Nemesis

An anomaly in its time, Nemesis stood out in the late '80s/early '90s as a Texas-based rap group with big label connections during a time when nearly all rap came from either Los Angeles or New York. Featuring Big Al, the Snake, and MC Azimv, Nemesis didn't have much commercial success and weren't incredibly influential, but they do function as an omen of what was to come. The group synthesized a number of different rap styles from the era: New York MCing, Miami bass beats, and West Coast gangsta attitude. More than any of these attributes, it was their beats that garnered the most attention, illustrated perhaps best by the group's bass-orientated album titles. The group debuted on Profile Records in 1989 with To Hell and Back, followed by Munchies for Your Bass in 1991. Generally viewed as the group's crowning achievement, Munchies for Your Bass found Nemesis discarding some of the New York school of MCing influence that had been so prevalent in favor of more Southern-style party rap. However, with successive albums, Nemesis' party-orientated lyrics became increasingly commonplace and clichéd, and the group fell into obscurity. Curiously, the group staged a comeback in late 2000 with Munchies for Your Bass, Da Return, an indie release with a No Limit-style album cover. Few noticed, however, confirming the fact that Nemesis' moment in the spotlight had come and gone with little notice and even less of a resulting legacy.