P.K.O., which stands for pounds, keys, and ounces, is a group from San Antonio, TX. It was formed during the late eighties by Pony J, Magic Mark, and K-Sam. They ended up recruiting two more members by the names of DJ AK and Earl The Pearl. This was the original lineup that debuted in 1989 on Yo! Records with their full length album, Don't F**k W/Texas. Production is done impeccably by DJ Snake of the Nemesis fame along with the help of Magic Mark and DJ AK manning the turntables. With DJ Snake handling the bulk of the duties, he made sure the tracks contain solid yet soothing bass lines as well as some hard but edgy drums. Although the beats are somewhat sample assisted, they still somehow a carry a genuine vibe. Lyrics can only be described as harsh and are certainly controversial. Each member attacks the microphone with reckless abandon. Their rhymes are brutal and they maintain that theme throughout the record. This album not only paved the way for the group but also gave them a sense of direction. Even though they had constant changes in their membership throughout their long career, the core unit remained the same with K-Sam, Magic Mark, and Pony J, who would later change his alias to Nino. Overall it is a pretty hardcore album and one that bashes a lot of people in politics and even people in the music industry back then. The record's controversial nature did not bring any radio play or mainstream success but it did give the group a very strong and loyal fan base in the underground.
Deadly Verses
