Reviews (page 2 of 7)
Very 80s/90s hip hop. I can't listen to the full album because it's not on Spotify but listened to a bit on Apple. Not my genre.
Always good to hear late 80s/early 90s hip hop. I haven't listened to too much Jungle Brothers, but I like what I hear.
This is a solid record. At least its on the edge of when rap was still fun and clever. I will take 1,001 of these type of albums over the violent ones.
Thanks for the tipoff, great album.
Some of the best aged rap I’ve ever heard.
not for me
Just another hip hop album. 👎
Breathtaking stockpiles of corn. 2.0/5.0
standard 80s rap, a little too long but fine overall
Candy stripe rap. Felt very dated, but did carry a beat or two: black is black is black is black.
Solid
Album not available on Spotify so listened to ‘Straight Out the Jungle’ instead. Great early hip hop album (late 80’s). Fairly clean lyrics, with a bit of a Beastie Boys flow (not sure who influenced who)
ok, nothing really stood out to me, not a rap/hiphop fan though.
репчик для хорошего плотного покура или гулять по району
This was an enjoyable listen. Upbeat and entertaining throughout. Good Newz is Comin was pretty catchy.
Fun album. Very good late 80s, pre-gangsta rap hip-hop. I don't vibe lyrically with every song, but it's a chill listen.
Good album, kept listening to it after it finished the first time.
This was great. Funky as hell. Hip Hop without all the nastiness. Africa!!!
This was refreshing compared to the last album the list offered. Not for me, but wasn't a bad album.
Sounds like an early A Tribe Called Quest, without the elite production. Solid, but can't help but feel it's missing just that little extra edge.
Nostalgic era hiphop for me - I enjoyed it
Not for me, found the beats to be a bit dull in a lot of songs and it's showing it's age in it's flows and lyricism. Inoffensive but maybe that's part of the problem, zero bite to the songs.
Almost fell into a coma listening to this
Feel bad and could be said not in keeping with the spirit of following this list, but I just can’t tolerate this stuff. Only redeeming factor is that it’s not gangster rap which is the lowest form of genre on this list. 1/5 6/8/26
I always in my head allowed myself to think of them as the runt of the litter; De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest taking all the plaudits. It was somehow so ingrained in me, I have allowed myself to consider them as something of a joke and steered clear of them for all these decades. Today has made me face that injustice, and while I won’t over compensate, I have enjoyed this album thoroughly. The Native Tongues collective was a movement that resonated well with people like me who loved hiphop but had little to no personal connection to the issues that were often the driving force behind its passion and energy. This more positive and good-vibes approach became a welcome alternative to the heavier acts I was already engaged with. ‘Done By The Forces Of Nature’ is clearly a strong and important album in the Native Tongues movement. The material may not include quite as many iconic moments as the albums by their peers, but the album is strong throughout despite its long running time. I enjoyed each of their styles and the tracks were well produced; if I’m honest, probably more slickly than the equivalent De La/Tribe albums. Far too late I recognise the importance of this record and I will be searching out a copy to own asap.
Early inspirations
Very good album, beats were amazing and you can tell the influence it had. It flows very well, and the rap is great. No notes.
*52 Det er ikke lyriske genier, men der er masser af charme. Lidt ligesom DMC bliver det lidt for meget hippesihiphop bip bop. Energien er for god til 2 stjerner, så vi kravler op til en 3’er.
Det her er simpelthen det mest forudsigelige album nogensinde og jeg kunne ikke lade være med at grine højlydt flere gange da jeg hørte det. Hvis jeg skulle gengive hippedi hoppedi fra den her tid, så var det bare sådan her det løb: Shake your butt but don't break your back tap your feet and let your fingers snap No matter what size shape and color We can jam and enjoy each other :))
Jeg kan ikke forstå, at der er nogen, der insisterer på bedst at kunne lide det 'gode, gamle hiphop', og så er det det her, de snakker om 2.6
underwhelming but probably provocative if i took a closer listen Would I listen again: unfortunately, no. Deserves to be on this list: doesn't seem like it 3.1
Done by the Forces of Nature by Jungle Brothers is the sort of hip-hop I really enjoy listening to. The album has a laid-back, positive feel that sets it apart from a lot of the harder-edged hip-hop I've come across during this challenge. The beats are excellent, the production is smooth, and there are some really clever lyrics throughout. I also enjoyed spotting some of the famous samples, which add another layer of enjoyment when listening. It's easy to hear why this album is regarded as such an important record. It feels fresh, inventive and influential, helping to shape the sound of alternative hip-hop while still being incredibly enjoyable in its own right. Rather than relying on aggression or shock value, it lets the quality of the music and the songwriting do the talking. It's also one of those albums that gets better the more you listen to it. The relaxed grooves and jazzy influences make it an easy record to put on, and I can definitely see myself coming back to it again. Favourite tracks: "Black Woman" and "Doin' Our Own Dang" are the standout tracks for me and perfectly capture the album's energy and creativity. Least favourite tracks: There isn't really a weak song here. Everything is worth a listen. Album artwork: A fairly standard hip-hop album cover, but one that suits the era and style of the music well.
My favourite bits were the samples, which idn great, but overall not bad.
Nie my tipe album nie eks nogal picky oor hip hop en die voel baie repetitive en nie heeltemal my vibe nie. Maar ek sien die appeal
Quite enjoyable. Late 80s hip hop. Wide ranging themes in the lyrics. Good beats.
This is great! Really fun
I liked the social/political songs the most on this
Užas. 1/5, 1/10
I understand that this album was highly influential and culturally significant, and very well done, but it’s not for me.
This was a surprise... Didn't think i am gonna like an old school hip hop this much. Good album!
One of the more boring old school hip hop albums I've heard, still kinda good, it's hard to dislike any old school hip hop and there's good songs here like Tribe Vibe
This was a fun album at first but, at an hour long, it overstayed it's welcome somewhat with some very samey tracks. The sort of thing where I'd enjoy listening to a song or two, but wouldn't want to listen to the while album again.
