The current lineup consists of founding members Ronzo "The Beast" Cartwright, Glen Cummings, and DJ KUTT/Terry Hayes together with the longest serving rhythm section: bassist Tim Books and drummer David Howard.
[7] In the December 1991 issue of Music Row, Brian Mansfield speculated that it was "the biggest pop deal ever for a Nashville band (a reported $2 million plus for two albums).
"[8] THC's debut album Def Before Dishonor was issued in Sept. 1991 and co-produced by Jam Master Jay of Run DMC and Grammy award-winner Phil Nicolo.
[9] The Tennessean's Robert K. Oermann interpreted The Hard Corps' military stage gear as representing “the battlefield against prejudice and misunderstanding” which placed them on “the frontline of a new musical style."
Cummings had spent the previous decades writing, recording, and touring with his hardcore punk and thrash metal bands Ludichrist and Scatterbrain.
[13] The rechristened group began wearing matching Dickies workwear because four members were co-workers at a tire distribution warehouse and would come directly to rehearsal from their job.
While the title track netted comparisons to Rage Against the Machine and other rap-rock peers,[17] "Mr. Sunray's" lighter tone and positive message got likened to the works of De La Soul and Arrested Development.
"[19] THC's reputation in Nashville positioned Stone Deep to perform locally not just at Lucy's Record Shop and other DIY venues.
The self-managed group also appeared at the Nashville Entertainment Association's (NEA) Extravaganza ‘94, which featured such regional talents as country songwriter and four-time Grammy nominee Darrell Scott.
[20] The group's first full-length album, 1996's Kung Fu Grip introduced a rougher, darker tone that reflected Stone Deep's transition from co-founder Butler to new bassist Sam Tucker.
The event was hosted at the Ryman Auditorium, with such country notables as Martina McBride, Alison Krauss, and Vince Gill among the night's winners.
This time, the group worked at Nashville's historic Woodland Studios with Bruce Calder, a producer with credits on releases by Mother Love Bone, Green River and Swans.