Funcrusher Plus
Encyclopedia
Funcrusher Plus is the debut album by Brooklyn
, New York
hip-hop
group Company Flow
, released on July 28, 1997 (see 1997 in music
). It was the first album released on Rawkus Records
, arguably the most popular and successful independent
hip hop label of the late 1990s. Hailed as an artistic success, Funcrusher Plus is now considered a cornerstone of the East Coast hip hop
movement.
-inspired Bigg Jus solo cut "Lune TNS", were both later featured on Rawkus' influential 1997 compilation album Soundbombing
. A bonus track titled "Corners '94" was featured only on cassette and vinyl versions of the release. The majority of the album is produced by El-P, and also features production from Mr. Len
and Bigg Jus
. Guest appearances are provided by J-Treds, BMS and The Juggaknots. El-P and Bigg Jus both have several solo tracks on the album.
Funcrusher Plus was the only full-length album released by the group. They followed in 1999 with an instrumental album titled Little Johnny From the Hospitul: Breaks & Instrumentals Vol.1
, then split ways with Rawkus Records due to personal differences. In 2000, the group released a popular underground single titled "D.P.A." on El-P's newly formed record label Definitive Jux
, then officially parted ways in 2001. El-P furthered his career as a producer, crafting original scores for films like Bomb the System
, and released an acclaimed solo album titled Fantastic Damage
. Bigg Jus released a pair of albums between 2004 and 2005, receiving little attention. Mr. Len has since continued his DJing and producing career, and also released a pair of compilation albums. Though Company Flow received continually growing attention after the release of their debut, no project released by the group or its members since has been able to match the wide acclaim of Funcrusher Plus.
A newly mastered version of the album was rereleased through El-P's Definitive Jux label on May 5th, 2009.
releases of its time. Self-described as "independent as fuck," the album was influential over the burgeoning underground rap scene of the late '90s, due to its creative production techniques and abstract lyricism. Allmusic gave the album a perfect 5 Star rating, and writer Steve Huey stated:
The album was described as "convention shattering" by RapReviews, and is acknowledged as one of the most original hip hop albums ever released. Despite the wide acclaim, the album was unable to reach much further than the New York
underground scene, and failed to reach any Billboard chart
. The only charting single from the album was "Blind", reaching the Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales chart, but failing to reach the Hot Rap Singles
or Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks charts. In spite (or because) of this, tracks like "8 Steps to Perfection," "Blind," and "The Fire in Which You Burn" became underground anthems of the late 1990s.
The album was included in Pitchfork's
list of the top 100 albums of the 1990s.
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
hip-hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
group Company Flow
Company Flow
Company Flow is an American underground hip hop group from Brooklyn, New York City at one time associated with the independent record label Rawkus Records. Rapper/producer El-P and DJ/producer Mr...
, released on July 28, 1997 (see 1997 in music
1997 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1997.-January:*January 9 – David Bowie performs his 50th Birthday Bash concert at Madison Square Garden, New York City, USA with guests Frank Black, The Foo Fighters, Sonic Youth, Robert Smith of The Cure, Lou Reed, and Billy...
). It was the first album released on Rawkus Records
Rawkus Records
Rawkus Records is an American hip-hop record label known for jump-starting the careers of both Mos Def and Talib Kweli. Rawkus started in 1996 with initial releases ranging from hip-hop to drum and bass...
, arguably the most popular and successful independent
Independent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
hip hop label of the late 1990s. Hailed as an artistic success, Funcrusher Plus is now considered a cornerstone of the East Coast hip hop
East Coast hip hop
East Coast hip hop is a regional subgenre of hip hop music that originated in New York City, USA during the 1970s. Hip hop is recognized to have originated and evolved first in the East Coast...
movement.
Overview
The album is largely compiled of tracks recorded over a period of 3 years, including those featured on the group's debut Funcrusher EP, as well as a number of newly recorded songs. The group's past singles, "8 Steps to Perfection" b/w "Vital Nerve", and "Population Control", are included on the debut, as well as the single "Blind" b/w "Tragedy of War (In III Parts)". The tracks "The Fire in Which You Burn", and the graffitiGraffiti
Graffiti is the name for images or lettering scratched, scrawled, painted or marked in any manner on property....
-inspired Bigg Jus solo cut "Lune TNS", were both later featured on Rawkus' influential 1997 compilation album Soundbombing
Soundbombing
Soundbombing is a 1997 compilation album from independent Hip Hop label Rawkus Records. This was the first in a long line of acclaimed compilations from Rawkus, followed by two installments of the Lyricist Lounge series and two more Soundbombing albums...
