W0javelli "The Best Of The Beatnuts" (Mix)

Props to Wojavelli, here's his Best of The Beatnuts mixtape. A continuous mix of The Beatnuts' hits, underground cuts and blends. The production/rapper duo of Psycho Les and Junkyard Juju (+ Al' Tariq & V.I.C. formerly) have brought us some of the best joints over the years, so this mix runs through many of their familiar gems and more slept-on cuts. Dig into it below and peace to Corona, Queens. "We are all about the beat, that's our formula when we produce shit, the beats gotta be hot, it's gotta grab you. 'Cause I'll be the first n!gga to say that we're not the best MCs in the world. It kills me to hear these nice MCs rhyming over fucking garbage." - The Beatnuts. Dig in...

The Beatnuts "Intoxicated Demons" (Microphone Check)

‘Intoxicated Demons: The EP’ is the debut EP from the Queens representatives, The Beatnuts. It was released on April 6, 1993 by Relativity Records. I bought the 12” for ‘Reign of the Tec’ on the strength of a quick listen at the turntable. At the time, I'd only known the name from liner notes, but their blend of ill production and off the top lyrics instantly made them a guilty pleasure. The music fit right in on the mixtapes we were making at the time. "Hardcore, straight to make you brothers act stupid." ‘Reign of the Tec’ may have been the only 12” released in advance of the album, otherwise ‘No Equal’ was the follow-up single, which incorporated vocal samples from Eric B. & Rakim + A Tribe Called Quest. Matter of fact, if you listen to the EP, there are a lot of small samples from other hip-hop records that weren't even out that long in their production. On the EP, Psycho Les and JuJu were joined by Fashion (Al’ Tariq), who went solo a couple years later for his dope LP, 'God Connections,' and V.I.C. (of Groove Merchantz) was part of their production team. Q-Tip regularly credited The Beatnuts as being down with Native Tongues and in turn, they all get shout-outs in the album credits along with Common, Brand Nubian, Large Pro, Stretch & Bobbito, Kid Capri, Red Alert and Chris Lighty, (R.I.P.), who also executive produced the EP. The zooted interview above is from The Source (6/93) and the video for 'Reign of the Tec' is below. "With the diabolical sound coming through your speaker." This still goes super hard! Updated video below.

The Beatnuts "Take It or Squeeze It" (Review + Press Kit, 2001)

It’s been 16 years since The Beatnuts released ‘Take It Or Squeeze It’ on Loud/Epic Records. Taken from their album press kit: ‘To reign at the top of your game, it’s not enough to have just lyrical expertise tucked in your backpack of skills. You have to be able to man the boards, direct musical content and deliver verses that will appeal to the underground while whetting the appetites of the mainstream. For more than seven years, the Beatnuts have fulfilled these necessary requirements displaying their ability to relentlessly issue the illest instrumentals paired with blistering hot lyrics.’ Yes, I agree Psycho Les & Juju are all those things. Yet, while their radio-friendly single, ‘No Escapin This' showcased their ability to reach both markets, did they have the content and a big enough second single to really capture the attention of that market? In retrospect, perhaps not on this album, but keeping true to their Queens roots, they never lost the underground. With an extensive catalog, production on classic albums and fan favorites, not to mention getting royalties from producers who jacked their style, The Beatnuts are cemented in hip-hop history. Happy 16th anniversary to ‘Take It Or Squeeze It;’ check the review above from the April '01 issue of Vibe, original advert and the press kit below. What's your favorite track from The Beatnuts?

The Beatnuts "Stone Crazy" (The Source, 7/97)

"The more you listen to the Beatnuts, the less you hear. Stone Crazy sounds like the work of connected long-shoremen. An inside job too good to be true. Concocted deep within the bowels of hip-hop's underground, Junkyard Ju-Ju and Psycho Les have created an album that once again takes us into their bizarre world where nobody's safe, the girls look so good and punks jump up to get beat down. With their debut EP, Intoxicated Demons, and 1994's still enjoyable, self-titled full-length, Les and Ju-Ju have exhibited a strict adherence to extolling the virtues of "fucking, drinking and smoking some shit," and with their latest (minus former partner Al' Tariq), these Latin playboys continue to bring the ruckus... As always, the Beatnuts say what they mean and mean what they say with a keen eye to every blow by blow detail." Peep "Off The Books," featuring Pun, below...

