Done By The Forces Of Nature

This album was enjoyable throughout. Chill good beats, intelligent lyrics, and little bits of random musical creativity everywhere. My only issue is that the album is too long - I lost focus around the 40-minute mark.

What a vibe and such a breath of fresh air compared to other 80s rap. The run time is a little longer than I’d normally like, but I was invested in it from beginning to end. The lyrics are socially aware and topical for the era, the beats and production is fantastic, and the flow of each rapper scratches that classic rap itch. Easily a strong four.

LP

Besser als das Album davor, zumindest n guten Flow und nicht ständig diese penetranten Wiederholungen. Musste mehrmals mit nicken :D - 4 Sterne

Classic hip-hop. Definetly a must listen!

Un disco sólido, fresco e interesante. Hip hop con letras agradables, al contrario que el de los Beastie (sorry). Muchos temas que suenan futuristas, políticos y además muy cerebrales. 4.1

Los Jungle Brothers son uno de los grandes del Hip-Hop y este uno de sus mejores álbumes. No están a la altura de otros compañeros del colectivo Native Tongues como A tribe called quest pero aquí se les acercaron mucho. Además fueron pioneros en el uso del jazz. De Grandmaster Flash a Public Enemy, de Sugarhill Gang a Eric B. & Rakim... ellos también están en ese grupo. No está I’ll House You (en su debut) pero hay temas para disfrutar. Por ejemplo What u waiting 4? y clásicos como "Tribe Vibes" (con KRS-One) o 2Doin' Our Own Dang" (con otros de Native Tongues De La Soul, Queen Latifah, Q-Tip, y Monie Love) toda una fiesta final. Una influencia capital en todo el Hip de su época (Arrested Development sin ir más lejos) y en otros como OutKast, Kanye West, Pharrell Williams...

90% Best: Feelin' Alright; Sunshine; U Make Me Sweat; Belly Dancin' Dina; Beeds on a String; Tribe Vibes; Doin' Our Own Dang Must-Hear? Fantastic album. Yes

This is a really underrated album from the golden age of sampling. Lots of little bits of other songs mixed in to make these tracks. The rapping straddles the gap between old school hip-hop and the more modern style that started to dominate in the 90s. The messaging is very positive as well 4/5

feels more similar to de la soul than ATCQ, even though q-tip is on it, its quite cool, and very early, as it definitely sounds like something from the 90s. Beats are minimal, but that's what makes the good ones good, however, some of them are probably too repetitive, or the thing being repeated is not that good in the first place. Nothing bad to say about vocals though. Favorite songs: what u waitin for, u make me sweat, belly dancin' dina, tribe vibes, in dayz to some, doin' our own dang. Overall around 7/10

That was fun! A bit long and some of it is kind of corny, but I do really love their delivery style. Two lyrics I loved: “Shake your butt but don’t break your back” (how thoughtful of them) “It’s easier for a camel to walk through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the gates of heaven” Best tracks: Good Newz Comin’, Tribe Vibes

A positive vibe Dance centric, story telling Hip hop to chill to

Love me some hippity hop

Good but doesn't top some of the other hiphop on here

Classic hop hop album that would pave the way to De LA Soul and Tribe Called Quest. All knowledge zero 'My name is...and I'm here to say" it's awesome to see hip hop heading back in this direction.

I really like this album. It reminded me a lot of arrested development, although obviously they came later.

Loved this! So fresh!!!!!

I hadn’t heard of the Jungle Brothers before. From what I gather, they were the first hip hop group to work with a house music producer, establishing the progressive rap sound that would be identified with the likes of De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest. In fact, members of those groups showed up on the penultimate track of this album “Doin’ Our Own Thang” alongside a young Queen Latifah, since they all knew each other from high school. The rest of Done by the Forces of Nature is a collection of funky hip hop tunes with solid production, eclectic sample choices and Afrocentric lyrics that are largely about having a good time but also meant to empower black people and spread that positivity to those marginalized. I’d say my only complaint with this album is the runtime. Clocking in at just over an hour, it does run long enough where halfway through songs start to blend into one another with little distinction, save for one or two songs with samples I recognized. Overall, I did have a fun time with Done by the Forces of Nature, and can appreciate how far intellectual rap has come from roots like this. In that regard, it is getting a solid recommendation.

Old school hip hop where you can understand the words that they are rapping

I enjoyed it. I wish it was a bit shorter.

I'm not really a hip hop fan, but I genuinely enjoyed much of this album. I appreciate the more upbeat tone and that the album doesn't rely on slurs to invoke an emotional response. It does go on a little too long, if it was a tighter package I could picture myself coming back to it occasionally. Favorite tracks: "Feelin' Alright" and "Doin' Our Own Dang"

Obviously very influential album

Groovy hiphop

Хороший олдскульный хип хоп

This is really fun. Nice, easy to enjoy hip hop. Interesting, different, good mixing, good flow. Some decent party tracks, too. Nothing to complain about. 4/5

This is #day66 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... here's to a real gem of the golden age hip-hop! What a fitting name for such an iconic genre. This era, spanning the mid-'80s to the early '90s, resonates deeply with me, not just for its innovation, experimentation, and undeniable vibe but for the way it captures a unique cultural moment. I can almost picture the sound systems, boom boxes, street dances, and rap battles that defined this time. The album brilliantly blends hip-hop with jazz, house, and funk, creating a sound that feels just as fresh 35 years later. I particularly enjoyed the interpolations of jazz. Done By The Forces Of Nature is a perfect embodiment of the creativity and spirit of its time. This is a strong 4 out of 5. Looking forward to #day67.

I dig it. Some beats and bars

Really good album. Almost no songs that missed for me, but occasionally songs dragged a bit long

I loved this album. Had never heard of these guys before, which shows my limited rap knowledge. I’ve always thought the reliance on samples was one of hip hops biggest limitations. But after this album I feel like I finally get it - here, they aren’t just used to evoke nostalgia or lift an already proven hook, but more like unique instruments that combine to create something new. “Good news coming” really drove that point home to me. Elsewhere, I just like the way these guys sound and how their rhyming patterns play off and on the beat. It’s upbeat but not corny. I also love whenever anyone unironically refers to their ‘funky rhymes’ . Don’t know why, just gets me.

