Reviews (page 4 of 8)
The production on this is killer. Super lush all the way through. I really liked this one and I'm adding it to my rotation.
Never heard of this guy before in my life, but it turns out to be one of the best hip hop artists in the list. "You Can't Stop the Prophet" and "Jungle Music" were the highlights for me.
Not really my vibe but a bit catchy 3/10
I've given up trying to listen to the words of hip hop albums. I mean who gives a fuck what they think anyway. And I can't take anyone calling themselves 'The Damaja' seriously. It's like at school when the kid-with-no-mates tries to give themself a "cool" nickname. Mate, you're still a cock. This has some foot tapping beats (Come Clean is great). But some stuff gets repetitive. I've heard worse though. 2½
3 ish. i liked it fine. GTA nostalgia. nothing extremely noteworthy for me to rate it more.
He says he's not a misogynist then says a bunch of misogynist stuff. Me: You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means
No se porque está en los 1001 discos
Goo ass straight boom bap with just a light sprinkle of misogyny? Yeah man I'll take it I guess
Not my cup of tea.
Not for me
It's OK, but didn't hold my interest enough to keep listening.
There's some pretty great production on this, particularly for the time. The samples add a certain sting to the beats. But is that more the work of DJ Premier? Hard to say as he co-wrote the album. Lyrically, this is another 90s hip hop album that's unfortunately filled with misogyny. On the worst offending track "Da Bichez", Jeru goes out of his way to remind you that he's not taking about *all* women and that he has respect for some. Unfortunately, he later describes the "Queens" like trophies to be stolen. I suspect that "respect" means "I'll give you money but not too much money". Ignoring these toxic parts, the album is pretty good. For 1994, it sounds like an impressive step forward for the genre.
Good production and evocative of the time in early-mid 90s hip-hop. It has some problematic songs, primarily “Da Bichez”, while claiming to not be misogynistic, it’s hard to argue through a modern perspective that it isn’t. Overall interesting for exposure, but nothing really grabbed me more than other hip-hop albums from this era that I’ve listened to through this list.
A real east cost album through and through. The album starts out a little slow but gains momentum and doesn’t ease up on the gas. What you get is gritty street narratives but the real stand out is the classic Premo production. Stand out track for me is “Ain’t the devil happy”.
This is quality ‘90s indie hiphop. I love that sound—laid back, focused on lyrical dexterity and relatively simple beats. Brooklyn was really popping off with talent those days. It does come off a bit dated now, and I’m not necessarily compelled to add it to active rotation. High 3
The beats are vibey and well made, but sometimes a bit too minimal and repetitive. Still, some.made me bop my head. The guy is a bit less interesting on the mic than i remember but not bad either.
Goes well with drinking wine and doing lego flowers/puzzles on the floor of your first apartment with your boyfriend eating garlic bread.
Whatever ass album
Näst sista låten heter Jungle Music och det är precis vad det är.
Always thought that this era and area is probably one of my favourites. Its quite alike other New York rap at this time like Nas and Wu-tang, I think DJ premier did the beats, and his record scratching and sample choice is always amazing. I do think some of the beats/choruses are a bit repetitive, like the third one, but you don't really notice when you're listening to the words. I think they're also purposely minimalistic. The words are great and so are the flows, they do occasionally verge on some onto the cheesy side which wu-tang also does sometimes, like the you can't stop the prophet song, which I think has one of the best beats, which sort of saves it. I think while it does have some violent elements, I think this is quite ahead of its time in terms of influencing conscious rap stuff, as he talks about some social issues and deep topics on here. The feature dude is great as well. Favourite songs: all but Brooklyn took it. Overall around 7/10
If you like 90s hip hop like me, this is your jam. Really smooth flow, good lyrical composition. Docked a point for the simplicity of the beats, but a great album nonetheless. 4/5
Idk how to judge hip hop albums. This one was a bit sexist and dated at times. 2*
Wikipedia is really stretching by mentioning this guy in the same article as Wu Tang and Biggie.
This bored me. Which is surprising because I used to love a bit of Gang Starr et al back in the day. Never heard of this dude before and now I know why
Reminded me of Deltron, had the THPS soundtrack vibes that are a throwback to the late 90s/early 00s.
That's not my taste in music - But ok
40 minute Rap album…favorite minutes were at 41 minutes plus.
Had a really good time listening to this album! Vibes were great, Perverted Monks In Tha House is such a wacky song title heehee
Just a very solid album. Fantastic beats.
Listens: 3 Standout Tracks: Brooklyn Took It, Da Bichez, You Can't Stop The Prophet Produced by DJ Premier == Double Thumbs Up! It's very clear his influence on the album, you can hear this in the sampling style on all of the tracks. You Can't Stop The Prophet sounds like a proto-superhero rap song, something you'd here from MF Doom or more recently Czar Face. Love it. I get a kick out of Damaga calling women bitches for almost 4 minutes and then in the middle of the track he has the balls to say explicitly that he's not misogynistic. LOL, like I get it, to differentiate "Queens" from "Bitches" but, come on. Being misogynistic against only one "category" of women is still in fact misogynistic. It doesn't change my attitude that the song is excellent in all regards, especially paired with the the jazz trumpet/sax sample. Overall, this aligns with my enjoyment of rap and hip-hop from the 1990s. I found it appealing in the same way I enjoy Gang Starr, Notorious BIG, Wu Tang and other albums that came out of the 90s. And then from the west coast, Del The Funky Homosapien. Also Mos Def's Black on Both Sides, specifically his love for Brooklyn.
It's...not for me. I mean, it's not totally dreadful or anything, just distinctly not up my street. I do quite like the front cover, if only because it would be a superb game of 'bad film, bad album or bad video game from 1994'. Not a game with loads of scope, but still, this would be a good entry.
Nothing I haven’t heard before.
I didn't hate it. Some clever rhymes.
Very cool I liked
Had never heard of this, but this is an excellent and solid early 90s east coast hip hop album. Really enjoyed this.
Classic album. Premo’s production was incredible. Jeru solid throughout as well.
Thanks. I hate it. It was probably not cutting edge "hip" in 1994, but 41 years on... basic novelty beats with random noises added. And uninspired potty-mouth rap over it. Nope. Take this CD outside and shoot it.
steady beat
I’m about as far from an expert in hip hop as one can get, so don’t pay any attention to me, but I liked this album better than most examples I’ve received from this project. I found the “beats” were more interesting than much of the hip hop I’ve listened too. Unusual textures and sounds, brought together into music that literally had me, a 55 YO white dude, boppin’ my head throughout. The raps were delivered clearly in a way that meshed with the music perfectly. Still not my genre of music, but I’m learning. I’m giving this a 4* because it is an album that I intend to revisit as I continue my quest to finally get hip hop music.