This was the second album I've gotten that wasn't available on my streaming service. I was able to find it on youtube, however, so I was still able to listen to it in full. Pretty good late 80s hip hop album that grew on me the longer I listened.
I quickly lost interest in this, mainly due to the 80s production values and that synthetic snare sound on every track. So many better rap/hip-hop alternatives from the time. Heard before ❌️ Listened this time ✅️ Revisit ❌️ ★★☆☆☆(4 /10) Total reviewed : 389 Already owned : 85 Purchased : 21 To buy : 3 Nope : 280
Funky, cool old school hip hop
4. Dug it!
Hip-hop is not for me, not even the gentler kind. I was just bored
6/10 - can appreciate it but I wouldn't put this up there with the other big groups of hiphop of the time
Some albums impress you by being ahead of their time. Others impress you by simply being a great collection of songs. Done by the Forces of Nature does something rarer. It behaves like an invitation. It invites you into a worldview where Parliament sits happily alongside Blondie, Soul II Soul, Loose Ends, Pharoah Sanders, Hendrix, Osibisa, the Bee Gees and even The Simpsons. Every sample is another introduction. The crate digging isn’t there to prove how obscure the Jungle Brothers are; it’s there because they genuinely want you to hear the records that made them who they are. That’s what surprised me most. I’d expected a landmark Native Tongues album. I hadn’t expected something so generous. The production is astonishing. This isn’t just brilliant sampling, it’s composition through curation. Every fragment arrives for a reason, whether it’s the spiritual shimmer of Sanders, the communal joy of Parliament, the rubbery electro-funk of Cameo and Zapp, or a passing brass hook that feels like music drifting from a car window on a New York summer afternoon. It’s immensely polished while sounding completely relaxed. What also stands out is how free the album is from insecurity. There are no diss tracks, no obsession with rivals, no performative hardness. Instead it quietly proposes an alternative masculinity built around curiosity, friendship, dancing, learning and respect. Even its Afrocentric politics are invitational rather than confrontational. It asks you to know your history, not to weaponise it. As the album unfolded I found myself thinking less about songs and more about university reading lists. This feels like the paperwork you receive before term starts. Not because it’s academic, but because every track opens another door. “You like this? Wait until you hear Pharoah Sanders.” “Enjoying that groove? Here’s Parliament.” “That brass line? That’s the Bee Gees.” By the end I realised the Jungle Brothers weren’t simply making a hip-hop album. They were trying to define a musical civilisation. History, women, community, humour, spirituality, dancing and record collecting all belong to the same story. Then, after all that ambition, the album simply dissolves into a hazy jazz-inflected laugh. It’s a wonderfully human ending.
This is really well produced and the rhyming and flows are really good. It avoids the trappings of sliding into gangsta rap territory while still addressing black social issues of the time. They do a great job of incorporating different styles of trad African music as well as jazz and R&B into the production. There's certainly a lot of filler in this hour+ record that they could have trimmed off fairly easily and strengthened the quality of the release. But it really is a good record that needs to be more widely available.
Loved this album, had on repeat, great samples coming in, and female vocal - only heard a handful of songs before, so a good listen here.
3.0 - Ok
I struggled to understand why I needed to hear this before I died
Fine, some good tunes but nothing that special
An ok record. Was tempted to drop it to a 2 but there was just about enough in this.
Nearly
Not available on Apple Music or Spotify in July 2026… strange. I was able to check this out on YouTube. Fun 80s Hip Hop — it DEFINITELY has that dated 80s sound, but enjoyable all the same. It’s kind of a shame this isn’t all that accessible.
Had to go to youtube for this one. Jungle Brothers are the lesser known of the three primary groups involved in the legendary afrocentric hip-hop collective Native Tongues. Their style is very much up my alley. Still, I hadn’t listened to any of the Jungle Brothers despite enjoying De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest records, the two most iconic groups from the collective, which also included Queen Latifah. The Jungle Brothers debut was actually the guiding force of the collective and their first release. This second record is fun and offers plenty to enjoy but is simply less consistent and iconic then the De La Soup and Tribe records of the time, which I can’t help but compare it to. It is also a bit repetitive for being an hour long. The posse cut near the end, though, where all three groups get together, is an amazing moment and the strongest track here by far, in my opinion. 1 listen Favorite Tracks: Doin’ Our Own Dang, What “U” Waitin’ 4?
Expectation: -> First album in this project that I could not find on Spotify. Could that be ominous? Found the album set of 16 songs on YouTube, each song with less than 4K listens. After listening: -> Fun. Got the hips moving more than once. A few songs started with beats that stopped me in my tracks. I quite enjoyed some of this. Too bad it isn't on Spotify as an album. A solid 3. Track ranking: Doin' Beeds U Make Beyond Dayz Tribe What U Sunshine Dina Black Woman J. Beez Feelin' Good Newz Done Ackknowledge Kool
The missing piece of the holy trinity of hip-hop percolating from New York, changing everything. If De La Soul were the merry pranksters and Tribe Called Quest were the vanguard, the Jungle Brothers were the real scientists, mixing samples and breaks that had a wild clash that at times feels old and new all at the same time. It took a second listen to really feel the vibe of this one, and while the lyrics do bring it down a notch for me, it's still an amazing record. Here's hoping they can get out of the sample clearance hell that De La did so we can all fall in love with this record all over again.
Light, fun hip hop, unburdened by misogyny and self-aggrandisement.
529/1089 - A neat midpoint between Old School and Golden Age Hip-Hop.
This is okay! I bet if I'd grown up with this album it'd mean more to me.
Eh
131225 15:30 3.5
I enjoyed this record and found it really refreshing. I liked the beats, the jazz, and a lot of positive messages/lyrics.
It was fine
Great early hip hop album.
I wanted to hate on this cause it's another one of those Hip Hop albums that are universally adored by white Rock critics but less relevant among real Hip Hop fans ... but it legitimately is a really great album.
It was OK hippity hoppity
Mostly I enjoyed this, good beats, a bit Fresh Prince of Bel Air ish.
