Funcrusher Plus
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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.
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 graffiti-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, R.A. The Rugged Man, 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.
Critical Acclaim
Funcrusher Plus was one of the most acclaimed alternative hip hop 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:
- "Funcrusher Plus demands intense concentration, but also rewards it, and its advancement of hip-hop as an art form is still being felt. It's difficult, challenging music, to be sure, and it's equally far ahead of its time."[1]
The album was described as "convention shattering" by RapReviews,[2] 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 then 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 90s.
Track listing
| # | Title | Producer(s) | Performer (s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Bad Touch Example" | El-P | Bigg Jus, 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 |
| 9 | "Lune TNS" | Bigg Jus | Bigg Jus |
| 10 | "Definitive" | El-P | El-P |
| 11 | "Lencorcism" | Mr. Len | *Interlude* |
| 12 | "89.9 Detrimental" | El-P | El-P |
| 13 | "Vital Nerve" | El-P | El-P, BMS |
| 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 |
Album singles
| Single information |
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"8 Steps to Perfection"
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"Infokill" (non-album single)
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| "Blind" |
Personnel
- El-P - Producer, lead vocals, mixing
- Bigg Jus - Producer, lead vocals
- Mr. Len - 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 | Chart positions | |||
| Billboard Hot 100 | Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks | Hot Rap Singles | Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales | ||
| 1997 | "Blind" | - | - | - | #44 |