| Tunnel Vision | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | October 25, 2001 | |||
| Genre | Christian hip hop, underground hip hop | |||
| Length | 70:34 | |||
| Label | UpRok | |||
| Producer | Damion Reed, Dert, Raphi, Dax Reynosa | |||
| Tunnel Rats chronology | ||||
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Tunnel Vision is the second studio album by West Coast underground hip hop collective Tunnel Rats, released on October 25, 2001, through Uprok Records. Featuring a brash, aggressive sound, the album drew admiration from critics and proved highly influential for the Christian hip hop movement.
Tunnel Vision features an aggressive, underground sound. Jason Young of RapReviews.com noted that the collective consists of blacks, whites, and Latinos, men and women, thus offering a diverse sound. [1] Young said that on the album's title track, rapper Macho channels an "early-1990s LL Cool J" sound, and considered the decision to change tempo for the track's bridge was "pure genius." [1] Of rapper Raphi, Young mentioned that he "does his best Slim Shady impersonation on his solo joint, 'Motivate', albeit with some decidedly un-Eminem lyrics." [1] Exclaim!'s Thomas Quinlan's called "Motivate" "Timbaland-influenced", "Human Race" as mariachi sounding of "Human Race" and considered "Remember" a "testimonial track". [2] Anthony DeBarros of CCM Magazine described Tunnel Vision as hip hop "and occasional R&B", and felt that while Tunnel Rats did not break any new musical ground, the collective had "a knack for using studio tools effectively." [3] He explained that "Zane’s 'Change' floats over a shimmering electric piano, and 'For the Heads' evokes a jazzy nostalgia with an acoustic piano loop and simulated record-groove clicks and pops." [3]
Russ Breimeier of Christianity Today described the Tunnel Rats' style as "modern hip-hop that blends melodic hooks and world music sounds to the rap and beats." [4] Breimeier cited "Motivate" as an example of Tunnel Rats' innovative sound, as the song blends "rapid machine-gun rapping with a Latin-sounding melodic hook, smartly programmed drums, and (get this) a harpsichord." [4] Breimeier also referenced "Sev Statik", which bathes its sound in strings and Middle Eastern instruments, and "Ladies", which "tackles biblical feminism with the same spirit that Salt n' Pepa brought to the topic years ago." [4] In discussing the challenging lyrical content of the album, Breimeier highlighted "2 Cents", which used "jazz-soaked hip hop" to tackle the issue of Christians being too quick to judge, the "dissonant sounding" track "Finish Line", which Breimeier considered "a smart rephrasing of I Corinthians 9:24–27", and the catchy "Master Plan", which he viewed as offering a sobering statement of the world as per the Book of Jeremiah. [4] Cross Rhythms's Sam Gunnell stated that "Each track has its own individual sound and content but each possesses the usual hard hitting and challenging lyrics" and noted that the final track has an "R&B vibe". [5]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [6] |
| CCM Magazine |  [3] |
| Cross Rhythms |   [5] |
| The Phantom Tollbooth | [7] |
| RapReviews.com | 8.5/10 [1] |
Jason Birchmeier of AllMusic rated the album three stars out of five, stating that it highlights the Tunnel Rats "anti-commercial approach to hip-hop, showcasing intelligent rhymes, creative beats, and original songwriting." [6] CCM Magazine's Anthony DeBarros rated the album three-point-five out of five, concluding that "The self-referential braggadocio wears thin after a while, but not enough to dull this otherwise fine piece of art." [3] Sam Gunnell of Cross Rhythms gave the album nine out of ten squares and expressed that the album showcases some of the best female rappers he had ever heard. [5] Gunnell cited "Motivate" as his favorite song on the album, but also recommended the tracks "Ladies", "2 Cents", and the album's final, hidden track. [5] Tony LaFianza of The Phantom Tollbooth rated the album four-point-five out of five, stating that "These 22 tracks of seriously inventive music and reality, put Tunnel Rats on the point of hip hop, and make Tunnelvision the best rap record of the year." [7] Thomas Quinlan from Exclaim! while the album is not always successful, "there are some songs that prove that rap and Christianity are no longer mutually exclusive". [2] Quinlan listed "T.R.'z", "Sev Statik", and "Pray for Morning" as the best songs on the album. [2]
