Now this is golden age hip hop. Now, of course this Jurassic 5 LP came out post the second golden age 1993-1996... But let's forget about a number and year, and agree that it doesn't matter because it's a sound perfectly reminiscent of the era. The current re-issue of this classic 1998 LP does it all by taking it back to sing-along choruses, funky-as-hell beats, and simple, yet dope, rhymes.
Formed in 1993 out of Los Angeles, California back when hip hop was sort of new to the mainstream and the airwaves were soaked by the grunge rock sounds of Nirvana and the like, Jurassic 5 had a unique sound that nobody had ever heard before. The combination of founders Chali 2na, Akil, Zaakir, Mark 7, DJ Nu-Mark, and DJ Cut Chemist brought the world a very refreshing and catchy new beat.
As a very big old school head, nothing makes me happier then to see re-issues that treat the original release with respect, as well as add something new that we didn't see the first time round. (Yes, I read linear notes and expect them with each album I buy) A lot of thanks must be given to Decon Records, as they were the ones who rescued it from being out of print since 2004.
The first disc of the Re Issue covers 13 tracks. Over these tracks J5 make full use of their two DJs to cut some solid beats. All the members in J5 in turn have flows that are up there with Guru from Gang Starr. And contrary to most of the auto tune "artists" these days, these guys can actually perform that forgotten act of singing when they want to as well, making good use of it on the refrains of the tracks.
In addition to the original EP, J5 Deluxe Re-Issue includes the extra material tacked on to create 1998's J5 full-length LP and a bonus disc of exclusive and rare tracks, such as radio freestyles and B Sides. It also comes with a documentary called The Jurassic Period, 30-minutes of performance footage in the form of Jurassic 5 at Brixton Academy, and the video for Concrete Schoolyard.
Besides the obvious classic, Concrete Schoolyard, the two other stand-out tracks are Jayou and Lesson 6. The former is a straight up braggadocio cut on top of a nice flute sample. Lesson 6, on the other hand, is a DJ jam by Cut Chemist and is pretty infamous among fans of the decks. Cut Chemist took some old educational records and threw samples of a lecturer speaking into the mix to narrate his own progression as the song develops. Listeners who aren't into DJ cuts may find this 6-minute cut a bit too much, but for those that appreciate the field, they'll love it.
Like the Mass Appeal: Best of collection of Gang Starr released last year, it's often not until today, that we can properly appreciate yesterday. Ten years later and few producers have the knowledge of records demonstrated by Cut Chemist, the mix and programming techniques employed by Nu-Mark, the flow of Chali 2na or the collective harmonic chemistry that J5 brought.
Available through Decon Media