Just a touch too old school for my tastes, but I appreciate that they were innovative for the time.

Good shit

Great old school hip hop

Nice breaks, dated though

Loved this! The beats were fun, and I think this is my favorite era of hip hop.

Really vibed with this!

Really good and fun golden age hip hop... i loved it and haven't heard any JB albums but Straight out the Jungle... and thought this one was way better!! will explore further

Really nice in concept. I love the golden age hip hop in combinations with African beats and themes. I found myself longing for more pronounced African influence though, it doesn’t feel as apparent as I would like it to be.

You can simultaneously hear the influences that inspired this album, but you can also hear the influence this album had on hip hop/rap in the years that were to come. 'Done By The Forces Of Nature' is a hybrid record if I ever heard one; featuring infectious 80's hip hop beats, dance/funk that damn near rivals the likes of 'Earth, Wind & Fire', and unpretentious commentary on both a large societal scale and a smaller introspective scale. While 'Jungle Brothers' aren't exactly technically proficient rappers, they more than make up for it in top notch production, strong lyricism, and an amazing pop sensibility. ‘Sunshine’, ‘What U Waitin’ 4’, ‘Acknowledge Your Own History’, ‘J.Beez Comin’ Through’, and ‘Doin’ Our Own Dang’ are all strong highlights are for me. On top of that, the instrumental track ‘Good Newz Comin’’ is an absolute banger, too. A mixture of fun funk production and musicianship, with a layer of lyricism that addresses societal injustices and self reflection on their own part; but don’t think their lyrics lack any sense of fun, because there is plenty of that, too. It’s almost like the antithesis to the birth of gangsta rap that started with ‘Straight Outta Compton’ the year before - in which the aggression is turned down considerably in favour of more accessibility. I feel like without these guys, you might not have had other legendary hip hop acts like Outkast, or Wu-Tang Clan. It is an underrated album judging from the fact that it did not sell on the level of their peers, nor is it talked about all that much in any circles. But its influence is totally undeniable. The only problem is that it could have used a little trimming, as it is slightly bloated at 16 full tracks. But otherwise, it should be listened to by any fan of rap and hip hop.

Felt like I was back in school in the 90s. I had visions of commercials, the fashion, popular movies.... just really took me back in time. So good.

Jungle it again!

Would be a 3 star just on the power of "I'll House You", but fortunately the rest of the album is dope as well

Really ahead of it's time.

Defined the genre

Good stuff.

Absolutely so 80s. I hadn’t ever listened, but thoroughly enjoyed. Loved the 80s radio show cut.

I've always heard the name, but never listened. This sounds like a classic, but more diverse samples than their counterparts. There's break-beats, rock, piano, and funkadelic. It's dope! I realize now that The Prodigy (Liam Howlett) had sampled these guys, and is heavily influenced by them. I like Doin' Our Own Dang.

I knew nothing of the Jungle Brothers except their name, but this was a delightful listen. It takes me back to an era I was really too young to ever experience, but I can appreciate it now. Lyrically the album centers a lot around black power, black history...even black women. The messages are empowering and uplifting. I remember afrocentrism having such a moment in hip hop at that time. Do American rappers ever still rap about Africa these days? I loved all the sampling, really well done and from such very sources. It kind of seemed to blend hip hop into jazz and even dance music. Well written lyrics, even though the delivery has that old school cadence to it that places it firmly in the late 80s/early 90s (I don't mind it). Good energy and vibes overall.

This is my kind of hip hop. Social commentary, tongue in cheek, having a good time. Faves: Acknowledge Your Own History, Kool Accordin' "2" a Jungle Brother.

Fun hip hop before it got violent.

So old school, I loved it

I listened to a bunch of similar stuff when I was younger but don’t know that I listened to any JBs. What a mistake. This was great. Loved Doing Our Own Dang. Listened like three times in a row to the album. jBs coming through.

Good rap I don’t want to talk about.

A pioneering rap album. I really enjoyed the themes, which mainly include being African and celebrating that. A real endeavour of creative output. From a group I formerly knew nothing about

This was actually hip hop I liked pretty well.

Good combo of electronic music with hip hop. Even if not my style.

Day 7 of listening to 1001 albums one by one everyday. It is definitely very upbeat and happy album which is definitely a refreshing look. The album was the very obvious beginnings of groups to later shape and experiment with hip hop. From De La Soul to Tribe Called Quest being on this album and contributing to it. This showed the very first glimmer of success for the Zulu nation.

This was groovy and I liked it a lot. It has Tribe Called Quest vibes to it. I'm sure Q-Tip and Phife were listening to this album while they were writing their own. The album has diverse beats and non-stop bars. It's got that classic golden-era sound to it. I did get a little bored by the end, it had a 1hr runtime which is a little long for me. I really love a musical interlude, and Good Newz Comin' was a fun listen. I think my favorite song was right at the end - 'Doin' Our Own Dang', it woke me up again from zoning out a little. I didn't give this album the time it deserved to really dig into the lyrics, so I acknowledge that I'm missing a big part of it. I'll revisit this in the future perhaps, but for now it gets an 8 from me. 8/10

Another hip hop album I loved from this time period. I enjoyed the whole thing but not sure how often I would throw a song from here on but it might grow on me. Rating: 4.3

The good outweighed the boring for me on this one. 3.5 rounded to a 4. There should be more songs like Black Woman.

Right on! Old skool hip hop! I hope there is more of this on the list.

Great album. Great beats, samples, lyrics, delivery. These guys never had a hit single like the other guys but they clearly influenced the Beasties, De la Soul, Tribe, Wu Tang. Bring back old school hip hop. Get off my lawn

one of my faves. i personally wouldnt put this above tribe or de la but its still a golden age conscious gem

Highly enjoyable! Danceable rhythms and a playful vibe, with creative sampling. Lyrics that are fun but with plenty of genuine substance. There's so much to enjoy here. Fave Songs: Feelin' Alright, What U Waitin' 4, Tribe Vibes, Good Newz Comin, In Dayz 2 Come, Sunshine, Doin' Our Own Dang, Beyond This World, Acknowledge Your Own History

Like De La Soul, Digable Planets, and even Digital Underground, the Jungle Brothers delivered some funky, jazzy beats with insightful and fun lyrics. This is a good example of the late 1980's alternative hip-hop. Recommended.

