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Jump up, jump up and get down!

Related Acts:
  • Limp Bizkit (DJ Lethal)
  • La Coka Nostra (all members originally, now just Danny Boy, though DJ Lethal still makes production contributions)

The House of Pain is in effect, y'all!
I say, the House of Pain is in effect!
You know, the House of Pain is in effect, y'all!
And anyone who steps up is gettin' wrecked!

Consisting of two Irish-American M.C.'s, Everlast and Danny Boy, and a Latvian-born DJ, Lethal, House of Pain is best known for their 1992 hit, "Jump Around", which has given them a One-Hit Wonder in the United Statesnote , although they've had other hits overseas.

Everlast started off his career solo as the Token White member of Ice-T's Rhyme Syndicate, releasing a solo album, Forever Everlasting in 1990. House of Pain formed in 1991, and released a Self-Titled Album which earned a lot of respectable press and sales, and a megahit single, "Jump Around", partly due to their association with Cypress Hill, whose DJ, Muggs, provided some of the album's production. They also participated in a Rap Rock fusion with the metal band Helmet for the Judgement Night soundtrack in 1993. A second LP, Same as It Ever Was, was even better received by critics, but not in sales.

Concurrent with the bombing of their third album, Truth Crushed to Earth Shall Rise Again, the band split up and Everlast pursued a solo career, utilizing a different sound reflecting a mix of some of his favorite genres, including rock, blues and country. DJ Lethal also joined the Nu Metal band Limp Bizkit, and for a while, it seemed that House of Pain was dead, until all HOP members formed the new group La Coka Nostra, with Ill Bill and Slaine, in 2006. House of Pain officially reformed in 2010, and will release a new album, while La Coka Nostra is also still kicking with Danny Boy, Ill Bill, Slaine, and DJ Eclipse.

"Jump Around" is a popular favorite, often played at sporting events in the United States, covered by Limp Bizkit in concerts, and translated into Gaeilge by Irish comedian Des Bishop. "Top O' The Morning to Ya" is another favorite from the group, featured in the movies Daredevil and Heat.

Members:

Discography:

  • House of Pain (1992)
  • Same as It Ever Was (1994)
  • Truth Crushed to Earth Shall Rise Again (1996)


House of Pain demonstrates the following tropes:

  • Abortion Fallout Drama: Everlast's single "What It's Like" dedicates the entire second verse of the song to sympathetically portraying a woman who chooses to get an abortion after the man bails on her, and the Christian protestors who spew their hatred at her as she approaches the clinic just because the scenario exists.
    And then she heads for the clinic and she gets some static walking through the door
    They call her a killer, and they call her a sinner and they call her a whore
    God forbid you ever had to walk a mile in her shoes
    'Cause then you really might know what it's like to have to choose
  • Bawdy Discography
  • Blasphemous Boast: In "Jump Around," Everlast claims to have "more rhymes than the Bible's got Psalms." Technically possible, since Psalms only consists of 150 works, most of which are the length of one or two rap song verses.
  • Boastful Rap
  • Donut Mess with a Cop: In "Jump Around":
    Everlast: I got more rhymes than there's cops at a Dunkin' Donuts shop
  • Drunken Song: A lot of 'em.
  • Fighting Irish: Primarily Everlast.
  • Karma Houdini: Johnny from "It Ain't a Crime" shoots and kills a liquor store cashier and two Hasidic Jews. When the police show up in front of his house, Johnny runs out the back door and calls his friend Jose for a getaway ride.
    If they catch him, he'll wind up in court
    But it ain't a crime if you don't get caught
  • Rap Rock: "Shamrocks & Shenanigans (Boom Shalock Lock Boom / Butch Vig Mix)"
  • Rap Metal: "Just Another Victim", with the band Helmet.
  • Shout-Out: "To the kids on the Hill, plus my mom and my pops."
    • "Home boy ya get clowned like Krusty."
    • One of their more obscure music references is "Like GG Allin, I'm crazy ill".
    • Their name is a reference to The Island of Dr. Moreau (1977) - They'd make a further reference by sampling relevant quotes (taken from the 1977 movie) in the tracks "Commercial 1" and "Commercial 2": "He who breaks the law goes back to the house of pain". They would later call a tour "He Who Breaks The Law".
    • "Try to play me out, as if my name was Sega"
  • The Stoner: Entire group, although beer is more prominently referenced.
  • Take That!: "Calvin Klein's no friend of mine/So I don't like Marky". Doubles as a Run–D.M.C. Shout-Out, since their song "Rock Box" also includes the line "Calvin Klein's no friend of mine".
    • At the end of "Jump Around", they aimed a diss at Ruffhouse Records founder Joe Nicolo, who they claimed screwed them out of their first album deal. Nicolo went on to produce Kris Kross, and their suspiciously similar debut song, "Jump, Jump".
      Yo, this is dedicated to Joe "The Biter" Nicolo
      Grab the Bozack, punk
  • Token White: House of Pain were among the first really successful pre-Eminem white rappers (including Beastie Boys, Kid Rock and Vanilla Ice) and are still among the most famous.

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