Leaders of the New School -
A Future Without A Past... (1991)
Lest we forget, this is where Busta Rhymes started (see above right) and is one of the lesser-know
Native Tongues-affiliated groups, so you
think you know what to expect lyrically, and you'd be right - just delivered with more humour.
But whereas Black Sheep surprised you with harsh lyrical content, LOTNS' first album catches you off guard by basically 'doing a Pharcyde' a good year before the fact, and very well too.
This basically spells: unhinged, cartoonish, funk/soul-based hip-hop all delivered at a pace.
They did one album after this before splitting up and none of the non-Busta members did anything memorable thereafter, despite delivering that essential B-boy group dynamic on this album (i.e. the deep-voiced one, the high-pitched one, the zany one, synchronised rhymes etc).
Think Brand Nubian with a sense of humour, or the Jungle Brothers on a Pharcyde psychedelic tip - but more of an amphetamine high than a sluggish opium one.
A Future Without A Past.. is one of many front-to-back classics from this era and has been unfairly overlooked in favour of the equally-great
Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde IMO.
Would recommend checking out if you're also a fan of KMD's
Mr. Hood, Beastie Boys or the nonsense-speak of Das Efx - it's all on the same energetic consciousness vibe.