Since I brought out the first album, I may as well bring out the second. Jeru's Wrath Of The Math was his second album on Payday/FFRR (a label name I always admired for its ridiculousness). It was also his second and final album working with the legendary DJ Premier (now famous for making Christina Aguilera sound gully).Like the first album, Wrath Of The Math was produced entirely by Primo, and only features one guest (once again, Afu-Ra). Unlike the first...well...the album cover is blue. Blue! How crazy is that, people??
The album was well-received in hip hop circles, although it is missing the crucial "classic song" factor. Also, this album didn't see any copies, either, which shouldn't be a shock, as Jeru is too into his Afrocentricity and black militant stance to even consider giving chicks something to dance to.
After this album's release, Jeru and the Gang Starr Foundation parted ways, and Jeru produced a song of his own, "Friends", which supposedly dissed the hell out of his former, well, friends. I say "supposedly" because I have never actually heard this song, but if any of the two readers of this blog could hook me up, I would appreciate it. Just leave a comment.
1. WRATH OF THE MATH
Title track? Nah. Rap album intro. Groan.
2. THE FRUSTRATED N---A
The drums knock like vintage Gang Starr. The rhymes remind me of a less-polished Nas. The album cover reminds me of the Smurfs, for reasons unknown.
3. BLACK COWBOYS
Dissing the Fugees. The fucking Fugees. Like easy targets much?
4. THE BULLSHIT
Jeru's interpretation of materialistic rap. Considering the shit that's on the radio today, he's not that far off.
5. WHATEVER
Well, if you're not going to respond properly, then the hell with you.
6. PHYSICAL STAMINA (FEAT AFU-RA)
Sequel to the similarily-named track off the first album. Compared to the original, the beat is a fucking mess.
7. ONE DAY
The centerpiece of the album. Hip Hop is kidnapped and taken hostage by Foxy Brown and Puff Daddy. For fans who used to love H.E.R. Good song, though. And it's short, which helps my attention span.
8. REVENGE OF THE PROPHET, PT. 5
My favorite song off the album, for the same reasons I love the original. Parts 2 through 4 are fucking awesome, though; some top shelf shit right there.
9. SCIENTIFICAL MADNESS
As opposed to that good ol' fashioned "regular" madness.
10. NOT THE AVERAGE
Not the median, either. Or the mean. Maybe the mode.
11. ME OR THE PAPES
Sequel to "Da Bichez", but this song sounds much better. There's a video, as well. But wait, there's more!*
12. HOW I'M LIVIN'
Day to day? Paycheck to paycheck? Like a villian? How am I supposed to know if you won't tell me?
13. TOO PERVERTED
Not about what you're thinking.
14. YA PLAYIN' YASELF
The "hit" single. Jeru doesn't appreciate that Primo worked with Biggie, and yet he accepts a beat from Primo that basically is Junior M.A.F.I.A.'s "Player's Anthem" played in reverse. Hypocritical much? The video is mad silly, although I can't get over the fact that my dad actually enjoyed it. Oh well.
15. INVASION
Sounds more like an extended outro that happens to feature some rapping.
FINAL THOUGHTS: Wrath Of The Math isn't as good as the first album. Yet, it sounds much better than any of Jeru's "solo" work. If you're looking for great Primo beats, though, you should look elsewhere. Like at Primo's house. I'm sure he has them all there.
BUY OR BURN? Burn it, unless you find it for two dollars or something. Although who could pass up the opportunity to make their CD collection look better than it really is? You could, that's who.
BEST TRACKS: "One Day"; "Revenge Of The Prophet, Pt. 5"; "Ya Playin' Yaself"
*A final note if anybody still gives a fuck. The B-side to the "Me Or The Papes" single is a Primo remix titled "Me, Not The Paper". The remix features brand new Jeru lyrics, but the draw is the beat, which is a masterful deconstruction of the already sparse piano keys on the original. Hunt down the remix when you can; it's better than any of the songs on the album itself.
-Max
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Jeru The Damaja - The Sun Rises In The East
This was the emergence of underground hip hop!! I played the hell out of this in fact I warped the cassette.Thanks for the enlightment!! A hungrier Mos Def!!
ReplyDeletethis album is definitely and underground classsic, not better than his first album, but still dope though
ReplyDeletethis album is great. it was fully produced by primo. and that "me, not the paper" remix is not better than the album. that's all i gotta say..
ReplyDeleteScientifical Madness,Revenge of the Prophet,Me not the paper and the original song are the best songs on the album, but the other songs are great to, theres just two tracks there that are skippable, but the album in general is a classic
ReplyDeleteyep, you should buy it even if u'll find it for more than 2 bucks, lol, this is hip hop worthy of cash...
ReplyDeleteand Me, Not The Paper is AWESOME, one of the best tracks in hiphop EVER!!!
kormega
nah this doesnt deserve a burn, this was jeru's last preemo collabo album, buy it ppl, although i agree with my man max here, this album aint as good as the first album but jeru still managed to spread a message here
ReplyDeletelol max how fugees are easy targets for jeru if jeru was their target, they dissed jeru first them jeru fired back, in "black cowboys" jeru mentioned that lauryn hill is overall the illest out of the group, meaning that clef and pras were shit, pras and clef are weak ,but lauryn, hell no, on this album?? its fucking dope, this shit deserves a buy
ReplyDeletethis review is fucking terrible!!
ReplyDeleteIsn't the whole point of the "Ya Playin' Yaself" beat that it flips the same sample as "Player's Anthem?"
ReplyDeletethis is a definite buy so don't listen to this review people, actually one of the greatest set of DJ Premier beats ever released and Jeru was in his peak here. this is slightly, slightly less of a masterpiece than the first but if you're only chance to get this is by paying 30 fucking bucks - GO COP!
ReplyDeletei should bitch smack these reviewers around the internet
ReplyDeletemax you suck , great album
ReplyDeletecrap review , great album
ReplyDeletehard knock life mutherfucker
Because it hasn't been said enough in the comments, this album IS mega dope. Saying an album isn't good because the artist has done better work ain't good advice, it's ignint!
ReplyDeleteHOLY FUCK Max. The Me or the Papes remix really is better than every song on the album (and the album as a whole). Highly overrated album in my opinion and I think deep down you didn't really like this album at all, but had to appease the douchers.
ReplyDeleteI do like the album enough, but not enough to tell everyone to spend their hard-earned money. The Sun Rises In The East is flat-out better, and I stand by the opinion expressed in my review. If it were a contest between Wrath Of The Math and the REST of his catalog, though, I would prefer that you bought a thousand copies of this album.
ReplyDeleteAnd I still feel that the "Me, Not The Paper" remix is better and more entertaining than anything else on here.
Thanks for reading!
this is probably the worst review i have read on this site. this is the kinda review i would expect for a u-god or fifty cent album. very disappointed.
ReplyDeleteDid Preem give Jeru his leftover's leftover beats for this album? Because they mostly sound like shit, especially Physical Stamina. Most of this shit doesn't even deserve a burn.
ReplyDeleteThis album stands toe to toe with his debut.
ReplyDeleteMax is already a well-established lunatic & this review proves it.
LOVE THIS BLOG!!!
I would say that this album is even better than his debut, with the exception of Come Clean, which to me stands toe to toe with Me Not The Paper.
ReplyDelete"Me, Not The Paper" doesn't get nearly as much love as I feel it deserves.
DeleteYou goddamn right it don't!
DeleteFuck, Jeru annoys the shit out of me. I don't even like the first one that much. Preachy-ass mofucka. He just says stupid shit so much of the time.
ReplyDelete