Jurassic 5
Power In Numbers

THE REVIEW

Rap, as we know, is for many a genre to be handled with care. The more than a decade-long debate "Underground Vs. Commercial" indeed makes it objectively difficult for outsiders to approach the subject, eternally divided between albums steeped in hard sounds and technicalities, and products explicitly designed for clubs and the masses. Fortunately, even today, some pleasant exceptions can be found—artists who transcend definitions and labels and succeed in the task of releasing works enjoyable by anyone, whether they're long-time enthusiasts or simply curious music lovers immersed at 360°.

Among these, one must undoubtedly include MCs Chali 2na, Zaakir, Marc 7, and Akil, alongside DJ-producers Cut Chemist and Nu-Mark, better known as Jurassic 5, who between the end of the past decade and the start of the new one managed to carve out a notable space in the crowded American Rap scene. Launched by the irresistible and sunny "Jayou", included in the cult compilation "Lyricist Lounge Vol. 1" (a true launching pad for future heavyweights like Mos Def, Talib Kweli, and Company Flow), they soon returned to the forefront with "J5LP" (1999) and the acclaimed "Quality Control" (2000), which clearly and decisively reveal their intentions: to bring joy and innovation to the genre's sounds, to bring back the mood and genuine atmospheres of the '80s Old School and merge them with the macroscale evolution of the following decade (not surprisingly, their style is defined as "New Old Schoolism").

It was 2002, however, the year of their definitive consecration, coinciding with the release of the masterpiece "Power In Numbers", an almost perfect album that allowed J5 to achieve well-deserved public success alongside the usual ovations from critics and the specialized press. In the album's seventeen tracks, the group's evolutionary path is completed, with beats and rhymes intertwining perfectly, in an engaging and nearly incessant whirlwind. It starts immediately with the irresistible reggae echoes of the intro "This Is", moving on to the intriguing vocal sample interplays of the beautiful "Freedom" and the refined Funk backdrops of "If You Only Knew", produced by Juju of the Beatnuts and featuring the irresistible chorus in classic J5 style. After the interlude "Break", it continues with the pounding "React" and "A Day At The Races", which brilliantly samples the bass lines of David Axelrod's legendary "Urizen", achieving a truly commendable result, also thanks to the presence of two great icons: Percy P and, believe it or not, the great Big Daddy Kane.
The somber "Remember His Name" delves into the unusually dark side of the Los Angeles combo, while the stratospheric and "premier-like" single "What's Golden" is the most easygoing and inclined toward radio airplay (the superb video is a must-see as well). The smooth sample of Minnie Ripperton's "Les Fleurs" and the well-chosen feature by Nelly Furtado embellish the delightful "The Thin Line", all focusing on the "thin line" between friendship and love, with "After School Special", "High Fidelity", and "Sum Of Us" pushing the pedal on flow and headbanging rhythms, "DDt", instead, on the wild spoken words of veteran Kool Keith. In "One Of Them" Juju returns with the sampler, making a clear shift towards New York underground atmospheres (in Los Angeles??), soon abandoned for the soulful influences of "Hey" and the fantastic back in the days of "I Am Somebody". Is it all over? Not even close; there's still time for the over 6-minute instrumental "Acetate Prophets", closing an intense journey entirely free of tonal and stylistic lapses.

In short, regardless of what's being said, Jurassic 5 once again confirm themselves as one of the most original groups in the current Rap panorama, achieving the much-coveted feat: reaching a good level of notoriety without compromising themselves, offering listeners a fresh album that, even while avoiding excessive experimentation and staying close to the classic sound of the genre, never descends into the obvious or the banal, and is a pleasure to listen to in its entirety. Not to be missed.