A lot to like here. Not much to say that the professional critics have not. Great tracks throughout the album, fast, smart and funky. Edge of a 5 star rating.

Good, fun hip hop album.

Good

Innovative and fun. Pretty cool to learn this is the longest activity running rap group ever.

Keeps the pulse throughout, inventive instrumentation and overall positive messages of empowerment and institutional critique. Occasionally the flow falls prey to the eighties propensity to rhyme in cadence with an obvious word choice. Honestly if it wasn't for this happening a little too often, I think we'd have a timeless classic on our hands. Instead, we have a classic of its time — which is no small achievement.

Wow what an album!. Had me nodding constantly with their beat and lyrics although not a serious hip hop fan myself. Almost a perfect 5 if it wasn't for some religion theme.

This is an interesting one. Load of New Yorkers who've clearly never been to the south of Africa rapping about the Zulu Nation... I was very much expecting to not like it, but I found it growing on me steadily.

Really loved this one as well. I was completely unfamiliar with Jungle Brothers but will have to check out more. Fun old school hip hop with a toe dipped in the more 90s house style. Very fun!

3.75

Love the Native Tongue stuff.

i feel bad whenever i get older rap albums on here because i generally feel the same way about them. not ever bad but never anything special. this one was really close to that but some cool instrumentals in the second half brought it higher for me

Great beats and messages. Classic hip-hop.

A great early hip hop record.

I hadn't heard this album before but it's really cool. This is the group that launched De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest, and you can hear them both singing on some of the tracks.

There was a good funky beat through this album as well as interesting lyrics.

My relative ignorance of this genre makes it hard to contextualize this but it was certainly catchy and seemed full of positive energy. Unfortunately I was feeling a touch under the weather so I didn’t align with the energy level of this. Still, I was able to sit back and enjoy the beats without cringing over the lyrics constantly. Bonus 1/2 star for the cover art!

It was really good!!

Thought this was absolutely excellent

My first listen to this. I have a handful of hip-hop records that I like to listen to. I will be adding this title to that list. I liked the influences on this record, it was very musical with a rhythm and blues vibe. The lyrics had a lot to say without the "gangsta vibe" that has been used on the other two records that I have listened to on this list. This one has been my favorite rap record in the list so far. I will listen to this again.

Really liked this, nice mix of genres with a hip hop base. Could probably benefit from a few more listens from me but it did what it did really well

holds up very well for 80s hip hop. I don't know how much ill revisit it, but quality groundbreaking music that didn;t get boring over an hour.

Jungle Brothers deliver an engaging, entertaining and energetic rap album with smart rhymes, solid beats and classic samples recalling early hip hop pioneers and funk and soul forerunners. The peculiar departure is the interest in hip hop house which, though intriguing, never did catch on and perhaps that’s a good thing. Classic and important album.

Quality hip hop from the golden era before media saturation and gangsta stuff. Thought intelligent lyrics that question society and showcase a verbal tenacity that leaves no stone unturned.

I had a strong feeling we'd had The Jungle Brothers already. I really like them, and this album is, frankly, stronger than a lot of their other albums. I don't feel like they're massively innovative or original, but they are very good at what they do, and they are not crazily braggadocios or hooked on whores, guns and drugs. 3.5 stars

7.5/10

Old school rap. A lot of great funk on this.

yes 👍

Can’t believe I’ve never heard this before, feels aged but also perfectly in line for 1989. Solid lyrics and production, think some of these were sampled too

Album 279 of 1001 Jungle Brothers - Done By The Forces Of Nature Rating : 4 / 5 Liked this one. Classified as Hip Hop, but have seen it referred to as Pop Rap, which I can go with. Good natured, fun album.

Teilweise sehr spärliche Möbilierung was Melodie angeht - beatlastiger Hip-Hop. Beim zweiten Durchlauf höre ich schon mehr Abwechslung zwischen den Tracks, Highlight Doin’ Our Own Thang! .. und der Abspann vom Album.

Solid

I enjoyed this album! Had great beats and their messages were loud and clear. 7/10

I can’t believe I’ve never heard of this group. One of the better early rap groups I’ve heard so far other than a Tribe Called Quest. Great beats over great sounds. 7/10

Not too familiar with this group before this listen. Very solid rapping over some deliciously funky beats throughout the entire project. Lots of things that remind me of tribe called quest and that's a good thing for sure. Couple of forgettable tracks but some standouts as well. 8/10

A group that created the hip-hop jazz fusion sound that paved the way for De La Soul and Tribe Called Quest. I can hear so much of those two groups in these songs. I did feel that I wanted a bit more. The flow was a bit repetitive and made a few songs blend together. Even with that said they are great songs. There are few stand out songs that are bangers “Acknowledge your own history” “Tribe Vibes” & “Doin our own dang”. Solid album. 7/10

A fun, early hip hop album that is proudly black and African. Though a lot of the rhymes and flow seem basic by today’s standards, the themes and social consciousness of the album stand out. A lot of the beats are fun and funky, though I feel that a lot of the melodic parts of the album seem to be in tonal conflict, which maybe was a choice, but doesn’t sound great to my ears. I’d probably give it a 3.5/5, but I’ll round up given this album’s significance and acknowledging the “Seinfeld Isn’t Funny” trope that may be coming into play here. Top tracks: “Doin’ Our Own Dang,” “Acknowledge Your Own History”

3.5/5

Tribe Called Quest/classic hip hop in general has been one of my biggest musical finds from this project, so to hear a group take the ATCQ sound and push it in an entirely different direction was a great surprise today. There’s a heavier preference towards sampling on this LP than other Native Tongue projects, and to hear bits and pieces of the 90s melted down into a rhythmic stew was an absolute delight. Not a lyrics guy so I didn’t listen thoroughly all the way through, but what I did tune in for was a great blend of witty lyricism without the crasser tendencies that tend to drag projects like this down. Hoping there are some more early hip-hop LPs left in the next few months, these always make my day and I’m happy to have stumbled upon the genre here.