Definitely enjoyed. Solid album.
Album très cool, boom bap des années 90, je connaissais pas. Le poème d'intro est beau, je pourrais le sampler en vrai.
3.5⭐️/5 [08.17.2025] 01.16.2026
ykw i’ll give him the credit for being creative with it
Dude claims not to be misogynistic then proceeds to use really sexist insults. Overall smooth and interesting album though
I didn't connect with it that much. I really like Wu-Tang, so was sorta hoping it would be more like that (with them being from the same wave and all)
No, just no
Not a vital album.
Well it’s been a while since I had to endure a shitty album like this. So I’m thankful for the month or so since my last hipperty hopperty crap rap album but fearful that another one is just around the corner. 1/5 16/8/25
Another rapper talking about stuffing dead bodies in the trunk of a car. Is this a sub genre? This is not for me at all.
Interesting. Cool relic of an old type of hip hop.
I did not listen to the entire album. It wasn’t great but I think it deserves another listen.
Decent hip hop album, a little low key in a nice way Will I listen to again: 22%
Not got me, but it was alright flow and beats from someone I hadn't heard of. Style reminded me of Aesop rock
I resent this album being on the list. It comes from one of the most explosive eras of music and this is the submission. No Aquemini, no Black On Both Sides, no Midnight Marauders, no Moment of Truth, no Things Fall Apart(!!), no Ironman, no ATLiens, no Black Star, no The Infamous(!!!!!!). Instead we get the dustiest, most forgettable rap album of the 90s.
I like the old beats they had and the off-key pianos they would put in rap. Album was fine
I'd rather busy a nut then busy a cap. East coast 90's rap! Solid beats and lyrics. I can see myself listening to this more. Little would Jeru know, the twin towers would fall less the 10 years later.
You really can't go wrong when Premier is on the beat. Jeru is a decent MC, but unfortunately he's competing with some rap titans from this era, so his music kinda gets left behind. Not bad though. Some good tracks on here.
Good flow but not much head-bopping production
4/5 - Boom Bap! - Catchy loops and samples - Lyrical chops fading between conscious and "gangsta" states of mind - Young kids making art and trying to be Big Dawgs. They take it seriously. - While it may be a forgettable record, it remains an enjoyable listen.
ive been thinking a lot about ending my own life
Very solid 90's rap
Eh it was fine. Not really my style. Best song: Ain't The Devil Happy Notable(s): Jungle Music
Almost made it through a rap album in the 90's without using faggot. Almost. I assume this was the thinking man's rap? He calls women bitches but only the "bad ones". Ugh. I've been getting a lot of early 90's rap and it's a little exhausting. Beats are fine. Got a bit jazzy. That's about it.
Nope
I tried...I really tried
In a nutshell: mid-hop Overall: 2/10
Good 90s beats Lyrics just leave way to much to be desired
Looks like he recorded one single beat and putted on loop, and then jammed a 40 minute rhyme book on top of that. I mean, it's cool, but boring at the same time.
algumas letras envelheceram bem mal musicalmente num é ruim não
infelizmente foi bem apagado por ter saído pertinho do illmatic né, mas não fica mto atras não!! eh um pouco datado, mas o dj e o mc tavam na melhor fase, aparentemente. tem umas que eu fiquei boquiaberto. dito isso, da bichez é mvp solo desse aqui que ABSURDO de beat
Nooooo!!!!!!!!
Never heard of Jeru till just now. That’s not altogether surprising though; I like hip hop pretty good now, but I’ve never been a connoisseur, and back in 94 I was balls deep in strictly alternative and metal bands anyway. Save for the occasional foray into the Beastie Boys or Tribe Called Quest, I didn't really start to get into rap and hip hop until about a decade after this...and I still wouldn't say that my finger is or has ever been on the pulse of what's great in the world of hip hop, though I like a whole lot more of it now, and I've gone back to listen to the classics. So, Jeru the Damaja evidently slipped under my radar at the time, because it was pretty easy to do. That said, I’m enjoying this record more than I expected. Nothing on this record is a reinvention of any wheels, but it's pretty listenable. It sounds like a product of that era, which I think is a good thing. It doesn't have the same gravitas as, say, Nas' Illmatic, or the repeatability of Wu Tang's 36 Chambers, or the rawness of Ice Cube's The Predator; I don't think it really hangs with some of the classics from this time, but it is pretty decent. 3.4/5
194/1089 - Really solid East Coast hip-hop. Like the strange free-jazz samples and clever wordplay. Great rhythms throughout.
Mixed bag. I like the instrumentals and some of the lyrics, but other lyrics are just so meh.
I didn't like most songs, the lyrics were not great.
3.2 solid underground, not my favorite though
The Good: We get to learn something new today! The Bad: It is a lie… The Ugly: Trying to decipher the rest of the album to see how many more lies are in there… Every additional word that I add to this review is a word too many. I don’t like rap… I don’t understand why I have to listen to an album which is not even rated in the best 50 best rap albums ever… so thanks for wasting my time. 1*
When I was in college in the mid 90's so Fraternity brothers and I took a road trip from Brooklyn to Alfred, NY in one guy's beater Nissan Sentra. He had a cassette player and maybe 2 tapes. One of those tapes was Jeru The Damaja and I haven't listened to Jeru at all since those 12 hours round trip. Is this a core hiphop album? Not even on that day when it was a literal 1/2 of the available albums to listen to. Yes it's a good album and the lyrics are good but must listen? I'm not convinced. 3/5
I know its good and it is so NYC but i think im too old (or too young) or not NYC enough to truly appreciate it... I may need to revisit.
I'm not a big fan of rap / hip-hop but I like the old-school feel of this album. Not something I'd seek out to listen to again because it's not my style, but it's definitely one of the better rap albums I've heard.
it wasn't awful, but it wasn't good.
This was good enough but the lyrics were needlessly dirty, not something that I'd seek out as lyrically valuable
Love the vibe
Wasn't familiar with this album, but was pleasantly surprised. The self-proclaimed "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" (as they reference it countless times) show what East Coast hip-hop is all about.
Good hip hop
Pretty good, definitely had me dancing in my seat. Didn’t save any songs but it really has that classic 90s feel that you love.
