Foreign Legion Playtight
1,603 plays
6,028 views
6,028 views
If you haven’t heard of Marc Stretch, Prozack and DJ Design (d.b.a. Foreign Legion), you’re about to. Those who are familiar with Foreign Legion may recall the trio’s first appearance on wax, “Full Time B-Boy” (ABB Records, 1999) a track that is universally recognized today as an all out B-Boy manifesto. Others may recall the infamous costume shows, like the time MCs Marc Stretch and Prozack came on stage as Batman and the Joker, or maybe the time 6 ft. 4, 300 lb. Stretch came out with Prozack stuffed in a backpack, whereupon he rapped his verses flawlessly, without missing a beat.
In 2000, FL dropped their debut LP 'Kidnapper Van: Beats to Rock While Bike Stealin’. Ever the conductor, producer and beat maker DJ Design crafted the album with equal parts Average White Band and Boston Philharmonic, resulting in a sound just ahead of its time musically - yet firmly rooted in hip hop’s past. This unique blend quickly garnered no small measure of indie success for the trio both in the underground press and with audiences throughout the Bay Area. Not satisfied with only a local following, the group began spreading the FL word worldwide. They toured Europe and Australia (and Europe again) giving screaming audiences all the Kidnapper Van they'd been asking for, and performed some scattered shows across the US. ‘Kidnapper Van’ ultimately reached over 10,000 in sales and, finally, the FL boys decided it was time for a sabbatical.
Look Records tracked down the splintered group in late 2001 for another go. It was no easy task. Marc Stretch had been traveling the vast expanse of Northern California, playing football for the Oakland Vipers (true). Prozack took off to a third world country to begin work on his solo project for Dream Works Records (also true; it's due out Winter 2004). DJ Design holed up in his studio, making beats and avoiding the light of day (not true; he ventured out once a day for coffee). But once reunited in the studio, it was soon as if they had never left us.
The end result was “Playtight.”
It was again a call to armsnot for MC’s and B-Boys, but for bartenders and club girls. Not to say that the group has abandoned their roots, on the contrary, they are sharper than ever. Lyrically, the boys come with enough punch lines for you and your cipher. Just don’t expect any self-loathing or deep metaphysical examinations. And DJ Design handcrafted each beat as if it was to be played through those big-ass speakers that sit next to the stage. This is party music, people. Big bass lines, big drums, big everything. Foreign Legion is back. So sit back, grab the Henny out your girlfriend’s purse, and enjoy.
1,603 plays
6,029 views
6,029 views
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