RapReviews.com's Jayson Young rated the album eight-point-five out of ten, stating that "I can't say enough good things about 'Tunnel Vision'." [1] Young highlighted the tracks "T.R.z", "For the Heads", "Bow Down", and "Chainge" as examples of Dert's excellent production, and stated that LPG, a duo consisting of Jurny and Dax, provide the backbone for the group. [1] Young also noted Sev Statik, whom he considered "much improved" compared to his appearances with "Uprok's equally-impressive" Deepspace 5 collective. [1] Young lavished praise on female rappers Zane and Elsie, stating that they "are two of the most talented women I have ever heard bless the mic, and they make me realize what a shame it is that Lil' Kim and Trina's ilk are so much more famous." [1] In particular, he considered Elsie's performance untouchable, proclaiming that he was "happy to say that in a group of MCs as talented as the Tunnel Rats, the BEST MC in the crew is a woman." [1]
Russ Breimeier in a review for Christianity Today called the album "a Christian hip-hop album intent on leading the genre to a new artistic standard". [4] Breimeier also appreciated how the album challenged the artistry and originality of Christian artists, while simultaneously criticizing the lack of integrity and ethics in mainstream music. [4] Despite these praises, Breimeier cautioned that the Tunnel Rats are not for all tastes, and said that some songs do not work as well as others. For instance, Breimeier found "For the Heads" as having "too much ego in it, as well as some questionable words." [4] Nevertheless, Breimeier concluded that "We could use more Christian artists as bold and creative as Tunnel Rats." [4]
In an article on the Tunnel Rats, Imade Nibokun of LA Weekly considered Tunnel Vision a response to criticisms the group received from East Coast hip hop group The Cross Movement. [8] In 2001, The Tonic, a member of The Cross Movement, in an interview accused the Tunnel Rats of placing more importance on musical credibility than sharing the Gospel. Fans of The Cross Movement also criticized The Tunnel Rats, claiming that they did not distinguish themselves enough from aggressive, secular West Coast rappers. [8] Nibokun wrote that the turbulent sound on Tunnel Vision "embraced everything that the conservatives hated" and "was a musical middle finger to anyone who found their battle-rap bravado sinful." [8] In particular, she noted the opening line by Dax on the song "T.R.'z", which criticizes Christian rappers with sub-par musical ability: "I pull a pistol out my pocket and I cock it." [8]
Imade Nibokun noted in LA Weekly that "T.R.'z" "abrasive sound effects and full drums" succeeded "as something of a wake-up call to a still relatively staid genre." [8] Imade explains of Tunnel Vision that "Yes, there were spiritual references... ...but the work felt raw. Critics were impressed, and a whole generation of Christian emcees took note." [8]
A music video for the song "T.R.'z" was released. According to member Raphi (a.k.a. Shames Worthy), the video was shot on 35 mm film in an old railroad tunnel in Los Angeles, with a budget of $10,000 USD. [9] It included features of b-boy Ivan the Urban Action Figure and graffiti artists Frustr8, Pryer (UTI) and Skill 1. [10]
All production by Dert, except "Motivate" by Raphi [11] and "Bow Down" and "Pray for the Morning" by Dert and Damion Reed [12]
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "A Long Road" (Macho) | 1:54 |
| 2. | "T.R.'z" | 4:12 |
| 3. | "Bow Down" (Macho, Dax, Raphi) | 3:31 |
| 4. | "Jet Lag (Interlude)" | 0:11 |
| 5. | "Sev Statik" (Sev Statik) | 3:53 |
| 6. | "One's Who Do" (Dax) | 1:16 |
| 7. | "Ladies" (Elsie, Zane) | 3:55 |
| 8. | "2 Cents" (Dax, Raphi, Zane, Macho) | 4:25 |
| 9. | "Tunnel Vision" (New Breed) | 3:48 |
| 10. | "God Said It (Interlude)" | 0:17 |
| 11. | "Line Finish" (Sev Statik, Elsie, Jurny) | 3:35 |
| 12. | "For the Heads" (Raphi, Sev Statik) | 3:06 |
| 13. | "Motivate" (Raphi) | 4:40 |
| 14. | "Tripped Over a Dream" (Jurny, Elsie, Zane, Dax) | 4:40 |
| 15. | "One's Who Don't" (Raphi) | 1:16 |
| 16. | "Master Plan" (Macho) | 4:39 |
| 17. | "Pray for the Morning" (Raphi, Macho) | 4:09 |
| 18. | "Chainge" (Zane) | 3:56 |
| 19. | "Human Race" (Raphi, Elsie, Jurny) | 4:10 |
| 20. | "Everybody Else" (Macho) | 1:23 |
| 21. | "Remember" (LPG) | 3:54 |
| 22. | "[Hidden Track]" | 3:44 |
| Total length: | 70:34 | |
Raw Material. is a Mars Ill album released in 2000, on Sphere of Hip Hop Records.