It’s cool to see that conscious hip hop existed in the early 90s. Most of what I remember from that time was gangster rap, with all the east coast vs. west coast drama or even the whole red vs. blue thing. Looking back, it was kind of a cringe era for hip hop. This album really stands out because of its more meaningful and thought-provoking lyrics. DJ Premier’s involvement as both producer and DJ was also a cool element. It’s been a long time since I’ve thought about how much of a presence he had in the 90s.
24/07/2025 Judged this way too hard and way too fast. It was actually okay.
When you see a pre-2000s album with "(Explicit Version)" in the title and three 1-minute interlude tracks, you know you're in for a bumpy ride. Actually, The Sun Rises In The East isn't too bad (sonically), other than lacking energy and creativity compared to most 21st-century hip-hop material. In many tracks, the quality is kind of blurry, as though the instruments are submerged underwater. The production is definitely nowhere near the height at which other reviewers are touting it. Lots of fun drum noises and sampling does not equate to good-sounding production even if it was technically difficult to pull off. There are too many misogynistic lines to keep tracks of (and here I was thinking hip-hop was lyrically listenable before the 90s). Plus, of course, the all-too-common problem of having no melody, making it almost intentionally unmarketable and unlistenable. At least put in some sung choruses! – because the constant onslaught of monotonous noise gets old really quickly. The song Da Bichez is the first decent track in terms of pure instrumental sound (the drumming, bass, and trombone are on point), but unfortunately the lyrics are so obviously terrible that you can't possibly enjoy them and simultaneously be a good person. "Most chicks(...) spend up all your ends, probably fuck your friends / High-post attitudes, real rude with fat asses / Think that the pussy is made out of gold" ...Then, in the very same track, Jeru The Damaja goes on with the absolute corker "I body slam her but I'm not a misogynist". You can't make this up. The vocal distortions in the line "B-B-Brooklyn keeps on t-t-takin' it" are pretty sweet, though. Also the "Oh-oh! Heads up 'cause we're dropping some shit" in Come Clean is nifty. Not enough to push the record beyond 1 star, but then the website average is a viciously generous 2.94 stars, so what do I know? 1/5 Key tracks: Ain't The Devil Happy, My Mind Spray, Jungle Music
Decent samples, not really my thing.
Well ... it's a 90s rap album. I didn't hate it, but it didn't do anything to alter my opinion about the genre.
Thoughts before listening: This is one of those hip hop artists from the 90s that I certainly heard of, but since they weren't making hit records that landed on MTV, I don't believe I've ever heard of them. If this is in the same vein of other 90s underground hip hop i.e. A Tribe Called Quest or De La Soul, I'll probably enjoy it. The album cover however makes me think this is a bit darker. Review: So it seems this is underground rap from the NYC scene of Nas and Gang Starr, with DJ Premier being producer for all the albums from this scene. There's definitely an early-90s vibe to the sound here that I can appreciate with Wu Tang Clan being another in this same vein. This is true in the beats as well as Jeru's flow. When I think of hip hop that I like, this is what I am thinking of. I guess they call this boom bap rap...or something like that? I don't really know, but I do like it. 4-stars
Nice sound and production work on this album
The discordant piano on D. Original is very prominent. He's got a really cool flow, I'm liking the lyrics a lot. I would have believed it if someone told me this was a Cannibal Ox album. Wu Tang beat this guy to the Kung Fu references though, this guy is not straight from the slums of Shaolin. Da Bichez is a great song, if a little dated lyrically. It's almost unbelievable now that at one point this would have been one of the more respectful songs in hip hop related to women. This guy is a great lyricist and the beats are definitely unique, but the marital arts references definitely seem like he wanted to cash in on Wu Tang's vibe. I'm sure there's a million posts online about how he predicted 9/11 with the album cover and the line, "'Cause I blow up spots like the World Trade Center," but it was bombed in 1993. This album is very much of its time and place. It feels a little bit Wu Tang, very Tribe Called Quest. It's good though, the execution is good because he's got a great flow. He also reminds me of Pete Rock.
Liked this a lot!!
sounded very 90s
Always a legend, true hip-hop
Not for me
Mediocre, forgettable beats. Trite rhymes (i’m the flyest, other mcs are whack, Brooklyn is rough) and stilted flow. What’s to like?
Very classic east coast sounds, some fire beats. Nice mix of conscious and gangsta rap. Nothing really caught me unfortunately
I think this is definitely solid hip-hop, though I don't like it as much as other things from Wu-Tang or Dungeon Family. That being said, I think it's at least a 3.5, and I feel like just given the fact that I could slot this in between an Outkast and a Gza album makes it worthy of 4 stars.
An okay album, not my usual style. I liked Da Bichez the most.
Almost a classic.
Listened in the truck via YouTube music. Very much in the same ilk as all the 90’s boom bap sample rap. Not sure this was a definitive album of any kind.
thoughts: from the start, i could tell the beats were gonna be fantastic. i’m a huge fan of good use of samples, and this was really impressive. i recognized a two-second clip from “you can’t stop the prophet” because dj shadow sampled it on endtroducing, which felt like discovering hidden treasure songs: “d.original”, “mental stamina”, “come clean” rating: 7.0/10
Not for me
Hip Hop, 35eme album => 1/5
It sounds interesting. Very 90s, and I mean veeery 90s. But not bad.
Far out, man.
The beats, while hypnotizing, were incredibly repetitive. The flows were nice, but I’m not sure it offered more than others of this era.
rap made me sleepy which i’d thank the album as i’m lack of sleep lately
It was okay!
This is very much an album of its time, but lacks anything to lift it over and above in a crowded hip-hop field of the mid-nineties. Solid but nothing to excite or endear which results in a largely forgettable listening experience
I was clearly spoiled with having Run DMC in this project previously, because it has all just been downhill on the hip-hop front since. I had never heard of this artist before, and I’ll not be running to catch his other work.
An artist I had never heard of, or heard anything by, which is always fun while doing this project. Absolutely loved the discordant piano on D.Original because it was so interesting as a backdrop, and that sort of interesting choice carried on being made for the rest of the album (like the high pitched beeping - dial tone? - on Mental Stamina for example). In terms of the actual lyricism, I am not a big enough hip-hop fan to know if this is out of the norm - it felt like the standard "I'm great, be wary of women who just want your money, I'm gonna kill my rivals" schtick to me. I found it started dragging a bit towards the end. 3/5
zwei bis drei
Nada de hip hop, creo que mi hardware no lo tiene permitido
Classic album
Factual album name. Pretty generic sounding music
Funnily enough I listened to this album just a couple of weeks ago, as Jeru was playing near me and I almost ended up going to see him. It's an album I know reasonably well, but it's eclipsed by other albums from the same era. It's still a fine album, but slightly derivative and doesn't bring much new to the table. Four stars seems fair.
