Jurassic 5 - Feedback (July 25, 2006)

And now finally, after trying to write this review for at least ten years, I bring to you my thoughts on the fourth album from the Jurassic 5, Feedback. This project was famously the last album the sextet managed to release before disbanding due to irreconcilable differences. Because life is strange and retirement isn’t a thing most rappers believe in, whether due to financial concerns or otherwise, Feedback isn’t the last bit of product the J5 have released, as they’ve since reconciled and reunited, but unless they drop a new full-length project sometime within the next three years, this will likely be the last time you read about the group on these pages, as Feedback effectively crosses them off my ongoing projects list. You know, that “ongoing project” this blog was supposed to be before it got away from me?

Anyway.

Jurassic 5 - Power In Numbers (October 8, 2002)

That's not the cover of my version of this album, but we'll run with it anyway. (For the record, I own the blue one.)

Power In Numbers is the third album from six-man collective Jurassic 5, and their second for Interscope Records. The team of Chali 2na, Akil, Zaakir, Mark 7even, and their deejays Nu-Mark and Cut Chemist, were riding high off of the surprising success of their mainstream debut, Quality Control, which somehow managed to please both critics and the folks that bought the damn thing.

Power In Numbers is akin to a movie sequel that begins right after the events of the preceding film, as its introductory track uses the same music that ended Quality Control. While it is generally seen as a successful continuation of the fun music that they mastered, I look at Power In Numbers as a more aggressive project, one which is much darker in tone. The album cover appears to be promoting a revolution of some sort, and the J5 respond in kind, as if they're trying to prove to their audience that they are capable of more that the affable passing back-and-forth of the mic.

Chali 2na remains the lead voice of the crew, not by choice but by mere distinction, as he has the voice that you could pick out of a lineup, but Akil, Zaakir, and Marc 7even all step up a bit, so as not to get lost in the shuffle. This time around, they sprinkle storytelling, self-esteem, and atypical (for them) hip hop bombast into their tracks, while Cut Chemist and Nu-Mark work around them to provide organic beats that were made from composted remains of other beats. Although these two produced Quality Control in its entirety, they cede production duties on three occasions to outside influences, allowing the J5 to show the world their skills at adaptation.

And so.

1. THIS IS
Even though this intro is a direct continuation of the last track that we heard off of Quality Control, it already comes off as darker than that previous project. So, in that respect, "This Is" sets the tone effectively, I suppose.

2. FREEDOM
I found this song, which focuses on the concept of freedom, what it actually means, and those who fight for it on a regular basis (although, I have to say, today's armed forces aren't mentioned at all - does this mean Jurassic 5 are against the war?), faulty in its execution, but its heart is in the right place. DJ Nu-Mark's beat isn't a call to arms or anything especially revolutionary: it just is, and the rappers all do what they can.

3. IF YOU ONLY KNEW
This was fairly dull, as it sounded like one of the most boring J5 songs off of their debut EP/LP. The fact that this was produced by Juju, of The Beatnuts, shows more promise for Juju than anything else, as he proves that he can adapt to any artist's style. But still, yeah, this sucked.

4. BREAK
Ah, now that's more like it. Cut Chemist's beat features hard-hitting drums, which wrap themselves around both the melody and your subconscious, and Chali, Akil, Zaakir, and Marc 7even all rip shit as if their internal alarm clocks buzzed them out of a good dream and they're all pissed about it. Sure, it sounds like an outtake from Quality Control, but a lot of Quality Control rocked, so that comparison isn't detrimental at all.

5. REACT
A deejay interlude featuring music, sampled dialogue, and absolutely no rhyming. Interesting the first time around, but you're forgiven if you never want to hear it again.

6. A DAY AT THE RACES (FEAT BIG DADDY KANE & PERCEE P)
The Jurassic 5 rhyme over what could double as the score to an unnamed blaxploitation flick, and its hurried pace is matched evenly with each verse. To my knowledge, this is the first real Jurassic 5 song that featured actual name-brand guest stars, but strangely, the weakest link on here is Big Daddy Kane himself, as he simply sounds overwhelmed, and yet he still sounds alright, which is a testament to how well crafted this song actually is. Percee P fits right in to the proceedings, which was nice.

7. REMEMBER HIS NAME
The false start is kind of hilarious, as if the song itself was interrupted during the recording process, but this track is anything but funny. Everybody tries to recall the identity of a murder victim and, at the same time, we're taken through their thought processes as they attempt to rationalize the death. Pretty interesting.

