There was a short period in the mid-1990′s, when heads were so fed up with direction that major labels were taking with hip-hop music, that many artists just decided to put their stuff out independently. Many important players were integral to this movement, including indie labels like Stones Throw and Fondle ‘Em, radio shows like Stretch & Bobbito and the Wake Up Show, and retailers such as Fat Beats and HipHopSite. It wasn’t long though before corporations wanted to get a piece of the action, such as Rawkus Records, or Tommy Boy who formed their “Black Label” imprint, specifically to market to this demographic. At the forefront of this movement was NYC based crew, Natural Elements, made up of A-Butta, L-Swift, Mr. Voodoo, along with producer Charlemagne. This group helped pioneer the indie movement, creating a local buzz for themselves, which would soon spread worldwide. However, unlike artists like Mos Def, Dilated Peoples, or Eminem, all of whom seemed to strike at just the right time, the N.E. crew came too early, and then thanks to a short-lived deal with Tommy Boy Black, remained shelved for the duration of their career. The group would go on “indefinite hiatus”, leaving their lost album in legendary status. 1999: 10 Year Anniversary skips much of the group’s earlier solo works, where arguably their strongest material lies, and instead collects many of the Tommy Boy sessions. Herein lies a handful of the group’s greatest recordings, which now shine with classic status over a decade after their original 12″ release. Among these is “2 Tons”, which worked as the perfect introduction to the crew, as they effortlessly flowed over Charlemagne’s BDP-inspired drum-kicks and interstellar keys. It’s B-Side cut, “Livin’ It Up” also featured the crew in perfect harmony, as they captured that almost “jiggy-backpack” sound of the time... “Bust Mine” was executed perfectly, as Charlemagne’s meaty track showed their potential with a little studio shine... Sadly, 1999 seems to have been left unmixed and unfinished, as many of the tracks sound like they were done in one take, never looking back. - HipHopSite. This is still a classic, to me, even if a lot of that is based off pure nostalgia. Updated...