History of the Bay: Total Devastation

Total Devastation achieved legendary status in the early 90s with their hit, "Many Clouds of Smoke." The duo of Bernie Yo Potna Red Eye and Big Tone Smoke, along with DJ Tuff Cut Tim, came up in San Francisco's Mission District. As the some of the first Latin rappers in the Bay, they blazed trails independently with their first release "In The SF Streets." This led to a deal with PGA Records and a hit song that would change their lives. On this episode of the History of the Bay Podcast, Total Devastation recalls their early days navigating the gang life and being early pioneers for the cannabis movement decades before it became mainstream. Along the way, Total Devastation made waves in hip-hop, rocking shows with Lighter Shade of Brown and working with producers like Diamond D, Funkmaster Flex, and Peanut Butter Wolf. As they navigated industry politics, wear and tear from the business side pushed music to the back burner. After a hiatus, Total Devastation is now gearing up to release new music, entering into the legal cannabis business, and planning to make a documentary about the group.