Power In Numbers

Not my kind of music, painful...

Solid, conscious hip-hop. Not that they were the first to do it but as a teenager when this album came out, it seemed to re-spark the popularity of conscious hip-hop among my peers. It's a solid album all the way through. Some tracks stand out more, some of them run together. Overall I like it.

Alright

Hell yeah, Jurassic 5! I'll continue to beat the drum for Jurassic 5 being one of the most underrated hip-hop groups of all time. They have such a unique, low-key sound and style to them and fit in nicely in the underground/alternative hip-hop scene during its revival in the 90s/00s. Not to mention that they were also the soundtrack to many of the videogames from my youth. For the album of focus here, this is probably where Jurassic 5 hit their stride as a group (although their previous album "Quality Control" was also very strong). The production and sampling is clean, thanks to the efforts of Cut Chemist and DJ Nu-Mark. This allows the clever lyricism and rapping of the rest of the group (Chali 2na, Akil, Marc 7, Zaakir) to shine and flow nicely per usual. There is a lot here in terms of quantity, yet it doesn't feel like a moment is wasted nor does the quality really dip (The little DJ showcase track at the end is really the only "knock" I have here). I wish more people appreciated Jurassic 5. Fav tracks: If You Only Knew, Break, A Day at the Races, What's Golden, Thin Line, High Fidelity

This is a fantastic album. J5 is great but very under-appreciated. Laid back with great grooves, they are just great to listen to. A Day at the Races is a personal favorite. Break, What's Golden, and High Fidelity also stand out. Sit back, relax, and enjoy this one.

LOVE this rap album! Political and some songs justifiably angry, but without being obscene and disrespecting women. Art rap, not gangsta rap. Acknowledges history. Lyrics are smart and creative. Some songs have a cool 70s vibe. Harmonizing with a range of voices. And there’s a flute!

Really good album.

Enjoyed listening to this album all day. Old style "rap" (?) turns out to be something I really like!!

Classic, but hard to get over some of the corniness.

Not my vibe.

woof

Jurassic Park 5. No movies. I thought there were no movies here. I can’t watch the dinosaurs. It’s too early. I specially the fifth installment. Do the dinosaurs open a prehistoric human park? That might be an interesting take. Well if it’s not a movie, I genuinely have no idea what this is. I am so incredibly tired today. I believe that in an attempt by the powers that be to monetize every aspect of my life, I have finally succumbed to whatever brain damage has been inadvertently caused by the cheap/addictive ingredients in everything. At least I’ll fade into the static abyss listening to another of “one of the most essential albums to ever be reased.” It’s not a reggae album is it? Oh no. This might just be an intro. Let us pray. Oh it’s a rap album. An entire triceratops worth of relief has washed over me. I mean the radio announcer voice guy needs to hang up the microphone forever, but this song is fine. There he is again. That voice needs to go. It’s not good. Based on these lyrics, I’m worried I’m not mistaken in assuming this crew is indeed one of the “corny-ass” variety. Chorus is bottom 5 of all time. A few of the rappers have good deliveries, but the lyrics are terrible so far. Beat is more what I’m interested in, but we’re in the lyrical miracle zone big time. I don’t know if it’s the brain damage, but this puppy sounds like rap written for a rapper that has a small part in a teen movie. “A Day at the Races” was in something. I don’t know what though. Master Blasters mentioned. Kevin Nash seething. I’m just not getting into this at all. This sounds slightly cooler, but everything feels so generic. Best song so far though. What’s Golden is not a question posed by these young fellas, but rather a statement. The verbal Herman Munster. Alright. I’m done. THIS SUNDAY, A RAP ALBUM SO BAD, COMMON HAS ASKED FOR A FEATURE 14 SEPARATE TIMES. We’ll settle for Nelly Furtado following this dope giving us a “lesson in friendship.” The movie trailer voice is really the issue. Another slog through the most mid rap ever released. Dad’s riffing off of a sugar hill gang beat. Well after another forgettable track/interlude, we get an eerie beat on “One of Them.” Immediately ruined by testosterone supplement commercial man. The other rappers help a little bit, but I think they’re making fun of intimidating rap. Oh my god they’re making fun of guys saying “fuck the police.” Jeeeeeez. Hey. We’re just 5 dads and uncles trying to get you out to a party. The party that’s the place to be, there won’t be guns, but we will be rapping the whole time. Anyway, we are also going to sing THIS song about it and hire a nameless feature to repeatedly whisper “Hey” in the most despicable fashion as we go to the party. So how many tickets can I put you down for. Hey? Hey. I AM somebody ok? This is like that James Brown/Afrika Bambaataa song. PEACE, LOVE, UNITY, AND HAVING FUN. Well we got an elephant sample. No rapping. Best song by a country mile. It’s still a huge sampling mess but hey, no “my mind is minefield where I play Minecraft in a raft, call me shaft. I write lyrics in space, can’t you see my face, I’m winning the race, brace, yourselves for a rockin’ MC a man who’s in the place to be, with me a ha ha ha.” That’s this whole thing. This thing isn’t offensive. To anybody. It does all it can to offend absolutely nobody. I find that in itself to be a grievous offence. I can’t even really put my finger on exactly why it’s so bad. Probably the brain damage. The quotables made me cringe rather than get excited. I mean I do love a good cringe here and there, but this hurts. These lyrics man. Nothing clever. If this came out in 1986, I’d be marvelling at the beat and it would probably be a lot of fun, but two thousand bloody two??? We are almost a decade removed Ready to Die at this point. You guys talk about how rap is bad when they talk about guns and drugs, but those rhymes are a million times better than whatever this is. At least drug rap has clever wordplay and is a reflection of some kind of heavy experience. “Power in Numbers” is an album that is ABOUT writing words that rhyme in a sleep inducing fashion. The power in numbers, hey? Well get ready for a Jurassic 1 (star). 1 HIGHLIGHTS: Acetate Prophets, “One of Them” had a good beat! I wish it was one of the songs they were attempting to criticize.

hold on to this feeling

Goes hard

really liked this!! it was really hard to choose a favorite too, every song was so good in its own way. I usually don't like when albums are an hour long but I didn't mind the length of this one.

As a person who doesn’t like hip hop that much I have to say that Jurassic 5 are among the groups that I love deeply. Everything here is perfect. Ok, maybe I just don’t like modern hip hop?

I don't think I relistened to this in its entirety since it came out and it holds up so well.

Lyrical miracle spiritual - was never going to age well

Some solid underground hip hop beats and bars

I was 40 years old when this album came out. A white guy. I can't imagine I was any kind of intended audience for this. But listening to it now has been a lot of fun.

Funky grooves, articulate flow. I think to get more out of this album I’d have to listen to it again, good sign.

Now this is my style

This was so good! Came out of nowhere and had never heard of it. Definitely going to the Spotify saved

Better than I expected. Never really like What’s Golden. I think I didn’t really like Charli 2na’s voice but on some of these tracks, he’s great.

i really enjoyed this album! I had never heard of this group before, and from my limited research they seem to be a bit less well known even in rap/hip hop circles, which is a shame because i was very impressed by them! I'm surprised that this is the only album from Jurassic 5 on the list (i checked), especially it's linked sonically with the previous album. i think it would be interesting to listen to both almost as a double album to see how they fit together. but overall some really nice chill cali beats, incredible rhymes and flow, great lyrics (for the most part), and really intelligent production and album sequencing. this is definitely an album that is meant to be listened to as a unit from start to finish, which i really appreciate. my only major complaint is that the end feels a little bloated at times to the point where if they cut one or two songs or even just a little bit off a few of the songs it would feel tighter imo- but overall this was a great introduction to this group and i am looking forward to checking out their other work as well.

