The Beatnuts

The Beatnuts are a hip hop crew from Queens, New York City. Members are Ju-Ju (Jerry Tineo), of Dominican descent, and Psycho Les (Lester Fernandez), of Colombian descent. The only Latino members of the Nat

The Beatnuts are a hip hop crew from Queens, New York City. Members are Ju-Ju (Jerry Tineo), of Dominican descent, and Psycho Les (Lester Fernandez), of Colombian descent. The only Latino members of the Native Tongues Posse, they have had long-standing involvement with the crew's activities. Although only peripheral members, they are routinely acknowledged as valued by Q-Tip, who has shouted them out at least twice on record (once in 1991 and once in 1996.)

Early on in their career they produced whole albums for Posse members Common and Chi-Ali. Their production is noted as some of the finest and most accomplished, if unheralded, in all of hip-hop, often intricately detailed (as in their finely honed work for Mos Def on two tracks from Black on Both Sides) but more regularly barnstorming, club-friendly, flourish-laden party music. Jennifer Lopez used their track "Watch Out Now" as the instrumental for her song "Jenny from the Block".