Reviews (page 4 of 7)
Estuvo bueno. Muy underground, se nota que genera muchísima influencia.
Maybe the best "golden age" rap album I've heard yet.
Cool og festligt nok, men ikke lige noget for mig.
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.
Sorta Tribe Called Quest at home innit? Rudeness aside, I thought this was alright
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
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
Super typical early hip hop. Fun. Probably influential. An absolute shadow of what would come later on.
Mid Album. songs all sound very similar
spotify didn’t have it ://
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.
DAMN!
Nice background music if not samey . 2.5
Well, I didn't hate it. That is quite a lot considering I'm not into the genre. 5/10
Pretty solid, but didn't stand out from other hip hop/rap from that period.
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
it is okay
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
This is like if A Tribe Called Quest wasn’t as good. It’s not bad, but if rather just listen to them.
Like it 3/5
Never heard of this before, decent rap album. Might like it more on a relisten
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 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?
Not great not awful - easily forgettable
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
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
I kinda like this.
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.
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
Was not on Spotify :(
I really wanted the song I’ll house you to be on here. That said it was very fun eecoed
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.
Pretty cool. Great flows, decent production, yeah, I like it.
Closer to the kind of hip hop that I like. More jazz influenced in its sampling and gives me a de la soul or tribe called quest vibe. Lyrical content is nether as catchy or memorable in its delivery compared to some of its peers though.
Couldn't stream this one but I remember it being worth more than one listen
Not on Spotify but not bad
Early hip hop, not my thing, not terrible I guess
This is like when you get into the school music room and discover the preloaded samples that are loaded into the electric keyboard.
Not bad, just can’t think of a lot to say about it
the cover art is fun
Another classic from before hip hop became dominant by misogyny and homophobia.
This is a good, solid album. It got better towards the end but not a huge amount stood out to me. Very decent, won't be on rotation
6.0/10
It's nice to hear hip-hop that isn't gangsta rap
Would definitely enjoy a house party with this soundtrack
This album is not on Spotify sadly, but I listened to their other one of the same era
the start was slightly better than the end but overall ok
Fun and easy to listen to.
Surprised me! Didnt think this was hiphop but its very cool! Tribe called quest vibes!
Good but HAS to be docked a point for inaccessibility. Can’t make me listen on YouTube in 2026
Never heard of this group and was hard to find but I enjoyed
golden age bouncy samples are fun but dated, kind of 90s NYC club dance sound. rapping is more chanty and sing-songy than modern flows. Contrasting to the emerging gangsta rap as a view of where the genre could have forked. not on spotify - had to use youtube
Pretty fun, nice to have some hiphop before it was soiled by so much gangster rap. I don't think it'd get another spin from me, but enjoyed the listen
Chill old school hip hop with some notable features. I wish the tracks were on the whole a bit shorter, as they often overstayed their welcome.
Classic old school rap. Very groovy. Fav song is ‘Belly Dancin Dina’.
Another hip hop album that doesn’t suck, because it’s rooted in good grooves and groovy samples, sprinkled with good, if not always discernible, lyrics.
Expanded on ideas briefly here and there, but then went back to being just an average hip hop album. Lyrics were pretty wholesome though
There is def a time and a place when I’d put this on
Not a bad album, for sure, just doesn't shine as brightly among its peers.
Good shit.
This era of hiphop feels kinda boring. I know it's earlier and influenced a ton, but it mostly drifted by and nothing stuck. It has a good flow and sound. Not bad but what some bands took this and grew into add so much.
Some interesting sampling and lyrics safe to play for all ages. It is just kind of dull. The mixing is muddy. Quantity over quality. The ingredients are all here, the baking is just a little off. Amazing album art.
Jungle Brothers – Done By the Forces of Nature Done By the Forces of Nature is a solid historical document that unfortunately feels more like a "blueprint" than a finished masterpiece. While it successfully "sets the stage" for the funky, jazz-influenced boom-bap that would define the 90s, the execution falls short of the "immaculate" energy found in later LPs by the Native Tongues collective. Aside from the high-energy vocal chemistry on "Doin' Our Own Dang," much of the record feels like a work-in-progress—an experimental stage where the group was still refining their sound. It’s an interesting look at the "roots" of conscious hip-hop, but compared to the "on Mars" production of the LPs that came after, it leaves a clear "room for improvement." A decent 3/5 that values history over the actual listening experience.
it’s “unnecessary hip hop album” time. also it’s a bit too bland. 3/5
I like some of these folks a lot! De La Soul, KRS-One, Monie Love! And I appreciated the happy vibes of the time, pre-gangsta. But it does get a bit redundant. Even with the different voices throughout, I find the beats and music to be much too same-y throughout. I wouldn't have this on repeat. (Somebody on here sounds like Speech from Arrested Development, but I can't find any connection. Wonder who that is?) Giving it a 3. It's fine, but not particularly memorable. I realize I'm looking backwards, having heard a bunch of folks that took this sound and made it better, maybe. But while I think it's OK, I don't imagine I'll come back to listen to this album again.
Had to go to Youtube. Was not worth it. I am giving it a 3 because I think I would have given it a 3 if it wasn't a pain in the ass.
Old school lyrically.
For being an 80s Rap album I really thought this project would play more into the tropes of the genre around that time, but this is a surprisingly Jazz-y and sample filled album that I thought felt like a pretty on-par De La Soul copy. Done by the Forces of Nature is lyrically dense and quite catchy all things considered, but again I would take De La Soul over this any day of the week. I feel this album's biggest problem is being able to keep its' momentum, it really struggles to hand its' 1 hour runtime effectively without feeling weak especially in the middle section. Again I'd much rather here De La Soul than whatever Jungle Brothers are doing here but I will say there are some notable beats that make this stand out on its' own. It isn't one of the greatest Hip Hop albums of all time, but it is a surprisingly well aged project that just has a bit of pacing and consistency problems that hold it back from being more memorable. Nuff said.