This is generally good. I don't like the beeping in "Mental Stamina" it's very frustrating for me haha. Can't even hear anything else in that song. I also did not like "You Can't Stop The Prophet". Just don't care for their voices or the beats or anything really. I don't mind "My Mind Spray". "Jungle Music" had a fun beat in the background but there was something off about this one too. Absolutely hated the end of it with the jungle animal sounds.
This debut from Brooklyn MC Jeru the Damaja plants itself firmly in the gritty soil of '90s New York boom bap, but despite DJ Premier's name on the boards, The Sun Rises in the East never quite catches fire. The production is unmistakably Primo—chopped jazz loops, tough drums, stripped-down menace—but it often feels like leftovers from Gang Starr’s kitchen. Jeru spits with confidence, occasionally channeling a Guru-esque calm on standout cuts like “My Mind Spray” and the haunting, water-drip beat of “Come Clean,” but most of the record blurs into a monochrome of earnest, mid-tier mic work. “Jungle Music” holds its own with a tight flow, but elsewhere things falter—whether it’s the grating beep on “Mental Stamina,” the wasted potential of “Perverted Monks,” or the problematic bars of “Da Bichez.” Jeru wants to school you with righteous wisdom, but on tracks like “Ain’t the Devil Happy,” the message is undercut by clunky execution. A couple flashes of brilliance, but the rest of the album never rises above the shadows of its peers.
This is a strong cup of black coffee. No cream, no sugar. The beats hit hard in that signature DJ Premier way, and the rhymes are sharp and focused. But man, it’s also a little preachy, and not exactly what I’m craving from ‘94 rap. Respect where it’s due, but this didn’t quite grab me. Spins: 2 Playlist Additions: - D. Original - You Can't Stop The Prophet - Come Clean - E New Y Radio
This was really solid, i loved Statik.
Not my style of rap
Listened to this album back to back with “Straight Outta Compton” and despite only a short period of time between the two, this album sounded a lot less dated. That being said, I don’t think I would repeat listen to this one.
Some subpar beats here. It drags down some decent rap. “I blow up spots like the World Trade Center” did NOT age well, although it was probably in bad taste even then.
It’s aight
Meh
Fine album, not much else to say high 2/5
Meh
Boring
Bang average.
When I first saw this, I thought, "Oh great, not another American hip-hop album." But honestly, it was better than I thought it would be. Still, after checking out over 400 albums, I've realised that the whole record-scratching thing really annoys me!
I really enjoyed this.
Not a huge fan, but I can respect this.
It's a 90s hip-hop album and the entire thing is produced by DJ Premier, of course it's fantastic.
Solid album that seems to have gotten buried underneath a lot of heavy hitters from this time. I really enjoyed this a lot. For someone who doesn't listen to this genre, the concise 39 minute length is a plus. The beats were good throughout. If I had heard this back then it would probably be a classic for me.
actually really enjoyed the music, didnt enjoy the misogyny, but most of the other identity related themes were well explored and musically it was so tight
Not my thing
I've never heard of this guy !? No standout tracks. 6/10
Enjoyed this a surprising amount
Okay
I hadnt heard of Jeru before, but i enjoyed the lyrics and I can hear the influence on MF Doom
Never heard of Jeru The Damaja before this album but now he’s a name I won’t forget. Incredible front to back listen, had me vibing the whole way through. I did see some reviews that said some of the topics were dated and I agree but the lyrical genius is incredible and the beats are unmatched. Great listen
Basic blueprint of East Coast rap in a good way. If you’ve heard Illmatic or Ready to Die you’ve kinda heard this already but it’s a good album. Better than Jay-Z Best track You Can’t Stop The Prophet, hilarious and awesome storytelling
Good flow and the production is very nice, good for my rap lore, but don’t feel the need to go right back to it like some other records
Apparemment, c’est un classique. Je peux comprendre pourquoi, mais il n’y a aucune grande chanson du rap/hip hop (que je connais) sur cet album. C’est pas mauvais en sois, mais ce n’est pas pour moi.
I’d probably give this one a 3.5 if I could. Pretty solid if not that memorable.
This is not my thing.
enjoyable enough to listen to but never again
I don't like hip-hop, man. The only hip-hop album I enjoyed was "IGOR" by Tyler, The Creator, last September and I haven't found anything that came close since :') Please, 1001Albums, give me a Morrissey album instead.
very interesting i don’t think i’ve really heard such intriguing lyrics in a song before.
Never heard of this but it was ok.
Some crazy lyrics on here but it was fun to listen to. 3.5/5
More super clever songs about n words and bitches, awesome.
everything kinda sounds the same. i cant recognize anything groundbreaking in this bc it feels like the people who came after just did it...better
Premo halverwege de jaren 90 was een unstoppable force. Jeru ben ik minder bekend mee, los van z'n 'hits' van het album na deze. Ik kwam er een beetje moeilijk in, en het voelde een beetje als zoveel underground artists van die tijd. Maar vanaf 'Mental Stamina' werd mijn mentaal ook geprikkeld. Stuk voor stuk prima tracks, met een Premo die voor zijn doen erg gevarieerde beats aflevert. Hij switcht moeiteloos mee met de verschillende gemoedstoestanden van Jeru. Vooral die reeks van 'My Mind Spray' tot en met 'Jungle Music' is heel episch, met die soort van acid rap-productie. Jeru komt er ook steeds beter in, en doet me erg denken aan CL Smooth, wat een compliment is. Ik ga deze binnenkort nog eens een luisterbeurt geven. ''The Sun Rises In The East'' heeft zeker potentie om te groeien. 7/10 Highlights: My Mind Spray Come Clean
Op zich een lekkere flow, maar is op de achtergrond in zijn geheel aan mijn voorbij gegaan. Deels mijn fout natuurlijk en ik kan de plaat nog een keer aanzetten. Echt zin heb ik daar ook niet in gekregen. NY-hiphop toch ook niet echt mijn ding. 6/10
I was unfamiliar with this, but damn did I like it! 90s hip hop in a good way. Great beats. Vocals were killer.
