The Beatnuts (US)

The Beatnuts

Celebrating the 30th anniversary of their debut EP ‘Intoxicated Demons’.

The Beatnuts are an American hip hop group and production duo from New York City. Its current members are JuJu and Psycho Les.

JuJu and Psycho Les grew up in different communities in Queens, New York City. Already when the group was formed, the Beatnuts encountered the legend Afrika Baby Bam from the Jungle Brothers. Africa introduced them to Native Tongues members including De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest and the Jungle Brothers. Beatnuts became the new member of Native Tongues, but mostly poured themselves into the periphery.

The Beatnuts entered the recording industry in 1990, producing two songs for British alternative hip-hop/electronica group Stereo MCs as well as a song for British rapper Monie Love. Over the next two years, they produced tracks for rappers including Common, Pete Nice & DJ Richie Rich and Kurious, as well as a full album for Chi-Ali. Since 1992, JuJu had not appeared on a record, but fellow Beatnuts rappers Fashion and Psycho Les appeared on songs he produced. In 1993, The Beatnuts produced more songs for the artists they had previously collaborated with, including Fat Joe, Suprême NTM and Da Youngsta’s. Meanwhile, The Beatnuts made their name as remix specialists by remixing songs for MC Lyte, Da Lench Mob, Naughty by Nature, Jomanda and others.

The Beatnuts signed deals with Violator Management and Relativity Records. In April 1993, The Beatnuts released their debut album, Intoxicated Demons: The EP, through their new label. It contained 11 songs, including the two singles “Reign of the Tec” and “No Equal”. The album was characterized by its hedonistic party lyrics and sample-heavy jazz beats. It was a critical success, receiving positive reviews from Allmusic, The Source and Entertainment Weekly. Intoxicated Demons was followed in 1994 with the self-titled full-length album The Beatnuts: Street Level. Street Level followed up their previous EP in the same style and charted 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.

The Beatnuts didn’t follow up their 1994 album until they released Stone Crazy in 1997. It featured “Off the Books,” a single that charted on the Billboard Hot 100 and featured a standout performance by Big Pun. In 1999, the group released 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 praised for its “eclectic” and “textured” beats as well as its “rough, rugged and demanding” lyrics with slightly more content variety than previous releases. The Beatnuts did not record another album until 2001’s Take It or Squeeze It. Their 2001 album contained two somewhat popular singles, “No Escapen’ This” and “Let’s Git Doe”. Their fifth studio album “Originators” was released in 2002 on Landspeed records and featured guest artists such as Large Professor and Ill Bill. Their sixth album “Milk Me” was released in 2004 on Penalty Records and features guest appearances from Akon, Rahzel and AG.

More recently, their song Se Acabo (Remix ft. Method Man) went viral on TikTok and was among the top three most used songs on the platform, introducing them to a whole younger generation.

Now The Beatnuts are back to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Intoxicated Demons on Nefertiti’s intimate stage. This is a unique concert experience and perhaps the last chance ever to see the group live.