Even to the most hardcore rap fan, the Bronx trio known as The Legion are hardly spoken about. That may partially be due the group releasing only one full-length album, 1994’s Theme + Echo = Krill[1].
The D.I.T.C. affiliated threesome, comprised of Chucky Smash, Molecules and Cee-Low, were discovered in the early 90s by Dres (of Black Sheep) and eventually inked a deal with his label, One Love (Mercury Records).
The obscure LP featured production from Showbiz, as well as Black Sheep’s Mista Lawnge and Dres, and included heaters like “Makin’ Noise,” “Back In the Day,” “Who It’s On” parts 1 & 2 and “Zootie Bang.” However, it was the single “Jingle Jangle” which made the most noise from The Legion’s one and only LP.
The ‘Theme’ would be the beats and the music that’s setting the tone. The ‘Echo’ like represents the voices – there were three of us – and also represented the echo chambers that you heard in the jams. And the final product was the ‘Krill’, which was a combination as far as us and our lingo and our slang, which really stood for ‘Krazy Ill’. But you mentioned whoola blunts – Krills – actually is what people called cracks at the time. [Interview with Chucky Smash, via Unkut]
Recently, New Jersey’s Beneficence decided to revisit the 1994 underground hit on his new album, Basement Chemistry.
Titled “Make It Hot (Jingle Jangle 2.0),” the overhauled track features a new, fresh instrumental produced by The Legion, and features Ben and the song’s original players. Watch the Jimmy Giambrone-directed visual above.