Funky stuff, am a fan.

i liked this album! the "daisy age" of early 90s hip-hop was a fun time and i wish we could go back. the samples in this album are on point and i actually recognized a few of them without going to whosampled. good beats and good vibes, what more could you want? favorites: beyond this world, feelin alright, what u waitin 4, good newz comin, doin our own dang

Masterclass in sampling

Wonderful deviation from the gangsta rap of that era.

At the very end of what I'd call the golden era of Old School Rap. Never heard these guys before but the sound is familiar. It has all the good feelings, scratching, beats and samples you expect from 80s rap. Very nice listen! Standouts: Beyond This World, 'U' Make Me Sweat, Beeds on a String, Doin' Our Own Dang, Kool Accordin' '2' a Jungle Brother

As a big fan of Tribe Called Quest, I knew going into this album I would enjoy it. The smooth and easy to listen to lyrics paired with fusions of jazz, spacey synth, African music, and occasionally disco were very enjoyable. The lyrics were creative, easy to follow, and not corny like some other old school records. Overall a big treat, will be listening to this album on repeat for the rest of the day. 8/10

Good messages, good vibes.

Cool! Hadn’t heard before, great beats

I was kind of expecting a version of '3ft high and rising' but this is so much more. I think more listenable. This also sounds a bit more '80's' 😀. Some great rhythms and catchy hooks to latch on to. I think this is a very chilled album and almost gives off good vibes. Good choice for this list.

Reminding me of a tribe called quest

If I like an album I tend to turn it up. This got turned up. Awww yeah

Doin' Our Own Dang - 4/5 its good Brain - 5/5 fucks I'll house you - 3/5 its alright Hi-a Ma - 4/5 good Feelin' Alright - 3/5 its ok

Liked this one a lot, great energy and personslity

Liked, not loved.

daisies > gangstas

7/10. Had high highs, but there were some bits that definitely dragged on towards the middle.

I liked hearing the samples and old school hip hop sensibilities but this album was too long for me to love it. 7/10

Cool album by these guys! They had a huge impact on Hip-Hop for years to come. But it's quite lengthy though 7 out of 10

So I am a big fan of the Native Tongues. Tribe is one of the first rap groups I really loved and I have listened to their albums countless times. De La Soul has been a newer find because their music was not on streaming services but as soon as their catalogue was added their "3 Feet High and Rising", "De La Soul Is Dead" and "Stakes Is High" went into my rotation. I love Monie Love's first album and Queen Latifah's first 3 as well as what I have heard from Black Sheep. And I say all that to say that this album really doesn't hold a candle to the other work from the collective. I feel like it sound so primitive but not necessarily in a good way like Grandmaster Flash, Rakim or Slick Rick. It sound like that stereotypical 80's rapping just elevated a bit. Don't get me wrong I still like the album but compared to those De La Soul albums or any Tribe album or "All Hail The Queen" and "Black Reign", I just think it doesn't hit the mark. I do respect that it was important for the movement and was the collective's breakthrough but I just feel as it was the first one not the best one. It is like George Mikan or Bob Cousy. Sure they were the first to do it but just a couple years later new people came in and elevated what they did to the nth degree. I would bet that if I listened to this before ever hearing Tribe, De La or Queen Latifah I would like it better but having listened to them extensively before Jungle Brothers this does not keep up. Still really good don't get me wrong just not as good as their compatriots albums of the next few years. 8/10

That's about as solid as old-school hiphop gets. It still rocks those old beats and the flows feel outdated to modern listeners but, compare the Jungle Brothers to other old-school crews and you'll find the genesis of modern flow. These lyrics are super clever and the rhyme structures are far more complex then their contemporaries. I really dug it.

Really good and you can hear how it set up the early 90s.

Classic 80’s old school rap. This was very easy to listen to and enjoy for me. It was light, fun, and groovy. Very cool.

The best thing about doing this challenge for me so far (album #103) is how it helped open my ears to hip hop. Me, a white nerd from Eastern Europe. I have never even heard of these guys and yet I'm loving it so much. They're mixing this seemingly typical 80s hip hop with so much styles, like house, jazz, funk and whatnot. And the lyrics give off nothing but positivity. When I listened to it for the first time I caught myself smiling the whole way through. I love how they're touching on subjects that are very typical for hip hop but in a way that seems much more respectful (Black Woman is just beautiful). One last thought - I think Kendrick must have given it a spin or two while working on To Pimp a Butterfly - there's so many references here (I mean the blacker the berry, the cocoon and the butterfly etc are all mentioned directly here). It's 4.5/4

This was good - felt of its time to some extent, but loved the samples and the flows. Surprised I wasn't more familiar with it from back in the day; I didn't recognize any tracks, even "Doin Our Own Dang" despite it having tens of millions of plays on Spotify. Will return to it

The Jungle Brothers’ Done By the Forces of Nature is funky. This classic Hip-Hop album brings in cultural elements of the genre, and predates the gangsta, hardcore rap of the 90’s . However, the songs still slap with great rhymes and flows, just no cusses involved. The Afro influence is also prevalent and awesome, as it adds on to the Jungle Brothers’ unique sound. Highlights include Needs on a String, What “U” Waitin’ For, and Acknowledge Your Own History. All in all, Done By the Forces of Nature is a great album.

Haven’t listened to a ton of early hip hop but I liked it.

Lots of good fun. Classic harmless “went to the hat store” early rap. I really like their sampling game.

What a great surprise! I judged that album cover too quick, this was some good rap. Love it when a late 80s rap album hits just right

Old school cool

Hip hop is one of those genres, like metal or punk, that can come across as abrasive or harsh sometimes, so I never really know what I'm gonna get. I can deal with abrasive, but it isn't usually my go to. I really like smooth, chill hip hop music for sure though, so I was delighted by how laid back this is. Done By The Forces Of Nature really feels like a few good mates feeling out some nice rhymes and sampling some cool beats and just letting it all flow.

Great hip hop album, fresh and inventive, good use of samples and very danceable tunes combined with sharp and humerous lyrics.

Pre 90s hip hop this good is a massive rarity for me. Very tight.

