There is no better feeling than hearing a new song from 30 years ago you had never heard before. This happened to me recently when I let the Spotify algo do its thing and bring me tracks that fit my sound profile. And here came a track I had never heard…. Within 30 seconds I looked down at my phone, took a screenshot, liked the track, and then pressed rewind. I had to run the track back because HOW DID I NEVER HEAR THIS SONG BEFORE???? Damn…. Here is The B.U.M.S. with “Elevation (Free My Mind)” off of their 1995 album, Lyfe ‘N’ Tyme.
I had no idea who The B.U.M.S. were. I just knew they had an AZ slash Camp Lo slash Grand Puba slash Kool Keith slash Jigga slash (name somebody else dope here)… I just felt something hearing this track for the first time 30 years after it dropped. I didn’t know where these guys were from or who the emcees were or anything. This took me onto a great adventure which is at the root of why I’m always on the hunt for dope hip hop.
Who are The B.U.M.S. aka Brothas Unda Madness? Well, to me, they are a rap duo that is slept on and for whatever reason, didn’t get the push they deserved. Or maybe their style was too ahead of its time? This to me is a mix of the bay area gangsta rap rap scene and the bay area underground hip hop scene. These dudes are giving props to Hiero and Dru Down in the same few lines? Wait… Dru Down and Hiero ran in similar circles? Hold up…. WHAT??? The Bay always supported each other and this is why so many acts succeeded out of The Bay in the Mid90s. Everybody was hustling and trying to make a name for themselves… Still ain’t easy… But shouldn’t a track like this have been on more mixtapes? Been in more rotation on Yo! MTV Raps? This is dope.
The B.U.M.S. are D’Wyze and Evocalist from Oakland, CA. This was their debut album which ended up being their only album as they broke up in 1995 when the album didn’t do well. How did this not do well though? Plenty of artists were buzzing through word of mouth but The B.U.M.S. just stayed totally on the radar? HOW?!?!?!? These kids were hanging around the Wake Up Show and would freestyle from time to time when they got noticed. Sway and Tech helped these kids get heard by that A&R from Priority Records.
These kids should have had a follow up album. Their way too dope to be one and done. Which makes me think… Who are other artists or groups that were super dope but were one and done? I think artists are timeless and when somebody is dope at some time in their life, they have the ability to dope again and again. The B.U.M.S. should have gotten more out of that debut album. If they do, where would they even had taken the album? More like The Coup or maybe more like The Whoridas? Mac Mall or Casual? The B.U.M.S. encapsulated a time period up in The Bay so well with this album. Go listen to a few songs and see if you can catch the vibe.