Violent by Design

For the professional wrestling stable of the same name, see The Design (professional wrestling).
Violent by Design
Studio album by
Jedi Mind Tricks
ReleasedOctober 3, 2000
Recorded1998–2000
GenreEast Coast hip hop, hardcore hip hop
Length76:08
LabelSuperegular Records
ProducerStoupe the Enemy of Mankind, Mr. Len
Jedi Mind Tricks chronology
The Psycho-Social CD
(1997) 		Violent by Design
(2000) 		Visions of Gandhi
(2003)
Singles from Violent by Design
  1. "Heavenly Divine"
    Released: 1999
  2. "Genghis Khan"
    Released: 2000
  3. "Retaliation"
    Released: 2001
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
AllHipHop.com[2]
RapReviews.com[3]
cosmikC+[4]
Salacious Sound(favorable)[5]

Violent by Design is the second album by underground hip hop group Jedi Mind Tricks. Despite never reaching any Billboard album chart, the album sold 50,000 copies in its first week on shelves.[6] The album was originally released on JMT's self-run Superegular Records on October 3, 2000. JMT's previous label, Babygrande Records, re-released the album on May 25, 2004. The original vinyl release featured twenty tracks,[7] while the original CD release featured two extra tracks: the "Heavenly Divine Remix", originally released on the B-Side to JMT's "Heavenly Divine" single, and "War Ensemble", originally released as the B-Side of the Army of the Pharaohs Five Perfect Exertions EP.[8] Babygrande's Deluxe Edition featured three more bonus tracks: "Untitled", "Retaliation Remix" and "Blood Runs Cold", the latter two originally featured on the "Retaliation" single.[9] The Deluxe Edition also included a bonus DVD, featuring a video scrapbook from their Visions of Gandhi tour, and the music video for the group's 1997 track "I Who Have Nothing".

Vinnie Paz and Stoupe the Enemy of Mankind recruited Camden, New Jersey rapper Jus Allah to join them on the album, and while he was never officially inducted into the group, it can be assumed he became JMT's third member on the release, as his contributions were not marked as "featuring Jus Allah", while other close group affiliates such as Army of the Pharaohs members Chief Kamachi, Esoteric and Virtuoso were marked as featured guests. He was also featured in the album's photography.

The album was recorded and mixed in Stoupe's bedroom for nine months, and because Stoupe was still living at his parents' house, they recorded every Friday for three hours.[10]

Photograph of a U.S. soldier calling for a medic during the Battle of Dak To (1967)
Execution of Nguyễn Văn Lém (1968)

The cover art is from a photograph by Joel D. Meyerson, taken during the Battle of Dak To. The execution of Nguyễn Văn Lém is printed on the inside of the digipak.

  1. ^ "Jedi Mind Tricks - Violent by Design Album Reviews, Songs & More". AllMusic. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
  2. ^ "AllHipHop review". Allhiphop.com. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
  3. ^ "Jedi Mind Tricks :: Violent by Design :: Superregular Recordings". Rapreviews.com.
  4. ^ "Cosmik review". Cosmik.com. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
  5. ^ Aras. "A Look Back at Jedi Mind Tricks' Violent By Design". Archived from the original on 2022-11-29.
  6. ^ "Jedi Mind Tricks". Archived from the original on 2007-02-21. Retrieved 2007-02-11.
  7. ^ "Jedi Mind Tricks - Violent by Design". Archived from the original on 2007-02-22. Retrieved 2007-02-03.
  8. ^ "Jedi Mind Tricks - Violent by Design". Archived from the original on 2007-02-19. Retrieved 2007-02-11.
  9. ^ "Jedi Mind Tricks - Violent by Design - Deluxe Edition". Archived from the original on 2007-02-19. Retrieved 2007-02-03.
  10. ^ "unkut.com – A Tribute To Ignorance (Remix)". 22 June 2017. Archived from the original on 22 June 2017.