I didn't hate it, just didn't feel standout enough
3,3 - Das Album ist einfach ein Vibe. Kein Song hat mich nachhaltig beeindruckt, aber insgesamt echt gut anzuhören. Highlights: What "U" Waitin' "4"?, Feeling Alright, Doin' Our Own Dang 3,0 - Das war jetzt das erste Album aus dem Wu Tang-Kosmos, das mir wirklich gefallen hat. Es ist immer noch nicht mein Genre, aber kann man sich gut anhören. Highlights: Criminology, Rainy Days
It is very much a product of its time and for me it doesn’t hold up well.
3.4 Some of the old school hip hop sounds the same to me but the beats/tracks seemed to have a lot of variety. Something I will check out again and see if I can latch on to some lyrics
Good News Coming was a stand out. Otherwise this was a solid hip hop album to put on at the start of a work day. I like the collab style and the beats are very good, but not great.
Had its moments but overall was a nothingburger to me. Meh 3.
The hip house sound is still cool even though (and maybe even because) it's dated
Ovo je onaj tipični meni draži opuštajući hip hop što dosadi ali ne iziritira kao neki drugi tipovi.
De beats zijn F U N K Y zeg, holy shit. Maar dit is wel echt taaie early early rap. Gewoon nog heel erg de hippity hoppity hop over boogy woogy enzo. Er zitten wel wat sterkere tracks tussen maar dit voelt nog als een beetje Pre De La qua bars enzo. Oh nee, bars als op Acknowledge your history zijn zeker politiek, maar dan het contrast met de beats, jup dat is early early hiphop alright. Meteen mn issue hiermee; er is zoveel hiphop die beetje hetzelfde klinkt, De La, Jungle Brothers en nog een aantal gebruikten bijna allemaal dezelfde flow en de beats. Dat vind ik nice, maar een uur lang album? pfoeeeei Geen slecht album hoor, dit, maar dit is voor mij wel echt hiphop die is ingehaald door de tijd. Het is wel heel vet dat hier nauwelijks in word gescholden en het is natuurlijk in die tijd sensationeel omdat het zo anders is dan de gangsta rap van NWA enzo. FAVO: What u waitin 4?, Good Newz Comin, Doin our own dang
I appreciate that it laid part of the foundation for what hip hop would become. Parts of it are cool, other parts not so much. I wonder if they left 20 minutes of tracks on the cutting room floor if it would have been better.
Some nice beats, not as hip-hoppy as I expected, but I'm not familiar with the evolution of the genre.
This pretty much had the same beat throughout the whole album. Nevertheless it was kind of enjoyable
This album clearly comes from an important moment in hip-hop’s evolution, and it sounds familiar for a reason. The funkier, jazz-leaning grooves and Afrocentric vibe laid groundwork that a lot of later artists refined and popularized. Listening now, it’s easy to hear how influential it was, especially within the Native Tongues orbit. At the same time, that familiarity works against it a bit. Decades later, the formulas are well worn, and while the album is enjoyable, it doesn’t consistently grab me. There’s a sense that with repeated listens a standout track might eventually reveal itself, but halfway through I wasn’t fully hooked or compelled to keep digging. I like the sound and appreciate what it represents, but it lands more as a respectful listen than a magnetic one. Glad to have heard it, but it doesn’t feel essential to return to. A solid three stars.
Fresh!
Litt mykje tidleg hiphop no
Yeah Jungle Brothers Yeah
Veldig mye nice production, elsker hvor lavt kicken og bassen ligger i mixen gjennom hele skiva. Dessverre blir det litt monotont i lengden når de bruker det samme trikset på hver eneste låt av de 16 låtene. Synes heller ikke de er like gode på å skrive låter som å produsere, og det mangler ofte litt edge. 3 Feet High and Rising kom ut samme år og er vesentlig freshere enn dette -- skits til tross.
Boom bap album nothing crazy
Good. Not really my style, but clearly foundational to a lot of music that I do really like
Jungle boys is the new group name after the move Tri taught at Wednesday 6am class
Positive, funky, dancey Afrocentric rap. Descriptions of the album mention the house music influence which I hear in some acid basslines, which I think is cool. I don’t have any context or point of reference for this, so it’s interesting to read people’s reviews of this who understand it better, and note how this was a contrast to the gangsta rap that later became a dominant form in rap music. I find the album overly long, but it’s a good listen and something I don’t think I would have come across on my own.
I thought this one was fun but maybe a bit repetitive for me. I enjoyed some of the tracks but found it went on a bit long and a few of the songs were too similar. I liked the sampling and the beats. Fav song: Good Newz Comin’ Least fav: J. Beez Comin’ Through
Didn’t manage the full album but from what I heard it was the type of groovy beat-driven hip hop that De La Soul used to do. Clear vocals, hip, but not especially deep. I can listen to this sort of stuff quite happily.
Fora Old school album
I'm no rap expert and was not aware of these guys before this album was offered up as per ze challenge. One wonders if it was popular, if it twas influential. I can't tell. In could research, but ain't nobody got time fo that. What is obvious is that it's less violent, less visceral than most of the rap I know. Less about the ho, the guns, the money, the streets. More about some other shit, I wasn't paying full attention as I listened in the midst of an encroaching sickness. But to these ears it felt low on samples, drum heavy, low on instrumentation. Still fun in places, still got my feverish head nodding, then regretting such rhythmic movement.
I was ready to give this a review yesterday, when I realized I listened to the wrong album. That album was cheesy LOL funny, antiquated rap. This album is better than that one, still antiquated rap but still good. Listening to older rap album feels like watching 70s NBA basketball with short shorts & you see a guy with dorky glasses shooting Free-throws Granny style. It's dorky, it works & is effective but still awkward. This is the awkward teenage years of rap. I dug this. Good message, pg-13 rap & good use of samples. Good legendary guest stars as well.
Good old school East Coast hip hop. Had a good time reading up about them and the Native Tongues collective.
Lots of hip hop on 1001 so far. This felt like entry level, with a melodic background. Enjoyed it.
I've enjoyed the introduction to rap that 1001 is giving me. But this album isn't working for me. Not offensive, but not engaging either.
Mid old-school rap.