8. WHAT'S GOLDEN
I remember this song being used in a Sprite commercial around the time Power In Numbers was released. This first single deviated from the sound of Quality Control, but the rhymes are as playful as ever. I have to say that the hook sounds forced, as though it was an imposition from the label. Even so, this still sounds pretty good today.

9. THIN LINE (FEAT NELLY FURTADO)
Jurassic 5 were, apparently, aiming for radio airplay with their love song, even enlisting Nelly Furtado to sing on it. While she does a good job, pre-Timbaland makeover, Interscope Records apparently thought otherwise, replacing her with Mya for the radio edit, as if Mya would somehow sell more records. They're both cute, but they're not interchangeable, people! Anyway, given the former's recent success and the latter's inadvertent slide into obscurity, I'm sure the label was kicking themselves for that stupid move, as the original track was good as is.

10. AFTER SCHOOL SPECIAL
Meh.
11. HIGH FIDELITY
Brings Power In Numbers back on track, with its steady drums, dialogue samples, and the playful interchange between Marc 7even and Zaakir, who handle the track all by themselves.

12. SUM OF US
The other two rappers, Akil and Chali 2na, get their own track to balance out the universe. Chali, unsurprisingly, rips the shit out of Nu-Mark's banging production, leaving Akil to sweep up the debris. The hook is a bit too wordy, but it relays a good message, so I'll let it slide.

13. DDT (FEAT KOOL KEITH)
A weird interlude featuring Kool Keith (and nobody else) spitting an acapella verse with his trademark bizarre imagery (as you may have expected, he starts rhyming about bugs at one point). To this day, I still have no idea why Jurassic 5 included an interlude from a guy who wasn't even in the group, but it's an interesting diversion, and hey, Kool Keith doesn't make many appearances on major label projects, so there you go.

14. ONE OF THEM (FEAT JUJU)
Darker and grimier (slightly, anyway) than any other J5 track to date, thanks to Juju's second of two production efforts and his lyrical contribution, of which some of the bars are pretty funny. The crew step up to the task, though, and even if they aren't the most convincing, they turn in respectable performances.

15. HEY (FEAT BOY WONDER)
This was a failed experiment, but it was a noble effort. Unfortunately, "Hey" sounds like the J5 entrusted their producer, the Sa-Ra Creative Partners, to thrust them into the crowded adult-contemporary-hip hop ring populated by the likes of Mojoe, the Nappy Roots, the regular Roots Crew, and a handful of Outkast's songs, and the shit simply doesn't fucking work.

16. I AM SOMEBODY
I didn't care for this song. Positive messages are nice, but so is entertaining music.

17. ACETATE PROPHETS
A deejay cut sequenced as the (incredibly long) outro, not unlike how they did in Quality Control. It was nice, but I probably won't need to hear it ever again.

FINAL THOUGHTS: Power In Numbers plays like how Quality Control would have sounded, had the Jurassic 5 been a little bit bitter about their place in the hip hop genre, and their aggression was shaped into the presented lyrics and themes. The music, mostly provided by group members DJ Nu-Mark and Cut Chemist, is almost consistently entertaining, but the crew slips up a bit whenever an outside factor is introduced (with the exception of "One Of Them" and Percee P's verse on "A Day At The Races"). Chali 2na extends the distance between himself and the rest of the crew (lyrically, at least), but Akil, Zaafir, and Marc 7even all manage to shine in their own way, or at least much more so than they ever did previously. Power In Numbers is a worthy addition to your library, especially if you're one of the few who already bought Quality Control and are looking for a bookend.

BUY OR BURN? If you enjoyed Quality Control, you should purchase this one immediately. If you've never listened to any J5 music, this probably isn't the best introduction to the crew, but you'll be entertained, so fuck it, you should also buy it.

BEST TRACKS: "Sum Of Us"; "One Of Them"; "What's Golden"; "Thin Line"; "Break"; "High Fidelity"; "Remember His Name"

-Max

RELATED POSTS:
Other Jurassic 5 projects can be discussed here.

Jurassic 5 - Quality Control (June 20, 2000)

I loathe the fact that the Jurassic 5 are considered to be an "alternative" rap group simply because they don't rhyme about drugs, violence, or bitches. Anyway, Quality Control, the second album (and first major label effort) from the combined talents of rappers Chali 2na, Zaakir, Akil, and Marc 7, and producers-slash-deejays Cut Chemist and Nu-Mark, hit store shelves in the summer of 2000 amidst a barrage or attempts to get the crew airplay. I remember seeing the video for the title track on a regular basis all over MTV (I think it was considered "buzzworthy" or something), and the Jurassic 5 even managed to get some play on my local radio station, which today would never happen, as they are awash in a wave of crappy Soulja Boy songs.

