Battery Vinyl, CD & Tape 4 Items

New pressing of 768 on coke bottle clear vinyl!

Amidst a sea of MCs wielding average talents at best and substandard jewels at worst, West Coast hip-hop crew the Tunnel Rats have consistently challenged the LA underground scene for over the past 20 years with top notch innovations from the studio to the stage. The Tunnel Rats were notorious for producing hard-hitting 90s West Coast hardcore hip-hop albums such as the collective’s first disc Experience and the subgroup LPG’s inaugural classic entitled The Earthworm (both efforts produced by Peace 586 and also the album responsible for hosting the legendary Pigeon John’s first appearance on record). The crew entered the early 2000s with a better label situation and distribution thru Uprok Records and perfecting their progressive sound, combining their evangelical Christian commitments with the rawest and audacious hip-hop content (mixing both organically to the point that many fans had absolutely no idea that they doubled in the “Christian hip-hop” market). The 2000s saw the Tunnel Rats releasing The Battle for LA (2003), a provocative documentary on the Los Angeles battle scene (in which various members of the crew took on opponents, one of whom was Blu of Blu and Exile, battling Tunnel Rat member Propaganda), as well as both producing and featuring on KRS-One’s album Life (2006). This special 7” showcases infamous and feared TR lyricist Jurny Big alongside original Tunnel Rat producer Peace 586, known together as “The Battery.” After returning to the scene after about decade hiatus, Jurny linked up with Peace and released three Battery EPs (One, Two, and The Change Up) on indie label Illect Records (Theory Hazit, Braille), all well-received by their core fanbase and newcomers. On “Rear View,” Jurny, known and respected for his exceptional and abrasive conceptual battle rapping, head to head and on record, approaches a raucous and heavy Peace beat alongside fellow Tunnel Rat soldiers Propaganda and Sojourn of TR former subgroup Future Shock with punchlines that take us back to his earlier days as a formidable verbal foe who showed up and showed out on tracks with the likes of Myka Nyne (Freestyle Fellowship, Haiku D’Etat, Project Blowed) and Ahmad (4th Avenue Jones). “Rear View” features three seasoned lyricists doing more than justice to this massive Peace track, showing die-hard fans why the Rats still aren’t to be taken lightly. Also, this is Jurny’s first appearance on vinyl in his long and remarkable career, an occurrence many Tunnel Rats enthusiasts have anticipated. Limited to 200. This 7” is truly a very important and unique contribution to West Coast hip-hop history, past and present.

Washington, DC’s Battery brought 12 tracks of old-school style hardcore with a twist sound on their final, full-length LP, Whatever It Takes..., originally released in 1998. All songs were cut in singer Brian McTernan’s now infamous Salad Days recording studio.

Washington, DC’s BATTERY brought 12 tracks of old-school style
hardcore with a twist sound on their final, full-length LP, Whatever It
Takes..., originally released in 1998. All songs were cut in singer Brian
McTernan’s now infamous Salad Days recording studio.