Company Flow is the definition of underground hip hop. Queens rapper El-P pioneered the trio with his producer/DJ friend Mr. Len and rapper/producer Bigg Juss in 1992 after El-P‘s brief  solo endeavor and battle with record labels. Despite having two influential underground hit singles and an acclaimed EP, Company Flow decided to hold off on their much anticipated album until they could develop an open relationship with an independent record label that would let the crew work under their own terms. Patience payed off, as El-P, Mr. Len, and Bigg Jus released their debut album, Funcrusher Plus under Rawkus Records in 1997. The record went on to pave the way for the alternative hip hop movement of the late 1990’s and revitalize the underground hip hop culture.

Funcrusher Plus still stands as a classic for its rugged production and raw, lyrical content. Tracks like “8 Steps to Perfection” are classic examples of artists using lyric heavy, image laden hip hop. The content perfectly matching the dope samples and the power thud of the drum patterns.

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El-P may be riding high with his latest solo album now available, but prior to that he ws a part of a group that was, as they described, “independent as fuck.”

Company Flow consisted of El-P, Bigg Jus and Mr. Len. They were signed to Rawkus Records and released the underground classic Funcrusher Plus on July 28, 1997.  If you’re counting, that’s 15 years ago this past weekend. With the exception of the instrumental album Little Johnny from the Hospitul, Funcrusher was the group’s only release before splitting from Rawkus.

Check out a couple of cuts off their ’97 album below, including El-P’s recounting of his abusive childhood on the album’s dark standout, “Last Good Sleep.”

“8 Steps to Perfection”

“Last Good Sleep”

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