Berntony Smalls is the birth name of rapper Al’ Tariq. Formerly known as Kool Ass Fash/Fashion. Early on he was influenced by two classmates, one of which would go on to Iconic stardom, the original Cut Creator and LL Cool J. He was also mentored by behind the scenes DJing and Producing heavyweight, Drew Ski/Dr. Butcher. In 1990 he started his career as a solo artist working with Psycho Les and JuJu, who would become the production team The Beatnuts!
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Berntony Smalls is the birth name of rapper Al’ Tariq. Formerly known as Kool Ass Fash/Fashion. Early on he was influenced by two classmates, one of which would go on to Iconic stardom, the original Cut Creator and LL Cool J. He was also mentored by behind the scenes DJing and Producing heavyweight, Drew Ski/Dr. Butcher. In 1990 he started his career as a solo artist working with Psycho Les and JuJu, who would become the production team The Beatnuts! In 1991 the producers where brought on board by Chris “Baby Chris” Lighty to produce acts on his fledgling record label Violator. After writing half of Chi-Ali’s debut album and performing on a few songs (most notably “Let the Horns Blow” feat: Dres of BlackSheep, Dove of DeLa Soul, Phife Dog of A Tribe Called Quest and Chi-Ali) Relativity Records decided to offer The Beatnuts a record deal that would include Fashion in a newly formed HipHop group. During the recording of what was to be the groups debut album with Kool Fash as the featured emcee, Fash was hit with a felony indictment for drug dealing and was sentenced to 1 to 3 years in New York State Prison. He would actually do 11 months. Six of them being in the states Shock Program. A military boot camp style of prison reform that has a lower recidivism rate than conventional prison. Upon his release from prison in April of ‘93 he rejoined the group and rode the success of a song Les and Ju recorded while he was in prison. Reign of the Tec. The group recorded the critically acclaimed and well received album Beatnuts: Street Level and released it on June 21st, 1994. After differences of opinion between Fash and JuJu, Kool Fash left the group to continue his solo career. In June of 1996, after changing his name to Al’ Tariq, he released God Connections on Correct Records. Although the album didn’t receive commercial success it has become what many consider an “underground classic”!!! As evidenced by its two subsequent re-releases since it initially hit stores over twenty five years ago. Though he had become somewhat estranged from his former band mates, he still worked with The Beatnuts after his departure from the group. Psycho Les produced 5/6 songs on the God Connection album and Junkyard Ju produced Peace Akki that he and Les featured on. The album also included production from The Mighty VIC and Chicago heavyweight NO I.D.. The album also featured artist from the God Connection collective, Rawkotics, SK & A Masssacre, Problemz and Black Attack. The latter two would join Tariq a couple of years later to form Missin LinX. The group would score an underground hit for Fat Beats Records in 1998 with their single “Missin in Action”. Produced by The Mighty VIC. The b-side, produced by the infamous Necro, also received heavy rotation on college music radio. “Missin in Action” did so well that it caught the attention of renowned record exec Dante Ross. Tariq and the Linx, with the help of Dagan Ryan, signed with Ross’ imprint on Loud Records . . . Stimulated Records. They recorded an e.p. with production from the aforementioned Necro and VIC but also included music from The Beatnuts and Alchemist. In 2000 Al’ Tariq united with the Beatnuts for a extensive tour of Europe and the U.S.. This led to him appearing on The Beatnuts “Take it or Squeeze It” lp. It's the Nuts and Hammertime are fan favorites. After a five year hiatus Tariq joined forces with former bandmates from the Beatnuts and Missin Linx, Psycho Les and Problemz to form BiG City. Signed by Nature Sounds Records the album was never widely released although one song from the album is featured in two movies. The super catchy “Chedda” was included in the 2008 big screen release of “Role Models” starring Paul Rudd (Ant Man) and Sean William Scott ( Stifler from American Pie). The movie was a success that grossed over one hundred million dollars. The song also played a big part of a party scene in the John Leguizamo, Cynthia Nixon taboo film “The Babysitters”. As Kool Ass Fash and Al’ Tariq, the rapper has done songs with other true heavyweights in HipHop including, Fat Joe, Common, Kanye West, Prodigy of Mobb Deep, Greg Nice of Nice and Smooth, Grand Puba, Sadat X, Freddy Foxx, Casual and Del The Funky Homosapien to name a few. He has also featured on Japanese dj, DJ Honda’s many U.S. releases over the years. The most successful being “On the Mic” feat. Missin Linx, AllLyrical, The Beatnuts and Cuban Links of Terror Squad fame. One can also check out his collaborations with the underground heavyweights Non-Phixion-"Suicide Bomb", DJ Babu "Duck Hunting", Gravity (Chicago Rap God) "City to City", DJ Spinna-"Who You Be"/Missin' Linx and the DLP Respect the DJ Compilation offering "Shots Fire". Not to be forgotten are the incredible team ups with Mark B from London (Rest in Power my brother)-Split Personalities Blade feat. Al' Tariq and Mark B and Al' Tariq-The Great Ones. After a long successful career and a long sabbatical away from the music business Tariq is currently working on the follow up to his only solo album, “God Connections" (1996). The Great Al’ Tariq feat The Royals “Godly” parts 1 & 2 is set for a 2023 release. Singles are set to be released for part one in the fall of 2022.