Not aged brilliantly and just doesn’t really do anything for me
This one grew on me a bit but it's way too long
Wow! Very cool earlier hip hop that I was totally unaware of. Cool!
fine, didn't really leave much an impression
What GCSE art student drew that cover I can't believe this is from 1989, it feels so modern. It's not really my thing but I appreciate that it is good
Whole grain
Yessss, this album is like a breath of fresh air after a string of 70's rock albums, so perhaps I went into this hungry for variety. Added a couple songs from this album to my playlists!
The writing is slick and the samples are well chosen. Cool album.
Gutted to get a Hip-Hop album today. I really dislike the genre. Started with extremely low low expectations... But then... Oh.. that's not so bad. No nails down the blackboard that I was expecting. Actually mostly a pleasant listening experience. It's actually a great hip hop album, flowed nicely and a good variety to it to keep in interesting. Will I listen again? Mmmm.... No. I have too many other albums and music styles is prefer to listen to.
Bit of a classic
Yeah enjoyed this
Nice beats
At first a bit repetitive but got into it after a while. A bit too long but overall good. Title track and Acknowledge… were best tracks for me.
Jungly goodness
Not my usual style but I really liked this! Funky and vibey, just an all around neat listening experience (though a few lyrics here and there made my eyebrows raise). It got me feeling strangely grateful that I'll always have more to discover when it comes to music, in this instance golden age hip hop.
Riktigt härligt, växte mycket på mig under lyssningen! Tydligen inspiration för De La Soul och A Tribe Called Quest som jag också gillar.
Kul med lite mer positiv hip hop, men med några undantag så var beatsen lite enformiga och ospännande.
Intressant för att vara rap.
Couldn't find a version to listen to today but have fond memories of this native tongue posse classic. Representative of a time when hip hop was more open. Not as tuneful as their brethren De La Soul or ATCQ, but still fun and a little more connected to the NY hip hop scene w DJ Red Alert and KRS-One, for example. I wonder what these guys are up to nowadays?
I'm glad to see The Jungle Brothers in the collection, and also happy to get a different experience of their music from the lone JB album I own ("V.I.P" from a decade later). I can see why this album, and even themselves, went largely under most people's radar; they're more polished than De La Soul but also not quite as playful, and far more eclectic than A Tribe Called Quest but also less focused. Even so, I like how they incorporated more, and more varied, musical styles and sounds than their fellow Native Tongues members; the highlights for me were probably "Feelin' alright", "U make me sweat", the title track, "Tribe vibes" and the collectively-performed "Doin' our dang". It's too long by about 15-20 minutes, and gets bogged down at times with a bit too much lecturing (e.g. "Acknowledge your own history" or "J. Beez comin' through"), but still nice to get a little bit of the Jungle Brothers this afternoon.
None of the links worked in 1001AG, however searching YouTube I found some U.S.-available links. Not my jam, really. "Sunshine" wasn't bad, and "'U' Make Me Sweat" had a fun bass line.
Rap sympatoche mais pas incroyable non plus
Les instrus sont vraiment bien en mode rap og un peu original, par contre le flow est pas ouf :/ Et c'est quoi ce son Black Woman wtf
This album was better than some of their later stuff.
Done before. Dated. Still good though.
As I get older, I find the golden age of hip hop to be my favorite. Good stuff here.
Not my cup of tea
Totally solid hip hop album 3.3/5
solid 3.5
Had not heard of this before. Actually had to track it down on YouTube as the album wasn’t on streaming. Another example of golden age hip hop that I enjoy. This feels like a “party” record.
Ei
Terrible
No thanks, there's no way I was going to listen to an hour plus of this.
Sorry but no 💦
Interesante, no creo que vuelva a escucharlos
Overall: 5/10 There were moments in here that I really enjoyed, but it hasn't aged amazingly and I had a hard time focusing on it. Kind of bland by today's standards. Fav Song: "U" Make Me Sweat
An old school Hip-Hop album that actually has a positive spin on life, with a touch of Afrikaan sprinkled in the album. Favorite Track: "Sunshine".
Pretty good groove with great messages.
The third part of the collective that was formed with a tribe called quest and de la soul. There are references to both throughout. In comparison to the other two, this one sits in between when it comes to entertainment and danceability. It isn't as varied, but it wears its positive message on its sleeve the most. Depending on your outlook that might be a liability but to me it ends yielding a similar score.
"Now I'm all junglistcally horny"
Solid hip hop album from 89. Good flow and deliveries. Weirdly this album is not available on YouTube music? Listened to a playlist on YouTube.
The sweet sweet sound of positivity. As better reviewers have said, the sliding doors moment where gangsta rap took off rather than this warm hip-hop hug is probably responsible for all the ills in the world from the 90's to the present day. Good beats, sharp, aspirational lyrics occasional bagginess and 0 bitches and guns. Oh what could have been.
Not bad.
Based on what others were saying this seems like a foundational album that paved the way for future artists, but man I struggled through this. Just did not enjoy it and can't appreciate it for what it was in its time. The production and quality just don't hold up today imo. I wouldn't listen to this again. Granted, this album wasn't available on Spotify when I tried to listen, so I was using YouTube. It's possible quality was just strictly worse there. It wasn't awful, but also not something I'd like more of.
Not my thing but enjoyable in places nonetheless and no doubt popular with those who enjoy hip-hop/rap.
I enjoyed this, tho it all started to blend after awhile. Was nice to hear some hip hop without all the derogatory words! Felt positive!
Another rap album, standard fare for the genre. Nothing remarkable, not sure why its here.
It felt fun for a while. All very ‘clever/funny’, but I soon got bored and wanted something different.
Ah yes, this must be a PG rated, radio friendly Rap group. Its all nice a clean, not setting off any of my usual aural triggers. Its the Rap equivalent of going to see a Primary School play. Well done Jungly chaps for not wanting to turn it off straight away.