Incredible. One of the best first-listens to a hip-hop album I’ve ever had. This has gotta be one of the most crowd-pleasing rap albums ever? It’s generally positive, upbeat, they don’t swear much, the topics are thoughtful and not hedonistic (not that there’s anything wrong with the alternative IMO) and the beats and delivery are top-notch. I really struggle to imagine very many people disliking this. For me, it absolutely rules and will stay in my library and is a must-listen (#70?)

Fun, high energy, rap DJ album.

I dont like this album. Its not my music taste. It sounds like something i wouldnt listen to. I wouldnt recomend this.

Solid hip hop album, I enjoyed it

Love this album. Reminds me of driving through the lake district in the summertime with my mates!

7/10 Bell'album di un collettivo hip hop che non conoscevo. Apprezzo molto i featuring e l'alchimia sui beat. A Day At The Races è una manata.

It was good. But there weren't really any standout tracks that stuck with me.

хуйня пизда

Quality Control (2000) is the better release, but this is still a strong record. The production is hard and addictive, the flows and rhymes are effortlessly intricate, especially on 'A Day at the Races,' the harmonized choruses are tasteful, and the partitioning of verses is uniquely lucid. But it also trots out cliché lines like 'My pen drips / As I scribble my thoughts on thin strips of emotion.' It sometimes feels like this album was made for people who never 'got' hip-hop, and needed a record that's blatantly 'conscious' to get over their disapproval of the gangsta genre. But anybody who really understands hip-hop knows there's no De La Soul w/o NWA, no Black Star w/o 8Ball and MJG. Still, this is a classic listen, partly b/c it's great pop, tho Q-tip would resist that dubbing: 'Rap is not pop / if you call that then stop.'

I usually am not the biggest fan on this genre but damn I really fucked with it. One of the best discoveries of this challenge so far

This seems like a good time to remind listeners that, unless you are a member of an historically oppressed minority, there are certain words you are not allowed to use. Those words represent that historical oppression, and have a different meaning only when used by the oppressed class. So no matter how much you may dig tracks like, “One of Them,” you are not allowed to sing along out loud. Just listen and appreciate. Thus ends today’s linguistics lesson.

The interesting, fun, inspiring songs outweigh the dull ones. 3.5

Dare I say my favorite hip hop album so far? Great sounds throughout, good lyrics, rapping, and sampling.

Not bad. A bit uneven for my tastes; enjoyed some, disliked others. 3.5*

Liked it!

Jurassic 5 has long been a hip hop favorite of mine. Quality Control is probably one of my favorite hip hop albums, so I was excited to get this today. J5 features 4 rappers (and 2 DJs - which does not equal 5), all with unique voices that come together for choruses and harmonies. Chali 2na's deep flow is my favorite, but there isn't a weak voice in the group, and all deliver with incredibly creative writing and rhyming. With rap music generally way too caught up in objectification of women, violence, and drugs, the comparative positivity of Jurassic 5 is refreshing. They were not the only group cultivating their style and skill rather than trying to be edgy and hard - and they deserve acclaim alongside Tribe Called Quest, The Roots, De La Soul, and others. "Power in Numbers" is a throwback to the 80s with breaks, scratches, (lots of credit to DJ Nu-Mark and Cut Chemist for shaping that sound), but it still feels (or felt?) fresh. 4⭐️

Hip-hop isn't normally a genre I gravite towards, but this is pretty chill so far. 8 tracks in, getting bored. Not much happening, it's fine but boring.9 tracks to go though 🙄 They had a nelly furtado feature, which has reminded me to listen to Loose Finally, the last track.... Overall it's just fine, nothing that I hate but nothing that stands out either. Very middle of the road. The flow is pretty good though, I'll give them that.

Alternative hip-hop is usually my preferred brand of hip-hop, and this fits that bill well with some nice grooves, strong hooks and smooth, relatively SFW vocal interplay. It definitely feels like this was already well-trodden ground by the turn of the century though. Still, it marks a second appearance on the generator for Nelly Furtado! That's got to be worth a round-up from 3.5.

How have I not heard of this group before?! Great flow and the beats are very good.

This one took me back to 2002 for sure. Scored a copy of this and had it bumping in my car nonstop. You don't need to know a thing about hip hop culture to be let into their world through very accessible funk grooves with creative instrumentation, lush but approachable production techniques, and world class bars from their deep roster of MC's. Jurassic 5 isn't exactly Wu Tang-level crowded but I'm pretty sure there's more than 5 of these dudes, DJ withstanding. While this is immediately something the party-people-in-the-place-to-be can get down to, it also has layers of understanding you can peel back. There's plenty of commentary on race, religion, love, and friendship on this to go around without any glorification of violence or petty squabbles. J5 is a little community of MC's all about rising above little things and cutting right to what's important-- great rhymes, great music, and great people.

This was really good. Felt like old school hip-hop.

This is a truly dreadful and boring album.

Genuinely surprised by how much I enjoyed this album

80/100

Great album with very few misses

Effortless cool and groovy.

Verrassend rustgevend? Het is niet helemaal hoe ik het zou doen, maar het is vooruitgang ten opzichte van de afgelopen dagen. Het is geen marteling om dit nog eens te horen. Nog steeds niet mijn favoriet though

That's not my taste in music - But ok

Enjoyed it.

4.5

good record

Really enjoyed this…

High FiVE for Jurassic 5! Reminded me of De La Soul Is Dead

Pretentious? Sure. Anything new? Nah…it’s called old school for a reason. But J5 has flow for miles. Hard to argue with this album landing on this list.

it's good, but for all the hip-hop that came out during this time, i've heard better.

really great group record with some unique writing. Overall positive lyrics are nice but contributes to the lengthy feeling.

Sounds like college

This is so good. No notes.

Thoughtful and funky hip hop, good sample work and interesting messages. Pretty good record

Outstanding. I can’t believe I had never heard of this group before. Their witty rhymes, the old-school flow, the fun samples, the fact that not every song is about violence, drugs, and bitches?

I really enjoyed this, actually. i think it’s worth another listen

Not the genre I usually listen to but I enjoyed it; laid back, upbeat vibes

Concrete Schoolyard. The only thing wrong with this album is that it doesn’t come close to that four minutes of aural perfection.

When I saw this pop up as today’s pick, I realized I haven’t listened to not just this album in particular, but probably Jurassic 5 in over a decade. So this was a nice revisit to this album and their style. It is such a damn good album, it makes me sad that I hadn’t listened to it again until today. Definitely gonna have to give their albums some replays soon.

Considering wider genre good salples

Just a really fun listen

Humorously, I had Jurassic 5 and Maroon 5 conflated in my head. I was so happy to be wrong. This album is pretty damned cool. Hip hop I hadn't heard before. Dig Chali 2na's voice. Lots of awesome bars throughout. Old school stuff chopped up for the 2000's -- back to the days of boastin' and mixin'. Worth a listen for sure. Unexpected bangers: One of Them, Freedom, Hey

I need a beat! A BEAT!

