12th Tribe

Conscious Rap / Hip Hop
California, USA

Dave Portillo (Rapps Galore) and Eddie Sierra from California began rapping in 1985 under the name of Deity, but later changed it to 12th Tribe.

The crew consists of founding member David Portillo, known as Rapps Galore, Johnny Esparza known as DJ Redeemed, and Santos Smith known as Sound Mind.

Apparently, Rapps and Excell were planted in the audience of a conservative talk show that brought on BWP, the Geto Boys, and Kool Moe Dee to defend rap music. The two stood up in the audience to compliment the rappers for their honesty and then offer their music as a source of solutions to the problems that the guest's music was speaking of.

1991 Frontline Records (FLD9261)

Rapps Galore - Vocals
Excell - Vocals, sratches

Scott Blackwell - Keyboards, programming, scratches
Jimmy P. Brown II - Guitar and backing vocals on “Break tthe Ice” and “God Rules”
Lanny Cordola - Guitar on “Just Chillin'“
Mark St. Regis - Keyboards

1. Knowledge is the Tree of Life (3:41)
2. I C Things (4:53)
3. Jealous Dialect (0:30)
4. Break the Ice (3:40)
5. Peace and Soul (4:51)
6. Sitting in a Restaurant (1:01)
7. Freedom (7:00)
8. White Lie (2:57)
9. 12th Tribe Reply (0:39)
10. Just Chillin' (5:33)
11. God Rules (4:20)
12. Tempted (1:32)
13. Wonders of Christ (8:09)
14. Peace to the Deity (0:40)
15. Harvest of the 90's (4:33)

1992 Frontline Records (FLD9407)

Rapps Galore - Vocals
Excell - Vocals, scratches

Jimmy P. Brown II - Guitar on “Livin' in Babylon,” “Abhor Evil,” “B.4. the Storm,” “Strings of Sorrow,” and “Run Devil Run”; Lead vocals on “B.4. the Storm” and “Strings of Sorrow”
Allegra Parks - Additional vocals on “1 Day at a Time”

1. Apodokimaza - Intro (1:48)
2. Livin' in Babylon (3:54)
3. Demons in the Attic (0:40)
4. A Dream (3:56)
5. Black Highways (3:51)
6. Stomach Ache (1:00)
7. Abhor Evil (4:47)
8. B.4. the Storm (3:12)
9. Master, Master (0:36)
10. Hush (0:44)
11. 1 Day at a Time (3:09)
12. Strings of Sorrow (1:42)
13. Madness (3:36)
14. Curtains (1:14)
15. Run Devil Run (3:00)

1996 Rescue Records (RRCD 2411)

Brimstone (Eddie Sierra) - Character
Guerrilla Jive (James Ortega) - Character
Rapps Galore (David Portillo) - Character
Tha Conductor (Eric Breton) - Character

Cisco - Special guest appearance on “Story (Rhyme)“
Fros T - Special guest appearance on “Story (Rhyme)“
Polar Bear - Special guest appearance on “Story (Rhyme)“
Shabang - Special guest appearance on “Story (Rhyme)“
Suljah - Special guest appearance on “Story (Rhyme)”

1. Demons (4:55)
2. Intro (1:49)
3. Boot (3:51)
4. Slippin' (3:53)
5. Space (1:12)
6. Ghetto (4:37)
7. Story (Intro) (0:50)
8. Story (Rhyme) (5:10)
9. Born (1:21)
10. Soldier (4:23)
11. Slave (4:53)
12. Dance (4:16)
13. Deep (4:03)
14. Lead (1:25)
15. Camp (4:01)
16. ❤ Song (1:14)

(…to be continued…)