Although appropriate it seems odd that Das EFX are now considered old school enough to warrant a greatest hits album. Time is definitely passing too quickly when Das EFX material becomes vintage.

Listening to early Das EFX tracks like East Coast and Dum Dums the influence exerted upon the group by the Hit Squad is readily apparent; in fact, if I didn’t know better I could swear that Erick Sermon and PMD must have been present during the recordings. The majority of the tracks sound very similar to Sermon’s early solo work on his Under Pressure debut and Redman’s Whut Thee Album. Most tracks feature the duo’s complex rhymes over sparse backgrounds dominated by hi-hat and snare heavy beats, with low, enveloping basslines and soft samples. However, as has always been the case with Das EFX their lyrics and their production have always been a double-edged sword. Their beats were often too brooding and murky to be enjoyed fully on a summer evening, or by teens living in the fast lane. Similarly the duo’s rhymes, although far better than the average rapper, were perhaps too complex for the average listener.

Das EFX’s claim to fame has always been and will always be the signature “diggedy” rhyme style that they created, one which would be copied many times by many others albeit much less successfully. Emcees Skoob and Krazy Drayz have always been top-notch linguists, and it’s interesting to listen to the progression in their rhyming abilities from their early songs presented on the first half of the disc to more recent selections found on the latter half. Classics like They Want EFX and Freakit showcase Das EFX’s innovative nature to the fullest. Newer hits like Microphone Master with Mobb Deep, and Rap Scholar featuring Redman round out the disc nicely. Unfortunately, the compilation is missing one of Das EFX’s greatest hits, the original Real Hip Hop, a track that would prove to be an asset to this package.

The Very Best of Das EFX is certainly not for everyone, as its dark melodies and tag-team, complex rhyme patterns don’t lend themselves to ears yearning for pop hits. However, if you want an exposure to the Real Hip Hop this CD is surely one of the stops on-route to discovering one facet of the 20th century’s most fascinating subculture.