"While misogynist rants are in full effect, the record does have a darker, more sinister vibe as evidenced by the album's more enjoyable songs like the cryptic "N!ggaz Know," and the unabashed male bravado that laces the body of this album. Although the beats, this time around, aren't as instantly enticing as in the past, the psychedelic samples, lush melodramatic strings, and rough 4-track textures, coupled with the ever-improving rhyme flows of the two MCs, more than compensates. You'd be Stone Crazy to sleep on this record." - The Source, July 1997.

The Beatnuts "We Came Here" (12", 1997)

There's not too much from The Beatnuts catalog that would classify as truly obscure, but here goes one of their lesser known 12" releases from 1997. Classified as an unofficial release, it comes with "We Came Here" as a vocal track and instrumental, and the B-Side is the remix to "Hellraiser," again vocal and instrumental. The interesting story behind this release requires us to fast forward to 2009. I was working at Fat Beats and Psycho Les of The Beatnuts came in the shop. He was dropping off The Beatnuts' compilation release called "U.F.O. Files: Rare & Unreleased Joints." I hadn't heard anything about it at the time, so I told him if he sent me the artwork and info, I'd post it to the blog I had then. The next morning I woke up to an email with just a video file (not a link, the actual video). I searched YouTube and it wasn't online, so I confirmed he wanted me to post it up and sent it out to the blogs for coverage. It got several thousand views that week and generated a lil' buzz online and at the store for the project. Unfortunately, YouTube being what it is, at some point it flagged the video for a sample and instead of fighting it, I took it down. Either way, these are two of the rare tracks included on that compilation release, along with 20 others. Listen below.

The Beatnuts "Do You Believe" (Review, 1997)

If you ask me for my favorite cut from the illustrious career of The Beatnuts - without a pause - I'm gonna say "Do You Believe." It was released as the second single to their sophomore album, "Stone Crazy," in 1997. The Queens duo of Psycho Les & JuJu were also joined by Al' Tariq in their early days, as well as V.I.C. as part of their production team, but without diving into their back story, I do want to focus in on "Do You Believe," which was covered in The Source as a single: "Those intoxicated demos from the Q-borough are back with what devoted fans expected - some tight shit. This time around there's no jingles and one less member. Following last year's promo-only, undeniably bangin' release "Find That," "Do You Believe" continues to prove that the Ju-Ju and Psycho Les are still diggin' in them crates like bums on a McDonad's trash can." Watch the video below.

"Violent melody? Maybe, depending on how you react to the beautiful strings and sinking bassline. Thought the beat is somewhat less aggressive than most people would expect, that still doesn't stop Ju-Ju and Psycho Les from hittin' you in the head with pipelines like, "Do you believe in God? You do? Tell'em to save you, 'cause me and these n!ggas here we win't tryin to pay you / Regardless of the fact that it's close to home / I gotta finish your life so I can start my own." If "Find That" was the "pay me my money" song, then "Do You Believe" is the "we ain't paying you shit" song. Feeling brave? Just remember, they'll shoot your moms if they have to." (The Source 5/97). Updated.

The Beatnuts "Intoxicated Demons" (Video Interview, 1993)

"Intoxicated Demons" was the debut EP release from The Beatnuts on April 20, 1993. At the time, The Beatnuts were a trio consisting of Psycho Les, JuJu and Fashion (later known as Al' Tariq). The Beatnuts had been producing records for years prior to this release, and it's been said that frustrations with how some artists represented over their production was the inspiration for them to get in the booth and do it themselves. The EP had two singles "Reign Of The Tec" and "No Equal," and was well received by fans and media alike. As Queens representatives, The Beatnuts were considered peripheral members of the Native Tongues crew, and the only Latino members at that. Crates of JR released a video interview The Beatnuts had done in promotion of the "Intoxicated Demons" EP, which I hadn't seen at the time, so it's worth sharing below. Check it out, and I'll come back with press clippings and music from the release in a future discussion of this underrated EP.