Company Flow — Funcrusher EP

In 1993, rapper Jamie "El-P" Meline and producer Leonard "Mr. Len" Smythe formed the Brooklyn group Company Flow, later joined by Queens rapper Justin "Bigg Jus" Ingleton. El-P performs the greatest number of stanzas and the entire production, reserving the beat of the last tune, the only instrumental, for Mr. Len. More than a collaborative project, it's a sort of union of intentions between the three entities: the only songs in which both El-P and Bigg Jus are committed to rapping are the first two, not surprisingly the two finest tracks on the tape. The rest of the pieces are a collaboration with Kevin "BMS" Smith ("Vital Nerve"), and two solo cuts each by Meline ("Corners '94", "The Definitive") and Ingleton ("Silence", "Krazy Kings").

In "Bad Touch Example", Bigg Jus immediately starts strong with the first line and also manages to raise the level during the verse, dropping bars with a dynamic, fresh, hardcore, dope flow. El-P manages to stand up to him in the second verse with a good style, on a boom bap with melodic samples, jazzy loops and a dirty, dry and raw drum midtempo. "8 Steps to Perfection" boasts a humid, sad, melancholy rhythm, with fantastic samples and a sad, perfect midtempo drum. Bigg Jus's delivery is smoothness and slow, El-P brings out a good flow, closes Bigg Jus on a beat that could go on forever. The other tracks aren't on the same level, there are some sparse, boisterous, lively, outgoing drums and unmemorable loops, the performers continue to bring out very good verses lyrically and technically, proving to be among the best acts of the season in the East Coast.

This work comes out on vinyl. Eight songs, two collaborative, two soloists each, one with guest, one instrumental. Just over thirty-two minutes. It's compact, solid, bright and better than the subsequent LP "Funcrusher Plus" (1997), which he makes the structure ("Corners '94" is the only track to remain off the album): it's more cohesive, tighter, never drops below a certain level of quality, and the high points are among the best times of the year. The album is released under the group's label, Official Recordings, gains a significant following in the independent market and draws the attention of major mainstream labels: in order not to distort their music, Company Flow choose the label that meets their conditions and not the most profitable, signing with Rawkus Records.

Rating: 8.5/10.