Prozack and DJ Design grew up together in San Jose, CA, in the 80s and 90s. They stole bikes, drew comics, and studied the fine art of Rap Music. Through a strange turn of events, the guys found themselves working at Nordstroms in Seattle in the mid-late 90s, and decided that the had either both kill themselves in public, perhaps taking a dozen or so innocent bystanders out with them, or form a Rap Group of their own. By the late 90s, the guys were not dead. They had in fact moved back to the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Area, hooked up with their rapping friend known as Marc Stretch, and formed the aforementioned Rap Group. It came to be called Foreign Legion. Those who are familiar with them may recall the trio’s first appearance on wax, Full Time B-Boy (12" single, ABB Records, '99), an all out B-Boy manifesto. Others may recall the infamous costume shows, like the time Marc Stretch and Prozack came on stage as Prince and Michael Jackson, or maybe the time 6 ft. 4, 300 lb. Stretch came out with Prozack stuffed in a backpack, where he did his verses without missing a beat. In 2000, FL dropped their debut LP Kidnapper Van: Beats to Rock Whilst Bike Stealin’. Ever the conductor, DJ Design crafted the album with equal parts Average White Band and Boston Philharmonic. It was just ahead of its time, yet firmly rooted in it the past…kinda like that TV show “Quantum Leap”. Alas, as with any super-group achieving such vast popularity and overwhelming success, the pressures of many marriage proposals, death threats, FBI wiretaps, and international sex scandals became too much, and the F.L. was forced into early retirement. That is, until now. Look Records tracked down the splintered group, 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 later in 2003). DJ Design holed himself up in his studio, making beats and never seeing the light of day (...not true; he went out once a day for coffee). Once gathered, though, it was as if they had never left. They toured Europe, Australia and Europe again, did scattered shows in the US, and headed back into the studio. The end result was Playtight. It was again a call to arms–not for MC’s and B-Boys, but for Bartenders and club girls. Not to say that the group has become invalid, on the contrary, they are sharper than ever. Lyrically, the boys have come with enough punch lines, for you and your cipher. Just don’t expect any self-loathing or deep metaphysical examinations. This is party music, people. DJ Design handcrafted each beat as if it was to be played through those big ass speakers that sit next to the stage. Big bass lines, big drums, big everything. Foreign Legion is back. So sit back, grab the Hinny out your girlfriend’s purse, and enjoy.
WEBSITE: http://www.lookrecords.com MP3 Happy Drunk MP3 Bring It MP3 Voodoo Star Playtight Foreign Legion $13.00
Let me Tell You Something Kidnapper Van: Beats to Rock While Bike Stealin' Foreign Legion $15.98