Also known as Topology Crew Years active 1992–1999 Active until 1999 | Genres Hip hop Website The Nonce Fan page Genre Hip hop music | |
 | ||
Associated acts Project Blowed
Aceyalone
Supherb Members Nouka Basetype (Sach)
Yusef Afloat Origin Los Angeles, California, United States (1992) Albums World Ultimate, The Sight of Things, Mix Tapes / Keep It On Record labels American Recordings, Warner Bros. Records Similar Edgar Allen Floe, Aceyalone, Dazzie Dee, Boom Bap Project, Grand Daddy IU | ||
The Nonce was a hip-hop duo from Los Angeles, California, that was active in the 1990s (releasing material from 1992 to 1999). As part of the Project Blowed collective, working with Aceyalone, among others, the duo developed a reputation for smooth, jazzy, classy production, complemented by laid-back, smart rhymes (paying homage to the Old School emcees they grew up listening to in the mid-1980s).
Contents
Debut Single and World Ultimate
In 1992, the duo released its first single, “The Picnic Song.” The group fit in between spaces made by other luminaries such as the Pharcyde, Freestyle Fellowship, and A Tribe Called Quest, but it was to be nearly two more years (due to internal wrangling with the label) until the duo would release its biggest single to date, “Mixtapes,” in 1994.
In 1995 a full-length album, World Ultimate, was released on Rick Rubin's American Recordings label (via Wild West Records). In 2005, to commemorate the album's 10-year anniversary, a Japanese re-issue surfaced in limited quantities. There are also plans to re-issue the album on Vinyl in the future. As of 2008, no official re-issue has surfaced.
The Sight of Things and Previously Unreleased Material
After World Ultimate came an EP, The Sight Of Things in 1998. In 2005, previously unreleased material from the Nonce was issued in the form of two compilations: Advanced Regression and The Right State of Mind.
Sach Solo material
Nouka Basetype, now known as Sach, began to release solo material from 1998 with the cassette only album Seven Days To Engineer. He followed that up in 2002 with the Mary Joy released LP, Suckas Hate Me. 2005 saw the release of his 3rd solo album, Sach 5th Ave. Sach has also produced beats for numerous Los Angeles underground hip hop artists such as Global Phlowtations, Ganjah K, Medusa, Figures of Speech, Studious Steve, Freestyle Fellowship etc.
Death of Yusef
On May 21, 2000, Yusef "Afloat" Muhammad was found dead on the side of Freeway 110 in Los Angeles. He was 28 years old. The official cause of death, as well as the circumstances which led to his being found on the side of Freeway 110, remains unknown.
Albums
EPs
Singles
Compilations
Songs
Bus StopsWorld Ultimate · 1995
Mix TapesWorld Ultimate · 1995
Who Falls Apart?The Sight of Things · 1998