In contrast to the group's debut album, Prince Paul had less involvement in the production of this album.[5] He did produce the outro and the skit preceding "Hidden Emotions." He was still billed as an official member of the group, however, and appeared on the cover and inserts of the album.
Two singles were released from the album, "Dangerous Mindz" and "The Night the Earth Cried," though neither made it to the Billboard charts.
Spin called the album a "fanciful dystopia," writing that "each rap suggests a creative act of desperation."[12]
Rolling Stone (9/18/97, p.104) – 3 stars (out of 5) – "...an exotic, multilayered soundscape that is often melancholic, but also melodic....the Gravediggaz deliver plenty to sink your pick into."
Entertainment Weekly (10/31/97, p.108) – "...guest rappers Killah Priest, Omen, and Hell Razor spin oblique horror stories from ghetto hell over bruising beats by RZA and Prince Paul." – Rating: B
Vibe (11/97, p.149) – "This second offering from Gravediggaz...finds the Wu-Tang boardsman moving away from production and immersing himself fully in the power of words....RZA is a master MC."
Option (11-12/97, p.100) – "Individually, it seems the Gravediggaz are trying to outdo each other (and every other MC) by writing and rapping denser, more complex rhymes than anybody....they maintain remarkable flow."
Melody Maker (09/13/97, p.50) – "...machetes injustice, decapitates the real criminals, and burys the lot of 'em in a festering, snake-filled pit."
Rap Pages (11/97, p.110) – "There's a lifetime supply of meta-force wordplay for the heads, enough braggadocio for the hard-core and plenty of hooks for the pop quadrant."
Track listing
Track listing information is taken from the official liner notes.[13]
12White, Armond (December 1997). "Reviews". Spin. SPIN Media LLC. p.160 – via Google Books.
↑The Pick, the Sickle and the Shovel (booklet). Gravediggaz. Gee Street/V2/BMG Records. 1997. 63881-32501.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
