The Beatnigs were the band that Michael Franti and Rono Tse in before he went on to slightly bigger things with The Disposable Heroes of HipHoprisy. You can see he had a handy way with bastardised neologisms for band names. (Hmmm, the Bastardised Neologisms, that's quite a good name in itself.) This album comes with an A4 booklet that explains, "The word 'Nig' is a positive acronym derived from the word 'Nigger' and is used by the members of the Beat Nigs". When you have to start explaining your name, it seems you've already lost half the battle.
You still hear the DHHH's version of Television (Drug of the Nation) on the radio. Well, you do on the stations I listen to. But the Beatnigs recorded and issued the first version on this album. I think that got some radio play by John Peel at the time (1987/88) as well. It's less funky, more agit-prop here.
Altogether this album is an unusual mix of different approaches that captures a particular moment in late-80s protest music. It's on Jello Biafra's Alternative Tentacles label, and mixes protest about Contragate, racism and green issues. It's not quite a rap record, and, though it has traces of the Black Rock Coalition about it, it's not quite them either. Neither is it as funky as Gil Scott-Heron, who the DHHHs came to resemble more.
I'm pretty sure I saw the Beatnigs play at the Leadmill one time, though I can remember nothing more about it than the fact I was there.
 MusicBrainz entry for this album
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