Jungle Brothers never being as popular or recognized as A Tribe Called Quest or De La Soul is criminal. A perfect showcase of what some parts of rap were going to at in the years that followed
2.5
Day 83 Could definitely see me middle aged white man dancing to this at a festival whilst people I’m with slowly move away pretending they don’t know me. 6/10 Highlights Sunshine Belly Dancing Dina
Did this entire genre get killed by Will Smith? I quite enjoyed it but every track just sounds a little like Gettin Jiggy Wit It
the beginning of hiphop, it captures an era.
Not a huge fan of old school hip hop musically, but lyrically very important and robust. 3/5
Gøyal hip hop, litt slitsomt til tider.
#745. I did with this album what I do with all of them I have to look up on YouTube, I half assed it. I skimmed through a few songs, it seemed fine to me I guess. 3/5: acceptable
Graced with artwork that would appear in a hastily tagged mural or on a tapestry stuck in a window, I completely approve. Airbrush this on a windbreaker and then give me said windbreaker. Somebody needs to have the coolest jacket in Baie-Comeau. Pipe dreams. The band that gets frequently shouted out on A Tribe Called Quest releases makes an appearance of their own. Will the influence hold a candle to the influence-ee? Beyond This World - We’re getting some 1989 riggity rappin’ here. Rhyming about positivity and also forcing rhymes. Not my favourite, but the beat is very very fun. Feelin’ Alright - This is pretty weird. Are we doing vocal jazz?? Surprisingly, that’s actually kinda alright. Sunshine - We’ve got some lyrics about rain going away and some huffing and puffing. Hmm. Uhh well. Did I mention I think the album cover is fun?? What “U” Waitin’ “4” - The driving bass here is pretty good and I appreciate the direction of butt shaking with the reminder to not break one’s back. An oft forgotten step. This is a very fun track. I mean it’s not very good, from a technical perspective, but it’s clearly very fun. Aside from the extended moaning. We probably could’ve done without that looped in my ear. “U” Make Me Sweat - The letter “U” also makes me incredibly uncomfortable. Oh God I used it AAAHHH NOOO NOT AGAIN. Fortunately I can focus on this incredibly funky beat. Even if funky contains the letter U. Try not to use vowels challenge: Difficult. God this thing rules. It’s so infectious. Acknowledge Your Own History - That’s a left turn. “Hey guys, now that we’ve torn the house down with a Parliament style funk banger, let’s delve into the complexities of history and how the western recording of said history is often inaccurate or dismissive or reductive of other races.” I’m here for it. Belly Dancin’ Dina - This beat is fantastic, but the 19 bars about having an erection at a “Belly Dancin’” bar looking at “her jelly-like belly” isn’t a good look. Hey, I’m laughing. That’s something. Good Newz Comin’ - You’re watchin’ The 6 o’clock newz. Here is your anchor, Big Hoss Cherubio. Good evening, I’m Big Hoss Cherubio. In fat guy newz, the rare species of rhinoceros from which McRib is made has been found extinct. I would’ve ensured that all of you were sitting down as I read that newz, but I feel that’s a safe bet. That’s all the time I have, as I am late for my other job at the butterfly slaughterhouse. Good night and good newz. Done by the Forces of Nature - Hey, we’ve got a bass heavy beat WITH flute? That’s pretty sick. Mostly horrible lyrics (records spun, I like to have fun by the ton) interrupted by an almost terminally lucid takedown of the mega rich only to return to 80’s word association rhymes. Beeds on a String - Uh oh. We’re getting into the long winded territory. This puppy is clocking in at 60 minutes. I mean, how else would we experience an 80’s rap record unless we listen to rhymes like “fun in the sun and I’m eating a bun, that’s a hamburger, I’m ready for a merger” for an hour? Tribe Vibes - Called Quest? This is a good one. That scream in the middle? Very good. The obligatory shout out track. J. Beez Comin’ Through - Excuse me, are you Jimmy Beez? Can I have your autograph? Im a big fan of your work. Yeah somebody has to yell at pigeons in the Bowery. Ohhhh it’s not about legendary hobo Jimmy Beez. It’s a long form way of saying “JB’s.” Black Woman - Sweet like sugar, hot like wine. Guys. We need to be a little less horny on this thing. Of course, respecting women? Lovely. They need it. This track arguably disrespects women and music because this thing is CORNY. And like “her breasts provide nutrition for growth” which don’t rhyme with anything. What is this? Women - great. Song - Dreadful. In Dayz “2” Come - I enjoy the quotation marks. They really acknowledge the wacky, zany spelling of rap records. Doin’ Our Own Dang - What the hell does this mean? Don’t say “Fat funky fruit with a whole lotta tang.” I rag on these guys, but hey, this is a really fun track with some excellent features. Kool Accordin’ “2” a Jungle Brother - Kool Accordion. Rap from this time ranges from incredibly annoying, to quaint, all the way to revolutionary. This album takes in all of that territory and more. We could’ve used some editing here, but we weren’t so lucky, and we ended up with cuts like “Belly Dancin’ Dina” and “Sunshine.” The good moments were incredibly fun and thought provoking. I can see why these guys carved out a place amongst the New York Hip Hop pioneers in this era, and I appreciate the effort. Enjoyable record. Not perfect, but hey, is any of one of you or any of us really?? Now think on thinking on it that or what have you. I have to go. I believe I may have contracted some sort of brain amoeba. 2.5-3 HIGHLIGHTS: “U” Make Me Sweat, Acknowledge Your Own History, Tribe Vibes, Doin’ Our Own Dang
ok
Storytelling, eclectic sampling and super-buoyant vibes. Songs like “Sunshine”, “Acknowledge your own history” and “Good Newz Comin’” manage to align mind, body and soul in a righteous bop. Doses of daisy age (“da inner sound, y’all”, according to research) rap that unfailingly puts a smile on my face.
