April 14, 2015

For The Max-Approved Mixtape: Jeru the Damaja - "Me, Not The Paper"




Artist: Jeru the Damaja
Title: "Me, Not The Paper"
Producer: DJ Premier
Album: "Me Or The Papes" (single, vinyl and CD) (1997)

Longtime readers will recognize this track, as I've written about it a number of times over the past eight years, so bear with me as I attempt to find a new way to discuss it today.

"Me Or The Papes", the lead single from Brooklyn-bred emcee Jeru the Damaja's sophomore effort, Wrath Of The Math, found the man trying to clear up some misconceptions regarding a song entitled "Da Bichez" off of his debut, The Sun Rises In The East, which was supposed to be about materialistic women (gold diggers, specifically), but came across to some audiences as misogynistic as shit.  Instead of just letting it be, though, Jeru had to have the last word, and that last word consisted of him trying to clarify his position by writing another song about materialistic women.  This time around, though, his riffing was presented on a radio-friendly concoction and was even accompanied with a nonsensical video clip that had fuck-all to do with the premise of the song, but was popular enough to earn some spins on MTV.  Yeah, that's showing them, Jeru.

Anyway, while "Me Or The Papes" was alright, the real money (or "papes") was found as a b-side for the single.  DJ Premier, who also produced the original take (along with the rest of Wrath Of The Math, the last time he would produce anything for Jeru, to the horror of hip hop heads everywhere, possibly because of some sneaky shit involving a family member of Jeru's, if he is to be believed), "masterfully deconstructs" (a phrase I apparently use all the time when talking about this song) the original's instrumental, using the same general elements (piano keys, programmed drum loop) to craft a darker, starker, completely original take on the proceedings, while our host elects to use the studio time eschewing all of the talk about "bitches" in favor of discussing hip hop for hip hop's sake; as I've written before, Jeru provides a "monologue about how rhyming for money is for chumps, while rhyming for the sake of rhyming, without saying anything of substance, isn't much better". 

"Me, Not The Paper" takes a definitive stance, as opposed to the wishy-washy have-it-all-ways dynamic Jeru tried to present on "Me Or The Papes", and in doing so, it blows the rest of Wrath Of The Math out of the fucking water, which most likely resulted in our host choosing to not include it at all on Wrath Of The Math, a silly-ass decision if there ever was one.  Come on: how much better would the album had been if he had included this shit?  "Me, Not The Paper" isn't Jeru the Damaja's hardest song (the frontrunner for that would still have to be "Come Clean", from his debut), but you can hear the conviction in his voice: he means what he's saying, for better or for worse, and, at least until he finished recording this track, he had a producer in his corner who knew how to help him project that image of rap dominance and unfuckwithable swagger.  Oh well.

Do you agree or disagree with this selection?  Discuss below.

-Max 

44 comments:

  1. This is also one of my favorite DJ Premier beats; it's a shame that it wasn't included on "Wrath of the Math." Only thing I'd add, though, is that it isn't technically a reconstruction: The original uses Ahmad Jamal's "I Love Music;" this one uses McCoy Tyner's "Folks." (Also, are you planning to review any of their later discography)?

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    1. I had said "deconstructs", not "reconstructs", and I didn't mean because of the samples; I merely meant that Primo used the same elements (not the same samples) and created something different with them.

      Also, whose later work are you referring to? If you meant to say Jeru, I'm still undecided, as i keep losing focus every time I try to sit down with his current output.

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  2. I meant both Jeru and Afu-Ra -- sorry about that. I haven't followed their work that closely since Afu's Life Force Radio -- I know they've only released 5 albums between them since -- but the Perverted Monks CD seems interesting.

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    1. I haven't thought about Afu-Ra in years, so I don't think I'll be exploring his catalog any further to be honest.

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    2. AnonymousMay 16, 2015

      Jeru & Afu should form a duo. That's exactly what they should call it. Jeru & Afu. The simplicity. The brilliance.

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  3. I love this selection. The Primo beat here pretty much epitomizes the sound I think of when people say Hip Hop, kind of like Return of the Crooklyn Dodgers. Classic Primo, classic Jeru. I got to see Jeru live recently and he rocked it. His post-Primo music sucks though. He needs Primo.

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    1. Agreed, although there are some exceptions. His Solar Flares joint with Large Professor knocks in all the right ways.

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    2. Not to mention the awesome Dope medley, also produced by Large Professor, which he participated in along with Lil Dap & Big Noyd. Think Extra P's version of Speak Ya Clout, but instead of Guru you get Big Noyd. Not sure how I'm supposed to feel about that.

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  4. Fantastic song. Glad I happened to find the CD single with this as the b-side as its one of my favorite Jeru tracks.

