Foreign Legion: "The Secret Knock EP"

Just ask Frank, Dean, and Sammy: 'Good chemistry' is a vital element separating performers who are truly entertaining from cookie-cutter acts who have to manufacture that feeling of togetherness. The genuinely harmonious vibe infusing San Jose hip-hop outfit Foreign Legion, however, isn't the only thing likening them to a modern day b-boy version of the Rat Pack. MCs Prozack and Marc Stretch have a knack for enticing audiences with witty, punchline-filled rhymes about carousing and womanizing, while behind it all DJ Design lays down bouncy feel-good beats that keep the party moving.

The best thing about Foreign Legion is their humor, which shines through on record--and especially during their live shows. They've got the testicular fortitude to actually entertain, rather than relying on the typical pace-floor/grab-crotch/yell-into-microphone routine. Instead of mean-mugging audiences, the crew is known to wear costumes, sing, dance, and tell jokes--on one occasion Stretch even appeared toting a backpack with counterpart Prozack stuffed inside. And on record, a classic example of the group's approach is the track "Roommate Joint" (from the Playtight album), where Prozack and Stretch trade barbs about living with one another (which was true) while DJ Design's beats bubble with funk.

By no means, though, is Foreign Legion a novelty circus type act; they do have a serious side. The group gets a lot of attention for its jocular antics, but as the players prove on "How Do It Feel," they're just as quick to express inner struggles. Frustrations with economic limitations, industry phonies, and stressing relationships seem to keep their point of view at underdog status.

DJ Design and Prozack grew up together in San Jose, Calif. The pair soon found like- minded Marc Stretch, who also had a spirited appreciation for rap. Dubbing themselves Foreign Legion, the tightly knit trio went public in 1999 with the 12-inch release "Full Time B-Boy" on ABB Records, then dropped their debut album The Kidnapper Van, which garnered critical acclaim. They didn't exactly hit the Top 40, but the trio did attract a loyal underground following--enough so that they were able to tour Europe and Australia.

After taking a brief hiatus, popular demand brought the three members of Foreign Legion back together in 2003 for Playtight. While their overall sound had started out gritty (and always stayed witty), this release showed they'd developed a cleaner, more refined feel, thanks to technological advances in recording and the addition of souped-up studio equipment. These more recent beats and rhymes from the group seem to be built with large sound systems, not portable headphones, in mind. Regardless, Foreign Legion's whole catalogue makes head's nod and mind's smile.

The crew has since moved on, each working on solo projects. Prozack's 2004 album Death, Taxes, and Prozack was initially slated for release on Interscope, until corporate red tape forced the project back to independent status. DJ Design makes beats for other hip-hop MCs including A.G., Mark Rae, and Profile while simultaneously running his own indie label, Look Records. And in addition to playing semi-pro football and DJing at Bay Area clubs, Marc Stretch has a solo project in the works, too.

The on-again off-again team never broke any sales records; nor did they reinvent rap music the way, say, Marley Marl did with his early sampling techniques. But in their short time together, Prozack, DJ Design, and Marc Stretch hooked legions of underground fans with their humor, charisma, and homegrown group chemistry. By avoiding easy gimmicks and just making rock-solid hip-hop, they earned international respect.

But is the story finished? The individual members of Foreign Legion may be pursuing solo endeavors, but with all the good vibes and harmonious energy they produced, it's hard to believe they won't reconnect for another go-round sometime in the very near future.