Queens in New York is one of the many places that cultivated and developed modern hip-hop. Many of the greatest rap artists exploded from this borough, such as Run DMC, Nas, LL Cool J, Onyx, Phife Dawg, and Salt N Pepa. It looks like I’ll have to add The Beatnuts to the list, because with their latest album Take It or Squeeze It, group members Psycho Les and JuJu prove they definitely belong in the category of Queens’ Finest.


The Beatnuts actually have a very impressive resume. Besides their 4 albums and two EPs, they do extensive production work for many artists. The Beatnuts have produced for Terror Squad, Wu Tang, Common and many others. It’s terrific that these two prolific producers have the ability to rock the mike just as well as they make music.


Another thing I love about The Beatnuts is that they produce all of their own music. All tracks on Take It or Squeeze It are listed as produced by The Beatnuts for Psycho Les Publishing. How many other artists, hip-hop or otherwise, can say that they produce all of their own tunes, as well as own the publishing? Not very many. These cats are definitely talented.


Track Listing

1. Intro
2. It’s Da Nuts
3. Prendelo [Light It Up] feat. Tony Touch
4. Contact feat. Marly Metal
5. Yo Yo Yo – feat. Greg Nice
6. If It Ain’t Gangsta – feat. Sean Black Attack
7. No Escapin’ This
8. Who’s Comin’ Wit Da S**t Na – feat. Willie Stubz
9. Let’s Git Doe – feat. Fatman Scoop
10. Hood Thang – feat. Miss Loca
11. Hammer Time – feat. Al Tariq, Problemz, Marly Metal, and Moonshine
12. U Don’t Want It – feat. Triple Seis
13. Mayonnaise
14. Se Acabo remix – feat. Method Man


The CD starts off with a short introduction, then immediately moves into the second track, “It’s Da Nuts” . Here, Psycho Les and JuJu use their unconventional rap techniques to brag about their group. This track utilizes syncopated drums, female background vocals, and a strumming bassline to carry off the track. The result is incredibly funky.


The “Piecemaker” himself, Tony Touch, shows up for track 3, “Prendelo [Light It Up]” , and actually raps pretty well for a DJ. The ‘Nuts piece together a slower-paced beat with sparse percussion and a synthesizer providing a Latin melody. JuJu, Les and Tony all freestyle with some off-the-wall rhymes. Tony raps:

“Entiendelo/
kid I got the endless flow/
I made money off the books but I spent it though/
Still running with these quirks wearing expensive clothes/
The triflest/
talking about light the spliff/
Everybody in the room swinging right to left/
It ain't A Tribe Called Quest/
It’s Psycho Les, /
Tone Touch, Big Ju getting you hype to death/
Hype as f*ck/
talking about light it up/
Shorty gave me no play, is she a d*ke or what? /
I don't like to walk fast; man I like to strut/
Man I'm done here; another one bites the ‘Nuts/”


“Contact” , the fourth song on Take It or Squeeze It, is the quintessential “smoke weed, get high” rap song. The Beatnuts freestyle about the various merits of having sex and smoking marijuana on this track. Psycho Les even makes references to popping Ecstasy a few times on this track! Personally, I never use illegal drugs, even though in today’s society the use of marijuana is becoming more and more accepted. But come on; advocating Exstacy? WTF? That’s taking the drug thing too far. Les needs to chill on that.


“No Escapin’ This” is the first single off this LP and is a definite head-nodder. Greg Nice of old school rap group Nice & Smooth puts down the background vocals while Psycho Les and JuJu freestyle over the beat. The Beatnuts put together a very catchy beat, laced with pronounced, bumping drums and harmonizing female vocals. I like this one so much, I had to put this one on repeat a few times before moving on. On this track, JuJu raps:

“don’t be humble, it’s better to pull/
Believe you eligible/
to get left like a vegetable/
Man, it’s crazy and there’s no escape/
It’s turned into a police state/
The average cat don’t even know his fate/
Walk around like he’s hurting something/
and there’s nothing/
that he’s got to say that’s even worth discussing/
Listen to me/
It’s better to be/
lying dead with all them soldiers, than never be free/”


Fat Joe’s Terror Squad is represented by group member Triple Seis on track 12, “U Don’t Want It”. On this track, The Beatnuts put together a simple beat with subtle keyboards and a vibraphone sample. The three MCs do an excellent job with their lyrics on this song. Psycho Les drops this verse:

“Catch you with the cross bow/
Right through your torso/
What you said? (Nothing) Thought so/
Pass by your crib riding a horse slow/
Just checking out the negocio/
Time to collect from the industry’s belly/
Ni**a wanna come short like Joe Pesci/
Before I whack em, I crack a cold Pepsi/
Click back and leave his face messy”


The last track is a remix of “Se Acabo” the last track off their 1999 LP, Musical Massacre. For the musical accompaniment, the group uses brass horn hits and piano tones to drive the melody. Psycho Les and JuJu recruit Wu Tang Clansman Method Man to help them crush the mic on this song. Meth flexes his limited bilingual skills on this one:

“One on one through the nasal/
To put food on the table/
I rush associated labels/
Yo, ready, willing, and able/
To rock cradles/
And rock steady/
When I get the drop, I drop heavy/
Mr. Metal, mask, and machete/
God don’t want beef, he wants veggie/
Who got him gassed on his own ‘getti/
Battery back, he Eveready/
Now what’s f*ckin’ with that, huh? /
Not you, you chocha/
I f*ck with The Beatnuts, Living La Vida Loca/
Caete la boca/
See that Spanish Fly on the sofa? /
One word, he slaps you with the toasta/”


To be honest, I was very surprised by this album. I remember listening to Musical Massacre back in 1999 and I was not too impressed. I found that on that album, the lyrics were off and the beats were forgettable. However, a few days ago I walked into CD Warehouse with the intent of purchasing the latest efforts by either Krs-One, Black Thought, or Redman, but quickly found out that all those artists had their albums’ release dates pushed back. With my money burning holes in my pocket, I decided to give The Beatnuts another shot. I’m very glad I did.


So to sum up, if you’re a hip-hop fan that loves phat beats and creative production, I recommend purchasing Take It or Squeeze It by The Beatnuts. Psycho Les and JuJu deliver tight, off-the-wall rhymes and excellent production. While it’s not the longest album in the world, the tracks they do provide will unquestionably keep your speakers knocking for a long while. So don’t hesitate, hurry up and go grab the ‘Nuts.


Discography
Intoxicated Demons EP
The Beatnuts LP
Stone Crazy
The Spot EP
Musical Massacre
Take It or Squeeze It



Recommended: Yes

Great Music to Play While: Hanging With Friends