1. Beyond This World - 10 Brilliant hip-hop. Absolutely wicked beat with amazingly well paced lyrics. The switching between the brothers and how they're queued up to enter the track is superb. 2. Feelin' Alright - 5 The rap is good but the "doo doo doo" part I could do without and there's way too much of it on the track. Beat is solid. 3. Sunshine - 7 Decent rap. Not as superb as Beyond This World but it's without the "doo doo doo" part from Feelin' Alright. Sometimes the rap feels a little lyrically forced though. 4. What "U" Waitin' 4 - 8 Great beat and pace. Lyrics are very enjoyable as well. Solid track. 5. "U" Make Me Sweat - 5 Beat is great but I'm not a fan of the lyrics. It's an okay track. 6. Acknowledge Your Own History - 6 The rap is very good as is the supporting singer in the bridge. The beat is okay. Overall musically it could be better but it's a solid track nonetheless. 7. Belly Dancin' Dina - 4 It's not great. The rap just feels lyrically the weakest thing so far. 8. Good Newz Comin' - 4 Purely instrumental. It's okay. 9. Done by the Forces of Nature - 7 Good rap with some lyrics that are incredible at times. It mellows out a bit in the second half of the track. 10. Beads on a String - 7 Another solid rap with a decent beat. 11. Tribe Vibes - 6 Good track with a solid vibe. It's not 100% stood the test of time with the way it sounds but it's still enjoyable. 12. J.Beez Comin' Through - 4 The rap is good but it's nothing fantastic. Definitely no where close to the best thing on the album. 13. Black Woman - 4 The rap starts out strong but the entire last minute to two are not anything great. A pass over track. 14. In Dayz "2" Come - 7 Solid rap with some strong lyrics and a good beat. 15. Doin' Our Own Dang - 9 Very fun track with a great sound. Really solid lyrics and a just overally an amazing track to dance to. 16. Kool Accordin' "2" a Jungle Brother - 2 Pointless track to end the album. Average Rating: 5.94 Adjusted to 5-Point Scale: 2.97 Rounded Up: 3 Stars
Enjoyable to listen to but would not reach for again
Decent hip hop
my rhyme attack is a magic attack
Smooth, lush beats that sound ahead of their time, with elements of funk, jazz, and house. The album just slides from one song to the next. The rapping is more obviously from the 80's. The rhymes are good, but pretty much every song has the same flow. That, combined with the similar beats, means the album kind of stays in the same lane for an hour without a whole lot of memorable songs. The one with De La Soul, Tribe, and Queen Latifah is quite good, and the Afrocentric lyrics on a few other tracks show this is a smart, fun album. But because it's so laid back it can be hard to engage with it. Good for a few songs, less good as a 60 minute album.
Not on Spotify
solid album in the same vein as a tribe called quest and de la soul. i think this one is probably a step down from those, but i really do like this era of hip hop and its beats and samples. it's a fun and engaging listen, i just wish i liked most of the songs better.
Really cool stuff! Good beats, good flow, just all-around a good example of East Coast hip hop.
Not something I’d listen to again, but it wasn’t bad! Some good vibes overall. They sounded like they had fun making it.
Walked so tribe could run
Unavoidable
Not a huge fan of the more conversational style. 3.
I’m sure this album is great but I was sadly unable to access it on Spotify, YouTube, or Apple Music :( Bummer.
3.5 stars. Vibe-y African influenced late 80's hip-hop. More musically-focused than the gangster rap albums by various artists that followed in the 90's. Standout is "Doin' Our Own Dang".
The Jungle Brothers, and their Native Tongues friends A Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul lead a movement of Afro centric hip hop that glistened like a precious metal during raps golden era.
Wasn’t available in any streaming service
I was really excited to get the Jungle Brothers today. Somehow, I'd never heard of these guys before, but I was a bit disappointed by this album. It's not bad, and it's refreshing to have wholesome lyrics with positive messages. To be honest, though, it's kind of boring. There's no single track that really stands out musically, and the group's lyrical delivery has one foot planted firmly in influence by The Sugarhill Gang. I didn't hate it, but I see no reason to revisit it ever again. 3 very plain, beige stars.
I could not find this record on my streaming service
80/1001 :: Jungle Brothers - Done By The Forces of Nature Heard before? ❌ Would I revisit? ❌ Rating: 6 Listen before you die: No In 1989 I probably would have thought this was awesome. I know I had Jungle Boys on mix tapes and had def seen their video on Yo Mtv Raps so I was def a fan. But I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again; most Hip Hop in general doesn’t age well. Production here is great and lyrics are good, but honestly it feels dated. Also didn’t help that it’s not on streaming so I had to listen via Youtube. So yeah, influential yes, must listen? I don’t think so…
ok
Much like other hip from this era, you can tell it hasn't gotten to have aged well, if that makes sense. Sure, this was good for it's era but I wouldn't say it wow'd me. 6/10.
Decent. Production isn't stand out and is a bit dated in places, but could be a grower. Will say I had the title track from Straight Out of the Jungle right after on shuffle, that was really good and better than anything here.
Ok, but not spectacular.
Good
Doesn’t elicit strong feelings either way. It’s ok with a few nice tracks.
Quite enjoyed this one. I wish it was easier to access because I’d be more inclined to do repeat listen if my main source wasn’t YouTube. I thought the use of samples was good and clever, and the production was solid too. Wish I could give this a 3.5, but I’m rounding down. Really solid album, though, top to bottom.
this is without a doubt a very goofy album, with to very destinct "vibe" of songs through out the album. Some i find playlist worthy like done by the forces of nature with a very catchy beat soothing lyrics with a pretty good flow which i think fits very well with the other songs i listend. on the other hand though we have songs like good newz comin' which come right before done by the forced of nature with the most wacky beat i have heard so far and a total of 4 lines of lyrics that are pretty much just adlibs. this gives an insane amount of whiplash as this happens multiplke times overall i do like the album best song: done by the forces of nature worst song: belly dancin' dina
This album was unavailable on Apple Music so I’ll have to figure out some other way to access this later cuz I’m too lazy to figure this out rn. Silly stupid Apple Music.
3.3
An okay album, I liked What "U" Waitin' "4" the most.
This is a pretty good hip hop album, considering it was released in 1989.
Yeah this was better than I expected because I've never heard of the artist. Some toe tappers but probably wouldn't listen to it on a regular cadence.
