw Teenage Fanclub collaborate with De La Soul, while Faith No More teamed up with Boo-Yaa T.R.I.B.E. for “Another Body Murdered.” Then there was Helmet and House of Pain’s “Just Another Victim” and “Judgment Night” by Biohazard and Onyx. The album, which was released through Immortal Records and Epic Soundtrax, enjoyed commercial success, peaking at #17 on the Billboard 200.
The A.V. Club’s take on the album underscores the genius behind these unlikely collaborations. They pointed out that while individual artists had occasionally blended rap and metal before 1993, no one had ventured to create an entire album that thrived on merging the talents of established rap and rock artists. This game-changing idea was the brainchild of Happy Walters, whose vision was to tap into the increasing popularity of the rap-rock fusion and, consequently, to capture a wider market share. As Rolling Stone highlighted, Walters’ ability to assemble such a stellar lineup of both hip-hop and alternative artists was a significant driving force behind the soundtrack’s success. He was instrumental in getting bands like Pearl Jam, Boo-Yaa T.R.I.B.E., Sonic Youth, Cypress Hill, and Faith No More onboard to craft new collaborative material.
A glance at Billboard’s assessment provides further insight. They explained that the soundtrack “paired hip-hop artists with modern rock acts,” and that the approach was a strategic move to leverage the growing appeal of rap-rock. DJ Muggs from Cypress Hill offers a glimpse behind the scenes. He remembered how the rock bands, particularly Helmet, Sonic Youth, and Faith No More, were among the first to express enthusiasm about the project. Their willingness played a pivotal role in drawing other collaborators. An interesting anecdote related to the album is the attempted collaboration between Tool and Rage Against the Machine for the track “Can’t Kill the Revolution.” Unfortunately, both bands weren’t satisfied with the outcome, and the track has since remained unreleased, making its way only through fan bootleg networks.
In the end, Immortal Records, with distribution support from Epic Records, made the Judgment Night soundtrack available to the masses, marking a defining moment in music’s evolutionary journey.
Tracklist:
Cypress Hill & Sonic Youth – “I Love You Mary Jane”
Onyx & Biohazard – “Judgment Night”
House Of Pain & Helmet – “Just Another Victim”
Run DMC & Living Colour – “Me, Myself & My Microphone”
Ice T & Slayer – “Disorder”
Del The Funky Homosapien & Dinosaur Jr – “Missing Link”
De La Soul & Teenage Fanclub – “Fallin'”
Sir Mix-A-Lot & Mudhoney – “Freak Momma”
Boo-Yaa TRIBE & Faith No More – “Another Body Murdered”
Fatal & Therapy? – “Come & Die”
Cypress Hill & Pearl Jam – “Real Thing”
