NOT. That is the only word that will wipe away your assumptions, expectations, and comparisons. DAS EFX, like a multi-million dollar film, laced with special EFX, must be experienced, NOT described, discussed, or analyzed. Dray and Skoob are NOT simply blessed with rap skills like Grand Puba, or Busta Rhymes. They do NOT simply rap with turbo speed like Treach or Wise Intelligent. They have created a style, which many will imitate, but NOT many will succeed. DAS EFX, (an acronym for "Dray and Skoob EFX"), is a style that could easily be bottled and sold. But instead they have cornered the market with 11 diggedy-dope tracks on their debut album, Dead Serious. The question is who would dare try to do this themselves? Just like a high EFX stunt in a film, people should probably NOT try this at home. Dray, (aka Krazy Drayz), says of their sound, "Our music is with a lot of effects. The style is so unique, a lot of people think it's one person rhyming." His partner in rhyme, Skoob (aka Books), reveals what he thinks is the key to their style. "We have a little secret. What it is, we were away from Hip Hop. We were in Virginia, going to Virginia State so I guess by NOT being exposed to what was going on up here, our style developed so differently. I think that had a big effect." "We were exposed to NO rap shows...at all," says Dray. Revisit their debut LP, cont'd below...
DAS EFX got "here" via a rap content held in Richmond, that EPMD was judging. The club was a "hole in the wall." Their hopes raised with the sight of Erick and Parrish walking in. The show began and groups were getting scores as high as 7's, 8's, and 9's. When it was their turn to go up, they heard cynics commenting on their dreadlocks. "De La Soul look-alikes," they heard rumbling through the crowd. They got busy, and the crowd warmed up. "I remember glancing back and seeing Erick in the seat jammin' next to Parrish. We finished and our scores were mad high. Parrish pulled me to the side and said 'Before you leave, gimme your phone number.'" When it was time to announce the winners, it was NOT them. "We were like, 'That's it, we're about to graduate. Forget rap,'" says Dray. Then, Parrish walked across the stage and he leaned over and whispered into his ear, "Would you rather have the $100 or a record deal?" The record deal, and the rest is DAS EFX. Cont'd below...
The first rickety-rockin' single, "They Want EFX," is a slippery, funky tracks with the DAS EFX in full effect. The humorous and playful rhyme runs from engine-run rhymes to slowed-down acapella chanting to a razor sharp hook that will bob your head without you knowing. Dray says, "We don't just like writing two sentences that rhyme together. We like taking one idea from one place and put in another. How many years has it been that if somebody wants to rhyme, the last word of the first sentence rhymes with the last word of the second sentence. We'd rather make the first word rhyme with the third word, and the last word rhyme with the first word of the second sentence, and two in the middle, and, if you can, let's get another word that rhymes with the first word and still have the last ending word rhyme." DAS EFX is the dawn of a new age in rap music. Not since the Native Tongues movement has such unbridled creativity been unearthed. Dray and Skoob have one hope, "We want to bring entertainment back to it. Let's make it fun again. We want to have fun with it. I want to be able to listen to my own stuff and enjoy it." Like their mentors EPMD once said, rap is finally outta control. "So tiggedy tell your friends that here comes DAS EFX." - Press Kit, '91.
