The X-Ecutioners, originally known as X-Men, are a group of American hip hop DJs/turntablists from New York City, New York.[2] The group formed in 1989 and currently consists of three DJs, including Total Eclipse, DJ Boogie Blind, and DJ Precision. Original members of the group included Mista Sinista, Rob Swift, and Roc Raida. Rob Swift and Total Eclipse formed a side project called Ill Insanity releasing one album together in 2008 entitled Ground Xero.

the X-Ecutioners
the X-Ecutioners, New York, 1998
the X-Ecutioners, New York, 1998
Background information
Also known asX-Men, Ill Insanity
OriginNew York City, New York, U.S.
GenresHip hop,[1] turntablism, experimental hip hop, instrumental hip hop
Years active1989–present
SpinoffsIll Insanity
MembersTotal Eclipse
DJ Boogie Blind
DJ Precision
Past membersMista Sinista
Rob Swift
Roc Raida (deceased)

History

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The X-Ecutioners formed as a DJ crew in 1989[3] that originally included 11 members. The group's original name was the X-Men, named after the Marvel Comics superhero team. The "X-Men" name was chosen by the crew partly because of their rivalry with DJ Clark Kent and his crew of DJs, known as the Supermen, named after DC Comics' Superman. The X-Men later changed their name to the X-Ecutioners for trademark reasons.[2]

After the group's name changed, the crew was later reduced to members Rob Swift, Roc Raida, Total Eclipse, and Mista Sinista (named after the X-Men villain Mister Sinister) before releasing their debut studio album, X-Pressions in 1997.[2] Sinista later left the group shortly after the release of their second studio album Built from Scratch in 2001.

The X-Ecutioners have worked with many famous artists on their albums Built from Scratch and Revolutions and are highly respected in hip hop for their turntable skills, being famous for the technique known as beat juggling.[2] They have been known to do numerous collaborations, ranging from Kool G Rap to Cypress Hill, Mike Shinoda and Joe Hahn of Linkin Park, Wayne Static from Static-X, and co-released a collaboration album with Mike Patton called General Patton vs. The X-Ecutioners. The X-Ecutioners contributed a remix of Run-DMC's "King of Rock" on the Harmonix game Amplitude, and the song "Like This" was featured in the video game SSX 3. Their Music and themselves were also featured in the game, NFL Street. As of 2007, Rob Swift, Total Eclipse, and Precision have formed a new group called Ill Insanity. Their latest studio album release, Ground Xero contains 14 tracks featuring the likes of DJ QBert, DJ Excess, and Grand Master Roc Raida.

In 2008, the group announced the tour dates on both the X-Ecutioners' and Ill Insanity's Myspace Reunion Tour Blog.[4] In a recent interview with E.Zee Radio,[5]

Personnel

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Current members

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  • Total Eclipse - turntables (1996–present)
  • DJ Boogie Blind - turntables (2004–present)
  • DJ Precision - turntables (2004–present)

Former members

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  • Mista Sinista - turntables (1989–2001)
  • Rob Swift - turntables (1989–2004)
  • Roc Raida - turntables (1989–2009) (died 2009)

Discography

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Albums

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List of albums, with selected details and chart positions
Title Details Chart positions
US US
R&B/HH
AUS
[6]
X-Pressions
  • Released: September 23, 1997
  • Label: Asphodel
Built from Scratch
  • Released: February 26, 2002
  • Label: Loud
15 13 62
Revolutions
  • Released: June 8, 2004
  • Label: Loud
118 50
General Patton vs. The X-Ecutioners
Ground Xero
  • Released: March 11, 2008
  • Label: Ablist

Extended plays

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  • Música Negra (Black Music)/Wordplay (1997)

Compilation albums

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Singles

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References

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  1. ^ Cooper, Sean. "The X-Ecutioners". AllMusic. Retrieved January 12, 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d Colin Larkin, ed. (2000). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Nineties Music (First ed.). Virgin Books. pp. 434/5. ISBN 0-7535-0427-8.
  3. ^ "The X-ecutioners - Biography | Billboard". Billboard.com. Retrieved 2017-07-23.
  4. ^ "Myspace Reunion Tour Blog". 2012-02-15. Archived from the original on 2012-02-15. Retrieved 2014-05-20.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  5. ^ [1] [dead link]
  6. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 306.
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