Funcrusher Plus
title: "Funcrusher Plus" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1997-debut-albums", "progressive-rap-albums", "company-flow-albums", "rawkus-records-albums", "albums-produced-by-el-p"] topic_path: "arts/music" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Funcrusher_Plus" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::data[format=table title="Infobox album"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Funcrusher Plus |
| type | studio |
| artist | Company Flow |
| cover | Company Flow - Funcrusher Plus.jpg |
| released | |
| recorded | 1994–97 |
| studio | |
| genre | |
| length | |
| label | Rawkus |
| producer | Company Flow |
| prev_title | Funcrusher |
| prev_year | 1995 |
| next_title | Little Johnny from the Hospitul: Breaks & Instrumentals Vol.1 |
| next_year | 1999 |
| misc | {{Singles |
| name | Funcrusher Plus |
| type | studio |
| single1 | 8 Steps to Perfection |
| single1date | 1996 |
| single2 | Blind |
| single2date | 1997 |
| :: |
| name = Funcrusher Plus | type = studio | artist = Company Flow | cover = Company Flow - Funcrusher Plus.jpg | alt = | released = | recorded = 1994–97 | studio = | genre = | length = | label = Rawkus | producer = Company Flow | prev_title = Funcrusher | prev_year = 1995 | next_title = Little Johnny from the Hospitul: Breaks & Instrumentals Vol.1 | next_year = 1999 | misc = {{Singles | name = Funcrusher Plus | type = studio | single1 = 8 Steps to Perfection | single1date = 1996 | single2 = Blind | single2date = 1997 Funcrusher Plus is the debut studio album by American hip hop group Company Flow. It was released by Rawkus Records in 1997. In 2009, it was re-released on Definitive Jux. The album has been recognized as "a landmark independent hip-hop release".
Critical reception
| rev1 = AllMusic | rev1score = | rev2 = The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | rev2score = | rev3 = Los Angeles Times | rev3score = | rev4 = Muzik | rev4score = 10/10 | rev5 = NME | rev5score = 7/10 | rev6 = Pitchfork | rev6score = 9.0/10 | rev7 = PopMatters | rev7score = 9/10 | rev8 = The Rolling Stone Album Guide | rev8score = | rev9 = Spectrum Culture | rev9score = | rev10 = Spin | rev10score = 8/10 Jon Dolan of City Pages noted "[Company Flow's] evincing a confrontational critique of 'those signed, big-budget muthafuckas' like none hip hop has attempted since EPMD's Strictly Business." Andrew Hultkrans of Spin gave the album 8 stars out of 10, commenting that "[the album] deconstructed hip-hop conventions and rebuilt them into a spare, murky, sputtering soundscape." The New York Times wrote that Company Flow "rap fast, rude, free-associative boasts and dystopian visions over tracks that mesh raunchy old funk snippets with electronic noise, making hip-hop that's simultaneously propulsive and disorienting."
Nate Patrin of Pitchfork said: "With the exception of the nocturnal crystalline funk of the Bigg Jus-produced 'Lune TNS' and the frequent scratch contributions from secret weapon DJ Mr. Len, Funcrusher Plus beats bear the mark of El-P's dusty-but-digital aesthetic, which even back then had the same sort of beautiful-dystopia Blade Runner feel that informed Cannibal Ox's The Cold Vein and his own Fantastic Damage a few years later." AllMusic gave the album a perfect 5 star rating, and writer Steve Huey stated: "[Funcrusher Plus] demands intense concentration, but also rewards it, and its advancement of hip-hop as an art form is still being felt. It's difficult, challenging music, to be sure, and it's equally far ahead of its time."
Joseph Schafer of Stereogum said, "Funcrusher Plus made for a hell of an opening salvo, and most emcee/producers would envy having such a record in their discography, but El mostly improved upon his work here later."
On October 4, 2011, "Lune TNS" was chosen by NJ.com as the Song of the Day.
In 2003, Funcrusher Plus ranked at number 84 on Pitchforks Top 100 Albums of the 1990s list. In 2014, Complex listed the album at number 86 on the 90 Best Rap Albums of the 90s. In 2015, it was chosen by Fact as number 4 on the 100 Best Indie Hip-Hop Records of All Time.