Not my vibe.
Golden age East coast gear. Jeru's voice and delivery are great. Classy head-nodding Primo boom-bap beats behind him. Some of the subject matter aged like milk though. A bit overshadowed then, and still now tbh, by some very illustrious New York peers.
I like listening to it, most probably because it has that dated quality. I liked the EC hip-hop production style of the era. The lyrics are so-and-so, some of the typical hardly bearable machismo, some of a genuine activism. The flow of the delivery is pretty good. Enjoyable in most parts but not outstanding.
A classic rap album that is smooth as silk. BUT let’s talk about the song Da Bichez… misogyny has never been cool. That’s a huge minus for me.
Good. Didn't feel like it stands out though. Enjoyable listen but nothing special
A pretty run of the mill rap album. Not bad not amazing
So gar nicht meins. Teilweise einfach nur Sprache ohne Rhythmus über die Musik gelegt. Nach drei Songs nochmal ein paar angespielt und dann aus gemacht. 1/5
First venture into East coast rap. Some good beats and overall quite fun, if a little of its time in places.
Just not my taste / genre
I like 90's hip hop but id never come across this. Turns out to be pretty decent but nothing stand out. Good beats and flow, the usual subject matter lyrically. As usual, it could have been 20% shorter.
3 out of 5
Super great album - production from DJ Premier kills as always, rapping from Jeru is strong. Just a classic 90's Boom Bap record. 8/10
This was good, I thought it sounded a little bit like the guru and read up that they worked together. A nice start, this is something I definitely wouldn't have picked myself.
Love this LP, still got my vinyl copy purchased for £8.99 at One-Up records, Aberdeen in 1994. Jeru is a great rapper and these are some of DJ Premier’s best beats. I am somewhat surprised but happy to see this on the list,It’s a solid east coast rap LP no mistake, just not sure it’s more worthy than countless other great rap lps released in 94 (well 90s in general),Never know we may see some of them later. I also wonder if we’ll see “Wrath of the Math” on the list.
Ah, the 90s, when the World Trade Center was still standing, there was a hole in the ozone layer, and the misogyny came with a disclaimer about respect for women. Pleasantly hypnotic, though.
Really cool album, a lot closer to some more modern stuff I like in its particular style. Admittedly I don't have a lot of context for hip-hop from this time period, but it's good to me
This one caught me completely off-guard and I adored it. It's nice to hear this type of sound without it being parodied into the ground.
Solid beats, solid rhymes, overall solid experience!
Meh. Not my thing.
It's funny, the beats here are heat, the flow is acrobatic, and anytime I checked the lyrics I was impressed by Jeru's skill with the pen. And yet, I feel like it somehow fails to stand out much compared to other similar albums from this era. As technically impressive as it is, I don't see myself coming back to it much, though it is some good fuckin boombap.
Was not sure if I should give this a 3 or a 4. Excellent sampling, and some really good lyrics on here, but I have never really liked the pre-Jay Z East Coast hip hop library and it just isn't for me (except Illmatic - obviously)
Good vibes with some funny skits too. Not really any songs that stood out to be tho.
It's a very okay hip hop record. If it came out like 5 years earlier I could see it having been a very influential album. It just came out right before that big shift in hip hop so when it came out it was just another album.
def not my cup of tea but i completely understand the influence and the vibe. not the genre i go for but i appreciated listening to it.
It falls into the category of old school hip hop I can tolerate, but I would never put this on freely
OK this came out the year I was born. So I've never heard this or even was slightly aware of its existence. But damn dude. Its not illmatic buuuttt its very very good. The beats are amazing the whole time. That 1st song with the reversed i think its cymbals but its so so sick. The flows all over rule in that old school way. The rapping is cleaver and good but that producer i can't get over. OK I just looked it up and its dh premier so I guess that's why its good. Damn dude imma be playing this for a bit
Haven't heard this one before. Big fan of 80's and 90' hip hop. Bars.
Heavy nostalgia here. In the summer of 94 or 95 we kept this CD playing on repeat in my best friends car for the entire summer. We loved this so much that we nicknamed a friend Briru the Damaja. DJ Premier’s style is one of my favorites. This was the golden age of rap for me.
intro- 5 d original- 5 Brooklyn took it- 5 perverted monks in the house- ? 6 mental stamina- 5 da bitches- 2. "but im not a misogynist" coulda fooled me you can't stop the prophet- 5 perverted monks in the house theme- 5 ain't the devil happy- 5 my mind spray- 5 come clean- 5 jungle music- 5 static- 5
The hip-hop representation on this list confuses me sometimes. Okay. Obviously, you have all the huge names on here, right? Pac, Biggie, Nas, Kanye, Eminem, Kendrick, you get the idea. Then you have some smaller names that are still influential, but aren't as talked about nowadays. Stuff like Grandmaster Flash and N*E*R*D, you know? There's some big misses that should be here. No Lil Wayne? No MF DOOM? Hello? But then you have people that ARE on the list where you see the album and you're like "Literally, who?" That's this album. Who the hell is Jeru the Damaja and why is he standing in front of the twin towers burning up 7 years before 9/11? How did he get here? I'm sorry, but I don't think this album is noteworthy enough for a list like this. It's not a bad album. The production is solid. The writing is a bit basic by hip-hop standards and does fall into some of the pitfalls that plague early hip-hop. I can't say I was surprised to hear a homophobic slur near the end of the album. The rapping itself does its job. Nothing about this album is bad, but nothing here is unique either. What does this album provide that I don't already get from more iconic East Coast hip-hop albums of the time? Hell, even if we limit ourselves to 1994 debut albums, we already have Ready to Die and Illmatic. The album's fine, but not interesting. Still, I can't exactly fault it too much for blending in with other albums of the time. 3/5.
84% Best: D. Original; Da Bichez; You Can't Stop The Prophet; Come Clean; Statik Must-Hear? Sure. Y'all underrate this album.
A bit better than the cover suggests but not much. 3.1
Ok
Some good beats, and good rapping - solid east coast hip hop, marred by misogyny.
I got a little distracted while listening to this album doing some chores around the house, so my favorite song listed below probably isn't the most accurate. Most of what I wasn't paying close attention to was the beginning of the album. That said, I really enjoyed this. A lot more than I thought I would. It feels almost like a way to ease into some harder rap/hip-hop, without having any sacrifices to quality. And the rapping itself is actually really good, like probably my favorite part of the album. The backing tracks are solid enough, but they get a little tired at the end of each track. They're not the reason to listen to this album, though. Favorite Song(s): Ain't the Devil Happy
Love the jazzy east coast hip hop sound
This is #day275 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… I'd never heard of Jeru The Damaja or The Sun Rises in the East, but given it's straight from the early '90s, and I like the golden age hip-hop, it feels relatable. Highlights like "Da Bichez?" and others. This is a 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day276.
