The U.M.C.’s Drop ‘Fruits of Nature’ Album: Today in Hip-Hop

On this day, Oct. 14, in hip-hop history...

1991: During the golden age of hip-hop, the sheer volume of great artists making incredible rap music often forced out worthy acts who quickly became footnotes in history.  The mainstream's lack of respect for hip-hop history meant that an artist could generate a buzz for themselves with a hit song only to find themselves forgotten within a brief moment. Often all that is left is the music's undeniable brilliance that can leave a strong imprint on the minds of their fans . Such is the case of Staten Island rap group The U.M.C.'s whose debut album Fruits of Nature is considered a cult classic amongst old school hip-hop fans.

The U.M.C.'s consisted of Haas G and Kool Kim, two teenage friends that grew up in the borough of Staten Island in New York. Fruits of Nature released in 1991 on Wild Pitch Records featured the U.M.C.'s inventive brand of lively, smart hip-hop that bubbled with jazzy breaks and unique pop sensibility. Billboard 100 singles "Blue Cheese" and "One To Grow On" feature a melodious take on hip-hop that feels fun and breeze. Meanwhile, the tracks had a deep idiosyncratic quality that prevented Fruits of Nature from veering into formulaic radio-ready pop.

Despite the album's easy warmth and catchy MTV-ready bounce, Fruits of Nature failed to capture the attention of commercial audiences at the time. The U.M.C.'s would go on to release one more album together, 1994's Unleashed, before breaking up. However, both group members would go on to some notoriety after the group's breakup. Haas G would focus on production and in 2003 scored a Billboard No. 2 hit with Lil Kim & 50 Cent's "Magic Stick." Meanwhile, Kool Kim would go onto to rechristen himself as NYOIL and make waves after dropping the controversial viral video, "Y'All Should All Get Lynched," in 2008.

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