Track listing
| title1 = Bad Touch Example | lyrics1 = | music1 = El-P | length1 = 3:26
| title2 = 8 Steps to Perfection | lyrics2 = | music2 = El-P | length2 = 4:43
| title3 = Collude/Intrude | note3 = featuring J-Treds | lyrics3 = | music3 = El-P | length3 = 5:25
| title4 = Blind | lyrics4 = | music4 = El-P | length4 = 3:42
| title5 = Silence | lyrics5 = Ingleton | music5 = El-P | length5 = 3:33
| title6 = Legends | lyrics6 = Meline | music6 = El-P | length6 = 4:02
| title7 = Help Wanted | music7 = El-P | length7 = 2:13
| title8 = Population Control | lyrics8 = | music8 = El-P | length8 = 4:26
| title9 = Lune TNS | lyrics9 = Ingleton | music9 = Bigg Jus | length9 = 3:39
| title10 = Definitive | lyrics10 = Meline | music10 = El-P | length10 = 5:47
| title11 = Lencorcism | music11 = Mr. Len | length11 = 0:36
| title12 = 89.9 Detrimental | lyrics12 = Meline | music12 = El-P | length12 = 1:03
| title13 = Vital Nerve | note13 = featuring BMS | lyrics13 = | music13 = El-P | length13 = 5:01
| title14 = Tragedy of War (in III Parts) | lyrics14 = | music14 = El-P | length14 = 3:49
| title15 = The Fire in Which You Burn | note15 = featuring The Brewin from the Juggaknots & J-Treds | lyrics15 = | music15 = El-P | length15 = 5:02
| title16 = Krazy Kings | lyrics16 = Ingleton | music16 = El-P | length16 = 4:52
| title17 = Last Good Sleep | lyrics17 = Meline | music17 = Mr. Len, El-P | length17 = 5:59
| title18 = Info Kill II | lyrics18 = | music18 = El-P | length18 = 3:48
| title19 = Funcrush Scratch | music19 = Mr. Len | length19 = 2:48
| total_length = 73:52
Notes
- "Population Control" features uncredited vocals from R.A. the Rugged Man
- The vinyl version contains a track originally featured on the Funcrusher EP, titled "Corners '94".
Personnel
- El-P – producer, lead vocals, mixing
- Bigg Jus – producer, lead vocals
- Mr. Len – producer, scratching
- R.A. the Rugged Man – vocals
- J-Treds – vocals
- BMS – vocals
- Breezly Brewin – vocals
- Vassos – recording, engineering, mixing
- Jeff Cordero – recording, engineering, mixing
- Walker Bernard – recording, engineering
- Chris Athens – mastering
Singles chart positions
::data[format=table]
| Year | Song | Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | "Blind" | 44 |
| :: |
References
References
- (October 20, 2017). "50 Greatest East Coast Hip-Hop Albums of the 1990s".
- Preezy. (July 25, 2017). "Company Flow's 'Funcrusher Plus' Epitomized Hip-Hop's Independent Spirit".
- Johnson, Fatima. (January 7, 2013). "Respect. Your Elders: Company Flow". [[Respect. (magazine).
- Huey, Steve. "Funcrusher Plus – Company Flow". [[AllMusic]].
- Larkin, Colin. (2011). "[[The Encyclopedia of Popular Music]]". [[Omnibus Press]].
- Weiss, Jeff. (May 7, 2009). "Album Review: Company Flow's 'Funcrusher Plus' reissue". [[Los Angeles Times]].
- Ashon, Will. (August 1997). "Company Flow: Funcrusher Plus (Official/Rawkus)". [[Muzik]].
- Moody, Paul. (September 27, 1997). "Company Flow – Funcrusher Plus". [[NME]].
- Patrin, Nate. (May 15, 2009). "Company Flow: Funcrusher Plus". [[Pitchfork (website).
- Newmark, Mike. (September 13, 2009). "Company Flow: Funcrusher Plus". [[PopMatters]].
- Seward, Scott. (2004). "The New Rolling Stone Album Guide". [[Simon & Schuster]].
- Hanover, Nick. (May 19, 2009). "Company Flow: Funcrusher Plus". Spectrum Culture.
- Tompkins, Dave. (August 1997). "Lateef and Lyrics Born: Latyrx / Company Flow: Funcrusher Plus".
- Dolan, Jon. (November 26, 1997). "Company Flow: Funcrusher Plus". [[City Pages]].
- Coleman, Brian. (September 1997). "Hip-Hop". [[CMJ New Music Monthly]].
- (14 Jan 1998). "Uncovering Good Music That Few Got to Hear". The New York Times.
- Schafer, Joseph. (January 29, 2014). "El-P Albums From Worst To Best - Company Flow - Funcrusher Plus (1997)". [[Stereogum]].
- McCall, Tris. (October 4, 2011). "Song of the Day: 'Lune TNS,' Company Flow". [[NJ.com]].
- Linhardt, Alex. (November 17, 2003). "Top 100 Albums of the 1990s (2/8)". [[Pitchfork Media]].
- Bengston, Russ. (April 24, 2014). "The 90 Best Rap Albums of the '90s - 86. Company Flow, Funcrusher Plus (1997)". [[Complex (magazine).
- (February 25, 2015). "The 100 best indie hip-hop records of all time (98/101)". [[Fact (UK magazine).
- (Aug 2, 1997). "Hot Dance Music".
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