Before Michael Franti formed Spearhead and became well-known for his sunny, reggae influenced music, he focused on much harsher, more politically charged music.
The first widely known example of this was the industrial/hip-hop group called The Beatnigs. Drummer Rono Tse was also part of this heavy-hitting ensemble.
Both Rono Tse later went on to form the more successful Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy, which took the concepts The Beatnigs had to a much larger scale.
Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy’s most famous song “Television, The Drug Of The Nation” was initially a Beatnigs song. Here they are performing it in 1989, complete with power tools percussion:
Along with Michael Franti and Rono Tse, Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy also included jazz guitarist Charlie Hunter before he gained larger fame playing 8-string guitar in instrumental ensembles.
It is interesting to hear him in this context. The crazed, Public Enemy / Bomb Squad style beats, Gil Scott-Heron inspired spoken word and lyrics encased in a barrage of samples is pretty different than what he (and even Michael Franti) are known for nowadays.
Here’s Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy’s take on “Television”:
They were also a powerful, live act. Here they are performing “Famous And Dandy (Like Amos And Andy)” (ironically?) on late night television:
Here they are performing their version of the Dead Kennedy’s “California Uber Alles” at a club show:
Their live act was so good they eventually opened for U2 on a portion of their Zoo TV tour, along with Primus!
U2 was so into the group, that even after they were off the tour itself, their music was still incorporated into their massive show introduction.
Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy only put out two albums (the second one being the backing band for William S. Burroughs reading selections of his works). So their first album, Hypocrisy Is the Greatest Luxury, remains their definitive musical statement.