"Done by the Forces of Nature" is the second studio by the American hip hop band Jungle Brothers. The album was produced by Jungle Brothers, mixed by Kool DJ Red and is considered a golden age hip hop classic. It received rave reviews for its Afrocentric themes, clever lyrics, house-influence production and eclectic sampling of jazz, funk, R&B and African music. "Beyond This World" begins with what sounds like a sample of Grandmaster Flash's "White Lines." Hard beats, rhythmic and hypnotic rapping. Instead of fighting, I'm ordering ya to dance. "What U Waitin' 4?" is more dance-oriented. A groove. Scratchin.' Samples in the background. The pace picks even more on "Good Newz Comin.'" Great sampling with Donald Byrd's "Street Lady" and especially the percussion from Osibisa's "Ayiko Bia." "Tribe Vibes" has the groove and again a hypnotic beat. I really got into the Bee Gees' "You Should Be Dancing" sample. Why not? An album highlight is "Doin' Our Own Dang" with guest appearances from De La Soul, Queen Latifah and Q-Tip. Funky. Groovy. Multple rappers. This album has a lot going for it: hypnotic beats and rapping, great placement and selection of samples and the guest appearances. The production was of its 80's time; I don't if gritty is the right word but it wasn't over the top and created a mood. A solid hip hop album from its golden age period.

I really liked it, great vibes overall. As others pointed out, it's great not to only hear about guns and bitches in rap songs. Gets a bit repetitive, but the feats are great, and there are some serious bangers in here.

This album from the golden age of hip hop was fun, socially conscious, and surprisingly optimistic. Though the beats, lyrics, and music were simplistic, they were a perfect example of the time and serve as a time capsule for the very fertile time in hip hop’s history. I was really stuck by the positivity in the Afrocentric lyrics as well.

Lively, smooth, not gangster. I miss hip hop being like this.

Interesting to check out. I knew the name but had never listened. I think I'll always prefer De La, but glad I heard this.

Surprisingly enjoyable, great flow and great backing

Today's listen was a breath of fresh air. Jungle Brothers are a hip hop group from NYC who got their start in the late 80's, and are still making music today, and actively touring. They got their come up alongside other groups such as A Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul. They are said to have greatly influenced the Wu-Tang Clan. The reason today was a breath of fresh air is because this late 80's style of hip hop is clean, and free of the copious amounts of slander that later helpings of the popular genre "gangsta rap" would include. This "hip hop lite" speaks to the strengths of women instead of the mysogenictic views taken by later artists (ex. the song "Black Woman"). Jungle Brothers also speak about avoiding drugs, and turning down pusher men, instead of indulging in copious amounts of chronic and alcohol, like the themes of gangsta rap entail. There is no need for a parental advisory on this record, because it's themes are clean, but it's message is intelligent and strong. They don't need to sing about gun violence and throw the 'N word' around to get their point across. This is the style of hip hop that I really enjoy. Something you can blast in your car at a red light with the windows down without fear of being called a racist or a bigot. Overall, an excellent helping of classic 80's hip hop, and obviously a very influential album. These guys were able to take hip hop, and blend aspects of funk, jazz, and the odd time, disco to it to make a really interesting and memorable sound. I will absolutely listen again in the future. I am really glad I found these guys! Favorite songs: Doin' Our Own Dang, Tribe Vibes, In Dayz "2" Come, Belly Dancin' Dina, "U" Make Me Sweat, Acknowledge Your Own History, What "U" Waitin' "4"?, Beyond this World, Feelin' Alright, Done By the Forces of Nature, J. Beez Comin' Through, Black Woman, Kool Accordin' "2" a Jungle Brother Least favorite songs: Good Newz Comin' 4/5

Enjoyed a lot. Nothing more here

Great album. Can’t believe this was 89. I really feel this was ahead of it’s time. Solid 4. TBz 1. What “U” Waitin’ “4”? 2. Belly Dancin’ Dina 3. Black Woman 4. Good Newz Comin’

Wow, this album is fantastic! So well arranged, composed, sampled, recorded, and performed. They caught my ear from the first track and I was hooked. One of the many things I love about these tracks is they are great they way they are, yet they could be transformed into almost any genre and sound great that way, too. I can hear these performances as straight-up jazz, rock, R&B, acoustic, etc., and still remain very interesting and catchy. I'll have to explore this band's other work. Thanks, 1001 Albums project -- you did it again!

Love the themes, love the direction of musicality, not too fond of the flow.

Wow - classic hiphop, great production, excellent lyrics, feels like it held up.

Hip Hop classic!

Brilliant and underrated native tongues record.

Немного жалко было терять данное направление в хип-хопе, даже если время от времени тексты и мотивы повторяли себя. Тексты здесь, кстати, напоминают творчество living colour и fishbone со своими чувственными и острыми как бритвы социальными комментариями. Конечно, определённые треки знатно выстреливали, так как заметно выделялись, но в целом этот альбом показал мастерство данного трио делать музыку, которая заседает в голове трек за треком (не в плохом смысле!). Очень зажигательный альбом, под который невозможно идеть спокойно. (7.5)

I feel so out of the loop on this genre. I get some of the stuff I read on wiki. What U Waiting For sounds like Brothers Johnson hip hoppin so, yeah, like wiki says, this is hip hop with a funk vibe. I just don’t know how important it was overall. Oh well I should give the odd hip hop rating that’s above 3 so here is a random 4.

I like the Jungle Brothers laid-back delivery, sense of humour and non-hostile approach. The lyrics are often Afro-centric but not angry, accompanied by Bootsy/Clinton inspired funky fat bass lines, especially on tracks like and "U Make me sweet" and “What U waiting 4". Bringing in guest female vocalists was a good idea, either live or sampled. And the hit “Doin our own Dang” is a great feel-good song that puts rap's fun side on display.

The beats are classic; The fusion of personal and collective hits a unique Afro-presentist note. It still sounds relatively fresh.

Had a west coast feel to it, a bit groovy, with some times that felt like block party jamming. Pretty chill for the most part.

Really good

Le côté « danse » de ce style de rap me plaît et m’invite à l’écouter à nouveau, surtout qu’il est reconnu comme un classique du genre.

Good stuff. Easy to see that Snoop and Dre were heavily influenced by this when they made Doggystyle.

Highlights: Belly Dancin' Dina, Tribe Vibes

Funky jazzy hip hop like tribe called quest.

like the vibes, no idea what it is about though.

