Latyrx

Members of the prodigiously talented Solesides/Quannum collective, Latyrx went sorely underrecognized for their restlessly experimental brand of hip-hop. Their lone album was far too eccentric for the masses, but even in underground circles, it fell prey to poor distribution (it went out of print twice) and poor timing (Quannum mates DJ Shadow and Blackalicious hadn't yet secured their status with hip-hop fans). The name Latyrx was a combination of its members' performing monikers, Lateef the Truth Speaker (born Lateef Daumont) and Lyrics Born (born Tom Shimura). The roots of their partnership lay in the formation of the Solesides collective at the University of California-Davis. The crew's charter members -- which also included DJ Shadow and the future Blackalicious team -- were all involved in student radio and shared a progressive-minded approach to hip-hop. Lateef and Lyrics Born initially recorded as solo artists; under the name Asia Born, the latter released the first single on the Solesides label, "Send Them," in early 1993. The first proper Latyrx release came in 1996, and was actually the B-side of Lateef's solo single "The Wreckoning." For the track in question, also called "Latyrx," both MCs recorded completely different raps that were played back simultaneously. Coupled with DJ Shadow's trippy production, the effect was mind-bending and started to build an underground buzz for the duo. More solo sides followed that year -- Lateef cut "The Quickening (The Wreckoning, Pt. II)" with Shadow on the boards, and Lyrics Born produced his own 12" release, "Balcony Beach" b/w "Burnt Pride." Most of these solo sides, along with a raft of new material, appeared on the duo's debut LP, The Album, which was released in 1997. DJ Shadow produced a total of four tracks, and...