This is a type of rap - conscious rap/jazz rap - which more or less disappeared from the mainstream in the 90s. Some of the beats and samples are definitely influenced by house music, which I also enjoy. This feels like a bridge between the work of fellow Native Tongues collective members De La Soul and Arrested Development. The lyrics are an odd combination of typical hip-hop misogyny, Afrocentrism, and spirituality. The standout track for me is the posse cut "Doin' Our Own Dang."
Jumanji meets, A Tribe Called Quest.
3.75. I haven’t loved most of the 80’s hip-hop on this list so far but this was enjoyable.
I don't think I've heard of Jungle Brothers before but I quite enjoyed this. It had a De La Soul vibe but I liked it more. I also heard some samples that I know from later hip hop albums (Snoop, Dre, TLC amongst others)
2.75 - This sounds better than a lot of 80's hip hop I've listened to recently.
Enjoyable. Much like Power In Numbers yesterday, it's refreshing to have hip hop that isn't overly violent and explicit like the gangster rap that was to come later. However, the happy clappy lyrics do tire after a while. It's good, but I wouldn't rush back.
Pretty solid album, but a lot of the songs sound very similar. They use the same flow a lot, and a lot of the beats are just a motown drum sample and nothing else. Besides that, this album is very enjoyable. Low 4.
I had never heard of this group or this album and that's a shame. It's very obvious that they had influence on Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul. I would listen to this more but since I had to find it on YouTube, it's going to be hard to do it. I hope it becomes available on streaming.
This was impressive for 1989-era hip hop, but not really my genre. I enjoyed it, but I was ready to be done by the time it was over. Three stars.
It really sucks that this isn’t on streaming, because it’s pretty good.
I have never in my life heard of these guys. Cornball 90s hip hop before the 90s with a couple very cool beats and samples that goes a little too long for it's own good. Sunshine, Good Newz Comin, and the title track were my faves. Not on Spotify, hmph
Genuine and earnest, this album was a delight.
It's a bit disappointing that this album wasn't on Apple Music, as it made it hard to find / listen to and I can't download any of the tracks to my own library. It was solid, not spectacular, and I think that bears out in the ratings we have seen for this album which is basically right on a 3 average. That said, there were a few songs on here which I liked. Listening to these guys reminded me a touch of De La Soul and a bit of Arrested Development. I like their style, it just didn't really blow me away at any point and I would much prefer to listen to either of the bands I just mentioned. All the same, a good listen. Relatively enjoyable. 3 stars.
Sounded good, but didn't really interest me
I can't help but hesitate just a little bit when I see and 80s hip hop albjm come up. Definitely an era of music that outside of some very specific examples has really not aged well, but given that, I think this one is actually alright. It manages to lack the super cheesy clichés of most other hip hop from around the same time, and not only that but then actually sounding pretty ahead of the curve is super impressive. The whole style of the rapping and production feels so ahead of its time and definitely a huge influence on some of the big names in the genre in the 90s. Influence aside, I don't actually think that this is necessarily anything hugely special. Relatively, it feels like a masterpiece considering its decade, but looking at it without that context, it is a pretty standard hip hop album. Not one that by any means blew me away, but was an enjoyable listen nonetheless, and it was still cool to hear another important part of the genre's history.
A lot of funky and grooving songs that bring one of the songs: Acknowledge Your Own History, is such a message about knowing your history and seeing others see it especially for black people. Is really important. I really did like that one. I wish my music app I’m using had not taken away the songs from this album though that sucks.
It wasn't bad, but nothing very memorable for me. Just another old school hip-hop album.
I had a good time with this. It’s a lot like De La Soul but with less interesting samples.
Brutally honest album, very eye opening and can see where alot of artists drew inspiration from this album.
Done by the Forces of Nature has fun beats, creative ideas, and friendly energy that make it enjoyable to hear. Many songs sound good, but some feel too similar, so the album loses excitement at times. I liked its relaxed style and originality, although it did not leave as strong an impression as I expected after finishing it.
Lots of good bops here. Really funky bluesy tunes. Steady rhythm. Really enjoyed it.
This is a vibe.
Has some good beats, especially the P-Funk samples. Liked the messaging. For whatever reason some songs just don't hit as well as they could have. Still a decent album and a precursor to some great Jazz Rap to come. 3.5/5 Might listen again
3.5 De la soul with better rapping but also less interesting production
I don't believe I've ever heard of this artist before, so this is definitely the first time listening to this start-to-finish. This is pretty great. How have I never heard of these guys before? I'll be adding this to my list of albums to listen to again.
A classic in this era of hip hop
Bellyy dancing Dina er best so far. Mye høres ganske likt ut, rapping over trommer og litt bass liksom. Mye gøye rim. J. Beez coming in er best so far, best sample som ikke bare er trommer. Nei, doin our own dang er best
ok
Liked this
Not available on Spotify will review we it is or I find a fisicly copy
I can't find a track in which Pow Wow (apparently of Soulsonic Force, RIP) rocks a rhyme to Billy Squier's Big Beat, but was funny to hear it mentioned but not actually sampled. Also, every transcription of the lyrics to Feelin' Alright misspells Squier. All of which is utterly beside any point, but this is a fun, wholesome album.
7.5 / 10
Good sampling
Still rocking that 80’s sound
I've never heard 80s rap like this before. There are the same elements as the rest of them but the way these guys were moving is just so DIFFERENT. Less punchy/more smooth, but not losing the impact in the lyrics. You can catch so many themes and ideas (and even samples) that are now mainstays in the genre. Way ahead of their time. Highlights: Tribe Vibes, Black Woman
piggly wiggly mentioned
Immediately made me think of De La Soul, who have already come up for me on this list. I much prefer this style of hip-hop to the gangsta crap, the lyrics didn't always have my full attention, but they covered a fair few themes and they were actually meaningful, as well as sometimes amusing. Musically there's a reasonable variety across the album, including some scat singing and other jazz elements as well as a couple of nice instrumental bits. The sampling overall is a bit stale and overly repetitive though. The backing on a lot of the tracks is a pretty simple drum beat throughout. Favourite track: "Good Newz Comin'" Least favourite: "J. Beez Comin' Through" Shout-out to the fact that this is so late 80s/early 90s that the track names are full of "2" and "U" abbreviations, which is an amusing nostalgia hit. Still not converted on the genre, but this is listenable. Solid-to-high 3.