It's pretty apparent from the sound of this album how it's a bridge from early hip hop to the golden age. Not my favorite from this era, but still pretty good overall.

Conscious/jazz rap is one of my favorite styles of music period, and I worship the first 3 + last Tribe Called Quest albums, so you’d think that I would have spun some Jungle Brothers before. But nope, this is a surprising oversight for me. But hey, this stuff is good! A little primitive compared to The Low End Theory, but I bet that even if I was a metal-blasting teen in the 80’s, I would have bought this with no shame. Will probably play again soon. B

Hip hop with soul. Something that feels pretty rare in modern hip hop records. This is arguably the golden era of hip hop, concious lyrics, nice samples and beats, no gangster bollocks. My kind of hip hop. Really liked "Doing our own thing" and "Feelin alright".

As a die hard Native Tongue fan, I wanted to love Jungle Brothers more than I did. Their follow ups weren't stellar, but this album still has several outstanding tracks: Feelin' Alright, Good Newz Comin' and J. Beez Comin' Through still kick ass. The JB's helped educate me about afrocentrism and were a great answer to anyone in the 80's claiming rap music was all violent and negative. They could spit great rhymes, and made some excellent dance tracks, and their positivity and near-wholesomeness were incredibly endearing.

rap

Lean, driving and understated, with beats intricately and subtly embedded. It’s likable enough and one supports the intellectual content and positive sentiments, but doesn’t engage on or elevate to the same level as Three Feet High and Rising, say. When the palette expands – see “Good Newz Comin’” – it’s more engaging. Still, a strong effort throughout.

This is class. Hip hop without talking about hos or using the n-word or having half the lyrics be explicit.

Solid listen

All around really good

A bit lo-fi at times but a brilliant record all round.

Luke was very excited about me getting this one. I listened to it on a run. It was great! Really enjoyed the funky beats and that they were just telling stories about quite normal things.

Funky fun dance rythems clean rap.

This was a nice throwback to when I was a little kid trying to listen in on my older brother and his friends listening to their cds.

Native Tongues was like a brand back in the day. If you like TCQ, then you'll like Black Sheep and Chi-Ali, both of whom I loved. Didn't get too far into the JayBees tho. Listening to it today it makes me feel a little bit of warm comfort in the simplicity.... but that wears off pretty quickly as it becomes simple and borderline boring. Good to go back in time with this one, but not something I'm going to dig out except for that Doin' Our Own Dang track. That's def going on a forgotten favorites playlist.

My education of real hip hop continues. Gangsta rap is a scam…bitches and hoes…blah blah blah…I bought that shit hook line and sinker for far too long. Done By The Forces Of Nature is entertaining, uplifting, and actually feel like a genuine cultural representation, not some Death Row Records manufactured bullshit.

Love the beats, great lyrics too.

I didn't love this as much as I thought I might. That late 80s early 90s hip hop is one of my favorite styles. But the first half of this album lacked for me. Got real good in the back end though.

Not sure why I hadn’t even heard of this before. Hip hop not my thing but can see why this would make a list like this.

Very reminiscent of Sugarhill gang, heavily influenced the jungle scene of the 90s as well of course. Just missing a stand out banger to make it a 5

This is great. I hadn't listened to much Jungle Brothers apart from singles before and this is as good as every other release from the Native Tongues Collective. Amazing blend of hip hop and early house. More mature than De La Soul and more fun than Tribe Called Quest. I will definitely play this some more

I really enjoyed this. Mostly hyping the African links to Afro-Americans. Big beats. Funky and jazzy. Not aggressive or too braggadocio. Really good fun.

This actually aged really well, especially when compared to similar projects of the era. All hail ATCQ and De La Soul. Best track: Sunshine

Hell yeah. This album is real nice. Crossing my fingers for more hip hop, or really anything besides Britpop lmao

Seems fitting that this came out in 1989 along with the other great hip-hop records from the period. Done by the Forces of Nature showcases the Native Tongues movement at its brightest and ceaselessly innovative, giving us a glimpse of what was to come with hip-hop in the 90s. Favorites: Beyond This World, Feelin' Alright, Sunshine, What U Waitin' 4, U Make Me Sweat, Acknowledge Your Own History, Good Newz Comin', Tribe Vibes, Black Woman, Doin' Our Own Dang.

De los discos que han aparecido del género, creo que este disco es muy superior musicalmente. Me hizo entender también que aunque la música es muy buena, no soporto tanto el rap como yo creía. 3.5 estrellas que subo a 4 pese no tener realmente ganas de volverlo a escuchar completo pero sí agregué 2 canciones a mis favoritas de Spotify. Songs: Beeds on a String, Good Newz Comin'

Bouncy, housey, positive hip hop that's hard not to love. The only issue is that it is a touch too long. It's a symptom of the albums m being so wild and inventive, so it's hard to fault it too much, but if every track was a little shorter, it'd be perfect. As it is, it's merely brilliant!

Awesome album, really enjoy the hip hop and lyrics.

Another nice throw back from my youth, it's amazing to reconnect with albums I'd almost forgotten about

Solid old school hip-hop with a somewhat eclectic array of sounds. Upbeat and enjoyable

11th March 2022 Started on Friday but had to finish on Monday cos we had Jen’s parents staying for the weekend. Kew Gardens and French food. Shame I had to experience it so disjointed, but I like the vibe. 90s hip hop.

Good hiphop album. I have a preference for stuff that came later like Pharcyde, but lot of great samples and beats in there. Nothing stood out in particular though.

Awesome album. Can hear the groove/beats that many of the pillars of hip-hop dance (such as locking and popping) that use music like this.

What a fun album. from start to finish just a feel-good vibe

I don’t know why I wasn’t pumped when I saw this album show up. Listening to it and thinking about the BASIC pop rap out at the time makes my head spin. Such a great group.

True classic hip hop in the vein of Earth, Wind, and Fire or Grandmaster Flash

Never heard of these guys. Being I late teen at tis time I am surprised that I had not. Definitely my style of rap. They not only reference but have a De La Soul quality about them. Love the little infused sound bites and samples they add with a bit of wit and charm. This album is just flat out COOL! Definitely should be a listen.

