The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy

A duo comprising Michael Franti and Rono Tse, the Heroes hit the scene hard with their 1992 debut Hypocrisy Is The Greatest Luxury. While praised by critics for its intelligent messages and cutting-edge sound that blended Industrial Dance elements with bombastic hip-hop, it was simply over the heads of most mainstream listeners caught up in the era's G-Funk explosion. Their heady explorations of race relations, homophobia, and shady politics were lost on kids captivated by tales of the chronic and low-rider '64s. In 1993, they collaborated with beat writer/junkie legend William S. Burroughs on Spare Ass Annie and Other Tales. Shortly thereafter, Franti left the group and started the more funk-inflected crew Spearhead.