A 12-track summation of the group's two albums,
Greatest Hits boils down
the Fu-Schnickens' output to the absolute cream of the cream. Except maybe for
Das EFX, there are very, very few rappers who sound quite like
the Fu-Schnickens; some might match the wild, referential lyrics, some the blazing speed of their delivery, but not both. All three MCs are terrific in their own right, and developed a near-telepathic interplay. But Chip Fu is clearly the genius of the group, shifting voices, tossing in weird noises, and enunciating barrages of words that are nearly impossible to keep up with. Similarly, the high points on
Greatest Hits are so dizzying that some other excellent tracks pale in comparison. "La Schmoove" and "What's Up Doc? (Can We Rock)," which feature
A Tribe Called Quest and
Shaquille O'Neal, respectively, are jaw-dropping hip-hop classics, and "True Fuschnick" isn't far behind. Tracks like "Ring the Alarm," "Cray-Z," and "Original Rude Boy" point up the group's dancehall reggae influence, and feature the sort of hyperspeed chatting that could give
Daddy Freddy a run for his money. The production, meanwhile, is quietly inventive in its own way, leaving room for the lyrics but adding just enough to the off-kilter atmosphere. Aficionados will likely want everything the group recorded, but if you just want the general idea,
Greatest Hits will demonstrate that there's way too much talent on display for this music to be a mere comic novelty. ~ Steve Huey