Sounds loser than 02

this was super good. didn’t fall into any of those 90s/2000s pitfalls that rappers seem to. hard to choose between 4 and 5 but since i only “like” on song on spotify we’ll go with 4. not a bad minute of listening though

Repeated jazz licks makes for a hypnotic listen at times, but the swapping between vocalists makes the whole feel a little bit like a boy-band

Subjective 10 bc i loved the vibe, a total discovery for me. Probably an objective 7-ish, but who cares

Super fun album, great hooks and beats. Reminiscent of the types of raps I liked most from artists like Mos Def and Del the Funky Homosapien. I think as time passes, I seek less and less more 'cerebral' 5-dollar vocab word heavy hip hop, but this one was a blast.

прикольные чуваки (ТОЛЬКО ИХ ШЕСТЕРО 😭) мне классно было, вайб начала нулевых включая ФИТ С НЕЛЛИЧКОЙ ФУРТАДО 😍 максимально прочувствованы но альбом слегка затянут и у меня теперь передоз скретчем практически впервые не могу ровный балл поставить — 3 низко, 4 многовато как будто, так что 3.7 где-то

All over a high quality rap album. Flows well and despite its length, I don’t tire of it until the last two tracks. Lacks real highlights, though, so it's a strong 3-star album

New to me group. I liked it. Funky. Long album and sustained the groove the whole time. High 3+.

very groovy, hip hoppy.

The album was technically sound. I feel like Jurassic 5 followed a strict formula that gives the album a generic taste. Compared to a loaf of bread, it would be a standard off-the-shelf brand.

4/10 They say they aren't a corny ass crew...but... 1-08-2025

yo i am loving this. finally something different for me.

Приличный хип-хоп начала нулевых. Норм биты. Мне эта музыка ближе, чем весь респектабельный хип-хоп девяностых от признанных мастеров жанра. Лучшая песня - Thin Line.

conscious, fresh, creative, excellent loops and layering production is fresh swears not excessive: doesn't get in the way of the message powerful message chorus's creative --> If you only knew concsious --> one of them --> arrested development Creative and lyrically punchy. Power in numbers has an excelllent jazzy a groovy feel whilst maintaining a positove message. The conscious lyrics are great and the production is excellent, what I also like is that the swears aren't excessive or in the way of the message the record has. I thoroughly enjoyed the creativeness in the sampling and the groovy textures used making the record very danceable in a sense. The album does feel sloghtly inconsistent as the first half seems to have more punch than the latter half and the closer wasn't in my opinion a very strong ender. Favorite song: if you only knew. Overall score: 7.3/10

This album is great

Good, but somehow I feel like it was a bit average.. may be an unpopular opinion

I don't know. It's one of those bands that are important, but it also feels like they wrote it so people will think its important. In a way people are vegan so they can say they are vegan to anyone that will listen. They have a really good flow, the lyrics themself are kinda meh. Well produced, it just seems like I'm listening to broccoli.

This is a great one. I listened to this a bunch when it was new. Not an all-time great in my book, but still really solid.

Keeper. Sing along. Upbeat. Old school. Hip hop. Beats

I knew the name of the band, but don't think I've ever listened to it before this. They were good!

Haven’t listened to them since like 2005 - forgot how good .

Sounds woefully wholesome these days.

Some fresh rhymes

thought it was some 00's rock/punk but it turned out to be some kinda old school rap it's good for its genre but it's not my cup of tea so I can't rate it too high

When I opened this album in Spotify, I got a notification that it was released 23 years ago on this day and got some balloons flying up, but only managed to pop one. The songs are that kind of rap where there isn't too much melody and instead they just talk, which I am not a huge fan of, but it's overall not too bad, it could definitely be worse. The one song that I somewhat enjoyed was What's Golden, but it seems that this is their most popular song, as it has 5-6 times more listens than most of the songs.

This wasn’t for me listened to let it be by the Beatles instead

Rad

Power in the message and the legacy.

Certainly not my thing.

This album took me back to 90s old school hip hop. Great album from start to finish.

Sometimes I really miss the hip hop of earlier decades. Bars you can actually understand and more developed story telling compared to today's hits in the genre. This would be almost 5 stars for me (4.5) but have to settle for a 4. I really enjoyed it and wish sometimes today's tracks have a bit more developed lyrics too

Great album. Favourite songs were freedom, break, remember his name, thin line, sum of us, I am somebody and acetate prophets. Haven’t listened to much hip-hop in the past but this was an amazing introduction to the genre. Just got a great energy about it. Definitely a 5 star in my opinion

Haven't heard of them before (I'm not too knowledgeable when it comes to hip hop) so I had no expectations for this one. I was pleasantly surprised! Really good instrumentals and the rap had a nice flow (will read the lyrics later, my non-native ears are bad at understanding rap in English). It was fun to hear Nelly Furtado on one song too. My only complaint is that the album is a bit too long, it could've been 5 songs shorter. 3/5

Yknow I wasn’t expecting it to actually hit so hard. Big fan for my first album and so many bangers. I’m actually starting to get into rap a bit more and these guys definitely help. A lot of funky vibes and really interesting lyrics.

Probably one of the best rap albums I've never heard of before. This album is brimming with the kind of rap beats that I love most, with excellent flow and lyrics to make this one of my favorites. Even the interludes are fun and add to the album (as much as I wish they weren't there). Absolutely a blast to listen to

It's OK. In my opinion better than most hip hop but I'm still not a fan

whyd my dumbass think this was the jurassic park soundtrack just not really my style but im sure the album is well produced so itll be getting a 3

Great album with chill tunes.

Delicious hip hop comfort food. Like a big bowl of chicken soup - very fulfilling, if in a predictable and unchallenging way. And sometimes that's just what you need. I am permanently attached to it because it came out at a time when I needed a musical hug like this and I was lucky enough to buy it on a whim, sight unseen, or hearing unlistened, I guess. Highly skilled rapping over some funky old school beats and tight group work offer an alternate reality, as if NWA and Dre never happened and The Funky Four were the only band that ever mattered. What's Golden is golden. If that song doesn't get you moving then I can't help you, and if you didn't get a chance to focus on it the first time through, do yourself a favor and give it a close listen before you move on. And the freestyle from the legendary Kool Keith on DDT is a real treat.

I've never heard of Jurassic 5, and I'm pretty sure I haven't heard any of the tracks from this album either; always a nice prospect (even if the promise doesn't always play out). I appreciate how they took a different approach to hip-hop than a lot of what we've gotten in this collection, with a lot of samples and bass and tight (and often incisive) lyrics; at times I'm mildly reminded of a more modern, beat-oriented De La Soul, or maybe even more so like the 2000s era iteration of the Jungle Brothers. I particularly enjoyed "Break", "A day at the races", "What's golden" (fun video too), "The sum of us", and "I am somebody", with an honorable mention to the Nelly-Furtado-assisted "Thin line". I also enjoyed the album overall, far more than I'd expected to from the opening few tracks. Kind of a bummer that the Wikipedia entry reads like it was written by ChatGPT 0.5--not simply uninformative but poorly structured and a limited vocabulary (and sadly, the Wikipedia entry for the group is about the same). The "1001 albums" entry is substantially better--and more informative--but still leaves out a lot of background and/or context. Too bad, as Jurassic 5 clearly had a lot to say in their relatively short-lived tenure.

enjoyed this while working--nice variety and this felt driven by the music as much, if not more than, the lyrics, which seems rare in my limited hip hop experience.

I really like this album. Especially the instrumentals. Added whole album to library.

A lovely treat for my 300th album beinga fan of the J5. I didn't think I'd listened to this album as much as their earlier work ... but know, I knew most of it. As soon as Charlie 2na and the lads get going. Abley assisted by New Mark and Cut Chemist - it's the good shit.