My wife actually picked this up for me at a Best Buy for six bucks (I suppose that was Interscope Record's way of promoting Quality Control: cheap enough to become an impulse purchase, like a pack of gum or the National Enquirer). I played this fucker from start to finish for at least a month: I thought it was that good. But then, inexplicably, I threw it into one of my boxes and hadn't come across it again (until today, anyway). I'm still not sure why. I once believed that I was subconsciously disappointed in the fact that the Jurassic 5 weren't able to fulfill all of their commitments on the Vans Warped Tour that year because of the bus crash that left Chali 2na with a metal plate in his head, but that's a truly fucked up and selfish reason (but at least I'm being honest with myself). I'm sure the true story is that I moved on to another disc, as I am apt to do.

I heard somewhere that Quality Control managed to move over five hundred thousand copies worldwide. If that's true, kudos to the late group, who broke up a couple of years ago and have yet to produce any output of substance (except for Chali 2na, who appeared on Prince Paul's Dino 5 project, which everybody reading this should run out and purchase right now.)

How goes Quality Control?

1. HOW WE GET ALONG
A passable rap album intro, since someone had to actually dig to find those dialogue samples.

2. INFLUENCE
The first song on Quality Control is just a fun listen, an atmosphere that the rappers do nothing but contribute to. This ends up being a pretty good foreshadowing of the rest of the album.

3. GREAT EXPECTATIONS
I was worried about the sound at first, thanks to the weird samples utilized, but once the beat actually kicked in, everything was all good. Other than the occasional cursing, this is some shit that you can blast at home without your parents getting upset, except at the bass and the BPMs. Unlike Hip Hop Isn't Dead itself, which is all cursing and BPMs.

4. QUALITY CONTROL (INTRO)
A relatively short interlude that sets up the next track.

5. QUALITY CONTROL
The lead-off single, which sounds good enough to warrant its selection as the only song positioned to sell the album, but unorthodox enough to establish that Jurassic 5 are unlike most of the other rappers in California, in that they're not talking about killing anybody. This song was where I first heard Chali 2na's distinctive voice.

6. CONTACT
Not an actual rap song, but a deejay cut, which, while it is pleasant to listen to, is short enough to not distract attention away from the rest of the Jurassic 5.

7. LAUSD
Jurassic 5's ode to Los Angeles, in which they essentially state that it's not for everybody, kind of like Tae Bo, waterboarding, and Indian food. The drop by Sherman Hemsley was a nice (and unexpected) touch.

8. W.O.E. IS ME (WORLD OF ENTERTAINMENT)
This is weakest track on Quality Control so far. Sorry, but that's all it deserves.

9. MONKEY BARS
Getting back into the groove, “Monkey Bars” returns to the fun-loving shit-talking that the Jurassic 5 are best known for. The beat incorporates a seemingly infinite number of samples, resulting in what is simply a great fucking track.

10. JURASS FINISH FIRST
With a title like that, I suppose it's only appropriate that the beat sounds like something that one would listen to while running in a marathon. Or is that just me?

11. CONTRIBUTION
Actually very depressing, and the hook makes you question your very existence. Not exactly what I look for in my hip hop, but when Jurassic 5 decide to get serious, they get serious.

12. TWELVE
This song sounds alright (great title, by the way), but it's not very memorable.

13. GAME
So whatever happened with Chali 2na's solo album? I know he released that Fish Market mixtape, but if anybody in this crew deserves a record deal, it would be that guy. I don't mean to single him out specifically, though: all of the rappers sound really good over this track.

14. IMPROVISE
This song originally appeared on the Jurassic 5 LP (an expanded version of their debut EP that was released everywhere except in the United States) and, as a result, sounds a bit dated, but it still works. Because everybody else in the world already heard "Improvise", they received "Concrete & Clay" instead, which is alright. This explains why there is mention of "Concrete & Clay" in the jewel case inlay of my copy.

15. SWING SET
This is another deejay cut, and at over five minutes long, it overstays its welcome, so much so that you'll be tempted to fake a yawn and shout to nobody in particular that it's late and you have to get to work early in the morning. (This isn't a DJ Shadow album, so tracks such as these at ridiculous lengths are unnecessary.) It is a pleasant enough way to end an album, I suppose, since not enough rap albums conclude with an ode to swing music.