. A bonus track titled "Corners '94" was featured only on cassette and vinyl versions of the release. The majority of the album is produced by El-P, and also features production from Mr. Len
Mr. Len
Mr. Len is a hip hop DJ from Bronx, New York. He was a member, with Bigg Jus and El-P, of the underground hip hop trio Company Flow, which disbanded in the late-1990s. Presently he is in a group with Kimani Rogers from The Masterminds named Roosevelt Franklin...
and Bigg Jus
Bigg Jus
Bigg Jus is an American hip hop artist from New York City, formerly a member of Company Flow along with Mr. Len and El-P. After the late-1990s breakup of Company Flow, Bigg Jus formed the now defunct Sub Verse Music and began to pursue his solo career...
. Guest appearances are provided by J-Treds, BMS and The Juggaknots. El-P and Bigg Jus both have several solo tracks on the album.
Funcrusher Plus was the only full-length album released by the group. They followed in 1999 with an instrumental album titled Little Johnny From the Hospitul: Breaks & Instrumentals Vol.1
Little Johnny From the Hospitul: Breaks & Instrumentals Vol.1
Little Johnny from the Hospitul is Company Flow's second album, which was released in 1999, soon after the group disbanded.The song "Bee Aware" became the song "Arize" by Mr. Lif....
, then split ways with Rawkus Records due to personal differences. In 2000, the group released a popular underground single titled "D.P.A." on El-P's newly formed record label Definitive Jux
Definitive Jux
Definitive Jux is an independent record label based in New York City, United States. It was co-founded in 1999 by Jaime Meline and Amaechi Uzoigwe. The label was initially known simply as Def Jux, but in 2001, popular hip hop label Def Jam Recordings sued Def Jux over the name similarity...
, then officially parted ways in 2001. El-P furthered his career as a producer, crafting original scores for films like Bomb the System
Bomb the System
Bomb the System is a drama film written and directed by Adam Bhala Lough, which was released to film festivals in 2002 and American theaters in 2005. It revolves around a group of graffiti artists living in New York City who decide to make a mark on the city, and stars Mark Webber, Gano Grills,...
, and released an acclaimed solo album titled Fantastic Damage
Fantastic Damage
Fantastic Damage is the first proper full-length solo album by New York rapper and producer El-P, released on his own Definitive Jux label on May 14, 2002. The tracks "Fantastic Damage", "Deep Space 9mm", and "The Nang, the Front, the Bush and the Shit" were featured in the El-P-scored graffiti...
. Bigg Jus released a pair of albums between 2004 and 2005, receiving little attention. Mr. Len has since continued his DJing and producing career, and also released a pair of compilation albums. Though Company Flow received continually growing attention after the release of their debut, no project released by the group or its members since has been able to match the wide acclaim of Funcrusher Plus.
A newly mastered version of the album was rereleased through El-P's Definitive Jux label on May 5th, 2009.
Critical Acclaim
Funcrusher Plus was one of the most acclaimed alternative hip hopAlternative hip hop
Alternative hip hop is a sub-genre of hip hop music. Allmusic defines it as follows: -Origin:...
releases of its time. Self-described as "independent as fuck," the album was influential over the burgeoning underground rap scene of the late '90s, due to its creative production techniques and abstract lyricism. Allmusic gave the album a perfect 5 Star rating, and writer Steve Huey stated:
The album was described as "convention shattering" by RapReviews, and is acknowledged as one of the most original hip hop albums ever released. Despite the wide acclaim, the album was unable to reach much further than the New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
underground scene, and failed to reach any Billboard chart
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
. The only charting single from the album was "Blind", reaching the Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales chart, but failing to reach the Hot Rap Singles
Hot Rap Tracks
Rap Songs is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States. It lists the 25 most popular hip-hop/rap songs, calculated weekly by airplay on rhythmic and urban radio stations and sales in hip hop-focused or exclusive markets. From 1989 through 2001, it was based on how much the single...
or Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks charts. In spite (or because) of this, tracks like "8 Steps to Perfection," "Blind," and "The Fire in Which You Burn" became underground anthems of the late 1990s.
The album was included in Pitchfork's
Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock...
list of the top 100 albums of the 1990s.