I have said before that I'm not averse to a bit of rap, hip hop, that sort of thing. But the one thing that I really don't go for is politics in music. If you're going to do that then the actual music has got to be right up there, really really good. And this started with a political song. A political song that musically, like the rest of the album, was right out of the top drawer. This is an absolutely stonking album. It had me dancing around at work (a feat no other album on here has achieved). I loved it, this is why I'm doing this 1001 album thing. Can only give it one score. 5.

Not bad at all. As good as it gets for this genre? A low 3

This was inoffensive, which made a refreshing change in this genre. Maybe because it didn’t hold my attention well enough, for whatever intricacies there were in this, to seep into my consciousness. Well, some old crap like that. I might give it another listen when I'm not as distracted, but it seems unlikely my opinion would change from 'ordinary' to 'wonderful'

Not so bad! Hier mache ich einmal eine Ausnahme!

These guys mastered the back and forth of having multiple MCs working together quite well. As with many albums of the rap genre, this one has some fillers. It's still great.

not that great. music in evolution

This was a really good, solid, chill collection of songs. No real standouts except maybe the Nelly Furtado feature, but enjoyable to listen to. I’m just glad I got a hip-hop album finally. It was a pleasant departure from the primarily classic rock I’ve been getting, and although classic rock is typically my favorite genre, I enjoy a nice variety. Overall, pretty pleased with this album, although I would have liked at least one standout track.

Tribe called quest/De La Soul vibe

What's Golden

Nice album a bit grandmaster but good content

# Playlist track - If You Only Knew # Notes - Never heard of them before. - Amazing album! - Fun beats, good flow, cool samples. - Reminds me of a Tribe Called Quest and De la Soul. - Definitely recommend, even to people that are not into hiphop.

1. thiz - 1 2. freedom - 1.5 3. kneuu - 1 4. break - 1 5. react - 0 6. day - 1.5 7. name - 1.5 8. golden - 1 9. line - 1.5 10. zchool - 1.5 11. fidelity - 1 12. zum - 1 13. ddt - 0 14. them - 0 15. hey - 1 16. zomebody - 1 17. prophetz - 0

Liked the feeling of this as a whole but more as background music. none of the songs are something I would listen to individually.

Perfect hip hop album!

Meh 2.5 stars

Not great but definitely a fun listen to grove through part of the work day with.

Poetic confidence! Or confidence poetica!

Opener i liked the beat and lyrics. I didn't pay too much attention to it overall but it was good background music. I think I should revisit and give it another listen. 3.5

I'd always figured I was gonna like Jurassic 5. Even back when my sole experience with the group was Charli 2na playing Neil deGrasse Tyson in an Epic Rap Battle, from his voice alone I figured I'd be down for them. What ended up surprising me, then, was exactly **how much** I liked this album and Jurassic 5. Let's get out of the way the thing I always notice first: the beats. Phenomenal, front to back. All the props in the world to Cut Chemist and DJ Nu-Mark. These smooth n' fresh jazz rap beats, next to these hard knockin' boom bap beats — and me being me, I feel like I might tend towards the latter more, but either way both are great. The flows these rappers are doin' on top of these beats, too — goodness. I can't remember the last time I heard beats and flows work together this well. And seriously, what a voice on 2na, I swear. Then there's the lyrics. Normally, I'd give this album high marks on the beats alone with paying too much mind to the lyrics — which, to be 100, isn't really my choice; as I've said in many other reviews, I'm melody-first and find it hard to pay attention to lyrics on initial listens. That's just how I am. But with this album, for whatever reason, either because I was trying a new thing where I played TETRIS DX at the same time, or because they're honestly that good... I found myself really interested in the lyrics here. To the point where I noticed a lot of the subjects and stories, where usually I'd only be able to grab one or two lines at best. And from that, I can tell that this is the kind of album that has a lot of serious things to say, but while also keeping it a fun and enjoyable listen. Seriously, you could throw this stuff on just to jam to and you wouldn't hafta worry about the whole "Y'all don't wanna hear, you just wanna dance" effect. And I didn't even see the twist coming on "Remember His Name", goodness. Great flow, great beats, great lyrics... Yeah, that sounds like a 5 to me. I feel like this is the most positive I've been in a long time towards a rap album I haven't heard before. Which, y'know, nothing against none of those, but this album really is just that fun and engaging. Heck, I might even hafta go check out the rest of their discography at some point. Not bad for a group I'm only aware of thanks to Epic Rap Battles — where, no joke, I originally thought Tay Zonday was playing Neil deGrasse Tyson. That's what a lack of knowledge of Jurassic 5 will lead you to, I guess.

Fucking WOW. This is a pretty damn superb bit of hiphop from a group I wasn't aware of 'til now. And the beats they rap over are simply immaculate works. Solid 5 Stars.

I’m at a really nice 5. Took a few tracks to get going, but once this thing hit its stride, there was no fucking stopping it – that is 56 minutes of stellar rapping. There’s a lot of underground influence here, and it certainly shows in the sample-heavy production style. Once they really get their flows in motion, this becomes catchy as a motherfucker; “A Day at the Races” is the point at which this album finds an unstoppable groove, and a rising tide really does lift all ships in this case. The beats feel more free, their voices blend even better, and the lyricism takes a step up to another level, all while continuing to sound extremely hypnotic, and pretty easy to follow along to. It flows all the way until the last track. I did like it, with the sort of avant-garde sample work, but it threw me for a loop in terms of being the closer. It’s more of a bonus than anything, so I don’t have any real complaints. Really, the biggest compliment I can give to the album is that it’s just really fun to listen to; at its very core, this is extremely catchy & melodic rap that harkens back to the origins of the genre, in a way that I think might’ve been lost in some of late 80s-90s gangsta rap, and was thankfully revived throughout the early 2000s (perhaps culminating in the mainstream with Eminem’s 2002-2003 stuff). That doesn’t mean this album doesn’t go hard at times, but there’s a real focus on soundscapes and enjoyability rather than heavier lyricism. Yes, the braggadocious aspect of rap is in full force here, but it’s presented with a lot of unity that feels like I, as the listener, get to be a part of the team. Their group flow really does do it for me. So, yeah, it’s a pretty fast 56 minutes, it kept me extremely captivated, and with the lyrics in front of me, I felt like I could find their flows pretty fast. It might be a little too old-school at times, but for my tastes, I really liked it. Once it found its rhythm, it was just undeniably cool. Feels like a hidden gem on the list, and it’s a pretty easy 5 for me.

Really great.

Pretty fun and chill till "One of Them", but a great throwback to earlier days of hiphop.

Very strong 4. Not as good as J5 (which was a defining album of the late 90's for me) but still cracking - so smooth.

Decent enough

Couldn't decide between a 4 or a 5, so a 5 it is. Just enjoyable, didn't hear a bad song. Loved the samples, beats, and flute. A nice change of pace. 5/5

Premium hip-hop. Fantastic vibe 👌

not for me

I still remember seeing these guys live for a signing and in store performance when this album came out. It’s hard to believe that was over 20 years ago. What I’ve always liked about Jurassic 5 is how they trade off lyrics with group harmonies, adding a cool dynamic to their songs. The production is clean and balanced, mixing old school vibes with a modern touch. The DJ scratches and samples give it a nice retro feel, and the jazzy, funk-driven beats keep the music upbeat.