A real nice oldschool hip-hop record

Really like the mix on this album. Lot's of different styles and samples, positive vibes, and some super corny 80's lyrics. Interesting to speculate on how hip hop would have evolved had something like this became more popular vs. the NWAs and Wu Tangs.

Not my favorite 80s hip-hop (and wouldn't have made my list), but still fun and thoughtful.

An Oreo and a Hydrox. Cheetos in the red bag and Cheetos in the blue bag. Pabst Blue Ribbon and Chimay Trappist Ale. I remember when I was a kid (1960-1970s) and the adults said that my music all sounded the same. And I guess to their uninitiated ears, Black Sabbath really did sound just like Grand Funk Railroad. But of course, you and I both know that those two really don’t sound like each other at all. Nor are they singing about the same things. Jungle Brothers are responding to their experience of being African-American at the end of the 20th century in quite a different way than, say, the infamous gangsta rappers. I think this is at least one of the reasons why some white people continue to purposefully mislabel this entire genre as crap rather than rap. They just don’t know any better, having spent virtually no time with it at all. In this way, rap is no different from country music- they’re both acquired tastes. I found Jungle Brothers to be a refreshing change from the violent, materialistic, misogynistic worldview of the much more publicized rap that white folks see on music videos and hear blaring out of car stereo speakers- that one can be authentically black in America without resorting to violent retaliation or irresponsible fucking or being high all the time. ‘The city’s a jungle,’ the opening track of 'Done By The Forces Of Nature' pronounces, ‘and we are the brothers. This so-called king of the jungle will run for cover. All of your minds have been set into a trance. So instead of fighting out your problems… we order ya’ll to dance!’ Dis it if you want. But have we even/ever given that a genuine try?

This album is so cool and classic. I love the mix between the important and intelligent criticism and clever sense of humor. I really like the cover art. Favourite songs: Acknowledge Your Own History, Good Newz Comin', Beeds on a String.

nichts erwartet, positiv überrascht worden

Sounds both of its era as well as ahead of it's time in some ways. Surprised I had not heard this one before.

Can't believe I've slept on this one all these years! So much forward momentum to the beats. Love the positive vibes.

for cheesy 80s hip hop, not bad!

War für mich eine Offenbarung, damals... Feelin' Alright

Great sound. Ahead of its time

It's been a long time since I've listened to rap in this vein. I really enjoyed this. So much going on and a lot of subtle, clever details. A fun listen.

131225 15:30 3.5

Late 80s/early 90s rap is so distinctive. Great lyrics on this album, really powerful. Classic beats

Я начинаю понимать в хип хоп

Really interesting - sounds like a lot of 90s hip hop

Dig it! Added to my playlist. Immediately grabbed by the heavy beat of Beyond This World, enjoyed the dancing vibe of What 'U' Watin' '4', the great bass of Beeds on a String to the smooth listening of Doin' Our Own Dang. Although I understand how not everyone would be down with the infusion of Scat and Hip Hop as first apparent in the second song 'Feelin' Alright, along with the repetitive mumbo jumbo mix of Good Newz Comin' (reminded me of The Beatles Number 9) and not everyone wants to hear a 'message' and be all political when enjoying music. Can't help to think Arrested Development was influenced by Jungle Brothers, so much so I had to check to see if Speech was a member of Jungle Brothers.

Some of a little dated, most of it seems ahead of it's time though!

Solid album that seems to have inspired many rap artists as a lot of the fabric of this album I’ve heard in albums that came after this one.

Mjög svöl plata. Fer í reglulega hlustun.

Awesome. Similar to Sugar Hill Gang, but better to me. Really enjoyed this one.

Decent classic rap album. Really liked Doin Our Own Dang (most popular track). Lots of tracks had more upbeat melodies instead of darker or more serious tones of modern rap.

The sound of africa, toffe ontdekking waar ik een paar nummers van meepak

Great to listen to on a hot sunny afternoon

Never heard of the Jungle Brothers before and after listening to this I can't figure out why they aren't more well known. This album came out the same year as De La Soul's "3 Feet High and Rising" and is every bit as good. Fun playful lyrics and great jazz-inspired beats throughout the whole album make this a fun and joyful listen. Favorite tracks: Feelin' Alright, Sunshine, Black Woman, Done by the Forces of Nature.

Refreshing to hear a positive and fun outlook throughout a whole album. Never heard of Jungle Brothers before but their style and attitude is infectious. Great album all the way through.

Another excellent hip hop album… nothing groundbreaking but solid as!

Wow this was a really fun listen I can't wait to delve deeper. Super smooth vocals and luscious beats. 4 🌟

9/28 Funky, feel good, conscious rapping, real talented group. Standout Tracks: Feelin' Alright, Sunshine, Acknowledge Your Own History, Good Newz Comin', Done By The Forces Of Nature, Doin' Our Own Dang

Probably 3.5 stars. I enjoyed the album a lot for never hearing of the artist before. Unfortunately most of the lyrics are forgettable over basic beats. Good for 80's rap I guess

4.1 - It's got that 125th and Lenox vibe - I'd hear these jams pumping from the street vendors selling bean pies, ginger juice, bootleg recordings of Malcolm X and tapestries adorned with the likeness of Haile Selassie. Uplifting, funky conscious rap that manages to not descend into the preachy and political. I appreciate the tribute to the "Black Woman", nice to hear a shout out to the sistuhs. These are non-stop bops underpinned by hard beats from the old school, and cool samples from jazz, African, R&B, funk. Really, what's not to like?

Very good golden age hip hop. I never really gave them much time before but should listen more.

Exactly why I am taking this daily journey! Never heard of them before or any of their songs. Loved it! Success!

i also like this

Some elements were typically sounding early hip-hop, but incorporation of different instrumentation (jazz, tribal) made it stand out.

Solid 80s Hip Hop

Miks između De La Soula i ATCQ Razigran album, ritmičan, sa dost dobrih stvari. Moooožda je mal dug za koju pjesmu, al to je većina kod tih rep/hip hop albuma, kriptonit njihov. Sve u svemu, dost dobar album, jeben vibe, baš se potrefilo dva slična albuma na random od 1001 albuma zaredom. Feelin' Alright kako pjesma nalaže. 3.8/5

This was new for me and really enjoyed!

