Skitzofreniks

Despite a slim discography, cult favorite duo the Skitzofreniks have been important mainstays in Boston's hip-hop underground since the early '90s. Originally formed in Cambridge, MA, the two -- rapper Charlie Bawles (aka CheckMark) and DJ/producer Eddie Bones -- first began recording in 1991 and earned their reputation almost exclusively from their local performances. In 1998, they self-released on CD-R the On My Own SH!T EP, which landed them a recording deal with Boston's Brick Records. The label officially pressed the EP the following year and then issued "On My Own SH!T" and the fan-pleasing posse cut "Skitzofreniks' State," featuring Boston locals <a href="spotify:artist:4EhgA7Pf9pRCNJMgqgul8K">7L & Esoteric</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:6Apw0ReFBi9C1QBultw8pn">Reks</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:2SLaITxUrqhSRzXHk4x1l5">Virtuoso</a>, as underground singles. More 12"s arrived in 2000: Slow It Down on Bad Magic and C'Mon Dude!?! on Brick. The indie rap boom of the late '90s and early 2000s provided Boston's rap scene a national stage, prompting the Skitzofreniks to indulge in several collaborations with other Beantown natives, including <a href="spotify:artist:6qbtuhThjXYnpldXCczlDd">Mr. Lif</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:2emuC245M2qQ9MPJgivLbm">Akrobatik</a>; Bones also obtained beat placements on albums by <a href="spotify:artist:5iwtnFL2DK4xdWeHfeOOhU">Louis Logic</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:6Apw0ReFBi9C1QBultw8pn">Reks</a>, and many others. The duo's first full-length, Enter the Realm, finally surfaced in 2002. ~ Cyril Cordor, Rovi