I feel like this guy loved Dragonball Z. Decent flow and some okay lyrics but he comes off as a nerd.
The album summary explains that this came out around the time of some of the greatest rap albums. So I can see why this got trampled on. Okay, the work of DJ Premier elevates this album to another level. I'd say Jeru is good, but needs a little more sharpening. Some of his syllables aren't as tight as they can be. Don't punch like they could. It's like pro wrestling at a certain level you can look good but if people watch your feet the hesitations are exposed. That being said I really liked Mental Stamina and You Can't Stop the Prophet. Ain't the Devil Happy has some good bits. Really though this just makes me want to listen to some Gang Starr or Wu-tang Clan
If the audio quality was better maybe but its dated and you can tell, honestly might be a 1
I enjoyed it
I've never heard of this guy but he ran with good company. Definitely an era of hip-hop I enjoy. This wasn't particularly amazing but decent.
East coast 4eva
An early underground masterpiece. This album is amazing and Jeru deserved so much more recognition than he ever got. Awesome.
And again: Nope
Not bad musically, and better than some of the others I have heard on here. But still not for me.
Was super pleased to see this album pop up on here, I love it!
Great! Learned a lot about the 1993 world trade center bombing.
yeah this kicks freaking ass
Excellent 90s East Cost rap with socially-conscious lyrics and hard-hitting beats produced by DJ Premier. I've never head off Jeru the Damaja, but this album stands alongside some of the best rap of this era.
Some pretty nice early 90's hip hop that hits the usual "wants" that I have: smooth flow, fun sampling (I love the discordant piano on "D.Original"), and interesting lyrics. Could definitely see myself listening more as it reminds me of some of my favorites from this era- like Big L. Classic 90's rap album cover. Tight.
Jeru The Damaja's album 'The Sun Rises In The East' is a relatively straightforward rap album, using a consistent beat or cadence throughout, which can become somewhat repetitive. However, the incorporation of samples and unconventional rap instruments such as the piano and jazz saxophone adds variety and alleviates some of the monotony. It is worth noting that declaring oneself as non-sexist while the lyrics suggest otherwise undermines the overall lyrical message and credibility. In summary, the album is decent but does not stand out as exceptional.
The mixing of the first few songs is meh, and as always Jeru is quite preachy, even in the sub-genre of conscious rap. But when My Mind Spray comes on, the production is on point and the flow is impeccable. There's a reason he's well known in the hip-hop head genre. The beats for the next two songs, Come Clean - E New Y Radio and Jungle Music, are also fresh.
Just not my taste, sounds like a lot of the other 90s hip hop albums out there.
D original dissonance in a cool way Ain't the devil happy was a highlight
I enjoyed this but it gets knocked a star for the homophobia. Guess that’s just the 90s
Betra en margt homma og kvennahatrið sem við höfum fengið. Barn síns tíma. Smá ást samt alltaf á old school hip hoppið.
Ágætis rapp
Despite this album showing it's age (especially with the flow and some of the lyrics), I really liked the raw production and the beats on this thing. Not used to hearing raw production I'd usually find on black metal records on a hip hop record (lots of crackling, sound levels vary across songs, etc), yet here we are, haha. The beats too have this really unique style to them I haven't really heard anywhere else. This really dark, uncomfortable vibe that's really cool. Definitely hearing this album's influence particularly in other ungrounded hip hop records like Dr. Octagonecologist (just without the juvenile humor and sci-fi weirdness. Will say Dr. Octagonecologist is a fantastic record). D. Original and You Can't Stop the Prophet being my standouts.
Proof that 99% of the time, ✨Conscious Hip-Hop✨ is filled with more backwards, problematic, hateful worldviews than any gangsta rap Tipper Gore wanted banned from your ears. And I’m not even talking about the obvious, strangely-date, outwardly chauvinistic if not misogynistic “Da Bitchez.” Songs like “Jungle Music” and “You Can’t Stop The Prophet” reveal a type of self-hatred/community-hatred that feels its time for so-called “conscious” rappers, where systemic oppression is more a failure of individual virtues and this ~enlightened~ rapper is not going to be a victim of your system, man, while also being very open to aligning with capitalism and patriarchy when it benefits him. And look, I’m a white trans woman, I’m maybe coming at this from a very different angle, but there’s just something about Jeru’s energy that throws me off and feels so gross. On top of that, he also has the other fatal flaw of conscious rappers, where he thinks his pseudo-intellectual understanding of life makes him a genius, and, like all pseudo-intellectuals, will not shut the fuck up about it. When he isn’t bashing everyone else for not being as enlightened as him, he’s just talking about esoteric bullshit as if it’s the most earth-shattering revelations ever put to a mic. The ego is insane! I’m not averse to Five Percent Nation “mathematics” in my hip-hop, but here, it really takes over. The final nail in the coffin for me is that, ironically, Jeru’s only really interesting topic is that he’s from Brooklyn, and like….baby girl, 1) so are a ton of hip-hop artists in ’94, many of them more talented than you as rappers, let alone artists, and 2) you just spent 16 bars shitting on your community, you can’t now represent your borough or even your neighborhood if you hate the people within it! Beyond these three things, Jeru really has nothing interesting to say. Like, at all. Classic rappers who stand the test of time have a personality; you might not like that personality, but you still walk away knowing who that rapper is at the end of every song. You don’t get that with Jeru. And frankly, you don’t get anything sonically interesting to make up for his lack of personality– his voice isn’t unique, his flow is pretty of-its-time, his bars are not memorable, his rhymes are predictable. He is a bland rapper, even if what he was saying wasn’t weird and difficult to listen to. The only thing that makes The Sun Rises in the East listenable is the beats. Because it’s DJ fucking Premier. So like, yeah, all of these beats are insanely good and very well-produced. Now, I don’t like all of them, and I would argue that the majority of these are B-tier Premier beats at best, but they’re good beats. If I was not actively listening to the rapper on the fucking cover of this record and the words he was saying, I would say this is a fine, listenable, though inessential record. But I listen to hip-hop because I love the lyrics and the flow, because I love RAPPERS! The production comes second for me. And not only does Jeru not add anything there, but what he is trying to add is so off-putting. I hate that I have to write this because it makes me sound like every other popular negative review of a hip-hop album on this website where they rant about how rappers swear too much and hate women and do crimes, which, 99.9% of the time, is a problematic worldview, and frequently crosses over into implied racism, if it isn’t explicitly racist. My critiques of Jeru The Damaja are more nuanced than that, though, at least I hope so. To me, this is the opposite of consciousness, the opposite of “wokeness” or even progressivism. I’m not sure if Jeru has retroactively called himself out– I hope he has, but rappers of his generation tend to double-down on their conservatism with age, unfortunately– because a lot of his lyrics on paper are directly against consciousness. It may have influenced backpack rap for years to come, sure, but that isn’t a good thing, because it left a lot of gross bullshit in the water as a result. That makes this album worse today, but even ignoring all of that, there’s so little of substance here to actually entertain anyone who enjoys hip-hop who wasn’t literally living in Brooklyn in ’94. What is good here, though, can be found in other places, in much better condition, and with more interesting things to say. The Sun Rises in the East is uninteresting in passing, and actively radioactive upon inspection.
