Album Reviews

Power In Numbers | Jurassic 5

By Dave ⋅ August 20, 2008 ⋅  Email This Post ⋅  Print This Post ⋅ Post a comment

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Usually, when a conversation drifts to “what music do you like” folks say, “I like all music except…”. That often ends with any number of broad genres that are easily derided like country, metal, or Hip Hop. When a person says Hip Hop as their response, I usually produce two albums for them to check out. The first is what I’m writing about here, Jurassic 5’s Power in Numbers (2002).

Jurassic 5 was an LA ensemble consisting of two DJ’s: Nu-Mark and Cut Chemist, and rappers Chali 2na, Akil, Zaakir, and Mark 7even. And like any ensemble, each track on this album reflects the divergent interests of whichever producer is leading. What makes them a group is their ability to tie it all together into a solid, furious, and consistent lyrical flow.

The lyrics themselves represent standard alternative Hip Hop themes: positivity, improving the community that you come from, letting folks know that you can get there from here, and cautionary tales of urban strife as represented in Remember His Name. The delivery of lyrics in this album is seamless and powerful due to the divergent styles from the lyricists Akil and Zaakir. Adding in is the driving bass of 2na which breathes real life into their words. And last, Nu-Mark and Cut Chemist bring a fresh reflection of old school hip hop themes throughout the entirety of this LP.

It is difficult to pinpoint, truly, what makes this album a must a classic. For those familiar with the “alternative Hip-Hop” genre, Power in Numbers may be bit more pop than albums from artists like Black Star or even The Roots. But the accessibility is what makes this album genius. There is a nice mix of tracks such as:

• All instrumental, React
• The jazzy, Juju (of Beatnuts fame) produced, If You Only Knew
• Simple zero production cuts like Kool Keith’s freestyle, DDT
• Concept cuts like Nu-Mark’s Remember his Name
• Simple showcase of the emcees flow, Break

It’s all tied nicely together with a nice downbeat groove. The truth is in the listening. The ability with which Nu-Mark and Cut Chemist mix and match styles looping hardcore to Jazz Fusion into a cohesive album is astounding. Cut Chemist’s deep cuts and low fi new school grooves, Nu Marks down beat old school, and the emcees’ lyrical flow of the rap permeates throughout this album. All leading and culminating in Cut Chemist and Nu-mark’s co-produced “Acetate Prophets” which is a classic jungle beat that will have you reaching for your glow sticks …Thank god for repeat.

For more on Cut Chemist and his skills, check out the following video brought to you by Vimeo:

Cut Chemist - 1st Big Break from eyestorm on Vimeo.

Tags: hip hop