Bit run of the mill, messaging more lighthearted that previous outings to the genre, but hey, nothing wrong with some fun beats for the car. This feels very 90s to me so I guess it was ahead of its time.
I have never heard of this group but I really like this album. This is the style and rhythm of hip hop that I grew up with and appreciate. For an album described as so influential, it is interesting that it is not on Spotify.
Good old school hip hop. Was grooving to most of the tracks.
I’m not sure if I missed something here, but this felt as typical as possible for 80s hip hop. Not to say that it was bad, as I still enjoyed listening, but there was certainly no “wow” moment, or anything that got me very invested. It felt like the Sugerhill Gang, but slightly less interesting. But, to clarify, I certainly wouldn’t say it’s a bad album. It’s a perfect 5 out of 10.
zwei bis drei
I’m starting to come to the realization that I think the rise of gangsta rap was the worst thing to happen to hip-hop, since it practically put an end to the era of hip-hop that focused on being jazzy and groovy. I have never heard of these guys at all and this album isn’t even on Spotify or Apple. As I started to go through this album, I felt the familiar vibes that I felt from something like De La Soul. That smooth style with a hint of social commentary and respect for ancestral roots. It was genuinely a nice surprise. However, the album got a little corny, I guess that’s the word, as it went on. It leaned a little too much into the Jesus stuff. Also, it was a little too long. By the seconds half, I was tired of it. Overall, this was pretty good. Would have never found it without this list. Favorite track: U Make Me Sweat Other hits: Beyond This World, What U Waitin’ 4, Feelin’ Alright, Tribe Vibes, Sunshine, Done By The Forces Of Nature
I enjoyed the lyrics, but there’s something about the production on this album that’s really weird. It’s mostly treble and the bass isn’t bass it’s more just mid range. Feel like this one is ripe for a remaster to broaden the dynamic range.
Now that's my kinda hip hop.
Not the worst thing I've heard.
old school hip hop. while a fun listen, much of it sounds extremely dated.
I wanted to like it more than I did. Great job sampling. I love the jazz used in it. I will try to listen to it again.
Fun listen. Not familiar with this one. Did not know what to expect. Found this quite enjoyable.
Cool production and vibe, dated well.
Conscious hip hop but I have heard this album before but better by a tribe called quest
African-centric old school hip hop that's interesting enough, but not for the full hour of runtime. The tracks really do sound a lot like each other.
First listen
Not bad, just not really into it. Like all the recognizable 70's samples though.
Mögulega mikilvæg plata en náði mér ekki alveg. Samt fín beat og ekkert gangsta bull.
Very 80s sounding early hip hop.
One hopes De la Soul and A Tribe Called Quest are on this list representing the Daisy Age, so I'm not sure this smart but monotonous excursion by fellow travelers is that necessary. I had this tape, but don't remember any of this except for "U Make Me Sweat" where he goes 'Diane DIANE?" Great cover art!
Not available on spotify currently. So I listened to their debut, and it was cool. Some Q-Tip Production and feature on 2 songs. A bit dated in sound for sure, kinda low budget and lofi even when compared to landmark hip hop albums that came out around the time.
Hand up, I couldn't find this on Spotify so I just listened to their other album, "Straight Out the Jungle instead" which was pretty okay 5/10
3.5
i have no idea who these guys are. the album isn't listed on Spotify. and for 1989, its kinda surprising this isn't more wildly talked about. is it raw by today's standards, no not really. but at this time hip hop was evolving quickly, so this has a place in that creation. the rap group image was setup by De La Soul and Tribe and continued to grow more dynamic into the next decade. topics became more relevant to a culture rather than being the most popular. I personally like that I've never heard of these guys, but it would be hard for a younger me to be able to see its historical context among current rappers. Souls of Mischief and The Pharcyde are up there as personal favorites, and while I feel this fits in pret well, I don't have that connection. Sunshine reminds me of D.O.C. def a 3/5 for the suggestion. there was more black identity politics in rap back then, like Public Enemy, and Acknowledge Your Own History is a great example of that and prob why its on this list. the sampling goin on in a lot of these tracks is ahead of its time. lots of content here. its consistent throughout to the end, but its crazy to see how many styles for a NYC group are being displayed, a couple of songs have that west coast feel to it, even though it was brand new. Good Newz Comin' is great, as well as the title track. i can appreciate all the effort that went into this to shape the course rap.
This was a refreshing and pleasant listen. I wasn't familiar with the Jungle Brothers at all, but you can definitely tell that they likely inspired groups like De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest. Good beats, great samples, with lyrics and a message I could actually understand.
Pretty good hip-hop album. I dig that De La Soul vibe that's underneath this.
3.5
I’m glad i listened to this one as it’s probably important. I heard De La and Tribe called quest mentioned so many times I was just wishing i was listening to them instead. Qtip came on on one song too that was cool. I don’t know, the lyrics were unexpected for me, but kinda funny and sometimes just positive stuff which is nice, but you know a little too positive? Also the mixing was all over the place. Loved the samples tho. High 3 i think.
I wasn't feeling this at first; no doubt I'm a bit jaded by all the golden age hip-hop albums on this list and couldn't see what this one does that all the others don't. That was probably a bit unfair though - if this was album #8 rather than #988 I might've been more excited by it, as it's similar to a lot of the hip-hop I enjoy. I'll give it the benefit of the doubt.
Cool album. Always been a fan of the Native Toungues collective, just never the biggest Jungle Brothers fan
Not available on Spotify.
Haven't heard of the group before. I've had some mixed feelings about the 80s/90s rap albums the generator gave me before but this one was nicer. The beats were more varied and less monotonous with some cool samples sprinkled throughout 3/5
Pretty good hip-hop album. Some songs are better than others, though.
I’m a huge fan of rap, but listening to this I just can’t get the image of will smith out of my head. It really is kind of raps equivalent of rocks doo-wap period and my enjoyment of it can really only be academic. I guess they crawled so others could run but this just wasn’t that good.
It wasn't bad, but didn't set itself apart from other late 80s/early 90s hip hop.