I could do without the misogyny and homophobia but musically I enjoyed it.
Why is this here? Who even is this? Appearently one of the guys from Gang Starr. How does this enrich my hip-hop listening knowledge? I don't really know.
Right now, what can we say about this? Not a lot really, standard (C)rap just about sums it up. 1
The music was ok (some great bass lines in there) but I have no clue what the message was. Reading the song titles it’s probably for the best. The world of perverted Monks and da Bichez is a world that can remain alien to me. Rating wise, I’m giving it as high in the 1 star range as I can before it tips over into an unwarranted 2.
I was expecting the worst, it's always good to set ones expectations before embarking on most things. Sometimes it is good to have surprises too. This was a surprise as it wasn't as dog shit as I thought it would be. Still, I was glad it ended and I could put on some Kylie.
3.5
This is fine. It feels like pretty generic 90s rap. I don't think this album is essential, but I did enjoy listening. Best Songs: Da Bichez, Jungle Music Worst Songs: Brooklyn Took It
Forgettable hip hop and rap
I didn't realise how much rap albums needed a bad English evil accent until now. This was also switched-on and super exciting, although I'm not sure how well "Da Bichez" will go down now.
What’s with these fuck ass beats and odd flows lol. I feel like they used long words because they thought it would be impressive, but most of these lyrics don’t really make sense. Also they’re definitely misogynistic.
This site has overwhelmed me with life and music options but this was good but I will have to revisit thoroughly one day
A stone cold classic
Everything bad about 90s hip-hop here, while also being boring.
More Public Enemy than Run DMC. Rawer and more stripped down sound. Interesting lyrics as well but not something I’d probably listen to
I’ve been pleasantly surprised a lot lately. So east coast its almost comical. Lot of different flows and most of the beats are pretty good
++: Intro (Life), D. Original, Brooklyn Took It, Mental Stamina, You Can't Stop the Prophet, Perverted Monks in tha House (Theme), Ain't the Devil Happy, Jungle Music +: My Mind Spray, Statik +-: Perverted Monks in tha House (Skit), Da Bichez -: Come Clean 7,7/10
Rating: 3.5/5 | Favorite Track: My Mind Spray --- This was an okay listen with a couple of standout tracks, but overall this album didn't really do anything for me.
Wasn't aware if this before. Lyrics are predictably dated but sounds okay.
nice
Just a 2. Maybe a 2.5 but OK
I liked some of the forays into different genres, but this album definitely felt a little dated. I also thought it maybe could've gone harder at times. 3.0/5.0: Good
this wasn't great but there are definitely worse albums on the list
90's Rap, in general, just isn't my genre... but I've heard worse. Can I talk about the guy's name, though? Damaja? Damager? Was this supposed to be badass? It sounds like someone who's gonna scratch your car or put a hole in your drywall. Sure, it's aggravating, but you can fix that. Ooooooh... scary.
EXCELLENT
There's a lot to like here, but Jeru doesn't really stand out. Nothing about Jeru separates him from other good rappers. I understand how he was outshined by Nas, Wu-Tang, Biggie and other East Coast Mac's. Good, but not essential
2/10 Got very bored after the first couple of tracks. Had to skip Da Bitches, with it's terrible, dated lyrics. Also was about to skip Mental Stamina with it's atonal, arythmic phone beep thing. Not good.
Solid hip-hop, love that
Never heard of this before but I really enjoyed this. The beats are sick.
Great flow, great vocabulary.
Not something I enjoyed listening to, nor did I appreciate it on any kind of non-enjoyment level.
This was mostly pretty good. The rapping and beats were good, and he has a great voice for this style. Musically, it got pretty annoying. It sounded like some annoying electronic alarm was going off for too often, and the depth of the musical phrases was as shallow as an August puddle on Arizona.
It's a decent album. No bangers, but it's good. 3/5.
Epic 90s hip hop
We've not had a hip hop in a while during this challenge that I fully expected another weird white man singing album. Perhaps I'm a but biased because I've been waiting to clean my ears (Although Ms Simone did a really good job). I love the lyrics and I love a nasty 90s rap beat. Faves: - D. Original - Da Bichez - Aint The Devil Happy (best one) - My Mind Spray
Great album. Only song I didn't like was Mental Stamina because of the annoying bleep sound that plays throughout, though I enjoy the other components of the song still. Just a good example of the late 80s / early 90s flow.
I can appreciate this isn’t to my taste, but I’m also not sure that it’s very interesting anyway
Fire
Good 90’s hip hop album. Nothing overly impressive quite on par with some of his contemporaries, but Premier’s beats are good and the album flows well. 3/5 Might listen again
I found this to be pretty standard hip hop. Not bad but nothing really popped for me
didn't know Jeru before this album was introduced to me, has a lot of the crumbling that make the NY boom boom bap sounds so iconic from the burrows.
Some good ol' 90s rap. Can't go too wrong with this, always love the piano and more classical instruments contrasting with the rapping. Nothing in here I want but I respect it. 2.5/5 stars.
Really liked this - just laid back and chill. Will relisten.
HipHop with a musician which spits slow and over articulates while still managing to mumble. The beats are mediocre and there’s not an identifiable flow.