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  5. I've always had a weird relationship with Jeru. Dude has a great voice and when he first came out, he had such a crazy, interesting style(like on I'm the Man and D Original) but even his DJ Premier-produced albums are so uneven. His flow is crazy on the shit-talking/battle rap songs, but as soon as he decides to get serious he suddenly simplifies his flow and wordplay and becomes the most boring, preachy MC imaginable. I don't have a problem with getting serious, but with so many MCs it seems to come at the expense of the music. Not to mention how stupid most of the "positive" shit he says is. He's a homophobe. He subscribes to a goofy religion and then talks about how spiritually righteous he is. He says he's only criticizing "certain" types of women but he comes off as a misogynistic asshole. Basically he seems like a self-righteous, holier-than-though dick. Most of the time he's a waste of quality Preemo beats.

    This is a pretty good track though.

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    1. "Jungle Music" proves everything you've said wrong.

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    2. Richie, I don't agree with you much, but I agree with your statement here %100.

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    3. *Tochi.
      Damn autocorrect.

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  6. Song is niiiiiice, thanks for putting me on

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  7. Hey Max.. I noticed there is no Bone Thugs N Harmony on here. Do you not like them? Just curious, I'm not even really a fan of them

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    1. i've never been into them either

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    2. I don't have a problem with them up until their post-E. 1999 Eternal output, at which point I kind of stopped caring. But the reason I haven't written about them is more due to time constraints-slash-biting off more than I can chew, and not because I'm trying to make a statement.

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    3. AnonymousMay 16, 2015

      I kinda dig Bone Thugs. Not as much as the Damaja, though.

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  8. To me, this song is Come Clean's equal in terms of importance to Jeru's career, and to hip-hop in general. This should've been the fucking lead single of Wrath of the Math(which, had this happened, would've been as much of a classic as his debut album to me.) instead of Ya Playin' Yaself. Sad that Jeru hasn't worked with Primo since but, I'm glad that his last project with him was this.

    Here's hoping this song gets the love and recognition it deserves now. (In Bloggerville, at least.) Thank you for this choice, Max.

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    1. Agreed, good sir.

      During his Primo run, Jeru made some unforgettable music. Too bad that his lyrics fell off much like his beats after he split from his home.

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  9. Hey Max! Love your vlog, I've been reading it everyday for the past year or so. I was wondering if you are planning to review Snoop Dogg's "Tha Blue Carpet Treatment". Love the album but wanted to know what you think of it

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    1. Eventually, yes. Trying to go in order though.

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  10. Tyler the Creator just released the hottest track of 2015 Max. I hope you don't ignore it, but your Maxyness might cause you to. Smuckers w/ Kanye and Lil Wayne. Even Weezy kills it.

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    1. I've heard it and wasn't thrilled. Also, isn't it a bit too soon to call anything "the hottest track of 2015"? I know we live in the age of superlatives, but damn.

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    2. I'm a whore, what can I say? It's my favorite track of the year so far though... and you really didn't like Kanye's verse?

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    3. That track was absolute crap!!! Y'all sure do get overzealous over some truly ridiculous shit.

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    4. This is a Jeru The fucking Damaja post. Let's not ruin its purity by talking about the male clone of Whoopi Goldberg.

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    5. AnonymousMay 16, 2015

      Kanye West should have never picked up a microphone.

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  11. Jeru outdid himself on this joint. Nice!

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    1. AnonymousMay 16, 2015

      It's not like this was a one time thing. This was usually the norm when he & Primo hooked up.

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  12. Never really liked Jeru's 2nd album but this song is okay nothing great but okay..

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    1. AnonymousMay 16, 2015

      Couldn't disagree with you more.

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  13. Sure it is.
    And my grandfather's Marilyn Monroe.

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  14. I miss Jeru over Primo.

    I think, lyrically, he still has a lot to accomplish over Primo's beats, and I think Primo would up his game with Jeru in a similar way to what he did on PRhyme.

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    1. AnonymousMay 02, 2015

      I dunno.

      My fellow reader should check out his Solar Flares joint, produced by Large Professor. Jeru hasn't sounded so good in years.

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    2. AnonymousMay 16, 2015

      I fucking second that. Solar Flares was awesome. Also, check him out on Large Professor's 2008 album, Main Source. He brought it on there, too.

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  15. Great review and definitely one of my favorite Jeru songs and not to mention B-Side songs ever.

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  16. You can't believe how much I love the fact that a Jeru post outcommented a 2Pac post!!!

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    1. AnonymousMay 02, 2015

      Hear, hear.
      RIP Lesane Crooks.

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  17. First time hearing this B-side and, man is it nice! DJ Premier sprinkling his magic over Jeru's lyrical prowess, a shame they never worked together again after that album.
    Anyhow, this made me want to track the single down...

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    1. Glad I could be of assistance.

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  18. AnonymousMay 04, 2015

    Jeru was always wack to me

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  19. AnonymousMay 08, 2015

    You reek of Chief Keef

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  20. AnonymousJune 03, 2015

    The only decent song this cats ever made. There's always one.

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