April 07, 2017

Das EFX's "Dead Serious" (25th Anniversary Mix)

Das EFX The Source Interview July 1992
Das EFX The Source Interview July 1992

Das EFX (Krayz Drayz & Skoob) released their debut album, 'Dead Serious,' 25 years ago today and caused a shift in music. A 1992 headline in Billboard once read: "Family-style 'Hit Squad' gets over, but hardcore is still hard to book.' Let's not try to rewrite history just because Das EFX's style caught on, countless artists bit it, and Common had a line throwing shade about them in a song, Dray & Books brought their hardcore, underground aesthetic to the mainstream. With it, a whole new wave of backpack fans and golden era music. In the interview in The Source (July, 1992), they'd describe themselves saying, "we're just lyricists, and we're trying to bring something new to this lyrically. If you're gonna get into Das EFX, you gotta sit down, play the tape and try to catch each line. That's what we're all about." Pre-Genius, you'd have to catch each line to appreciate the foolishness of a track like 'Looseys,' then ask yourself if the label was paying as much attention, lol. At the height of music, would you argue that Das EFX put out 2-3 smash albums? How they've aged aside, I wouldn't argue against that and if you catch them live, you'll be reminded quickly. Matty C sums it up nicely, "some people get tiggedy tired of thiggedy this, but if you don't think they have skills, you need a hearing aid kid." Much respect to Solid Scheme for their exceptional production on the LP, Pete Rock for his remix, and DJ Chris Read on the 25th-anniversary mixtape below...