Al' Tariq (birth name: Bertanthony Smalls) used to be known as Fashion when he was a member of The Beatnuts, a Queens, NY based rap group. Fashion left the Beatnuts sometime before the Stone Crazy album, citing his new Islamic beliefs and a vow to make more positive music. However, the Beatnuts and Al' Tariq still maintain close contact. The Beatnuts produced Al' Tariq's God Connections album, and they all went on tour together in 2001, along with Greg Nice, the Arsonists and Cuban Link.