Done By The Forces Of Nature is a pretty solid hip-hop album. I was pretty surprised to see that many other hip-hop artists from this era worked on this album including Queen Latifah, De La Soul and Q-Tip of A Tribe Called Quest. The album itself does it's job fairly well with some of the instrumentals being pretty cool and catchy but some were a bit too minimalist. The rapping and lyrics themselves are kinda typical for an album from this time period so nothing that really makes it better or worse than all of it's contemporaries. This is a pretty good album but i wouldn't say that i have a special reason to recommend it. Best Song: J.Beez Comin' Through Worst Song: Sunshine
3.5
May have to give this one another listen.
This was fine. I personally prefer a lot of other stuff in this genre, but it wasn't bad, and had some interesting moments.
Pretty cool. It’s a shame it isn’t on streaming.
Wasn't on Spotify, but another album was and it was pretty good.
Nice enough early rap album, bit awkward at time, not as flowing 3/5
Vintage sounding hip hop
Hadn't heard of the Jungle Brothers before, enjoyed this slice of late 80's hip hop, good beats and rappers that played off each other well. Worth tracking down on Youtube, not on Spotify at time of review.
No está mal. Es interesante oír samples que se usan en este disco y que se han vuelto a usar, aunque no sé si son originales de este, como el "It begins in Africa". Me he guardado "Sunshine" y debería volver a escucharlo porque hay cosas interesantes.
This is the kind of hip hop I enjoy. I like that bouncier, fun hip hop. Gangsta rap, it turns out, is what I thoroughly dislike and this isn’t gangsta rap. It’s good!
Really fun, vibrant late 80s hip hop, even if some of it is has dated.
Late 80s US hip hop. sampling of music genres such as jazz, R&B, funk, and African music. Solid.
A soundtrack for rapping while wearing hemp sandals.
This is OK but goes on a bit and isn’t really in my wheelhouse
Too long
I liked the upbeat nature of the music. It was nice and easy to listen to. It was nice listening to Hip-Hop and not having every other word be a cuss word.
Not available on Apple Music. Listened to about half. Really good. Might finish it later
Never heard of them which is weird because they're just as good as any other bands in this style of the tone
Solid mid 80's hip hop record. Didn't feel supremely groundbreaking, nor is it bad. I am partial to this sound, so I like it. I don't think I'm going to go out of my way to listen to it all the time.
Good beats. Fresh.
Another one I was unaware of though given the research I did into hip hop I should have been? Maybe? It’s good. Very much of its time but that’s not a criticism, just an observation. I’m giving 3.5 till I work out if it’s must listen as opposed to good listen.
Wasn't super enamored by this. A bit cheesy and dated. Well performed though.
fun to listen to
This album is a perfect example of how hip-hip is not synonymous with gangsta rap. This is an art form that can be playful, funny, thoughtful and inspiring without resorting to sexism and homophobia. Musically, this album plays with cheeky samples and inspirations from jazz, to funk, to Afro-beat and even a bit of doo-wop scat thrown in, mixing it up so things never get dull. Genuinely engaging and fun!
Dated but nostalgic. 2.5/5 Album 59/1001
High highs and low lows on this one. Some of the samples got pretty annoying. There are a couple bangers at the beginning of the album though.
Wasn’t available on streaming platforms
Prijemny hopik
An clear classic from hip-hop's golden age - more Afrocentric and focused on soul samples and beats the influence of this album can still be heard. However, and it's a big however, there are better albums out there. Should it be included? Yes. Is it as replayable as 3 Feet High and Rising that came out a few months before? No. Best Tracks: Feelin' Alright; What "U" Waitin' "4"?; Doin' Our Own Dang
I honestly dug this more than I was expecting. I do like more positive forward rap. When this first started, I thought the hour runtime was going to run me down, but they mixed it up a just enough to keep my interest. Plus some familiar samples make me look like Leonard Dicaprio pointing... Most notably the Blue Suede, and Bee Gees samples. I'm still quite a ways from calling myself one who appreciates Rap/hip-hop, but this really felt good to me (7.1) ★★★½
Definitely a precursor to groups like Tribe, Jurassic 5 and Arrested Development. The sampling and beats are up and down, some shine. But the positive vibes make the record work.
The production on here is a real sign of the times. Some of the samples used in these songs are crazy. I liked it overall but didn't love it.
It's fine, but not readily available.
viidakko veljekset päässyt ääneen, niin siinä kävi. syövereissäkö siellä studiossa istuhtiin. sielläkö kongon viidakon kurimuksessa jotain hip hop biittiäkö väsäiltiin vai mitä.. juostiinko gorillaparkoja pakoon vaiko elefantteja. bonobopirulaisiako pelätään että pitää studio rakentaa ja studion turvassa biittejä väsäillä.. vai valehteleeko.. onko sittenkin yhdysvaltain kansalaisia.. urbaaneja vaeltajia, nähnykkään mehtän mehtää.. rotat on suurimmat villieläimet mitä vastaan tulee, no se hyvä no se hyvä..e´ что это??? black woman
Yeah, enjoyed this quite a lot, although it outstayed its welcome pretty significantly. It's got a cool overall vibe to it, while being individually quite unmemorable. You could happily have it playing and not be troubled.