As far as hip hop goes this was pretty enjoyable. I don't know what I'm missing with these repetitive uninteresting beats tho. It makes things feel so much longer and like I'm going insane. Maybe they are meant to highlight the lyricism. Unfortunately, that was the issue I had with this album as I do with many hip hop albums is I can't figure out what 60% of the words are. Low 3
Wonderful flow. Ahead of its time.
I just don’t love hip hop
A pretty chill, laid back album. I liked it!
On youtube
21/1001 Done By The Forces Of Nature - Jungle Brothers (1989) From front to back this felt like a forgotten classic. The endless joy and fun of 'Feelin' Alright', the infectious hip-house rhythm in 'What "U" Waitin' '4"?', the celebration of African heritage and ever-timely criticism of American racial dynamics in 'Acknowledge Your Own History' and throughout, the bending bass of the title track. There is so much to say about this album, and the writing is solid. Although, as with many hip-hop albums of this era, the album could've done with some trimming (as fun as 'Belly Dancin' Dina' and 'J. Beez Comin' Through' are, the album would be better off without them). I was also nice to recognise a lot of samples that have become iconic from their use in Golden Age hip-hop, and their usage here is great. Bloat is the only thing holding this album back from being up there with some De La Soul and Tribe albums. ★★★★
Wonderful album, other than 1 song I didn't know this album well. This should be a classic. Favorite songs: Feelin' Alright, Sunshine, Belly Dancin' Dina, Doin' My Own Dang
01) Beyond This World - 7,5 02) Feelin' Alright - 7,5 03) Sunshine - 7,5 04) What U Waitin' 4? - 7,5 05) U Make Me Sweat - 7,0 06) Acknowledge Your Own History - 7,0 07) Belly Dancin' Dina - 7,5 08) Good Newz Comin' - 7,5 09) Done by the Forces of Nature - 7,5 10) Beeds on a String - 7,5 11) Tribe Vibes - 7,5 12) J. Beez Comin' Through - 7,0 13) Black Woman - 7,5 14) In Dayz 2 Come - 7,0 15) Doin' Our Own Dang - 7,5 16) Kool Accordin' "2" a Jungle Brother - 7,0 TOTAL: 7,34 (73/100) Current ranking: 405/896
Drivel
Good Newz Comin' is fun. As far as rap goes, this album is pretty good. Some good samples here and there too.
It's like a jungle sometimes and I don't mind.
An album I used to own, pre gansta rap, pretty standard unchallenging but enjoyable.
Somehow, I had not heard of this: it's kind of awesome, great beats, great samples, great lyrics.
Surprisingly good hip hop (non-hip hop listener)
I feel like are so many other better versions of this style of hip hop unfortunately. It’s influence might be worthy of its inclusion here but I kinda was bored by it which I was surprised by.
Estuvo bueno. Muy underground, se nota que genera muchísima influencia.
Original, melodic, fun and interesting.
I think straight out the jungle is a better album. 4 stars.
ok
This was a really fun listen. “U Make Me Sweat” had me boppin along almost immediately, and “J Beez Comin’ Through” was great with that “Fly Like an Eagle” sample. I love albums like this that pull from so many different kinds of music. Half the fun is just listening for what they grabbed and trying to identify it. That’s a big part of why this one works so well. It feels creative without turning into a mess, and it keeps things moving the whole time. Favorite song: "J Beez Comin Through"
Optimistic hip hop
No sé porque me da vibes del intro de Kenan y Kel y eso es bueno, bailé muchas veces. lo disfruté completamente
Maybe the best "golden age" rap album I've heard yet.
This is a great album by a group that does not get enough credit for its contributions as they were overshadowed by the emergence of gangster rap and even their fellow members in the Native Tongues. In my opinion this album is superior to the group's debut and is arguably the best rap album released in 1989 even with "3 Feet High and Rising" and "Paul's Boutique" and all the rest. There needs to be more rap on this list. This album was a commercial and critical hit so it makes this list but there are many others that were not reviewed by the right people upon release that are as deserving to be listened to and appreciated as this classic.
New to me. Great groove. I'm not sure how I've missed this group. Hip hop fused funk, jazz trips. Very cool.
Cool og festligt nok, men ikke lige noget for mig.
0.6/5 Another album that solidifies my dislike for East Coast Hip Hop.
mir hend echt sit irgendwie 6 albe nume spooti 80er und 90er irgendwie. bi gspanne. okay ich gseh nöd 100% wiso ich das mues lose ich gang mol wiki. bi feelin alright scatteds dasch fun. aber böh. stund vo dem? anschinend wichtigs album i sache afrozentrismus und "ernstere" hip hop nöd fresh prince type. mh best bi what u waitin 4 isch geil, ich kenn die bassline vo irgendwo. vlt isch au vo ihne. aber de rap teil vom song findi afoch nöd so spannend. gseh nöd wie fest sich das abhebt vo fresh prince. zum teil hets bezüg zu panafrikanische sache (nation of zulu und so). aber d text sind sehr haha party funtime. okay de acknowledgement song isch meh döt umenand. mit anti afrika stereotype und so. hm es sind zum teil suuper groovy beats, zb tribe vibes. aber ich finds würkli lang und mit de ziit drum ehner langwilig. ich bin amel scho am mitwippe. muni scho respektiere. aber seeehr sexistischi text zum teil? glaub? okay ich ha bitz z viel spass für es zwei, es isch keis vieri. sorry unspektakulärs 3.
