Somewhere between Nelly caterwauling about the temperature of the nightclub and Busta extolling the virtue of a certain “Ladies Man” endorsed cognac, people have seemed to overlook the “two turntables and a microphone” ethic that Beck so lovingly invoked.
Thank heavens for Jurassic 5. The six-man crew that makes “four MCs sound like one” resurrect the spirit of the old school with the release of their current album, “Power In Numbers.”
The incorrectly named Jurassic 5, composed of MCs Charli 2na, Zaakir (Soup), Marc 7 and Akil as well as DJs Nu-Mark and Cut Chemist, seek to recreate the party atmosphere and playful nature of early rap music with equal weight on new school lyrical prowess and sonic innovation. With a self-titled EP and 2000’s full-length debut “Quality Control” under its belt, the Los Angeles-based crew has built a solid underground following through constant touring and its invigorating live show.
“Power In Numbers” seeks to expand on its past and bring new members into the fold. One attempt to broaden the audience is the inclusion of Canadian songbird Nelly Furtado and back-in-the-day favorites, Big Daddy Kane and Percy P.
The bulk of the new record was produced by Nu-Mark and Cut Chemist, with Juju from the Beatnuts and SA-RA Creative Partners contributing a track each. The overall cohesive nature is a nice change of pace from the current trend of having the hot producers of the moment doing a different song. This way “Power In Numbers” has its own personality rather than being a cookie cutter rap-by-numbers album.
It is a warm-sounding record, with lots of attention to solid bass and cling-wrap tight drum work. The drum programming on “Break” is guaranteed to rock a party or breakdance circles for years to come. The nod factor – meaning irresistible nodding your head to the music – is in full effect. Sonically, it is a cousin to Tribe Called Quest’s jazz-influenced albums “Low End Theory” and “Midnight Marauders” with some taste of rapid-fire beats of 1988 on “A Day At The Races.” The cut and paste drum, percussion and DJ antics of Nu-Mark and Cut Chemist provide a mind-melting album closer with “Acetate Prophets.”
Vocally, Jurassic 5 provides its trademark style of four-man harmonies in the chorus, while spinning off into its own lyrical tornados in the verses. Everyone seems to have stepped up their efforts, in both lyrical contributions and vocal intensity.
On other Jurassic 5 recordings most fans would praise the turntable magic of Nu-Mark and Cut Chemist or shoutout the deep voiced Charli 2na, while the MCs would be those “other guys.” Well, the “other guys” spark one of the best songs on the record, “Thin Line.”
Charli 2na starts the track off but Zaakir (Soup), Marc 7 and Akil hold the song together. Joined by Furtado, the lyrics tell the tale of friends who should be more, but just can’t get it together. It is reminiscent of Pharcyde’s “Passin’ Me By,” forsaking bravado for feelings. What a concept. Jurassic 5 also addresses its public image and fair-weather “underground” fans who accuse them of selling out on “If You Only Knew.”
“If you only knew the trials and tribulations we went through/We’re real people just like you/we’re humble/But don’t mistake us for corny-ass crew/What we do is try to give you music you can relate to.”
Overall, “Power In Numbers” is a very good album that gets better with every listen. It’s one of the few albums that doesn’t warrant the use of the fast-forward button. Well, “One Of Them” gets a little tiring, with its misplaced aggressive posturing, but it is a very brief bump in the road. While it may not unseat the blue fox and platinum watch crowd, it is definitely a record for those who expect more from hip-hop music. As the band says in the current single, “What’s Golden”:
“We’re not ballin’ or shot callin’/We’ll take you back to the days of ‘Yes y’all-ing.'” Join Jurassic 5 and feel the “Power In Numbers.”
