The Tunnel [PA]

Performer: Funkmaster Flex
Artist: Pain In Da Ass; Big Kap; 2Pac; Mister Cee; The Notorious B.I.G.; Ruff Ryders; Dr. Dre; Eminem; Snoop Dogg; Method Man; Kool G. Rap; Prodigy; Lil' Kim; Mary J. Blige; Erick Sermon; Redman; Raekwon; Jay-Z; Memphis Bleek; Amil; Beanie Sigel; Angie Martinez; Cash Money Millionaires; LL Cool J; Fatman Scoop; Noreaga; Capone; The Murderers; Nas; Dutch; Spade; Jinx Da Juvy; Lady Luck
Distributor: Fontana Distribution

Notes: Personnel: Funkmaster Flex, Big Kap, Pain In Da Ass, Notorious B.I.G., Tupac, DMX, Eve, The Lox, Swiz Beatz, Drag-On, Eminem, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dog, Method Man, Kool G Rap, Redman, Erick Sermon, Raekwon, Jay-Z, Memphis Bleek, Beanie Sigel, Amil, L.L. Cool J, Fat Man Scoop, Capone & Noreaga, Nas Dutch & Spade, Lady Luck, Angie Martinez, Jinx Da Juvy, Lil' Kim (rap vocals); Mary J. Blige (vocals); DJ Mister Cee (DJ); Prodigy, Cash Money Millionaires, The Murderers. Producers include: Funkmaster Flex, Dart La, Rockwilder, DJ Twinz, Jo Jo Brim. Engineers include: DJ Mister Cee, Chris Conway, Ron Banks. It takes a pretty connected man to assemble the most star-studded rap album ever released. The Tunnel features all of the biggest and best MCs in hip-hop -- DMX, Jay-Z, Nas, Method Man, Eminem, LL Cool J, Snoop Dogg, Capone-N-Noreaga, Mary J. Blige, Raekwon, and Redman and Erick Sermon -- freestyling over tracks, most of them produced by Rockwilder or Funkmaster Flex himself. The affair is somewhat similar to his popular mixtape series, which alternated hip-hop classics with guest appearances from MCs inserted between standard productions. The mere presence of all these incredible rappers is more than enough to push The Tunnel over the top, and the addition of a live freestyle between 2Pac and the Notorious B.I.G. recorded in 1993 makes it worthwhile for that track alone. Among many highlights, "True" with Method Man, "For My Thugs" with Jay-Z, "We in Here" with the Ruff Ryders, and "Ill Bomb" with LL Cool J are the best here. ~ Keith Farley Funkmaster Flex, who is one of hip-hop's most influential DJs, enlisted the help of his longtime partner and friend, Big Kap, for THE TUNNEL, an album inspired by the legendary New York City club that has spawned some of hip-hop's best live performances. Keeping an ear to the streets, the Flex/Kap collaboration features an all-star lineup, including Mary J. Blige, Cash Money Millionaires, and the Ruff Ryders. With Big Kap shouting his trademark vocals over the tracks, the album has a live "mixtape" feel to it, though the songs are studio-recorded. With Flex responsible for the majority of its production, the album bumps from beginning to end. Dre and Eminem's guest appearance on "If I Get Locked Up" is a classic.

Q (4/00, p.92) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...a more turntable-oriented and less 'produced' sound than has become common...and it's faster-moving and harder-hitting precisely because of that. It's been some time since hip hop's sounded like this." CMJ (12/20/99, p.26) - "...[Funk Flex] comes strapped with the hottest freestyles and exclusives from the biggest names in the game....features new verses by Ruff Ryders, Eminem and Dre, Prodigy & Kool G. Rap, Raekwon and LL Cool J, along with a classic live freestyle between Tupac and Biggie."

Funkmaster Flex first came to prominence in the 1990s as a DJ at both the powerful New York City rap station Hot 97 and the legendary club the Tunnel. However, Flex became a brand unto himself when his name grew to be practically synonymous with hip-hop mixtapes. No one person has had more influence in the world of rap compilations than the Bronx-born turntablist, and from his first collection, simply titled FUNKMASTER FLEX PRESENTS THE MIXTAPE VOL. 1, he has brought together a wide swath of the hip-hop world, running the gamut from True Schoolers like A Tribe Called Quest to ghetto fab gangsta rappers like Juelz Santana.

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