FUNNY beat omg muss zuegeh han so medium lust wieder ufes stündigs album DAMN 8ch han glaub würkli nanie vo dem ghört und es isch mega wichtig anschinend? beyond this world macht na spass aber het nöd vill ih mier ihglöst (au wenn de beat easy kreativ isch) HARD CUT woaah de liechti jazzbeat iwenn macht easy vill uus ok d beats sind krass, ich fokussiere mich fast meh uf die als uf de rap hahaha WOAH ich ghör de house das wos dezwüsche chli schwaflet passt chli zude atmosphäre wos wennd kreiere aber ja naja find d beats amigs reeecht underschiedlich aber trz na gnueg ähnlich, dass es zum flow vom album passt? aber vlt fangtmi das iwenn ah störe würkli teilwiis krassi beats und allgemein sehr kreativ aber iwenn isch au alles chli ah mier verbii.
Solid. Brilliant. The prototype for the greatness of 90s hip hop.
Hell yeah, this is the point of the project. This completely missed me, which is a little weird since I enjoy Queen Latifah and De La, both of whom get shouted out here and they're definite contemporaries. Regardless, this is great! Positive vibes without being corny, dope production that doesn't sound super dated, and while the bars hew a little too earnest and/or preachy sometimes, the actual flow is legit. That said, it's definitely of a time. If you don't care about late 80s/early 90s hip hop, this will not change your mind. I do, though, so this is like a fantastic new discovery. The only real knock is that it gets a little baggy in places, and it's a little overlong. But that's part for the course for the era. This rules.
i swear, when forced to actively listening to it, i'd drift away to sleep in no time...
i'll admit that i was annoyed i couldnt listen to this on spotify but the beats and vibes are undeniable. Black Woman rocks
No thoughts head empty, too tired to write a review
Sorta Tribe Called Quest at home innit? Rudeness aside, I thought this was alright
Funky, what U waitin 4 does something to me man Most of the beats on this had me dancing 4
Not available on Spotify, but found this on YouTube. Decent rap album that didn’t have any skits. More upbeat and fun lyrics rather than rambling on about sex and money. 3/5
8/10. Solid through and through. If Rap/Hip Hop ain’t your thing, it’s still worth a listen with a couple of judicious track skips. But, let’s call it a gateway drug. Let’s call it eating your veggies. Listening to this is good for you and will open a whole new world of art. (I’d still go with Low End Theory first, but we haven’t gotten there yet, so take this for a ride until we get there.)
Beyond This World - 3/5 Feelin' Alright - 3/5 Sunshine - 2/5 What "U" Waitin' 4? - 5/5 "U" Make Me Sweat - 4/5 Acknowledge Your Own History - 3/5 Belly Dancin' Dina - 3/5 Good Newz Comin' - 2/5 Done by the Forces of Nature - 1/5 Beeds on a String - 5/5 Tribe Vibes - 3/5 J. Beez Comin' Trough - 4/5 Black Woman - 2/5 (love the message, hate that weird stringy sound that keeps playing throughout) In Dayz "2" Come - 4/5 Doin' Our Own Dang - 4/5 Kool Accordin' "2" a Jungle Brother - 3/5 Average score: 3.2/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ it sounds a little dated (as is typical most 80s and 90s hip-hop), but there was a surprising amount of tracks i actually liked. maybe i just like the sampling more than the performance itself, but it's still a pretty enjoyable listen nevertheless
Pretty funky and groovy; I liked it!
Okay but it felt quite repetitive after a time.
Definitely a poor man's Wu Tang with less experienced rhythms. The lyrics are a bit on the childish side as well though it is a fun album. Is it a rap album I could have lived my life without hearing? Sure, so many others that should be ahead of this specific album.
Pico
asi que asi suena el rap consciente viejito
This is what Dwayne Wayne and Whitley were listening to
I really like the beats and funky vibe throughout, good hip hop but some of it just sounds a bit on that corny side of old school to me. Still a good listen
Super typical early hip hop. Fun. Probably influential. An absolute shadow of what would come later on.
Lol I absolutely loved the history lesson from the guy who said he had D in history Eh, whatever. Not annoying
Ball and gun music
first listen cool stuff
“Jungle brothers on the microphone” other than that line, I can’t say I’ve ever heard these guys.
bleh
Mid Album. songs all sound very similar
There was a couple good songs on here but nothing really stood out to me
spotify didn’t have it ://
positive hip-hop
This seems like an early hip hop album that maybe has historical value but as a stand alone album feels not quite there, not quite confident enough. This could be due the idea that music and genre evolve and some things age and some things stay timeless. I think maybe this would be in the aged category. I mean not to be harsh but it is kind of how it felt to me.
Yet another boring Hip-Hop album from a band that I've never heard of.
It was alright.
Mediocre
I’m not really into hip-hop, but despite that, I did listen to most of this album. Unfortunately, I won’t be listening to it again…
more selections from the wide world of classic hip hop music. it has a very funky sound and has creative synth and sample usage throughout its runtime. now this is some old-school hip hop i can really get into. everything from the beats to the lyrics and all, it's pretty textbook for the genre, but these songs are objectively SO damn good... it's like run dmc levels of hip hop where you feel like rapping along with these guys. very nice!
Loved this one, kicked off a morning of 80s and 90s hip hop. 'What "U" Waitin' "4"?' stood out but more of a vibe
Very bland, outdated, and lacks a sort of energy...the music has no edge and sounds muffled while the vocals are quiet and monotone. Sounds like it was mixed in a college dorm. But it does feature smooth boom bap, jazzy beats with positive, often mystical and Afro-centric rhymes and themes. Definitely a feel good listen of some typical late 80s rap, but it’s likely not going to hold your attention for more than 5 minutes. This is just another example of how 80s rap is the most outdated sounding genre of music.
DAMN!
I’m definitely getting less patient
I enjoyed the opening track Beyond This World, but couldn't get into it, not my jam and toast
Nice background music if not samey . 2.5
Had to find it on YouTube to listen. It's okay, I think.
Funky, catchy beats with some interesting rhythms and that smooth 80s/90s hip hop style. A lot of fun! Doin' Our Own Dang was the highlight for me.
