Diary of a Madman (song)

"Diary of a Madman" is the debut single by the Gravediggaz, released in June 1994 from their debut album, 6 Feet Deep. The song was produced by members RZA (The Rzarector) and Prince Paul (The Undertaker) along with RNS and featured verses from Killah Priest and Scientific Shabazz. "Diary of a Madman" was Gravediggaz' most successful single, peaking at No. 82 on the Billboard Hot 100, their only single to reach the chart, as well as No. 8 on the Hot Rap Singles chart.

"Diary of a Madman"
Single by Gravediggaz featuring Killah Priest and Scientific Shabazz
from the album 6 Feet Deep
B-side"Constant Elevation"
ReleasedJune 21, 1994
Recorded1994[1]
GenreHorrorcore
Length4:38
LabelGee Street
Songwriter(s)Gravediggaz
Producer(s)RZA, Prince Paul, RNS
Gravediggaz singles chronology
"Diary of a Madman"
(1994)
"Nowhere to Run, Nowhere to Hide"
(1994)
Music video
"Diary of a Madman" on YouTube

Background and composition

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In an interview with HipHopSite.com, Prince Paul said that the sample looped in the song was produced by RNS.[2] The story of the song is set in a courtroom,[3] where a man possessed by evil spirits confesses to a murder and his story behind it, over a loop of haunting vocals.[3][4]

Track listing

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A-side

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  1. "Diary of a Madman" (album version) – 4:38
  2. "Diary of a Madman" (album clean version) – 4:37
  3. "Diary of a Madman" (no courtroom) – 4:05

B-side

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  1. "Constant Elevation" (album version) – 2:34
  2. "Constant Elevation" (radio clean version) – 2:31
  3. "Constant Elevation" (instrumental) – 2:31
  4. "Diary of a Madman" (instrumental) – 4:38

Charts

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Chart Position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 82
U.S. R&B / Hip-Hop 57
Hot Rap Singles 8
Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales 11

References

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  1. ^ "Exclusive: Prince Paul Breaks Down Gravediggaz "6 Feet Deep" Track-By-Track". Hiphopsite.com. Retrieved 2023-05-21.
  2. ^ Chris, Pattinson (July 25, 2013). "Exclusive: Prince Paul Breaks Down Gravediggaz "6 Feet Deep" Track-By-Track". Archived from the original on 2013-07-29.
  3. ^ a b Lavin, Will (2020-10-28). "Horrorcore: these are 10 of the goriest rap songs ever". NME | Music, Film, TV, Gaming & Pop Culture News. Archived from the original on 2020-11-03.
  4. ^ Gilchrist, Todd (August 9, 2019). "How Gravediggaz made a gruesome hip-hop masterpiece". EW.com. Archived from the original on 2019-08-09.