U.S.A. (Flatlinerz album)

U.S.A. (stands for "Under Satan's Authority") is the only studio album by American horrorcore trio Flatlinerz.[2] It was released on September 6, 1994 via Def Jam Recordings. Recording sessions took place at Chung King Studios, Next Level Studios, and Greene St. Recording in New York. Production was handled by Tempest, Rockwilder, Crush, DR Period and Kool Tee, with Kenny Lee and Russell Simmons serving as executive producers. It features guest appearances from Gravemen, Kool Tee, Mayhem, Omen, Rockwilder and the Headless Horsemen.

U.S.A.
Studio album by
Flatlinerz
ReleasedSeptember 6, 1994 (1994-09-06)
Recorded1993—1994
Studio
GenreHorrorcore
Length56:16
LabelDef Jam
Producer
Flatlinerz chronology
U.S.A.
(1994)		 Definitive Creepy Collection
(2014)
Singles from U.S.A.
  1. "Rivaz of Red"
    Released: July 12, 1994
  2. "Satanic Verses"
    Released: August 23, 1994
  3. "Live Evil"
    Released: 1994
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]

The album peaked at number 65 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and number 24 on the Top Heatseekers and found controversy for its satanic themes. Also, the three music videos the group shot for the album, "Live Evil", "Satanic Verses" and "Rivaz of Red", were barely played because of things such as frontman Redrum rhyming while hanging from a noose and Gravedigger rhyming from a crucifix. The album only sold 36,000 copies and the group, along with the Headless Horsemen and Omen, was dropped from Def Jam. Three singles were released, but only "Live Evil" made it to the charts, making it to #35 on the Hot Rap Singles.

In 2009, Fangoria named it as an iconic horrorcore album.[3]

Track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Intro"  2:27
2."Good Day To Die" (featuring Kool Tee, Omen, Mayhem and Gravemen)
  • Jamel Simmons
  • Darnell Cunningham
  • Juan Clarke
  • Tadone Wilson
  • Thomas McQueen
  • Kool Tee
  • Crush
5:10
3."Scary Us"
  • Simmons
  • Cunningham
  • Clarke
  • Wilson
  • McQueen
  • Kool Tee
  • Crush
3:43
4."Flatline"
4:18
5."Sonic Boom"
  • Rockwilder
  • Tempest
4:20
6."Brooklyn/Queens (Skit)"
  • Simmons
  • Cunningham
  • Clarke
  • Stinson
  • Rockwilder
  • Tempest
0:24
7."718"
  • Rockwilder
  • Tempest
4:11
8."Run"
  • Simmons
  • Cunningham
  • Clarke
  • Wilson
  • McQueen
  • Kool Tee
  • Crush
3:25
9."Body N' a Blunt (Skit)"
  • Simmons
  • Cunningham
  • Clarke
Tempest0:17
10."Whydyadoit (Skit)"
  • Simmons
  • Cunningham
  • Clarke
  • Stinson
  • Rockwilder
  • Tempest
1:00
11."Takin' Em Underground"
  • Simmons
  • Cunningham
  • Clarke
  • Stinson
  • Rockwilder
  • Tempest
4:56
12."Graveyard Nightmare" (featuring Rockwilder)
  • Simmons
  • Cunningham
  • Clarke
  • Stinson
  • Rockwilder
  • Tempest (co.)
4:08
13."One Armed Bandit (Skit)"
  • Simmons
  • Cunningham
  • Clarke
Tempest0:55
14."Rivaz Of Red"
  • Rockwilder
  • Tempest
4:32
15."Satanic Verses" (featuring the Headless Horsemen)
  • Simmons
  • Cunningham
  • Clarke
  • J. Leroy
  • M. Gardner
  • Darryl Pittman
  • DR Period
  • Divine Campbell (co.)
4:23
16."War Zone"
  • Simmons
  • Cunningham
  • Clarke
  • Pittman
  • DR Period
  • Divine Campbell (co.)
3:15
17."Beware... (Satanic Verses Skit)"
  • Simmons
  • Cunningham
  • Clarke
Tempest1:01
18."Live Evil"
  • Simmons
  • Cunningham
  • Clarke
  • Pittman
  • DR Period
  • Divine Campbell (co.)
3:51
Total length:56:16

Sample credits

  • Track 4 contains elements from "Crossover" by EPMD and "Party Groove (Instrumental)" by Showbiz and A.G.
  • Track 5 samples the song "Seven Days, Seven Nights" by Sue Ann Carwell
  • Track 7 contains a sample from "Step in the Arena" by Gang Starr
  • Track 14 embodies portions of "Tonight's da Night" by Redman and "I'm Gonna Take Your Love" by Brother to Brother

Personnel
  • Jamel "Redrum" Simmons – main artist, vocals, sleeve notes
  • Darnell "Gravedigger" Cunningham – main artist, vocals, sleeve notes
  • Juan "Tempest" Clarke – main artist, vocals, producer, sleeve notes
  • Tadone "Kool Tee" Hill – featured artist, producer
  • Devon "Omen" Purkiss – featured artist
  • Gravemen – featured artist
  • Mayhem – featured artist
  • Dana "Rockwilder" Stinson – featured artist, producer
  • J. Leroy of the Headless Horsemen – featured artist
  • M. Gardner of the Headless Horsemen – featured artist
  • Nora T. – backing vocals
  • Anthony "Trace Bass" Brown – bass
  • Richard "Rich" Keller – bass, electric guitar, recording, mixing
  • Darryl "DR Period" Pittman – keyboards, percussion, programming, producer, arranger
  • Thomas "Crush" McQueen – producer
  • Divine Campbell – co-producer, arranger
  • Kenny Lee – executive producer
  • Russell Simmons – executive producer
  • Danny Clinch – photography
  • John Blackford – illustration
  • The Drawing Board – design

Charts
Chart (1994) Peak
position
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) 65
US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard) 24

Singles
Year Song Chart positions
US Rap
1994 Live Evil 35
Satanic Verses —
Rivaz of Red —

References
  1. Valdivia, Victor W. "U.S.A. - Flatlinerz | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
  2. "Vibe". Vibe. Vol. 12. 2004. p. 86. ISSN 1070-4701.{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  3. Molgaard, Matt (August 12, 2009). "Rapped and Tagged: Horrorcore's Iconic Albums". Fangoria. The Brooklyn Company. Archived from the original on August 16, 2009. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
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