Well, I didn't hate it. That is quite a lot considering I'm not into the genre. 5/10
I'm falling behind on my albums, but God I am thankful for having listen to this one. What a banger! I had no idea I needed a song about how great black women are, but I am grateful
I enjoy a well-sampled track, but this felt a bit more like curation than a fresh take. The lyrics are deeply tied to an African heritage that I simply don't share, so the emotional core of the album missed me.
Pretty solid, but didn't stand out from other hip hop/rap from that period.
just like, spectacularly cool from the first track. there's some mid sprinkled throughout what is a hefty album, but overall it's good flows, sick beats, cool samples. favorite song is Tribe Vibes or What "U" Waitin' "4"
Rating: 6/10 Definitely not a bad hip hop album that came before the 90’s and clearly had some influence on the genre to come, and an album I hadn’t heard of before. The beats are pretty cool, and has good lyrics that albums which highlight Afrocentric pride often do. Maybe it’s a little dated and the rapping could be a lot more standout, and does start to run long, so it’s a good but not great album for me.
Inherently a cool genre so it's hard to dislike, but as an album it didn't do anything unique or exceptionally cool for me. It's a nice listen but I can't pick out specifics I liked about it 6.3/10
Not bad. A bit of Africa mythologising, but it's a good sound.
No he conectado tanto, pero lo considero un buen album. Buenos samples y tal
Man kendrick lamar could never - I 've been impressed in the past by say tribe called quest or arrested development, but these guys were doing it earlier and I'd never even heard of them.
it is okay
I enjoyed this! The samples and interludes were great, not one to listen to while doing much else but thoroughly enjoyable when paying attention.
Fun!
I was not feeling inspired by this at first but I really came around to it! it was those great horns and the « black is black is black is black » chant
Great stuff. Fun production. Good lyrics.
Actually loving it this morning
This is like if A Tribe Called Quest wasn’t as good. It’s not bad, but if rather just listen to them.
Really not my cup of tea.
Like it 3/5
This is like the kind of alt-hip hop akin Arrested Development would do in the next few years. I really like how it goes back to the genre's roots; lots of dancing, carefree vibes. This also reminded me of De La Soul, and I only learned today that the Jungle Brothers were part of the same collective as them!
Lyrics sounded a bit older than 1989. I’m not much of a fan of this one. 2 stars.
Never heard of this before, decent rap album. Might like it more on a relisten
Put This On Streaming ASAP.
6/10
A lot of 80’s rap music has aged poorly, but this wasn’t too bad on that front. Definitely too long. It was pretty good, but not something I’m likely to return to.
Some fun wordplay and some funky beats but, for me, hip-hop lives and dies on the production and it's excessively flat and repetitive here.
Chill 90s hip hop. I liked it and what it rolled in to afterwards.
A solid offering from hip hops golden era. Just looking at the guest performers on here. You got Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, Queen Latifah, KRS One... This record is stacked. Tossed "Doin' Our Own Dang" onto the playlist.
A fine 80s rap album, if that's what you're into. I appreciated the musicality of the later tracks.
3.5. Second half point rating in a row. Why doesn’t this at least support half point ratings?
Had to track this down on YouTube but it was worth it. Peak late 80's NYC hip hop.
Damn, there was so much great hip hop in the late 80s and throughout the 90s that I missed this one. Always knew the name, knew their features on others' records but this was good. Solid 4/5
I like that this lulls you into thinking it's just gonna be a bunch of party music, which would've been fine, but then very quickly swithes over into being societal commentary and history lessons. I honestly like it and it's what pushes it into being iconic for me.
nao gostei
From the Vault #2 (January 14, 2026) Still kicking it in 1989. I'm surprised by how many of these late-80s hip-hop albums populate the list. I'm pretty sure there's more late-80s hip-hop albums on the list than there are 2010s hip-hop albums (i.e when the genre was most culturally relevant). Guess it comes down to these listmakers being lazy as shit and only adding an average of 13 albums per revision. I've never heard of Jungle Brothers before, and this cover is something else. Is this going to be a psychedelic hip-hop album? I've never heard of such a phenomenon, but I guess the two can mesh together. Nope, just boom bap. I'm surprised this was released by Warner Records. The sound is very indie/underground. That is to say that the mastering is pretty underwhelming. There's no depth to the breaks and while there is a respectable spread of genres and influences, the instrumentals are ultimately too minimalistic and soft to hook me. While the music is unremarkable, it does benefit from its nondescript sound. If the instrumentals were any livelier than they were here I'd be bitching endlessly about the runtime. As it stands, I could stand spacing out to this one for a few, though I'm never returning to this and it will likely be memoryholed immediately. Book time. Many influences. That's about it. Wikipedia says that this album had moderate chart success, was a smash hit among critics, is considered one of the best golden age hip hop albums and one of the greatest/most influential hip-hop albums in general. I'm not sure if the Wiki article is blowing smoke or not, but this seems like a solid rap sheet. I cosign this inclusion.
Not great not awful - easily forgettable
Crap
Nice early rap/hip hop. Weve had better on this list but I enjoyed it.
not on spotify, found full album on yt: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yo3n2nZdkMs pretty cool throwback to the days when hiphop was overtaking gogo and gangster rap hadn't come on the scene yet
In some ways, it's hard to believe this is from 1989 due to how forward-looking it is. In other words, the style is very much late-80's hip-hop. However, I think it is just a stand-out example of how fast the art form and genre was evolving and how much albums like this did to push hip-hop and sampling so far ahead so quickly. I'd give this a 4.5 but rounding up to 5 for this scale!
It took a long time for me to finally decide on the review for this album. Not because it’s bad, I actually immediately liked it, but the problem was I couldn’t decide if it was a 5/5 or 4/5. The ultimate deciding factor was the sad reality that despite how solid and creative this album is, it’s held back by the fact that there’s no stand out track/tracks from the album. Like for example, an album that has the same quality level is 3 feet high and rising, both of these albums have the same level of creativity and fun, but what makes the de La sol a 5/5 is the fact that they have “me myself and I”, and “the magic number” which pushes that album into the the greatest rap albums of all time (my personal favorite) and the more you listen to it for those bigger tracks you really start to fall in love with ones you didn’t appreciate as much before like “Jennifer taught me”, “alittle bit of soap”, and “ghetto thang”. Honestly this album is great, it’s just one amazing hit track away from being a 5.