LPG is an American Christian hip-hop duo from Los Angeles, California, and part of the underground hip hop collective Tunnel Rats. Their name was understood to stand for "Lord's Personal Gangsters", but now is "Living Proof of Grace". They released their first album:the earthworm in 1995,an album well known as a landmark for Christian hip-hop, on Brainstorm Artists International.
Joseph T. Evans, known professionally as Sev Statik and Stu Dent, is a hip hop musician and promoter from Albany, New York. Active as a rapper since the early 1990s, he has performed and recorded both as a solo artist and as a member of the hip hop collectives Deepspace5 and Tunnel Rats. Evans has also been a member of various Albany-area hip hop groups, including All Bully, Master Plan, Body Language, currently fronts the rap rock band Goldtooth, and is active in Pitch Control Music, a musical collective and arts movement he co-founded in order to promote and develop hip hop in the Albany area. Evans is a freemason in East Greenbush, New York.
Rene Vasquez, who goes by the stage name Peace 586 and formerly MC Peace, is an American Christian hip-hop producer and MC whose career has spanned the period from the 1980s to the present. A beatmaker who also has rapped, he's made a mark with his signature, sample-based production style and down-to-earth lyrical content—best known for expressing his Christian faith as it relates to life here now, as well as that to be gained. His name is derived from the month and year that he became a Christian: May 1986.
Jason Emmanuel Petty , better known by his stage name Propaganda, is an American Christian hip hop and spoken word artist and poet from Los Angeles, California. He has released seven albums as an independent artist, including one collaborative album with Odd Thomas and one with Derek Minor, and has performed and recorded as a member of the underground hip hop group Tunnel Rats and associated act Footsoldiers.
Tunnel Rats is a West Coast underground hip hop collective founded in 1993 in Whittier, California. Named after the tunnel rats in the Vietnam war, the mixed-gender, multi-racial collective consists of some seventeen individual members and incorporates four affiliated groups, LPG, Future Shock, Foundation, and New Breed, which have recorded both within Tunnel Rats and independently. Several members also formed two additional side-projects, Footsoldiers and The Resistance, which recorded one album in 2006 and collaborated with KRS-One. Pioneers in the Christian hip hop genre, Tunnel Rats often met with resistance from church leaders who disliked the collective's aggressive style and felt that Tunnel Rats praised their rapping skills more than glorifying God. In the early 2000s, the East Coast group The Cross Movement likewise criticized Tunnel Rats, claiming it did not place enough emphasis on the Gospel. Due to a high number of Mexican Americans in the collective, Tunnel Rats also encountered racism when performing in the South. Despite these hardships, Tunnel Rats managed to garner critical acclaim and significantly impacted the Christian hip hop movement. The collective has released four albums, plus numerous additional recordings from its affiliated groups and individual members. Though currently on hiatus, Tunnel Rats has not disbanded, according to a statement by member Peace 586.
The combined discography of Tunnel Rats, a West Coast underground Christian hip hop collective founded in 1993 in Whittier, California, is three studio albums, a collaborative compilation album, several compilation appearances, one guest appearance, one music video, and a collection of unfinished material. Named after the tunnel rats in the Vietnam war, the mixed-gender, multi-racial collective has included twenty individual members and incorporated six affiliated groups: LPG, Future Shock, Footsoldiers, the Foundation, New Breed, and the Resistance, which have recorded both within Tunnel Rats and independently. The collective has released three albums under the Tunnel Rats name: Experience (1996), Tunnel Vision (2001), and Tunnel Rats (2004). They also collaborated on a compilation album released through Uprock Records, Underground Rise, Volume 1: Sunrise/Sunset (2003). Though currently on hiatus, Tunnel Rats has not disbanded, according to a statement by member Peace 586.
