An underground Latino crew who moved from being strictly producers to make some action on the other side of the mixing board as well, the Beatnuts first hooked up in the late '80s, with Junkyard Ju-Ju (b. Jerry Tineo) and Psycho Les (b. Lester Fernandez) being joined by Fashion (b. Berntony Smalls). After working with the Jungle Brothers, the trio connected with Monie Love on a production job for "Pups Lickin Bone" from her 1990 debut album, Down to Earth. They also worked on remixes for Cypress Hill, Naughty by Nature, Da Lench Mob and Prime Minister Pete Nice, earning their own contract with Combat Records for the 1993 mini-LP Intoxicated Demons. The album's release was held up when Kool Fashion was arrested and jailed for six months on a drug conviction, but the Beatnuts released a self-titled album the following year, on Violator/Relativity. After a hiatus verging on three years, Fashion became a Muslim and left the Beatnuts, releasing his debut solo album God Connections with production help from his old band-mates. Ju-Ju and Psycho Les finally returned to release the Beatnuts' third album Stone Crazy in 1997.