Never listened to Jurassic 5 before. Not too bad. I'm surprised this album came out in 2002, it has an early 90s rap sound that feels almost a decade older. Still, not a bad track on the album (the last track is a bit of just noise and mess, but by then you've already been through most of a good album). The intro and interludes feel kind of pointless, but they don't really drag it down. Enjoyed it. Best song: What's Golden

Creative, great messaging, solid music. This is a great album.

Interesting take on hip hop one of the guys sounded like ll cool j

What is it with hip hop albums being around an hour? You haven't got that much material to record every single time, surely? I thought I wouldn't be able to name many particular tracks that stood out because, as is the case with this kind of music, to my ears it kind of blends into one, but I was surprised when I starting picking out certain tracks I enjoyed. 'I Am Somebody' was probably my favourite and has the best beat. 'Thin Line' featuring Nelly Furtado was up there as well. 'High Fidelity' had a cool beat with what I believe is a flute. It works really well. I will say that I enjoyed this more than I thought and more than other hip hop albums I've had so far. It's a lot more of a laid back vibe than gangsta rap, the beats are more enjoyable and catchier. It's funkier and just has an overall cooler sound. The actual rappers are very good. There's one with a really deep voice who was my favourite, I think it was Chali 2na. They are very tight as well. They stay well within the beat of the track, rarely straying outside of it if that makes sense. Thankfully there's very few skits and it's a cool album cover too. I'm feeling really generous and on the basis that I actually think I'd enjoy this even more if I followed along with the lyrics and properly absorbed them, I'm unbelievably going to give this a 4. Well done Jurassic 5, you're now currently my favourite hip hop artist!

Fun old school sounding style hiphop. 3.5/5

My favorite type of hip hop is the stuff that samples a lot of old funk and jazz tracks, and this album has some pretty good beats. However, I didn't really like their flows or rapping in general. It was just a little too cheesy, and the guy with a deep voice sounds like a cartoon character in a very distracting way. I was also ready for this album to end by Track 10, there just isn't enough variation to keep me interested. Low 3.

Pretty good and upbeat. Reminds me of early 2000s-ish rap with some Crystal Method vibes mixed in. 3/5

Great album. First album from Jurassic 5 for me. Wasn't expecting much but, this album is so good. The rapping and lyrics flow is perfect, and the beats are good!

Mal was anderes :)

decent

Pre-listening thoughts: I hope they rap about dinosaurs :3 Post/during listening thoughts: guys I think I love (a lot of) hip hop actually. I realize hip hop is a broaddd genre but so many of the hip hop albums I’ve listened to from this challenge I have enjoyed more than expected. I need to do some exploration of my own there. My biggest qualm with most of them is they are too long. But whatever. The use of flute on this album makes me feel nostalgic for early 2000s Sesame Street in a way I won’t and can’t explain further. NELLY FURTADO FEATURE OMG!!! Love this yayayay! 8/10 DID I NEED TO HEAR THIS BEFORE I DIE: nah but im glad I did Fav tracks: Freedom, If You Only Knew, What’s Golden, Thin Line, High Fidelity, I Am Somebody Least fav tracks: Acetate Prophets

An alright album, not my usual style but I liked Sum Of Us.

Quintessential 90s Hip Hop ... just made in the 2000s

After a while tracks just blended into one another.

doesn't really suit my vibe

Classic 90s/early 00s rap

Power in Numbers I listened to this A LOT when it came out, especially as I loved What’s Golden, a superb track, aJ5 classic. This and just after was the period where they seemed to be playing at every festival I went to, I think I must have seen them 5 or 6 times. Despite it being a very good album, I do think it’s a bit odd that this was chosen for the list ahead of Quality Control, which for my money is their strongest album start to finish, as this one does drag a little over the last 15 minutes or so. It has all the elements that make J5 great though, jazzy organ, flute and horn samples, Cut Chemist and Nu-Mark’ beats and scratching, catchy hooks, the interplay of Akil, Zaakir, Marc 7 and 2na (love 2na’s baritone delivery) and smart, thoughtful lyrics reflecting a range of themes and messages. Freedom, If You Only Knew and Break is a great run, If You Only Knew’s flute sample is extremely catchy and that little guitar sample on Break is superb. The bass on A Day at the Races really makes the track, a great groove. What’s Golden still sounds great, satisfyingly catchy and I love the ‘pop music’ breakdown and the verbal Herman Munster. Thin Line is also a great track, the string sample is great, sombre and downbeat, reflecting the lyrics. It does get a bit patchy after this, it’s never porr, and delivery wise it never lets up, but it does start to feel a few tracks too long and a little unfocused. High Fidelity’s flute and horns are great though, Hey is an excellently low key track and Acetate Prophets is a superb exercise in turntablism. Its a great listen, and I’m tempted to go for a 5 just as its the sole representative of J5 on the list, but it is for me a rung below Quality Control so I’ll go with a solidly high 4. 🦖🦖🦖🦖 Playlist submission: What’s Golden

Love Jurassic 5. Love this album. Soooooooo great! Love love love ❤️❤️❤️

"If you only knew" was amazing. Despite not being my typical taste, I found myself really enjoying this one.

This feels so weird being released 10 years after the golden age of alternative hip-hop, but before MF Doom became a big deal. It's like prog-rock that came out between 1974 and 1978, 90s hair metal or 1980-1982 disco, a logical evolution of what came before, but weird because this kind of music in this context has been completely overshadowed by revolution. Another way I can put it is it's like a pure extract of the hip-hop side of the Gorillaz self-titled album removed from all other influences. The Avalanches and J Dilla may have set my standards for sampling too high. The first half is a great homage to the late 80s/early 90s, and this extends to the rap flows being really samey. Complaint removed, Thin Line is delightfully 2002 and One of Them gives me whiplash. This album is getting decently eclectic in the second half. I kind of consider it a hallmark of this genre, so I don't know why the first half is so samey. Weirdly enough, becoming more eclectic makes it sound much more of its time. It's weird I Am Somebody and Hey have so few listens when they're so good. CD runtimes are a curse. I don't listen to rap lyrics close enough though, so it's possible they're less well written, but musically it's great stuff. Seriously, more of this album needed to have Acetate Prophet's energy, this track is so good. A strangely two-sided album, the first half solid no-nonsense MC Solaar-esque alt rap, the second an engaging 2000s updating of the genre's eclecticism. Both have their merits, both are fairly good. I wouldn't say this really deserves a spot in the 1001 though.

Jurassic 5 came into my hemisphere in the late 90's with their first EP. It was full of quirky samples and songs, but nothing really cohesive. Power In Numbers is when they put it all together and delivered a great album. Again, loaded with samples and old school rap references, but now with a more powerful message. Great stuff here, don't miss out. 4/5

Truly believe hip hop peaked in the early 2000s. Can’t fault it

Didnt think I would enjoy a hip hop album this much. Drags on a bit towards the end only reason it’s not a 5.

This is pretty good. Probably wouldn’t seek it out again. But I like the groove and probably wouldn’t seek not turn it off.

This was nice surprise, a good jam. I rolled this on an hour road time and it was great. I particularly liked “If you only knew, remember his name, and High Fidelity”. The rest flowed really well and was overall a great chill listen. 4.5/5

This was a really nice surprise and provided a good backdrop to an otherwise dreary day. The simplicity throughout is great with not a lot of filler. The beats, clever sampling and lyrics really get a chance to standout as a result. Dig it.

Solid beats and rhymes.