Tunnel Rats Present... Underground Rise, Volume 1: Sunrise/Sunset is a 2003 compilation album by Uprok Records in collaboration with underground hip hop collective Tunnel Rats. Around thirty-five rappers appear on the compilation, which features, in addition to the Tunnel Rats, numerous other underground hip hop artists and groups, Christian and non-Christian, including LA Symphony, LMNO and 2Mex of The Visionaries, Remnant, Mass Reality, Sekou the Misfit, and Deepspace5 members Playdough, manCHILD of Mars Ill, and Listener. Production was handled by Tunnel Rats members Dert, Donovan Luke Henry, Jermz and Raphi. Most of the album was recorded over a single weekend. CCM Magazine noted that on the song "One Voice", the entire Tunnel Rats and LA Symphony crews come together, with seventeen rappers appearing on the same track. Critics received the album well, noting that while the album's production turned repetitive at times and some of the artists needed more experience in rapping, it offered a diversity of musical styles and showcased the many talented artists in the underground and Christian hip hop scenes.
Tunnel Rats is the third studio album by West Coast underground Christian hip hop collective Tunnel Rats, released on March 3, 2004, through Uprok Records. Featuring several new members among the group's ranks, the album was well received by critics, with Christianity Today and Rapzilla considering it the best album so far by the group.
New Breed is a Christian Latin hip hop duo from Boston, Massachusetts, consisting of brother and sister Rosario "Macho" and Elsie Ortega. An affiliate of the underground hip hop collective Tunnel Rats, the duo has recorded and toured both as part of the Tunnel Rats and independently. After joining the Tunnel Rats in 1998, New Breed appeared on the DJ Maj mixtape Full Plates with the song "What's My Name" in 2001, and later that year on the Tunnel Rats album Tunnel Vision. The duo released its first album, Stop the Music, in 2002, and then appeared on the Tunnel Rats albums Underground Rise, Volume 1 in 2003 and Tunnel Rats in 2004. A second album from New Breed, Nine, came out in 2004.
Stop the Music is the debut album by Christian Latin hip hop brother-sister duo New Breed, a Tunnel Rats affiliate, released on March 12, 2002 through Uprok Records in the United States and through EMI Christian Music Group in the United Kingdom. Featuring a Latin-influenced East Coast hip hop sound that revealed the duo's Puerto Rican heritage, Stop the Music met with positive critical reception from critics.
The discography of Propaganda, an American Christian hip hop and spoken word artist and poet from Los Angeles, California, consists of five studio albums, two EPs, twelve compilation appearances, eleven music videos, including one as a featured performer, and twenty-three guest appearances. Discovered by the underground hip hop collective Tunnel Rats, Petty made his debut in 2002 on Speak Life by Sev Statik. On April 8, 2003, he released his solo debut album, Out of Knowhere, with UpRok Records, and recorded as part of the Tunnel Rats on Underground Rise, Volume 1: Sunrise/Sunset. He then recorded with the Tunnel Rats for the collective's 2004 self-titled album. In 2006 he released the I Am Not Them EP with Tunnel Rat Music and recorded Live This as part of the Tunnel Rats-affiliated group Footsoldiers. Footsoldiers also collaborated with KRS-One on his album Life, with Petty appearing on the song "I Ain't Leaving", and DJ Tony Touch released a mixtape featuring the group. Petty released a second solo EP, The Sketchbook: A Small Collection of Unreleased Material, independently in 2008, and his second album, Listen Watch Focus, also came out in 2008 through End of Earth Records. Petty's next three albums were all released through the Portland-based Humble Beast Records. The first, entitled Art Ambidextrous, was recorded in collaboration with Odd Thomas, and came out in 2011. Petty's third solo album, Excellent, came out in 2012, and charted at No. 7 on the Billboard Top Gospel chart. Petty's fourth solo album, Crimson Cord came out on April 29, 2014, and charted at No. 5 on the Billboard Top Christian chart, No. 2 on the Top Gospel, and No. 8 on the Top Rap chart.
