<< Back 11/20/02 Power in numbers West Coast group Jurassic 5 shows how to keep it real By Hunter Pope The mouth is beginning to move me. Before, I had always been a fan of the groove, albeit guitar, an apocalyptic bass, or soul-stapling keyboards. I steered away from lyrics because they don’t liberate my feet, which prompts my goofy white boy dance. I usually reserved the spoken word for sipping coffee, or when greats like Bob Dylan demanded I pay attention, or else. I’ve been on the cuff of dancing to the word ever since I discovered the intelligent raps of bands like the Beastie Boys, Tribe Called Quest, and De La Soul. But, I never felt like doing the awkward dance to a mirror that doesn’t care, or tell others. Then, I came across Jurassic 5. The name doesn’t rely on correct addition (there are actually six members), and Jurassic is a Paleolithic term for old school rap, an era when folks like Grandmaster Flash and Run DMC ruled the roost. Jurassic 5 holds these rap values close to heart, while at the same time creating an authentic sound all their own. They are also erasing the stigma of rap as purely misogynistic with gun-toting limericks. They profess peace, self-fulfillment, and why it’s ignorant to judge others. And their voices are like well-oiled machines. The front four (Chali 2NA, Zaakir, Marc 7, and Akil) are like a barbershop quartet that forgot they were supposed to be uncool. Their individual voices have power, each one expressing their angst or joy, while at the same time providing rhythm that’s tighter than a private’s bed at boot camp. And when these quartet voices unite for one collective sound, it’s an orchestra of mouths that will make you want to dance until your shoes split. Providing the backdrop are DJs Cut Chemist and NU-Mark. They throw out samples and record scratches with a dexterous ear and hand. The rapping quartet in front of them is in constant speed mode, and the DJ’s landscapes must change in a smattering of seconds. Both samplers are highly respected and they rely on samples that don’t come familiar to the ear. While many mainstream DJs rely on James Brown and P-Funk to get by, Jurassic 5’s DJs sample abstract songs from musicians like David Axelrod and Ray Manzarek (from the Doors). Jurassic 5’s popularity comes from honesty, a dire need to express without having a need to cash a royalty check for every penned word. J5 was originally the union of two groups, the Rebels of Rhythm — containing Akil, Zaakir, and their friend Africa and Unity Committee — Chali 2na, Cut Chemist and Marc 7. They were birthed in the L.A. Underground, a hip-hop movement centered on The Good Life Café, an open-mic space in South Central Los Angeles’ old jazz district. Legions of MCs and DJs would mass regularly to spout their words of reason. The early 90s were the platinum age for the Underground, giving rise to groups like The Pharcyde and Freestyle Fellowship. The movement’s main message was to encourage its artists to balance the scales with progressive styles and cerebral music. There wasn’t an adherence to any one style, and gangsta rock was as unpopular as Wayne Newton at a rave. It was all about creating something new, while at the same time paying homage to the pioneers. This was the credo that J5 adhered to, and now they have taken that philosophy to the stage, winning over new ears on a daily basis. Their first EP together was a smash. Over 20,000 copies sold and it cracked the UK Top 40 in the first week of release. Interscope records came a-calling and J5 bit because Interscope’s biggest selling point was allowing the musicians full creative control. It also helped that Chali 2na and Cut Chemist were already signed to a subsidiary, Almo Sounds, with their group Ozomatli. J5’s second offering was the appropriately titled, “Quality Control,” and their status as honest hip-hoppers put them on the same wavelength as greats like De La Soul and The Roots. The fan base has now ballooned to worldwide — they played before 70,000 at Bonnaroo — and a crowd in Germany would not let them leave until Cut Chemist starting beat-boxing after the fourth encore. Their new album, “Power in Numbers” may superglue them into the limelight. Recorded over 18 months from 2001 to 2002, “Power in Numbers” is a testament to how the word reigns mighty over everything else. It also sounds completely different from any of their other albums. Their routine on each album is simple — try and not become routine. “We all knew we wanted to do something different than what we had done before, with a whole new sound and a whole new texture to the music,” explains Cut Chemist on the J5 webpage. “We were kind of starting from scratch with no regard to what we had done before, experimenting with technique and sound.” It’s paid off. Big names like Big Daddy Kane, Kool Keith, and Nelly Furtado lent their voices, and JuJu of the Beatnuts helped produce several of the numbers. After the intro mix, “This Is” (sampled by Cut Chemist), the album floats into the lush, “Freedom” (with samples from “This Feeling” by Julius Brockington). Wake-up lyrics like — “I’m the first candidate to hate/Had to beat on the drum to communicate/For what was to come to those who were hung/They would decapitate the tongue if you would mention the word, freedom” — insures that the listener is on for a cerebral roller coaster. Things really begin to cook up with appropriately titled “Break,” The four front men seam together for one powerful voice before breaking into separate entities, and then back together again. “Break” is a testament to the power of voiced rhythms and rivals any instrumental quartet. “A Day at the Races” is exactly that — a fast-paced ditty that only stops when the checkered flag says uncle. Percy P and Big Daddy Kane guest star on this drag race of voices. The beat of “Races” is based on a beat Cut Chemist created 10 years ago, and it’s his tip of the hat to “fast-rap” artists like Kane and Kool G Rap. For the pop hungry there’s “Thin Line” (featuring Nelly Furtado), and there’s even a hint of malice on “One of Them,” which rips hip-hop stars who are only in it for money and image. The lyrics are rough — “Concerned with looking cute/Nails done, eyes plucked/Homey what the f**k? I mean really what’s up? Help me understand how self-admiration takes the soul of a man.” — But it speaks the truth of how money can taint artistic intentions. Of course, it’s not all words. J5 boasts two of the best DJs in the business, and their samples are as creative as the lyrics. The most worthy is the six-minute plus romp, “Acetate Prophets” which is mixed by Nu-Mark and Cut Chemist, and features samples from Ray Manzarek’s “Gold Scarab.” Sampling has become on the same artistic echelon as other musical compositions, (and dare I say, classical) and “Acetate Prophets” is an interesting voyage for the unwary ear. It’s a nice bookend to a musical and social commentary. “Power in Numbers” is the quintessential rap/hip-hop album, and it should be a model on how to address the world’s ills. That said, it should be noted that J5 stays away from fluff lyrics, and they don’t delve into folky limericks. They are on the edge and they call it like they see it. They just don’t have to rhyme something with “AK-47 up your ass” to do it. (Hunter Pope writes about music and movies for The Smoky Mountain News. He can be reached w.h.pope@worldnet.att.net)