New Funky Nation is the debut studio album by the Samoan-American hip hop band Boo-Yaa T.R.I.B.E.[2][3] It was released in 1990 via 4th & B'way Records/Island Records.[4] The recording sessions took place at Image Recording Studios and Paramount Studios, from 1989 to 1990. The album was produced by the Dust Brothers, John O'Brien, Joe Nicolo of the Butcher Bros., Tony G., Suga Pop, and Boo-Yaa T.R.I.B.E. It peaked at No. 33 in New Zealand, No. 74 in the UK and No. 117 in the United States.
The album spawned three singles: "R.A.I.D.", "Psyko Funk" and "Walk the Line".
Trouser Press wrote: "New Funky Nation is an extraordinarily powerful and uncommon hip-hop LP, a rhythmic soul assault of horns, Boo-Yaa bass and violence-prone street rhymes that have an unsettling ring of truth."[1] The Orlando Sentinel wrote that "the raps aren't as strong as the music ... they try to counter the polish of the sound with street tough talk, but the vocals just aren't lean and mean enough to give their Uzi and body-bag motifs any vibrancy."[7]The Washington Post wrote that "the whole Boo-Yaa package -- their look, their background, their musicianship -- is more memorable than any of their songs, with the exception of 'Don't Mess', which has startling changes of tempo and a simple, irresistible vocal hook: 'Boo-Yaa funkin' it up'."[8]