Yeah fine Was nice to hear a couple of seconds of You Should Be Dancing. Decent
boh ok
Fav: What “U” Waitin’ “4”? Least Fav: Kool Accordin’ “2” A Jungle Brother Liked what it had to say, didn’t like the length
Interesting
Decent without being spectacular
Das zweite Studioalbum der Jungle Brothers erschien 1989 und wurde in den Calliope Studios in New York aufgenommen. Die Gruppe besteht aus amerikanischen Künstlern mit afroamerikanischen Wurzeln und ist ein frühes Mitglied der Native Tongues-Bewegung, die sich durch einen bewussteren, oft jazz- und funk-inspirierten Zugang zum Hip-Hop auszeichnet. Musikalisch bewegt sich Done By The Forces Of Nature im Bereich des alternativen Hip-Hop, mit starker Betonung auf Afrobeat-, Funk-, Soul- und Jazz-Elementen. Diese werden nicht bloß zitiert, sondern organisch in die Klangstruktur eingebaut. Die Produktion setzt häufig auf lebendige Percussion, groovende Basslinien und harmonische Samples, was dem Album eine rhythmisch dichte Atmosphäre verleiht. Dabei wirkt der Sound weder überladen noch repetitiv, sondern abwechslungsreich und klar strukturiert. Besonders hervorzuheben sind Stücke wie „Doin’ Our Own Dang“, ein Kollaborationstrack mit weiteren Mitgliedern der Native Tongues wie De La Soul und Q-Tip, der den Gemeinschaftsgedanken der Bewegung betont. Auch „Black Woman“ fällt auf, indem es gesellschaftliche Themen anspricht, ohne belehrend zu wirken. „Sunshine“ bringt eine leichtere, fast verspielte Seite zum Vorschein, während „Beeds on a String“ einen experimentelleren Zugang andeutet. Die Jungle Brothers setzen auf eine klare Artikulation, meist mit positivem Grundton, gelegentlich auch mit humorvollen Einwürfen. Inhaltlich steht das Verhältnis zwischen Herkunft, Identität und kultureller Ausdrucksform im Mittelpunkt. Im Gegensatz zu manch anderen Veröffentlichungen aus dieser Zeit verzichtet das Album weitgehend auf aggressive Töne oder konfrontative Botschaften. Insgesamt ist Done By The Forces Of Nature ein in sich stimmiges Werk, das musikalisch wie textlich mit einem gut abgestimmten Konzept arbeitet. Es zeigt die Jungle Brothers in einer Phase, in der sie ihren Stil bereits gefunden, aber noch nicht ausformuliert hatten. Die Produktion bleibt dabei transparent, der kreative Umgang mit Samples fällt angenehm auf, und das Zusammenspiel von Inhalt und Klang wirkt durchdacht.
Old school hip hop with some excellent samples and beats and basslines.
Fun, up beat, inoffensive. But no classic tunes.
5.5/10. It's not my thing.
Zoals een medeluisteraar voor mij al aanhaalde: het is een mindere versie van de la Soul of Tribe called Quest. En in dat hoekje moeten we dit ook zeker plaatsen. Er komt ook nog een beetje disco om de hoek kijken, bij bijv What U Waitin 4. Het heeft blijkbaar de weg geplaveid voor die 2 eerdergenoemde groepen en het voelt ergens nog wel ouder dan het blijkbaar is. Ik hou wel meer van deze relaxte vibe en het feit dat ze plezier uitstralen, in plaats van kinderachtige teksten proberen te rappen op pistolenbeats. Maar het haalt niet het niveau van de la soul of de tribe. Dit doet me soms meer denken aan Fresh Prince of Bel Air. Ondertussen kabbelt dit op de achtergrond een beetje door. Het doet me weinig, maar ik stoor me er ook niet aan. Typische vergeetbare 3 verder. Al luister ik dit natuurlijk liever dan, ik noem maar wat, Kendrick Lamar.
Only had one track on Spotify ... but that was enough! This was back when rap was fun!
An above average album from this era of rap. Smooth and clean. You can hear the songs that were sampled later on in other works. 5.5/10 (2.75/5)
I missed this when it came out. It's pretty good but falls short of great. Beats are chill. The rhymes have flow but it is missing the energy that makes the great hip-hop albums great. I will listen to it again in the future. Maybe it will grow on me.
Great example of an 80s/90s conscious rap album. So consciously I will give it a strong 3, because it's a pretty boring and repetitive record. I'm not a fan, but it wasn't the worst effort. Just not my style.
The Album is really very good - comparable to a B record of De La Soul. The song featuring the native tongues is really good 3.5
Not too bad
This is the sound of an era. But with remixes in it like "What's goin on" its a step above. Pop Hip Hop?
Reminds me of De la soul and Tribe called quest. The beats are good. It has some of that awkward old school flow, but in general it sounds more fluent than a lot of their contemporaries. Favorite song: sunshine
Very cool album. Stand out song - Doin' Our Own Dang
Interesting early rap beats and bars. Acknowledge Your Own History has interesting lyrics.
I can't be bothered to look up the entire album right now, but the one track avail on spotify is a bop
Late 80's hip hop. There's been worse, but this is nothing outstanding. Solid, nice beats, the lyrics are... well, 80ish.
First listen. Nice one.
good funky rap with better lyrics than anticipated
Its fine - maybe a bit overrated.
PERSONALLY, I think there’s more iconic hip hop albums that should be on the list. This one wasn’t bad but relevant? I’m not sure.
I was pretty excited by the first few tracks, but by the end of 60 minutes it had become somewhat tedious.
Good vibes, but the genre had not really matured at the time.
I was pretty lukewarm on this album. There are no shortage of fun tracks, but I wasn't finding myself too engaged with anything it had to offer.
Welcome to the jungle, where these brothers bring fun back to the rap game.
Felt pretty tribe called questy, a couple brothers speaking facts on the Zulu nation
I enjoyed this, I found myself comparing it to Tribe and I definitely like Tribe more. Good sound, might listen to a few of them again such as good news comin, tribe vibes, and doin our own dang.
I thought this record was solid, but not my personal favorite.
Not bad! I like the beats, but there's something about 80's rap that I just find funny. It's such a big contrast to the hard 90's rap that's coming. It's super smooth and easy to get into a groove, but also feels kinda corny at times. Still an enjoyable album throughout.
This is pretty cool mix of different hip hop styles.
zu oldschool 80er jahre vibe hip hop für meinen geschmack
Like the message, the music could be better.
Usually I find this older style of rap kind of hard to listen to but these guys were pretty entertaining and it was refreshing to hear a rap song with a real message.
I'm no particular fan of hiphop, but this album got me bouncing for the entirity of its duration.
Not bad, wont search for it
Another day, another hip hop album. At least this one doesnt sound too bad.
bueno
Day 14/1001 of one Album a Day / Listened to whilst: commuting Incredibly mediocre - disappointed. Boring flows and mostly boring lyricism. No flair or energy. Some decent beats but not great overall. Favourite tracks: what u waiting 4 / tribe vibes Worst tracks: beyond this world / acknowledge your own history / belly dancin dina
2.6 2x
Being the least known of the Native Tongues is actually pretty high praise
Laid back and funky with a solid flow. I don’t fully connect with it, but I enjoyed it.