This hits me right in the rap sweet spot. Not a whole lot of fluff. Just solid beats and lyrics. Head was bobbing throughout. After School Special is greatness as is What's Golden. Chali 2na has an amazing voice and I wish he was around more...or maybe he is and I just don't know it (shame). I finished the album and immediately started it again. That's how you know it is good. Damn good. 4.5/5

Too corny

More excellent old school Hip Hop with understandable rapping.

as with most hip hop albums this leaves me cold. I've heard worse but really doesn't engage me

Not a huge hip hop fan. I do have a soft spot for the early stuff in the 90s. Something about this being 2002 lowers it for me. Idk.

Great beats, classic hip hop. Not enough variation to sustain the run time.

понравился, добавила пару треков с свой плейлист

Blind album and artist. Wow this blew me away. This is a hidden gem among the growing popularity of rap and hip hop. It totally sounds like it came out of the 90s. The beats were fire, the lyrics were creative. I couldn't get enough of this. Multiple hits, seamless transitions, cool skit, creative lyrics. This is why I started this journey, and this is amazing.

I never listened to this album. I did, however, listen to about 80% of it over and over and over again in the form of individual kazaa downloads of varying quality. So I have fond memories of some of this stuff, while the arrangement, and some songs, are completely new. Anyway, jazzy hip hop? I'm in. fun album. Not necessarily an all-timer in the gotta-hear-it-before-you-die vein, especially since, well, it drags, but it's a great sound and easy to put on.

No album released in 2002 has any right to be this funny. Corny at times yes but some rhymes were so corny you just had to laugh

East coast hip hop gets an automatic 4 at least. A great Monday morning treat. Listened to some J5 when I was younger, but hadn’t heard this album. Some standouts and I like the outro.

Meticulous rapping and production. Walks right up to the line of being corny… and crosses it sometimes. Overall a lot of fun

I don’t like it. This could lull me to sleep I spose

Production was definitely the highlight for me. Punchy beats throughout that were easy to bop my head to. Lyrically, I thought it was kind of corny. Flows were strong and they worked off each other well, but it was just missing something to make it interesting. I also can’t get over how wacky the deep voice dude sounds. Had a few songs that I’ll return to, but mostly just felt like a dollar store De La Soul.

Космическое радио, рэгби и ар-эн-би, рэп, поставить на задний фон прикольно, внимательного прослушивания не заслуживает

Just mediocre, unmemorable, noughties hip-hop. I'd like to include a highlight song to add to my playlist, but I genuinely can't even remember any of the songs.

Favourite tracks: freedom; break; if you only knew; a day at the races; what's golden; thin line; hey; I am somebody; sum of us

Love

cool rap album, never heard of this group before

Ok

Really nice beats and some very clever rhymes and lyrics Pleasant suprise

I'm not that into hip-hop, but if I were it would be this.

Wasn't expecting to be blown away by this one! Wasn't expecting to have listened to them already, either! Their song "A Day At The Races" was on the soundtrack to Tony Hawk's Underground. "Remember His Name" and "Thin Line" stood out to me on this album. I love Chali 2na's voice!

Absolute shit...again

some songs were very good, but most of it was pretty homogenous

I really enjoyed it)))

Cool album but too long. Nice usage of flutes in track 3.

Starts off strong but levels out midway through. Nice album overall, but nothing special.

Power In Numbers is pretty good and one of the stronger hip hop albums we've had, it takes a little while to get going but there's some really strong balance between all of the vocals and how they're shared around, the beats are very cool, relaxed and with a slightly inquisitive/occasionally confused lilt but that works really well with the lyrical ambition and flow, it's not a simple album falling back on cliches and tropes and denigration. Main criticism is that it's a bit samey and lacks some of the grit I want from the genre but still gets a 4 I think. A Day At The Races my favourite track.

Think this must've felt quite old school in 2002? Doesn't feel like it's moved forward that much from the 90s stuff, but that's not necessarily a bad thing - it's definitely avoided most of the overproduction that came with the music of that era, it's clean and pretty fresh. It's a surprisingly smooth listen; probably would've benefitted from a bit more oomph and in your face in places. Does start to get a bit samey towards the end, don't think it needed to be almost an hour long. 3/5.

Shame on me for not expanding my hip-hop listening when I was younger. Ah well, the second best time to plant a tree is *right now*.

90s hip hop continues to surprise me. This was a great album.

Pretty good

Really enjoyed this album. I'm not super well versed in the rap genre but each track has had a very solid groove. Their flow is much more melodic than a lot of rap I've heard. Reminds me of my favorite group Bone Thugs N' Harmony in that regard.

рэп кал

Mixed bag, love the "Lord Have Mercy"esque MC but at times crawled.

I love this album so much, but the last two song is little bit experimental and not fit to the whole album to me

okay

Classic early 2000's hip hop with great rhymes and an awesome set of artists.

Not bad. I can appreciate the old-school hip hop style. Seems interestingly out of place for 2002. Heavy on soul and funk samples. Nelly Furtado jumpscare on Thin Line. And nice Minnie Riperton sample. When it's all said and done, it's probably not something I'm going to come back to, but it's not bad. Fav tracks: If You Only Knew, Thin Line

Pretty good

This just isn’t my favorite genre.

didn't expect that, wow great album

8/10

This is so cool, and not just because it makes me think of THPS. Clean and clear production, great vocal trade offs. Good stuff.

A nice surprise. The lyricism (with exceptional use of rhymes and alliteration) makes this album that has age great. I’ll keep listening Jurassic 5 and check of their discography.

It's okay

Really good, I knew some of the hits but hadn't listened to full album. It was such a familiar sound as I've listened to a lot of "golden-age/throwback" rappers. Nice to hear who they were emulating.

I really enjoy this fusion-heavy style of Hip Hop, especially how it blends multiple genres. The group showcases a nice diversity in vocal styles and ranges, but for me, Chali 2na is the standout. His deep bass vocals, combined with his sharp delivery and distinct cadence, make his contributions truly unique.

A hip hop/rap record that wasn’t Yet Another or a bore or filled with unfunny skits! Great sampling and fills, raps that had great flow and cadence. Interesting and fun record.

I remember the hip hop nerds in college being really into this band. Golden was the only song i knew going it. This album wasn't a bad listen, maybe a little long.

I was so bored listening to this. Sure I can see skill there, but I just didn't care at any point. I can't even remember most times a song switched from one to another.

Yeah, funky hip-hop, a bit jazzy, I like it.

Really loved this album, great production and sampling. Great beats and vocals. Really cool to hear Chali 2na, where I’d only heard him before on the Linkin Park track Frgt/10, really cool nostalgia there.

I loved the sounds and grooves of this album. For never hearing of this album/group...it was a nice find from this app.

Jurassic 5 should have had way more commercial success. Their music can make the gloomiest days feel bright and shiny.

no me gusta el rap

Great album. Genre changing

A solid album from a classic group, and not much more to be said other than that

Some good lyrical miracle posse rapping. Highlights are One Of Them, which is more vicious than most tracks on here, followed immediately by Hey, which just has an incredibly pleasing instrumental.

Enjoyed this one a lot. Proper old skool style hip hop. Will listen to this again.

Don't listen to hiphop often, enjoyed this more than I expected

Excellent old school hip hop.

This album was sooo goood. The frontmans voice is so smooth and silky and the whole thing's just a joy to listen to. Heard some songs I've heard before, and some that were new to me. Loved everything. Thin Line, After School Special and Sum of Us were my faves. Good stuff.

the sheer fucking sleeze i felt listening to this album is second only to the grimiest blues. unfortunately substantial drop in quality from like track 13 - dont even mind hey that much, one of them just doesnt fucking work for me and the rest of the album kinda suffered for it i guess. tracks like thin line and whats golden make this a really reasonable listen. interludes feel consistent and not even that pretentious.