Solid hip hop album. I liked Jeru's flow, rappers today don't rap like this anymore. The back half of the album came in strong and upped my opinion of the album. Standouts: Ain't The Devil Happy, Come Clean, You Can't Stop the Prophet Rating: 4.00/5
First time listening to Jeru The Damaja. Quite good! Always nice to listen to some Dj Premier production.
I am shocked I wasn't aware of this album or artist. This classic underground hip hop was my jam for a lot of years. I wasn't listening to this in 1994, but high school in to college. It's exciting to discover something new. Good beats, excellent rhymes.
Classic NYC East Coast rap. With DJ Premier boom bap you can’t go wrong. Not in my usual rotation but goes down smooth.
Is anything more 90s?
Familiar with most East/West coast artists/albums from this era, but this artist and album flew under my radar. Album art is eerily prophetic. It’s a really solid record. Jeru is a great lyricist with meaningful and clever lines. MC work is masterful. The DJ beats vacillated between average and unique. The album definitely holds up 30 years later. I’ll add this one to my rotation of early 90s rap for sure.
Great album. I love Jeru's flow, and the production is perfect. I love the dissonance and the kinship with the Wu Tang sort of vibe coming up around the same time. Come Clean is an absolute classic.
JTD!
Albums such as this make me slightly disappointed that hip-hop hasn't gotten any better than the 90s. The creative usage of samples combined with Jeru's silky smooth voice create a brilliant Hip-Hop album. Record spinning sound effects and booming electronic drums are a main stay across the record amongst the wide array of creative samples, with the highlight being 'Ain't The Devil Happy'. I also have to give credence to the hilariously terrible album cover which easily brings this album up for me, . The creativity of samples cannot be understated here, 'Perverted Monks In The House' somehow turns a load of crowd noise into a sample. The album gets better as it goes on, with Jeru saving the best for last, from 'Perverted Monks' onwards its a flawless 90s hiphop album. 9/10 Incredible sampling. Top Tracks -> Mental Stamina -> Da Bichez -> You Can't Stop The Prophet -> Ain't The Devil Happy
Sounds like he inspired wu tang
Mid 90s NY hip hop w a message
No.
90s hip-hop is usually the only one I can stomach, but this wasn't my thing. The drum samples sound very acoustic, and I must say that it makes it loose quite a lot of punch. It just sounds weak compared to Dre, for example. In addition, there just weren't any interesting hooks to me in any of the songs. The out-of-key piano in 'D.Original', for example, is more annoying than it is cool. And I didn't find any interesting melody in the other tracks either, really. My self introspection from this is also that I probably should find another way to listen to this album than when working. I feel like I sometimes miss quite a lot of the tracks when focusing on code. On the other hand, it's a good filter because if something is really good it usually catches my attention anyways.
I don't think I was in the mood for this album today. The flows were good when I focused but it didn't really stick. Maybe I should've listened to this when I was at the gym. The beats themselves were not interesting enough to grab my attention. When I focused on the music the flows were good but I was doing other things at the same time. All in all it just felt generic. Strong 2. Should maybe give it another go next workout.
Raw aggressive east coast rap, very good flow and beats. Some more pop sounds here and there. Sounds like the lyrics are sound, some social critic. Good album overall.
This is of no interest to me and seems pretty weak anyway. 1 star or F+.
Never heard of this artist before. I'll check him out. This album is known as one of the top 100 greatest hip hop albums in the 90s. This album is pretty good and I have never heard of this. I'm not much of a "hip-hop head" but I do think I am very aware of history music. Almost reminds me of Wu-Tang before Wu-Tang.
Ok, but not for me. 2.5 stars.
Enjoyed this album a lot- Jeru has a strong flow and clever wordplay. I appreciate the reflection in his lyrics. Overall 3.5 to 4 / 5
I like this more than a lot of 90s rap, but I still didn't get into it. The lack of musical hooks really holds me back from getting too into any of these tracks. Musically, Da Bichez was my favorite song, but the lyrics are pretty tough to enjoy.
Solid DJ Premier work here in the early platinum age of rap, in a year full of absolute classics in the whole genre. It's been a minute since I listened to this album. Da Bitchez is the best known classic and Can't Stop the Prophet, but there's tons of great music often slept on here, like Mental Stamina, Ain't the Devil Happy, My Mind Spray. And underground producer-nerd-out tracks like Come Clean, with water drop sound... "You want to front, whatttt?"
This is not bad as far as my taste in hip hop goes, apart from the usual misogyny, etc.
Okay, I liked this more than most of the hip-hop I've had so far on the list, but it's still pretty much a "no thanks, not for me" genre for the most part. Nothing too awful, just doesn't get much of a positive reaction out of me even when it's clearly very well thought through and made.
Hip-hop album from the mid 1990s - it has good flow and rhythms and it sounds quite fresh considering it was made more than 30 years ago. Perhaps it was overshadowed by other releases around that time (Nas - Illmatic is one example). I enjoyed it overall.
Sounds good but didn't blow me away. (21 known/34 new)
it's ight
For the most part (with a few exceptions), I don’t tend to gravitate towards hip hop, hence me being a day late with this review as there was always something else that wanted my time. As I listened to this, it did grow on my over the duration of the album, but I have a same complaint as I do for lots of music within this genre: there’s just too much sex talk. It just seems like the low hanging fruit and makes me disinterested. It was definitely better than I expected, but it didn’t win me over like Wu Tang or NWA.
2.5
3.6 I was initially apprehensive. There's been a few of these mid 90s minimal beat hip hop albums now. Maybe I'm in a good mood, but this was landed better than the others. Kind of thing that wouldn't be bad having on in the background, lowish volume. Didn't drag on either, sub-40min seems like a super rarity in the era of hip hop albums containing 15 skits and coming in over 74 minutes to stop CD burning. Small win.
It's okay
4/5
Great, old school (at least considered that these days) Brooklyn hip-hop. Great wordplay and strong beats.
Good stuff. Like a lot of the hop albums on the list I find the lyrics hard to absorb and analyse on one listen. The title track was the first one I really paid attention to, simple parable narrative but I liked it. A few tracks remind me of Del Tha Funky Homosapien / Deltron's style, good. This album goes into the "needs another listen" pile.
Classic
This struck me as excellent rap from a classic and formative era of hip hop. Good stuff.
This guy completely passed me by in the mid-nineties, but this is a pretty listenable album of golden age rap, and can hear the gang starr vibes pretty well, which is a compliment. Also 40 mins long and skits to a minimum. All positives.
2 out of 5. Just like yesterday's album by Public Enemy it's again, solid, but nothing stands out.