Super cool early hip hop that was completely unknown to me! Relly enjoyed listening to this, and I'm glad to now know Jungle Brothers.
The jungle-y vibes is pretty nice but an hour of it felt a bit too much
if this album were 12 tracks it would've been a 4.
this definitely has a dated energy to it with the run DMC/sugarhill gang-style cadence in most of the songs. overall it tends to sound a bit corny but in a way that i find really charming. it’s also interesting the strains of the early 90s hip hop sound coming through—it straddles the 80s and 90s styles. albums that provide a transitional vehicle for one distinct era into another are always cool and i think this is a good example of one!
The Jungle Brothers are further evidence that 80s hip-hop is peak hip-hop, by a wide margin. The 80s saw R&B and rap being fused with almost jazz- or blues-like instrumental licks (whether sampled or not), whereas the 90s tended to avoid those licks in favour of stronger political messaging. As a listener who tends not to pay much attention to lyrics, I definitely prefer the 80s style, and Done By The Forces Of Nature fits my groove. The first half of the album is consistently strong, with standouts like Feelin' Alright and What "U" Waitin' "4". (Putting the "texting" abbreviations in quotation marks feels like something my grandparents would do. I love it.) The keyboard is great whenever it makes an appearance. So are the (acoustic) drums, which inject a raw, rocking energy to the music. Later songs like Beeds on a String, Good Newz Comin', and the title track slightly abandon the melodic and harmonic elements in the background, and hence deal some critical blows to the flow of the album. I enjoy the interweaving male and female vocals on Black Woman and the excellent keyboards on Doin' Our Own Dang, but otherwise, the latter half of the album really loses steam. Most of this half of the record should cut out, particularly as the album is unusually long in its current form. 3/5 Key tracks: Doin' Our Own Dang, Feelin' Alright
A seminal record but one that’s a bit dated sounding.
Good.
It's fine, but sounding a bit dated now.
Felt like the precursor to Jurassic 5 which I was very into.
Enjoyable listen. Good variety and positive lyrical content.
Corny but in a good way. Fun rap overall
Funky stylish beats. Solid lyrics and clean to boot, a far comparison to modern hip hop where it's rare to hear a track with cursing or violent themes. Well done
I'm a huge fan of this late '80s/early '90s native tongue sound and I know that the Jungle Brothers were hugely important in this movement. But the whole time while listening to this album, I just wanted to throw on A De La or Tribe album instead. The production on the album here isn't as colorful or fantastical as your average De La album, and the loops aren't as engaging as ATCQ's. The rapping is solid, and on par with the members of those respective groups, but the songs are often bogged down by these unflattering choruses, especially on a song like 'U Make Me Sweat'. The song 'What U Waiting 4' was painfully cheesy as well, I wasn't a fan of the dance approach that a few of the songs here went in. There were still some highlights though, like 'Acknowledge Your Own History', a song about the whitewashing of school-taught history. The instrumental song 'Good Newz Comin'' may have the most standout production here, it has that eccentric, "all-over-the-place", Coldcut reminiscent production that I was hoping for out of this album - I love the bright guitars closing it out on those cluttered drums. 'Tribe Vibes' picks up the speed, momentum, and energy - and holds the album's best rapping performances. Come to think of it, the second half was much better than the first - it does contain 'Doin' Our Own Dang', a song that reminded me of Digable Planets a lot, and just like on Queen Latifah's 'Ladies First', it showcases Monie Love's impeccable flow. Some decent moments here but it's not quite as memorable as other albums of its ilk. While goofy, and fun in essence, the music backing it all lacks the character I was hoping for.
Never listened to Jungle Brothers before (afaik). Not a bad record at all, golden age hip hop, it grooves for sure, fun listen.
I had a great time bopping to this at work, upbeat and funky rhythms abound. I will revisit.
It was nice enough
Jo men gött ändå och kul med lite gladare tema än annan hiphop kanske, vad vet jag. Borde kapats med en fjärdedel. Stark trea
Quite catchy hip-hop. Some good beats but it didn't really hold my attention too much.
Some uplifting 80s hip hop. The most obvious thing is how much this stands apart from the grittier hip hop that would soon dominate the genre. It's tempting to dismiss The Jungle Brothers as a lesser copy of De La Soul. But on closer listen, the music is different. It's got more funk, it's more danceable, and it's even got some influence from African music. But the Jungle Brothers never got the same level of fame. Maybe the lyrics come across as a little preachy at times. Maybe it's too eclectic for a genre that was only just being discovered. Maybe it was just bad timing. Either way, it's a great discovery and helps fill the gaps of upbeat 80s hip hop.
Decent. Nothing mind blowing. 3.5
Pretty reasonable!
Not my cup of tea, but seems to be solid.
This was cool because it was on the way to but it was NOT G-funk. I enjoy G-funk quite a bit but this was more like funky sociopolitical hip-hop. This is a little too early to have the studio polish of the G-funk era. Socially conscious lyrics and really creative selection of samples made this a fun listen, but it wasn't quite commercial enough for me to want to devote multiple listens to it despite it clearly being an achievement for the genre. "Doin' Our Own Dang" was the best one on the album to me.
Kävin tämän kanssa läpi eräänlaisen sisäisen matkan: ajattelin ensin, että tämä on ihan hyvä, mutta että minua ei myöskään kauheasti haittaisi, vaikka levy jo päättyisi. Kun pääsin loppuun, toivoin, ettei se päättyisikään. Tämä johtuu osittain siitä, että toiseksi viimeinen raita on helvetin kova, mutta myös siitä, että koko LP - enemmän kuin melkein mikään muu kuulemani rap-levy samalta ajalta - saa ymmärtämään, että rytmi on meille kaikille huomattavasti tärkeämpi hyvän musiikin kriteeri kuin uskommekaan.
Fun album and fun group, and great influence. Just not my favorite, but still a good listen and I know why people like it. It's just not not an album I'll go out of my way for.