AMG Review of Helter Skelter

Stephen Thomas Erlewine
All Music Guide

After releasing his debut album, No One Can Do It Better, the D.O.C. suffered a severe car accident that did irreparable damage to his vocal cords. It left him with a thin, raspy voice that was simply unusable for several years. In 1996, he made his admirable comeback with Helter Skelter. The backing tracks are solid gangsta rap recorded by a live band, and sometimes the harsh growl of his voice sounds threatening, giving the tracks a menacing power.