Pretty good old school hip hop

In the tradition of De La Soul and Tribe called quest this is classic old school hip hop, rooted in jazz break beats and R&B samples. It also has a few songs which are more funk inflected and almost reach the G-Funk sound. At the end of the album it’s got a meandering tone, lots of sample/break medleys, that is awesome—very loose, as opposed to song, song song. The break in “Doin our own dang” is dope, I could listen to it on repeat for hours. I know the jungle Brothers but never heard this album in full, loved it.

New one for me, liked this alot.

Alkuun ihmettelin, miten juuri tämä levy perustelee paikkansa 1001 levyn joukossa. Ehkä juuri siksi, ettei ole puhdas hipitihopräpäytys-levy, vaan levylle on koottu makumaailmaa muista tyyleistä. Hauskoja jazz-tyylisiä ja funkahtaviakin beatteja ja rytmejä. Vastapainona jossain What "U" Waitin' "4"? 'ssa on yksinkertaisuudessaan ihan maaginen ja tarttuva bassokuvio ja esimerkiksi Good Newz Comin' biisissä lisävärinä vikkelät bongorummuttelut ja Tribe Vibesissa torvet. Vähän kun maiskuttelin enemmän tätä levyä, niin on jeppis ja rento meno. Pyöristin melkein jo syöttämäni kolkin lopulta ylöspäin, vaikka ehkä turhan venytetty levy nelkulle. Toisaalta, levy soimaan kesällä korvanappeihin, kun fillaroi pitkin merenrantaa, niin voisi paukkua vitosetkin.

I think this album got better towards the end Generally, I liked the album but I didn't find it consistently musically interesting enough to love it. The lyrics were good especially on songs like Acknowledge Your Own History, but I didn't like the musical aspect of it a lot. I really like the synth lead on Belly Dancin' Dina but the lyrics on that track aren't as good. Some lines like "I like to have fun by the ton" from (Done by the Forces of Nature) sound like Dr. Seuss which is not exactly the best. My favorite part of the album was probably the social commentary. Songs like Black Woman sound pretty modern which is not the case with some songs from the 80s and 90s about women (looking at you Jeru The Damaja...). Overall, I think the album gets better and more consistent towards the end. Favorite songs: Feelin' Alright, What "U" Waitin' "4"?, Good Newz Comin', Beeds On a String, J. Beez Comin' Through, Black Woman, In Dayz "2" Come, Doin Our Own Dang Decent 7/10

Hip Hop, 80-90s d'arrel.

I'm going to give this album another listen because after one I think this may be something on the level of Tribe Called Quest. There were a few duds but almost all of the songs hit in some way for me. The lyrics were fantastic, the beats were those great late 80's early 90's, and I loved all the track titles with the "2" or "U" in quotes. This is also a phenomenal album cover. Favs were Feelin' Alright and Acknowledge Your Own History. These are the albums I hope to see on this list.

A bit repetitive, but a vibe.

cool record, it sounds limited in its production but it slaps

Pretty catchy

No way! Easily the least appreciated group in the Native Tongues collective, alongside Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul. Very groovy, dance-y beats that sound a tad more dated than Tribe, but can you blame them? This was released in '89, I would've guessed mid-'90s! The rapping is great of course, but if we're going to compare to Tribe, they don't quite have the banter or charisma that elevated Q-Tip and Phife to legendary status. That perhaps explains why they aren't as well-known, but this is still a fantastic, really enjoyable album. Conscious, Afrocentric lyricism over some of the best jazz beats the era had to offer. I especially liked hearing the sample on "Beeds on a String" of one of the tracks Kanye sampled on "Fade" in 2016. The phrase "underrated classic" appears in the wikipedia page, and I think it's an apt descriptor. Favorite tracks: Tribe Vibes, Feelin' Alright, Doin' Our Own Dang, Black Woman, Beeds on a String. Album art: LOVE this one. Fantastic colors, great artistry. The kind of cover I like to get lost in looking for all the little details. 4.5/5

funky

Funky fresh.

Probably won't ever go back to it, but I did enjoy giving it a listen

This album is kinda cheesy now- reminds me of when people had 80s street dance offs with cardboard on the ground. But there is some important black culture here and I did enjoy hearing it. I can see Will Smith borrowed heavily from them too

Great album. In a time when "gangsta" rap was coming about, the jungle brothers (along with other artists in their Native Tongues collective) were rapping about their environment and spreading knowledge to empower people(wanting to spread good vibes). As far as MCs go their lyrics are among the top and their beats aren't stuck in one genre, sampling from so many influences, giving them a unique sound. They continue to impress with each bar spitting poetry instead of memes(or relying on current references to keep their music relevant, which is why they will remain timeless)

Really solid beats

So much of the basis apparent of the first hip hop I really fell in love with, De La Soul and Tribe Called Quest.

solid outing, if overshadowed by their better known work fav track: doin' our own dang

pretty high quality hip hop

Now, THIS is the 90's hip-hop I adore!

Classic hip hop beats

n_nagri , i really likes some songs

This is dope. The early days of hip hop & sampling. 3.5

Good 80's rap. Easy to listen to, good beats all through.

7/10 F.T.:Doin our own Dang

Never heard of it before, my history with 80s/90s hip hop has been limited to just occasional Tribe Called Quest or The Roots. On research after listening, you can really hear how this was the foundation of those later acts. Rapid fire, bouncy hooks and social awareness. I dig it.

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.

It was OK hippity hoppity

Mostly I enjoyed this, good beats, a bit Fresh Prince of Bel Air ish.

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

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.

Kul med lite mer positiv hip hop, men med några undantag så var beatsen lite enformiga och ospännande.

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.

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

Done before. Dated. Still good though.

Totally solid hip hop album 3.3/5

solid 3.5

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

"Now I'm all junglistcally horny"

Not bad.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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

Not available on Spotify will review we it is or I find a fisicly copy

7.5 / 10

Still rocking that 80’s sound

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

I just don’t love hip hop

On youtube

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

Good Newz Comin' is fun. As far as rap goes, this album is pretty good. Some good samples here and there too.

An album I used to own, pre gansta rap, pretty standard unchallenging but enjoyable.