which infused random affiliates such as Ron C and Joe Macc. There have been various reincarnations of the rap group. Big Al, one of the group's producer/deejays then manned a microphone in order to help complete the project, and reinvent the group's sound to feature more of bass oriented sound featuring beats by DJ Snake. This left MC Azim behind as the lone MC with the group. Bumble Bee left the group shortly after they signed with Profile Records, due to creative and philosophical differences between himself and the producers. Nemesis released their first album entitled, To Hell and Back on their independent record label, Get Off Me Records. Sumthin Fresh became local stars and Bumble Bee, feeling that Something Fresh was a bit soft, decided to change their name to Nemesis. Every Wednesday night, from 9pm til Midnight, Dallas/Fort Worth listeners were deluged with local artists, local sounds along with underground beats. The radio show, which was hosted by DJ Snake, Big Al, and Casanova Rock, was most popular to young Dallas hip-hoppers who had no other options or outlets for rap music. Initially, they appeared as guests on Nippy Jones Freaky Fresh Friday afternoon show and after teaming up with DJ Snake for music production, they were regulars on the "All Hardy Def Party" radio show which became the metroplex's hottest radio show at the time. The rappers from Hamilton Park, MC AC From Oak Cliff and the DJs from Oak Cliff (both neighborhoods in Dallas) became part of the Dallas, Texas underground rap scene in the late 1980s and early 1990s.Īs Sumthin Fresh, the group appeared regularly on KNON FM 90.9. Originally, Nemesis was called "Sumthin Fresh" and consisted of rappers MC Azim aka Lawrence Azim Rashid, Bhumble Bee, and Eazy Roque aka Charles Roquemore who were joined by DJ Snake aka Don Brown, Big Al aka Al English, and Casanova Rock And MC AC. But for those who can live with the group's contradictions, Munchies for Your Bass is arguably their strongest effort.Nemesis is the first rap crew from Dallas, Texas to enjoy popularity in the US and world-wide, thanks to their label, Profile Records, which was well known for bringing out many popular east coast rap releases such as Run-DMC, Dr. Here's the thing: alcohol consumption is strictly forbidden in most sects of Islam, and in 1991, there were those who saw a major contradiction between Nemesis asserting "all praise due to Allah" only to turn around and encourage inebriation. Thieves," a humorous, Beastie Boys-influenced number that celebrates the pleasures of malt liquor. One track that made some hip-hoppers question Nemesis' commitment to the Islamic faith is "Ali English and the 40 Oz. A party atmosphere prevails on the urban contemporary-minded offerings, and it also prevails on the rock-influenced "Let's Have a Good Time" (which samples Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love"). For those who are into R-rated fun, it isn't hard to move to infectious numbers like "Dallas We Come From," "S.O.U.L," and the single "I Want Your Sex" (which boasts a sleek, R&B-ish groove that recalls Steve Arrington's work with Slave in the late '70s and early '80s). But even if this 1991 release was motivated by a desire to sell more CDs and seems less sincere than To Hell and Back, it's still an enjoyable party album. Some hip-hoppers denounced Munchies for Your Bass as a sellout, arguing that when the conscious approach didn't result in multi-platinum sales for Nemesis, the Dallas group decided to take the easy way out and exploit sex.
While that CD was full of conscious lyrics à la Brand Nubian, this sophomore effort is more of a party album - one with plenty of R-rated, sexploitive lyrics. Nemesis' second album, Munchies for Your Bass, was a surprising departure from their 1989 debut, To Hell and Back.