The Beatnuts originally came together in 1989 in Queens, New York. Three members, Psycho Les, Ju-Ju, and Fashion made up the crew.

In the early 1990's the trio did remixes for Cypress Hill, and Naughty By Nature among many others. Their first album came out in 1993 and was entitled, "Intoxicated Demons". Fashion was jailed for 6 months soon after the album’s release for drug charges, and after his release left the Beatnuts and went solo releasing his own album. Soon afterwards Les and Ju released a self titled album. In 1997 the smash hit single "Off Tha Books" was released on the album, "Stone Crazy". In 1999 The Beatnuts released the hit album, "A Musical Massacre". This album featured possibly their biggest hit “Watch Out Now” and also featured collaborations with artists such as Dead Prez and Common. Their album "Take It or Squeeze It" was released in 2001, leaving Beatnuts fans hungry for more. This album featured one of their best known tracks, which was featured on the AND 1 mixtape, “Se Acabo”, which was a remix featuring Method Man. The Beatnuts released the album entitled "The Originators" on October 22nd 2002, released on Landspeed-Records. This album featured original member Fashion, who is now better known as Al Tariq. Their last album "Milk Me", released through Penalty Recordings, featured Rahzel, Freeway and also Akon who is featured in the track “Find Us”. Jeru the Damaja, is an MC from Brooklyn, New York. He has worked extensively with Guru and DJ Premier of Gang Starr, whom he has known since high school. He spent his early years in the Brooklyn neighborhood of East New York, where he began rhyming at block parties as a youth. He first showcased his hardcore Brooklyn style to audiences on "I'm the Man," a track from Gang Starr's 1992 album Daily Operation. The following year he released his first single, "Come Clean," which was produced by DJ Premier and became an instant underground hit. His first album, The Sun Rises in the East, was released in 1994, produced entirely by DJ Premier, is considered a classic, and was one of the most acclaimed hip-hop albums of its time. Jeru followed up in 1996 with his second album Wrath of the Math, again produced solely by DJ Premier. In 1999, he released his third album, Heroz4hire, released together with Mizmarvel. His album, Divine Design, released in 2003, was the first album under his new record label, Ashenafi Records. The latest Jeru album, titled Still Rising, was released on October 16, 2007 and has received a great reception from his peers and the underground fans.