Track listing
| # | Title | Producer(s) | Performer (s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Bad Touch Example" | El-P | Bigg Jus Bigg Jus Bigg Jus is an American hip hop artist from New York City, formerly a member of Company Flow along with Mr. Len and El-P. After the late-1990s breakup of Company Flow, Bigg Jus formed the now defunct Sub Verse Music and began to pursue his solo career... , El-P |
| 2 | "8 Steps to Perfection" | El-P | Bigg Jus, El-P |
| 3 | "Collude/Intrude" | El-P | El-P, J-Treds |
| 4 | "Blind" | El-P | Bigg Jus, El-P |
| 5 | "Silence" | El-P | Bigg Jus |
| 6 | "Legends" | El-P | El-P |
| 7 | "Help Wanted" | El-P | *Interlude* |
| 8 | "Population Control" | El-P | El-P, Bigg Jus, R.A. the Rugged Man R.A. The Rugged Man R. A. Thorburn, better known as R.A. the Rugged Man, is an emcee from Suffolk County, Long Island, New York.-Career:At 18, R.A. signed with Jive Records and then in the mid-1990s signed with Priority Records/EMI. His contract was later absorbed by Capitol Records but he began recording... |
| 9 | "Lune TNS" | Bigg Jus | Bigg Jus |
| 10 | "Definitive" | El-P | El-P |
| 11 | "Lencorcism" | Mr. Len Mr. Len Mr. Len is a hip hop DJ from Bronx, New York. He was a member, with Bigg Jus and El-P, of the underground hip hop trio Company Flow, which disbanded in the late-1990s. Presently he is in a group with Kimani Rogers from The Masterminds named Roosevelt Franklin... |
*Interlude* |
| 12 | "89.9 Detrimental" | El-P | El-P |
| 13 | "Vital Nerve" | El-P | El-P, BMS BMS BMS is a three letter acronym that may refer to:* Be-Music Script, a computer file format* Black Mesa * Borane-methylsulfide* Bristol Motor Speedway* Broadmeadows railway station, Melbourne... |
| 14 | "Tragedy of War (In III Parts)" | El-P | Bigg Jus, El-P |
| 15 | "The Fire in Which You Burn" | El-P | Breezly Brewin, J-Treds, El-P, Bigg Jus |
| 16 | "Krazy Kings" | El-P | Bigg Jus |
| 17 | "Last Good Sleep" | Mr. Len, El-P | El-P |
| 18 | "Info Kill II" | El-P | Bigg Jus, El-P |
| 19 | "Funcrush Scratch" | Mr. Len | *Interlude* |
| * | "Corners '94" | El-P | El-P |
Samples
- "Legends"
- "Lex Lugor" by The Cenobites
- "8 Steps To Perfection"
- "Smokin' Cheeba Cheeba" by Harlem Underground Band
- "Info Kill II"
- "Come in Out of the Rain" by ParliamentParliamentA parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
- "Come in Out of the Rain" by Parliament
- "Lune TNS"
- "Growth Sequence" by Steve RoachSteve Roach-Collaboration albums:-Compilation albums:* The Lost Pieces – rarities collection* Truth & Beauty: The Lost Pieces Volume Two – rarities collection* Dreaming.....
- "Growth Sequence" by Steve Roach
- "Tragedy Of War"
- "Opus Pocus" by Jaco PastoriusJaco PastoriusJohn Francis Anthony Pastorius III , known as Jaco Pastorius, was an American jazz musician and composer widely acknowledged as a virtuoso electric bass player....
- "Opus Pocus" by Jaco Pastorius
Album singles
| Single information |
|---|
"8 Steps to Perfection"
|
| "Infokill" (non-album single)
|
| "Blind"
|
Personnel
- El-P - Producer, lead vocals, mixing
- Bigg JusBigg JusBigg Jus is an American hip hop artist from New York City, formerly a member of Company Flow along with Mr. Len and El-P. After the late-1990s breakup of Company Flow, Bigg Jus formed the now defunct Sub Verse Music and began to pursue his solo career...
- Producer, lead vocals - Mr. LenMr. LenMr. Len is a hip hop DJ from Bronx, New York. He was a member, with Bigg Jus and El-P, of the underground hip hop trio Company Flow, which disbanded in the late-1990s. Presently he is in a group with Kimani Rogers from The Masterminds named Roosevelt Franklin...
- Producer, scratching - J-Treds - Vocals
- BMS - Vocals
- Breezly Brewin - Vocals
- Vassos - Recording, engineering, mixing
- Jeff Cordero - Recording, engineering, mixing
- Walker Bernard - Recording, engineering
- Chris Athens - Mastering
Singles chart positions
| Year | Song | Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | "Blind" | 44 |