To my dissapointment, this album does not feature the sounds of 5 dinosours from the jurassic age. No but seriously, this is one vibey mix of Conscious Hip Hop lyrics, warm and Jazzy sampling and uplifting performances. It may not be one of the strongest or most groundbreaking releases in said genres and styles but it's nontheless a nice listen that deserves more attention than it's getting. The album starts with the intro: 'This Is' which is a mix of Jazz bass, a radio speaker and some more Jazz in that order before neatly sayin "this is freedom" which then transitions into the next track. I think it's a quite lovely introduction to the album and its sound and even though it isn't an intro that will stick with you, it's fairly enjoyable. 'Freedom' then really gets the album started with some chopped sounding vocals that repeat the songs hook before turning to the first verses from the MCs. The different voices of them give a nice mix of difference within these verses. It's a chilled but very meaningful song with both beat and performance which has some nice energy to it but doesn't go to crazy with what it does. I think this is incredible right of the bat. The beat is catchy, the rapping is nice and it's just very pleasant to listen to. The Jazz aspects make an even bigger appearence on 'If You Only Knew' with a very nice beat that features simple piano as well as some flute. It works really well but I personally think that the chorus just kind of ruins the ideas that it brings together. It feels corny and forced. If it was just bar after bar on the beat: Wow! But with these breaks for a chorus that isn't needed, it all feels weakened. It's still good but not as great as the previous track. The following 'Break' puts on a much more energetic beat that sees the group perform faster raps, sometimes even together. But I think that again, it breaks the flow that would've been needed on a song like this. The attempt of making more Pop accessible Hip Hop tunes just ultimately hurts the original ideas that should've been performed bar after bar and without much of a chorus. It's not a bad song but I am really uninterested in what it does. It feels basic and average. The interlude 'React' which seems to sample from television and feels very much like something MF DOOM would do. It's not a bad beat but it feels out of place. Still, it's an okay listen. 'A Day at the Races' not only brings on the best and most consistent rapping thus far but also one of the best executed Jazz Rap beats with a higher energy. It's incredibly groovy and perfromed on point for the entire track. This is how they should've made every song on the album. I think I'm not leaning myself to far out of the window but this is a perfect song. Absolutely incredible! Although 'Remember His Name' takes some time to get started, once it does it continues a really consistent and lengthy flow with some well written verses. The additional vocals and effects also add to the meaning as well as the entertainment. It isn't as crazy as its predecessor but it's still really great. The most iconic track, 'What's Golden', follows with a groovy beat and well put on verses. It's just catchy from the first second and the chorus is also really fitting for once. The trumpets that sometimes appear, the flow and just general rapping and the great chorus: if this had a bit more to it in terms of lyricism, this would've been perfect. 'Thin Line' then starts with a really well made beat that slowly builds tension until the rapping starts and again, the rapping is absolutely on point and even the chorus works with the song. It's executed perfectly at every aspect of the track including the added synths as well as the effects that add more depth into the song which also ties into the verses. Perfect song. On 'After School Special' there's a little boy (or girl, not sure) talking about they want to be on the album which actually happens at the end which is pretty cute. The full song is really nice with a good beat and some great deliveries. It's a great song but it feels a bit more low-key in comparison. The turntable sampling on 'High Fidelity' is pretty interesting and does somehow work as a semi-hook. The song is pretty good but it would've needed a bit more work in terms of concept because it sometimes doesn't really feel like it's tied together perfectly. But even though there is some work needed, it's still a pretty good song this way. I get what they tried to do on 'Sum of Us' but I just feel like the flow of the rapping has been done so often that it feels just very basic and even uninteresting. I don't think that it's bad but the track just doesn't do it for me. It feels just way too formulaic and simple as it sounds like something that could've been done a decade earlier. The next short interlude 'DDT' mainly rhymes without a beat with a lot of background noise. It's cool but a little too long and also doesn't really fit. 'One of Them' has a much slower and more eerie beat that just isn't really good to begin with but the rapping makes you expect something else from the beat. The two parts feel like they were recorded at different times and just thrown together. It does not work together. The result is very irritating and annoying. On one hand I want to experience the beat at its fullest potential and want a different rapping, on the other hand is the rapping pretty decent and would work much better on another beat. In the end it's a weird listen and not the good weird. It's slightly bad. While 'Hey' is sonically more fitting, I think that it still isn't good. For one, the beat feels off on its own. I don't know what they produced here but it just sounds bad. Secondly is the addition of R&B vocals a little too much to be quirky or anything. And lastly, the rapping really sucks. Is often really basic and doesn't work at all with the beat. Each part works together but they don't work on their own and the result is even worse. This is (sadly) another bad track but for once, really bad. Luckily, 'I Am Somebody' returns to more quality and working Hip Hop. The beat isn't fully fleshed out, yes, but the rapping is really good and the vibes are there. I'm really enjoying it for the most part which is much enough for a good song. Even the chorus works and adds some additional grooves. I also really like how they switch between verses by switching within words, it's a really neat detail. The closing track 'Acetate Prophets' is also the albums lengthiest track with over 6 minutes of runtime. It's got a really energetic and fast paced beat that mainly focuses on the rhythm section and just adds some turntable scratches as well as other recordings from people, african vocalists, etc. For the most of the time it's just an instrumental which is pretty cool and right when it gets a little bit too reptetitive it breaks and does a beat switch to a more percussion based beat that again repeats with some additions. It switches between D&B, African, South-Asian and other inspirations but ultimately it does loose some of its concept and starts to feel more and mroe tiring after a while. Overall, there is a lot to get out of but also so much that it might be too much. favourites: A Day at the Races, Thin Line, Freedom, What's Golden least favourites: Hey, One of Them Rating: light 7 https://rateyourmusic.com/~Emil_ph for more ratings, reviews and takes

Solid

Old school east coast style. It’s okay

Mad asl i skipped this the first time. Its so good.

Conscious hip hop, pretty pretty groovy.

adok majd még neki esélyt, mert nem volt rossz, de nem nagyon éreztem ezt most

My favourite hip-hop album on this list yet (371 albums in). Great vibes, super enjoyable blend of hip-hop, funk and soul

# 341 : I don't love it, I don't hate it, I can listen to it but the album drags on. This is another album I’ll forget about by tomorrow good background music, nothing distinctive. Way too long for the style.

This got better as it went along, but still not my thing. I liked "I Am Somebody."

Definitely has a 90's feel to the flow, but with a little different beats. Really fun, I like the little accents in the beats that are like keys/flute type of pitch, although I will say the drum machine is pretty samey throughout. Overall, I could listen to this anytime it's pretty great

Seems cool, didn't listen to the whole thing but impressive at times

8/10 Classic and very important album. Weak finish knocks it down Favourite Song=If Only You Knew Least Favourite Song=Acetate Prophets

Enjoyed a lot My kind of rap 8/10

Fun but a bit too long overall, also some of the rapping aged pretty awkwardly but most of it and the production are generally pretty fun. Wish it was more conscise more than anything.