Readers in Australia (I'm sure there's at least one of you) received a two-disc set of Quality Control, with the second disc containing the instrumentals of all of the songs on the album. Bastards!

FINAL THOUGHTS: Quality Control is still an album that I genuinely enjoy listening to. The charisma and chemistry between the four rappers, and the work by both deejays, all mesh to create a fine final product. Musically, this shit is just fun, and even the “serious” songs have playful elements to them. If I had one major complaint, it would be that Chali 2na is the only rapper that really stands out, with a deep voice that sounds like he woke up with a sore throat and decided to run with it. The other three rappers kind of blend together, but all four are capable emcees, so that's not as much a problem as you may think.

BUY OR BURN? I think you should buy this. Why the hell not? It's entertaining, and isn't that what music is supposed to do?

BEST TRACKS: “Influence”; “Quality Control”; “Improvise”; “Monkey Bars”; “Jurass Finish First”; “Great Expectations”

-Max

RELATED POSTS:
Jurassic 5 – EP

Jurassic 5 - EP (October 13, 1997)

The late Jurassic 5 (late because they recently broke up) was a West Coast-based rap group who attempted to bring the positive aspects of hip hop back to the forefront. (Obviously they failed, or else you would have heard of them before this post.) The group consisted of four rappers (Chali 2na, Akil, Soup, and Mark 7even) and two DJ's (Cut Chemist and Nu-Mark). Yes, I realize that adds up to six people. Clever, eh? The members apparently were part of two separate rap groups who decided to do battle side by side.

This EP is their official debut (the original trunk-of-car release had nine tracks, but the (purchased) CD I have lists only eight, as it is the reissue), released on their own short-lived record label, created solely to release this one album. I guess you can't really knock their ambition. Well, I could; I just won't.

I'm actually a fan of the group, especially Chali 2na. Other than having one of the coolest rap names ever, his low, monotone bass-voice stands out from the rest of his bandmates. Join me in a time before major labels and collabos with fucking Dave Matthews, of all people. (Shit, they may as well have done a track with fucking Snow.)

1. IN THE FLESH
This is just some catchy, simple hip hop that won't make you think or increase your blood pressure to hazard levels (Snow, looking in your direction).

2. QUALITY CONTROL PART II
I guess this makes sense, as their major label debut single was "Quality Control"...nah, gotcha, this is just a skit.

3. JAYOU
When I said that this music won't make you think? Meant that.

4. LESSON 6: THE LECTURE
The DJ cut. Unsure if this is Cut Chemist's work, or Nu-Mark's. Or maybe (gasp!) both!

5. CONCRETE SCHOOLYARD
You can picture a group of well-meaning-but-misguided street youths rhyming over this beat in one of those "white schoolteacher teaches the ghetto kids" Dangerous Minds-type films. Or maybe this song would just run over the end credits, take your pick.

6. SETUP
Skit. (I should mention that these "skits" are really just samples from instructional records, so it's not like Chali 2na stole Raekwon's Killer tape or anything. This isn't Prince Paul, after all.)

7. ACTION SATISFACTION
The weakest track on the EP.

8. SAUSAGE GUT
Ok, now this is a skit. A useless one at that.

In 1998, this EP was picked up by another label (before its eventual stop at Interscope records) and re-released as a 13-track album, conveniently titled LP. It featured all eight above tracks, and the following:

9. IMPROVISE
I don't have the Interscope album out right now, but I'm pretty sure this is the same song from that album.

10. BLACKTOP BEAT
Originally the ninth track on the first pressings of the EP. Don't worry; it's just an instrumental.

11. WITHOUT A DOUBT
The vocal samples in the background are annoying as fuck.

12. LESSON 6 (REPRISE)
Sounds exactly as it reads.

13. ACTION SATISFACTION (DUB)
See above track.

FINAL THOUGHTS: Jurassic 5 may not have been a force to be reckoned with, but they were a solid, consistent group that I wish would have stayed together. The EP is a meh introduction to them, as the Interscope debut Quality Control (which I'll get to soon) serves them a hell of a lot better, but this EP, taken by itself, is a very enjoyable piece of work.

BUY OR BURN? You should buy it, if only because the EP version is pretty cheap. Download the LP, though, as it's an import CD and may cost you thirty dollars otherwise.

BEST TRACKS: "Jayou"; "Concrete Schoolyard"

-Max