A bit lacking compared to some of the other more spiritual hip-hop albums of it's time, but nontheless very enjoyable - with some standouts.
Unavailable on Apple Music. Listened to earliest album available. Unable to rate fairly.
Difficult album to find to listen to online, and since this is a genre I don't really like, I nearly gave up. It wasn't bad though, I prefer early rap & hip-hop to more current stuff.
HAHAHAHAHAHAH THIS ALBUM COVER..... GAHHHH HAHAHAHA man the music had better be good. Did they commission someone's 5 year old? Or one of the band member's ex-wives or something? Good God that's atrocious. - Thankfully yes, the music is pretty good. Like every CD-era album, it's about 20 minutes too long. But there are some absolute bangers here, particularly "What U Waitin' 4," and you can hear the influence this had on other hip hop groups at the time. The most remarkable thing for me is that they somehow get the tone just right. The Jungle Brothers are very Afro-centric, but they aren't preachy, they're fun. It's a very positive approach that never loses its sense of humor, which feels rare. I'd say 4 stars but for the length and the cover. Lol THREE STARS
Wasn't on any streaming services, but I liked what I heard
I could vibe to the mucis and I liked some lyrics but it got too repetitive for me and after 15 minutes it became a bit boring.
I kinda like this.
This album is funky and fun, so why does every review here consist of puritanical pearl-clutching about gangsta rap? Grow up, nerds!
Po hitrem ošvrku wikija, me absolutno ne preseneča, da I fucking love it immediately. "Beyond This World" je bil hud, zj sm pri drugem komadu, "Feelin' Alright" k je isto a banger. Ne vem zakaj se nisem Jungle Brothers do zdaj še lotila, ker so tok adjacent zadevam k so mi kul, oziroma so vplival na cel kup muske, ki mi je že dolgo ljuba. Po drugi strani sm pa vesela, da še zmer odkrijem zase novo musko, k mi je takoj všeč. "What U Waitin' 4?" je zanimiv k zveni še bl odl school, kakor je. U, nevermind, to bo kr a thing na temu albumu očitno (s tem mislim predvsem komade s funk in house elementi). "Tribe Vibes" je hud. Pa "Doin' Our Own Dang", kjer so vključeni Q-Tip & De La Soul isto. Vmes mi je pikico dol padl, mogoč je ena ura mal dolgo za album.
I just have such a hard time with the "hip hop with a message" albums, I figure part of it is me not being able to relate and the nature of how the music itself is presented. The lyrics seem to ramble at times and man it drags. Different times, I know, and to be fair some of these beats are pretty good, but I feel like there are better examples out there who were present at this time.
The worst kind of conscious rap album. Saying a lot of things but none of it is enjoyable. Also like most iconic 90s rap albums it’s 20 minutes too long. Basically imagine Tribe Called Quest with all the fun and funkiness stripped out of it. The only song I like by JB is “Brain” and that isn’t on this album
Yeah it’s sold hip hop
Some really enjoyable tracks. The first half had me come in and out though.
I love the background tracks and the positive messages. The lyrics for Acknowledge Your Own History are still relevant today. Highly influential and creative. Having said that I prefer the golden era rap that follows this - and Alat times this sounds dated (but it is coming up 40 years old so no big surprise). Overall a high 3
Radio friendly hip hop. Some nice sounds and quality production.
The beats are consistently engaging. It's cool when they take more risks, like on the weirder and wilder What “U” Waitin’ “4”? and the extremely hype Tribe Vibes. For most of the track list I find Jungle Brothers’ good natured rapping limited and predictable but I appreciate how conscious they are and the variety of topics they cover. It's not all bluster and bravado. To my ears they sound best when they go hard. The Queen Latifah record from the same year goes a bit further on both production and rapping, helped by the fact that it employs more humour which gets the most out of this embryonic hip hop era for me. Despite this I’m confident Jungle Brothers have earnt their status in early hip hop. It's confident and energising stuff.
Jungle Brothers has some great boom bap beats, super smooth and friendly flows, and probably some of the earliest integration of jazz into rap(?), that being said it sags a bit for me and doesn’t always engage me, going solid 3 on this one
My opinion hardly matters because I’m so clueless about hip-hop but I have to say I miss this “spitting” articulating rapping style now that everything seems to be slurry mumble drawl I dig this upbeat smart annunciation over the opiate flow that seems to be so popular now
Was not on Spotify :(
I appreciate the surprising (to me at least) recurrent feminist themes.
I really wanted the song I’ll house you to be on here. That said it was very fun eecoed
Yes - we love the JBs. Foundational hip hop. Good add.
Wow, I am surprised I keep hearing about old school hip-hop bands which I never heard of before. The album cover art is cool, this is your standard old-school conscious rap. Pretty damn good, however it does kind of get samey which makes me lean into 3 stars more.
non male, ma la solita noia dopo un po’
Decent late 80s rap album. Maybe a bit above average.
Had to find a playlist on YouTube and realized the tracklist played backwards by the time it was almost done. Still great.
This is the second five star album that isn’t on streaming…which sadly means I will likely not listen to it as much as I’d like. Got that De La Soul vibe that I’m a sucker for, would love to find this on vinyl one day.
Finally, an influential album that’s as good as the albums it influenced
Pretty cool. Great flows, decent production, yeah, I like it.
Not something I'd go out of my way to listen too again.
At first I thought this was just another goofy old school hip hop album, but as the album went on the intricate, ahead of it's time production and heady lyrical themes made me appreciate it as a much more of an important and interesting album. It does feel a little, if they'd shaved 3 or 4 tracks off this would be a bonafide classic.
For late 80s hip hop, it actually was pretty good. The end of the album became a little bit of a slog, but overall I enjoyed it.