Jurassic 5
Power In Numbers
(Interscope)
Jurassic 5 is one of the few hip-hop groups of the last several years to get enough publicity to show the masses what good rap can be like. The Los Angeles-based group's first full length album, Quality Control, placed them sitting atop the fence that separates the underground and the mainstream. As artists such as Nas have found out, staying true to the underground while trying to appeal to the masses is like walking across a tightrope on a windy day. However, with the release of their second LP, Power In Numbers, J5 continues to excel at creating music that is universally appreciated by hip-hoppers and pop-lovers alike.
Recognizing their increasing fanbase, J5, who consist of MCs Chali 2Na, Zaakir (Soup), Marc 7 and Akil along with DJs Cut Chemist and Nu-Mark, has obviously made a concerted effort to educate as well as entertain. In \Freedom,"" they remind the listener of the struggles that the black community still face over a head-nodding Nu-Mark beat. On the very next track, ""If You Only Knew,"" they remind well-to-do rappers that there are certain responsibilities that go along with their success.
J5 has also expanded their style by dabbling in conceptual tracks. On ""Remember His Name,"" all four MCs imitate a series of phone conversations where they discuss a certain person who everyone knows but whose name cannot be remembered. Over a Nu-Mark beat that perfectly matches the concept of the song, J5 takes an old page from Common and leads the listener through a mysterious journey that leads to a surprising, but logical ending. ""Thin Line"" featuring Nelly Furtado discusses the slim barrier that separates friends and lovers. In what could end up being a successful radio track, Cut Chemist adds a hypnotizing guitar loop to a chorus that will surely be stuck in the heads of many listeners.
Of course, a J5 album would be lost without songs that feature their trademark vocal harmonizing and funky beats. Fortunately, there are more than enough of these tracks to satisfy the listener's need. On songs like ""I Am Somebody,"" ""Sum Of Us"" and ""After School Special,"" the group diligently flexes their melodic vocal talents over catchy instrumentals. The fruits of their labor are especially seen in their first single, ""What's Golden."" Here, J5 flawlessly rides a dope Nu-Mark beat that will leave many necks sore. Like Quality Control, this album ends with Nu-Mark and Cut Chemist combining to produce a fluid instrumental that the listener cannot help but get lost in. ""Acetate Prophets"" is a wild, sample-filled journey through countless themes and emotions that will leave the listener mentally exhausted and relaxed simultaneously.
Knowing that many groups go through the sophomore slump, Jurassic 5 stepped up to the plate and hit a homer with Power In Numbers. They took the sound of Quality Control and improved on it with better lyrics, a newer style of beats and a touch of education. If appealing to the underground and the mainstream is really like walking on a tight rope, Jurassic 5 not only made it across, but did so doing backflips and somersaults.
