ILL ARTICLES AND NEWZ
BEATNUTS...
To reign at the top of your game, its not enough to have just lyrical expertise tucked in your back pack 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.
The Corona, Queens duo Psycho Les and Junkyard Juju, also known as Les and Juju, linked up back at the rise of hip-hop in the early 80's initially on a mission to create beats. The duo would soon master tracks for the likes of "Fat Joe" and Wu-Tang Clan's "Ghostface Killah" amidst many others.
By 1993 Les and Juju would blast off on their own with the release of their debut album "Intoxicated Demons," which was soon to be followed by their self-titled sophomore album; both efforts encompassing the witty wordiness of the two coupled with contagious choruses and impressive production.
Just a few years later, hip-hop music was undoubtedly turned on its side when the Beatnuts stepped on the scene with the single "Off The Books," featured on their "Stone Crazy" LP. The Beatnuts introduced avid music listeners to a new sound and ushered in the lyrical skills of a legendary, the late Big Punisher and his fellow Terror Squad crony Cuban Link. Opening up the Beatnuts to a wider fan base, "Stone Crazy" was followed by their EP "The Spot" and 1999's "Musical Massacre." "We've just been able to stay together in the game because we believe in ourselves and the fans and that keeps us just doing our shit," Les expresses earnestly further confirming the fact that good groups can continue to make great music.
Obviously ahead of their time, the world famous Juju and Les commandeered a sound so sophisticated in its production, only the chosen were hip to the gems they dropped. Latin sensations before the pop explosion, Beatnuts left a water crest on hip-hop with their unforgettable instrumentals and impacting verses. But that was then, and since the days of going stone crazy on the mic, the Beatnuts have musically matured offering their latest "Take It Or Squeeze It." "This album is showing people that there is more to hip-hop than just a platinum chain and a Bentley car," Les offers in a matter-a-fact tone, "we are trying to show the fans that the music is what is important." Always maintaining their signature nutty anecdotes, cosmic interpolation of outside elements, and traditional hip-hop bass lines, the Beatnuts integrate a soul-filled instrumental in songs like "It's Da Nuts," which appropriately serves as the album's intro track.
"No Escaping This," the radio friendly first single, speaks directly to its title with its infectious elementary song-sounding chorus and bass pounding vocals. As the beat is looped, the Beatnuts flip lyrics in and out of the circular instrumental, invoking both a shoulder shuffling glide as well as a low-key chill vibe. "This whole album is a strong album, and unlike our last album, we have more radio joints, where before there was only one or two, we now got twelve hits ready for rotation," Les declares showing the versatility of the duo.
As well, the Spanish-influenced tracks like "Prendelo" which features the lyrical talent of Tony Touch and "Se Acabo" remix with Method Man contribute that extra additive to fulfill any fans' musical cravings. Even "Yo, Yo, Yo," featuring pioneering emcee Greg Nice of Nice N' Smooth, with its piano riff supply any listener with that added nuance of call and response.
Throughout the years, the Beatnuts have managed to secure their position in hip-hop as the talented and diligent emcees who through hell or high water will continue to make music that is just as stone crazy as it is off the books. So either take it or... well you know the album title.
COURTESY OF HIPHOPONLINE>COM
BEANIE SIGEL
Beef According To Beans
By Jigsaw
In this age of hip hop, beef is not something to be toyed with. But when things get hot, Beanie Sigel has never been one to back down. In this first of a two part series, Beans discusses the many beefs he and his Roc-A-Fella Family are going through. Warning: It Is About To Get Ugly.
How have you grown as a person and MC?
I don’t know in my age and years. I just speak my story. "The Truth" came out and that was – what? ’99? Yeah, that was two years ago. You know? Two Years of Growth.
I know when you first came out you had a problem at the Philly radio Power 99. What did that situation teach you? (Editor’s note: Beans was banned from the radio station for allegedly beating up a DJ who was selling "The Best of Beanie Sigel" bootlegs.)
That’s when I knew that I was – and I don’t like to say it – but a rapper. I was an entertainer. I knew I was in business. I knew I was a business man. It wasn’t Beans handling what he was in the street. You know, the way he would normally handle it. It was a situation that taught me a lesson as a business man. The pen is mightier than the sword.
Since you say that, let me ask you this: What is the deal with Mobb Deep / Nas beef with The Roc? What is your take on that?
Man, we the champs right now. Its like we got the belt. We got the chips. There are a lot of cats out there that want the belt. So, they wanna throw cheap shots hoping for a shot at the title. But you don’t gotta throw cheap shots ‘cause you can step inside the ring with Sig anytime you want. I don’t give a fuck about Mobb Deep. I don’t give a fuck about Nas. Fuck Mobb Deep. Fuck Nas. What they eat is not going to make me shit and what I eat ain’t going to make them fat. They got a problem with Jay Z, they got a problem with me. They got a problem with Bleek, they got a problem with me.
Word.
For one, women gossip. I ain’t sitting around writing raps to talk about another nigga. Women do that. I don’t got no split between my legs, I hang. If you got that much broad in you to think of raps to write about another man, you a faggot. Fuck you, nigga. I’ll address you in the street before I write a rap about you. If you write a rap about me, look forward to Beanie Sigel to come to you and step to you as a man.
Word.
I’ll put a little blood in ya mouth.
Are you trying…
Pick you up by your collar and smack you up…
(laughs)
Fuck ya waves up. Chip another tooth or something.
So, are you…
You see what I am saying?
I mean I…
Chip another tooth or something. Know what I mean? See if your Mobb is really a mob or do I gotta analyse it.
How ugly is this going to get. Its ugly like Shabba Ranks right now…
I’m prepared to handle whatever. I cross that road when I get to it. Right now, I am just doing me. I’m in it for the check. If its going to help me get paid to talk shit about Mobb Deep and Nas I am all for it. But, right now that ain’t helping me, that’s helping them. Like I said., I could give a fuck about Mobb Deep or Nas so fuck them. Its whatever.
Do you just want to keep it lyrical?
If you want to do that, then do that. But, like I said, women gossip. Like B.I.G. and Pac already outta here because of that. Talking shit on record. Bottom flatline. No matter how you look at it, B.I.G. not here, Pac not here from talking shit on record about other niggas. And then (people outside of the beef) get involved and then it turns into some shit. Don’t fuck with me ‘cause I am going all out to the extremes.
Last time I interviewed you, you had a little beef with your Philly boys, Major Figgas.
Have you all resolved that tension?
I don’t got beef with them. I’m not thinking about them. I’m making moves. I’m getting paid. I’m getting checks. I ain’t about that. It was a business deal (between us) that didn’t happen.
I heard Jay is bringing the heat on this next album. That’s the word on the street.
Aside from Mobb and Nas, cats like Jayo Felony, Meeno are poppin shots at Jigga. Is that true?
What? Jay brings heat every time. What? I ain’t holding nothing back. He’s going to crush anyone who got something to say. Like I said, there ain’t no women on The Roc. We eliminated that problem already. Ain’t no females on Roc-A-Fella. You got something that you want to get off your chest, we are going to answer all comers. We taking all fights. We not ducking any fights. We heavyweight champs, pound for pound. Everything can be pay per view.
I forgot about Amil. What happened?
I don’t know. I know that I’m right here. Like I said, its whatever.
She wasn’t on your album.
Nah.
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