Non Phixion HHV Records 4 Items

The Twisted Alternative to Peaceful Living

The rap crew Non Phixion, founded in Brooklyn in 1995, has always aimed to shake up the underground scene. Although they have narrowly missed the mainstream throughout their career, the hardcore group hit the East Coast scene right in the heart in the early 2000s, thanks to the massive talent that each member brought to the table. Whether it was their uncompromisingly rough flows, unbeatable grotesque-funny lyrics, or their sense for cinematic and unconventional beat samples, Non Phixion’s skills were unmatched. In 2002, the group, accompanied by the underground heavyweight MC Serch, released only one album that combined their multitude of lyrical and production skills, creating a hardcore classic that defined itself from the beginning as a twisted alternative to peaceful living: “Even a priest can fall in love with evil.” The album, The Future Is Now, which was hotly anticipated at the turn of the millennium, took off with driving beats, primarily from Necro and Large Professor, and was carried by the voices of the trio Ill Bill, Goretex and Sabac Red. The Brooklyn sound even sold well internationally and brought the guys to stages overseas. In addition, big names like MF DOOM, Native Tongues members The Beatnuts, and Deftones guitarist Stephen Carpenter made appearances on their debut, sealing the album’s status as a treasure trove of old-school underground music.

A History Beyond the Major

It all started in 1995 with said trio of rappers, who brought in record enthusiast DJ Eclipse and occasional rapper/producer Necro to form a crew under the mentorship of MC Serch. Serch had gained attention through his own group: with 3rd Bass, the hip hop world saw one of the first successful acts that included both black and white MCs. With a mentor who appreciated pushing boundaries, the five sold 25,000 copies of their first single Legacy and caught the attention of major label Geffen Records, which was already home to colleagues from the Wu-Tang-Clan. However, Non Phixion did not find success here. Thus began a history of narrowly missed opportunities, with collective hopes of breaking into the mainstream failing to materialize. Despite opening for high-profile players like Rage Against the Machine, the Beastie Boys and Cypress Hill in the late 90s, the crew missed out on a contract with indie label Matador, and even the interest of producer legend Rick Rubin led to nothing. The crew then had to press their LP The Future Is Now on their own, but earned respect for their international sales figures.

The Almost-Kings of Horrorcore

An album like The Future Is Now will never happen again. The group made that clear in 2006 – but by then, the members were already involved in other projects. First and foremost, Ill Bill released his solo debut What’s Wrong With Bill? in 2004 and remained true to his rough street style, which should satisfy the appetite of Non-Phixion fans at least for a while – he even brought in feature guest Snoop Dogg on a track with his new crew La Coka Nostra. To this day, it is hardly an exaggeration to call him a creative workaholic in the face of the mass of his releases – and one who has remained true to himself. His brother Necro is driven in a similar way, going further into the horrorcore niche with each of his eerie releases and making no secret of his death metal influence. However, the almost-kings of horrorcore did announce a reunion: they finally performed in their old constellation again in 2015 and could be heard on Ill Bill’s album LA BELLA MEDUSA in 2020 – not for the length of a whole record, but long enough to give hope to their aging fans again.