C1RCA, Atomique & Degree One present....
THE BEATNUTS
20th. Anniversary Tour
w/ guests TBA(Tokin Blaq'n'Aleph), Sirreal and DJ Wood.
FRIDAY, March 5th. 2010
at Sugar Nightclub - 858 Yates St. Victoria BC
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BEATNUTS:
Both Junkyard Juju and Psycho Les grew up in different communities in Queens, New York. Psycho Les started producing beats and DJing at age 15 under aliases including DJ Les Jams and DJ Incredible. At a high school in Flushing, Queens, a friend DJ Loco Moe introduced Les to fellow producer Juju. While crate digging, both Beatnuts ran into hip hop pioneer Afrika Bambaataa. Bambaataa introduced them to fellow Native Tongues including De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest and the Jungle Brothers. At this time, Juju and Psycho Les were DJing parties under the alias Beat Kings. The Jungle Brothers claimed that they were not kings, but rather two nuts for their comical nature. They thus changed their name and it stuck. The two Beatnuts members later met up with rapper Kool Fashion.
The Beatnuts entered the recording industry in 1990 producing two tracks for the electronica group Stereo MCs. Over the next two years, they produced songs for rappers including Common, Pete Nice and Kurious, as well as a full album for Chi-Ali. As of 1992, Juju had not appeared MCing on a record, but fellow Beatnuts rappers Fashion and Psycho Les layed lyrics on tracks that he produced. In 1993, The Beatnuts produced more songs for the artists they had previously collaborated with as well as Fat Joe and Da Youngstas. At the same time, The Beatnuts made their name as remix specialists by remixing songs for MC Lyte, Da Lench Mob, Naughty by Nature and others.
The Beatnuts' early production work earned them a record deal with Combat Records in 1992. The Beatnuts planned on releasing a "mini-LP" through that label, but its release was delayed when Kool Fashion was sentenced to six months of jail for drug convictions. After Fashion completed his sentence, The Beatnuts signed deals with Violator Management and Relativity Records. On April 6, 1993, The Beatnuts released their debut album, 'Intoxicated Demons: The EP'. It featured 11 songs, including the two singles 'Reign of the Tec' and 'No Equal.' The album was characterized by its hedonistic party-style lyrics and sample-heavy jazz beats. It was a critical success receiving favorable reviews by Allmusic, The Source and Entertainment Weekly.
'Intoxicated Demons' was followed in 1994 with the eponymous full length album 'The Beatnuts: Street Level'. 'Street Level' followed its preceding EP in style, but slightly surpassed its commercial success by charting on the Billboard 200. It featured two singles, 'Props Over Here' and 'Hit Me with That'. 'Street Level' was the last Beatnuts album released before Fashion left the group to become a devout Muslim and solo artist under the alias Al' Tariq. He left The Beatnuts on good terms and has since collaborated with his former group on future albums.
The Beatnuts didn't follow up their '94 album until releasing 'Stone Crazy' in '97. It contained 'Off the Books', a single that charted on the Billboard Hot 100 and featured the first on-record performance by the now legendary Big Pun.
1998 saw the release of 'The Spot', a remix EP that revamped favorite songs from the first three non-instrumental Beatnuts albums. It additionally featured sequels to older Beatnuts tracks and one new song, 'Treat$'. It was released in anticipation of 1999's 'A Musical Massacre', The Beatnuts' most commercially and critically successful album. 'A Musical Massacre' reached #35 on the Billboard 200 due to its hit single 'Watch Out Now'. The album is hailed for its eclectic and textured beats as well as its rough, rugged, and raunchy lyrics with slightly more content variation than past releases.
After Sony released The Beatnuts's first hits compilation, 'World Famous Classics', The Beatnuts did not record another album until 2001's 'Take It or Squeeze It'. Their 2001 album contained the singles, 'No Escapin' This' and 'Let's Git Doe.'
In 2002, they released 'The Originators' and next up was their 2004 album 'Milk Me' which contained the song 'Confused Rappers', featuring Rahzel and Grandmaster Roc Raida, a track that dissed Jennifer Lopez for essentially stealing the beat from The Beatnuts' 'Watch Out Now' on her hit 'Jenny from the Block'. The song criticizes Lopez's singing ability and looks, but ultimately criticizes the track's producers--Trackmasters and Cory Rooney--for stealing the beat. Although The Beatnuts did eventually receive royalties, Psycho Les is still critical of the track's producers. 'Milk Me' also featured 'Find Us (In the Back of the Club)' featuring the up and coming Akon, a catchy track that was welcomed by hip hoppers and clubbers alike and left dance floors burning worldwide.
The Beatnuts have been showin us how it's done for 20 years.... don't miss them on their 20th Anniversary tour this March 5th. in Victoria.
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Tickets: $23 in Advance - Available NOW at Lyle's Place, Ditch, Complex, Aspen's, Higher Ground, Platinum Lounge and http://www.ticketweb.ca
Extra Info:
Doors at 9pm
No Minors. 2 Pieces of ID Required.