Dax Reynosa, often mononymously known as Dax and by the former stage name Theory, is an American underground hip hop artist, producer, songwriter, and music manager from Whittier, California. As a hip hop artist, he co-founded the underground Christian hip hop collective Tunnel Rats and the affiliated groups LPG, Footsoldiers, and The Resistance. He also co-founded the Latin funk and R&B band Elé, and formed The Dax Band.
The Night We Called It a Day is the debut studio album by underground hip hop supergroup Deepspace5, released on January 8, 2002, through Uprok Records.
Speak Life is the debut studio album by Albany, New York-based hip hop musician Sev Statik, released on November 9, 2002, through Uprok Records. While Sev Statik, real name Joseph Evans, had released a previous studio album, Altered State, in 2001 under the moniker "Stu Dent", Speak Life is considered his debut album. Sev Statik had recently joined to the hip hop collective Tunnel Rats, and the release features several artists from that group. It also features Listener from Deepspace5, another collective of which Sev Statik is part. Speak Life marks the debut appearance of Propaganda, who would join Tunnel Rats the following year. The album garnered a mixed response from critics, receiving praise for its positive lyrics, East Coast sound and use of sampling, but criticized for its lack of innovation and inconsistency in overall quality.
Slow Burn is a studio album by Albany, New York hip hop musician Sev Statik, released on March 7, 2005 through his own independent label Pointman Music, in association with Pitch Control Music. While Sev Statik, real name Joseph Evans, had also released two albums under the name Stu Dent, Slow Burn is his second studio album under the Sev Statik moniker, following up on 2002's Speak Life. The album met with a mixed critical reception.
Altered State is the first studio album by Albany, New York hip hop musician Stu Dent, better known by the moniker Sev Statik. Sev Statik, real name Joseph Evans, created the Stu Dent pseudonym due to contractual obligations with Tunnel Rats, a group of which he was a member at the time. Evans' debut studio album as Sev Statik, Speak Life, would be released in 2002. Altered State features guest appearances by, among others, members of Tunnel Rats, All Bully, and Deepspace5, all of which Evans was a member. The album was released on October 2, 2001, through Deepspace5 Recordings, and was received modestly by critics.
Nephilim: Act of God 1 is the second studio album by hip hop musician Stu Dent, released November 14, 2003 through Illect Recordings. Stu Dent is an alternate moniker for Albany, New York artist Sev Statik, real name Joseph Evans. Evans originally created the Stu Dent pseudonym in order to release the album Altered State in 2001 without breaking his contractual obligations with Tunnel Rats, a hip hop musical collective of which he is part. Nephilim follows up on Altered State and the 2002 Sev Statik release Speak Life. The album includes production from Beat Rabbi and Freddie Bruno, fellow members of Deepspace5, a group Evans co-founded, and production and a guest appearance by JB!!, also known as Dirty Moses, a member of All Bully, another group that Evans helped found. Nephilim met with a highly positive reception from critics.
Back to Dust is a studio album by Albany, New York-based rapper Sev Statik and Atlanta-based producer DJ Dust, originally released on October 9, 2007, through Rawkus Records. It was the fourth studio release by Sev Statik and the second studio release for DJ Dust. Back to Dust features numerous guest appearances, including Manchild and Playdough of Deepspace5, Theory Hazit, Supastition, LMNO of The Visionaries, and Raphi, Griffin, and Triune of Tunnel Rats. The album was selected by Rawkus for inclusion in its "Rawkus 50" promotional campaign, and was released as a digital download. A physical version of the album was released on July 7, 2008, through Braille's Hip Hop IS Music label. Back to Dust met with critical acclaim. In 2010, Theory Hazit released a remixed version of the album.
Zane Reynosa, known by the stage names Zane and Zane One as well as the names Zane Valdez and Zane Marie, is a rapper and fashion accessory designer from Whittier, California. She joined the pioneering Christian underground hip hop collective Tunnel Rats in 1993, which was formed by her brother, Dax Reynosa, and recorded three studio albums and a compilation with the group. She has featured on numerous songs and in 2008 released a solo studio album, L.A. Woman. She was active for years as a battle rapper in the Los Angeles scene and was featured in the 2004 documentary The Battle for L.A.: Footsoldiers, Vol. 1, directed by Darren Doane. She also created a fashion line, Zane Marie Bags, specializing in vintage handbags, luggage, wallets, and rhyme books.
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