Being sincere on any level isn't cool in 2024 (it wasn't cool in 2002 either) but it doesn't make Jurassic 5 any less good

There's a plethora of sounds on this funky, cinematic hip hop album, which is refreshingly full of positive vibes. Amongst the grooves there's some soul in the sung parts of 'Freedom', jazzy flute on 'If Only You Knew', audio verite on 'React' (and others), trippy electronica on 'Remember His Name, jazzy organ and sax on 'What's Golden', creepy strings (or possibly mellotron) on 'Thin Line'. The lyrics are full of wit and strike a fine line between being fun and meaningful. All in all, this is a highly accessible, creative, spellbinding record that is a joy to listen to from start to finish.

Great album. Chilled, laid back, nice hip hop

I want to not like this as much I do, as they are the clean hipster friendly non problamtic hip hop. But this is just an awesome album the ryhmes are tireless invetive and funky. The beats hit every time and hard. Theres not a lot not to love on this album.

Still sounds fresh

Jurassic 5, have a solid catalogue of work. Apart from Charli 2na and Cut Chemist I couldn't name the five, but they are fabulous. The makers of this list clearly didn't spend the hours listening to the album J5 that I did, which I can (and will) sing along to regularly in that 'finishing-the-sentences' way of half remembering a rhyme. Maybe I should listen to this album another ten times to see how it holds up against J5. I'm up for that.

Hadn't heard this album before, much enjoyment!

I enjoyed this more than I was expecting to but probably 3-4 songs too long

Really digging the jazzy elements. Reminds me of the Tony Hawk Pro Skater soundtracks. I haven’t listened to this kind of hip hop much and I really like it!

Hip hop. Pretty good and lyrically impressive. I was starting to get a little tired of it by the end but still really good.

Cute. Nothing special really. ‘Vibes-y’ maybe how I would describe it. I don’t know anything about rap but I would’ve thought it came out 10 years before it actually did. I like the phone gimmick.

Not bad, considering I don't like hip hop

4.5 rounded up hell fuckin yes!!!?!?!??!!!!??!?!!! highlights: freedom, if you only knew, remember his name (feb 19 2026)

Enjoyed - but not as much as debut album

Feels a little dated for 2002, but I do like that 90s style of rapping. I’ve never heard of Jurassic 5 before but I’m glad I have now.

I remember when Jurassic 5's previous album, Quality Control, came out. I was very impressed. And pleased -- this is more like the rap I like. More like old school (Run DMC, LL Cool J) and not so much like the stuff Jay Z and most modern rappers do. I would give that album 4 stars. This one isn't as good, in my opinion. Still good, but not as good. But still, 3.5 stars, though I'm rounding down since 4 stars should be uncommon.

Mind roasting instrumentals. I’d love a version without the lyrics. But solid as fuck regardless. A new fave. Added to my library

I appreciated the style and flow of the tracks, 90s hip hop has something real that just can't be replicated today. I also really like this period of anti-gangster rap that doesn't rely on mysogeny and violence. Unfortunately most of the songs sounded way too similar, with similar themes and at times similar lyrics, after an hour it all just blended together.

Used to listen to this album all the time on my hospitality days at dux de lux . Bonus points for the Nelly furtado feature

Not exactly my favorite album on the list so far.

Not for me

This album ruled until the weird needless homophobia in One of Them. It was 5 stars until that song. Way to go 2002

Sick beats, nice flows. Really enjoyable.

Gear: Aür Audio Aurora Artwork: 🖐️✌️✊ Produktion: 👌🤌👍 Musik: 🤙👏🫳 Wertung: ✌️✌️✌️/5

This album is a total treat, and I was sad that I'd missed out on Jurassic 5 for so long. Power in Numbers was offered to me immediately after being assigned Straight Outta Compton, and to a music fan with limited experience with hip hop, the contrast could not be clearer: The flows are flowier, the lyrics are more intellectual, and the overall vibe and message are far more positive. A friend pointed out to me the early 2000s were a bad time for this album, when the industry was pushing hip hop that was either far edgier or more pop-oriented. Jurassic's alt-stylings - at times very reminiscent of Tribe - would undoubtedly have been a bigger hit if released in the mid-90s. But that's the blessing of finding albums after the fact: you can enjoy them on your own terms, and not by the whims of the market. And that's why I'll be coming back to Power in Numbers. Standout tracks: Thin Line, A Day at the Races Great album 4/5

Very good. It made me realize how badly I need a guide through the history and subgenres of hip hop. I spent a lot of time trying to figure out what I was responding so positively to. I like the sonic variety you get with multiple rappers with strongly different voices. I liked the way the samples had a very "live" sound - drums, horns, woodwinds, and base which, even if sampled, still carry the imprint of a live player. Lyrics which make an argument bigger than the individual. And it appears I'm a sucker for a good skit and a sample of movie or TV dialogue.

It was okay

Hip hop is not generally my thing but this was good. I've seen other reviews complaining about the similar sounds and beats, and while true to some extent, it is far above the 1 star ratings they give it.

I think the production is uniformly excellent; every sample and musical backdrop is expertly crafted, leading to hooks on hooks on hooks. I think Akil, Soup, Charli 2na, and Marc 7 all have pretty solid flows/timbres, and the guest appearances all feel pretty natural and seamless as well. Really, really good shit. 4/5

There is some absolute monster tracks on this album. Well produced and funky beats throughout. Loved it.

ganz gut hörbar, aber es bleibt halt HipHop/Rap

Surprisingly very much enjoyed despite not being a genre I would typically be inho

I went into this album completely blind, and I am blown away. I cant believe I had almost zero expisure to Jurassic 5 in tbe past. They are reminiscent of A Tribe Called Quest. The album is clever, and has a strong R&B influence that blends so well with the lyricality. All of the artists have their distinct styles that come together so strongly. Overall- I really enjoyed it. I could definitely see putting this on the the future. I would say 4.5/5, but not quite at the 5 level.

Gangster hip hop. Not for me.

i really thought "this sounds something off the soundtrack for 'jet set radio' or a 'tony hawk' game" and it turns out it's actually both. brilliant

Strong start but ending isn't as good. Despite the name, Jurassic 5 is a 4.

On my shopping list.

Best prima hiphop. Maar verder niet heel bijzonder.

Couple tracks that are solid on their own, but a whole album? Harsh. Couldn’t make it through.

An old school rap album, probably the last of its kind before the Kanye/T-Pain rap wave. Hits : What’s Golden

Only exposure to J5 was through the song Golden. The rest of the album lived up to that song. Great flow and beats. I love the positivity of the lyrical content.

Not a fan of rap, but not as bad as I expected.

I don't know what I thought Jurassic 5 was, but it wasn't this. This was great.

Not sure about the choice of woodwind instruments on if you only knew. It’s giving me Degrassi vibes(the episode where Connor, Dave and Wesley made their little weird auto tune song. iykyk). That being said, I do love music from the 2000s, and this is ticking a lot of those boxes.

Good

pretty good. It's kind of a soulful, "conscious rap" type flow. The beats are more interesting than the lyrics, which are kind of standard, I think, but there's a lot of real creativity in the music.

Prototypical early 2000s alt-rap Highlights: "Freedom" (boom bap music, MCs have interesting voices), "If You Only Knew" (jazzy flute), "A Day at the Races" (late 80s/early 90s flow, Big Daddy Kane guests), "High Fidelity" (uptempo quirky music) Notable: "One of Them" (trying on gangsta...it's an awkward fit)

It's not my least favorite of all hiphop albums I've heard from this list. But it's not my favorite either. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I'm grateful for the exposure because I would have never listened organically to these guys.

This is a cool album - despite being a west-coast hip-hop album I think this does a great job of folding some of the best bits of East and South coast in there too. 'Hey' could have been an Outkast song.