website: jurassic5.com

It seems like the Jurassic 5 are well loved, and are deserving the love, but they are getting much of it in Europe, while a whole bunch of the US is still sleeping on these 6 L.Aliens. How come? Is it because they don't bling bling, or is it because they don't space travel? Is it because their beats are a little too acoustic, or is it, because underground artists can't get more shine, period. However, someone over at Interscope did show 'em some love and hooked them up with a deal. And that deal has them give us more quality music. Music that does not seem to intend to adapt to what's bubbling on the 'in' lists of so many 'in the know' magazines. Also no major label adaptation going on here. Then again, maybe the trends of today adapted to the Jurass, as sounding like you recorded your music ten to fourteen years ago, is kinda 'in' now. Anyways...

A short intro, called "How We Get Along" opens the album, with a fast moving, upright, big ass bass, along with simple hi hats, and a voice sample, that makes a lot of sense. But the album really starts with "The Influcence". Again fast moving, this is some doo wop 'dobadoodoo' type thing going, with Marc 7, Chali 2na, Zaakir and Akil dropping clever lines like that "grab the mike so you don't react / the double X polo shirt with the hat to match / in fact we verbally vibrate your track" or "then crush ya confidence / like plastic condiments / build you up to break you down / like forgotten monuments" or "I don't sip on brew so this buds for you / speak when spoken to / whenever you come through / my vibes feel you internal ya revenue / you rhyme prostitute for little to no loot".

Let's flow on with the bongos of "Great Expectations". These coming off age lyrics are combined with some punchlines. The beat is a strange combination of a siren like horn, a section, as well as an unspectacular chorus. But moving along, and bypassing "Quality Control (Intro)", we enter the real Cut Chemist produced deal, that goes something like this: "we got the kind of rhymes to get you ready for the weekend / to the mass amount of legions who came for party pleasing". There's some chanting going on, there's a guitar that adds a little extra excitement to the beat. "Contact" then is a 'Cut Chemist show your skills' track, so you get something nifty. On "Lausd", the 4 go, all rapping at the same time "we are no superstars who wanna be large & forget who we are / don't judge us by bank accounts and big cars / no matter how bright we shine were far from being stars / cause stars fall and disintegrate before they hit the asphalt / they incinerate cause we came not to destroy the law / but to fulfill for those who appreciate those with skills / and fresh wind mills and graph that kills / what is a DJ with out the scratch to fill? / without the elements it's all irrelevant / niggas love the freestyle but hate the fellowship". Exactly. This sounds too much like what the Fellowship did on "We Will Not Tolerate". However, with another very bare bass-y beat, a funky organ, more scratches, and rhymes about Jurassic's hometurf, don't complain.

Next up: "W.O.E. Is Me (World Of Entertainment)". Aight, now we're talking. This beat here takes the album over the top. Nu-Mark hooked up a dope little bubbalicious treat, that will have you hop and wiggle and smile and giggle. And instead of doing some senseless babbling, the emcees talk about "welcome to the wonderful world of entertainment / where art imitate life and people get famous / welcome to the world of show biz and arrangement / where lights, camera action is the language". Calling "Monkey Bars" the 'Vocal' version means that we need to pay attention to the beat, although the cats spit "now you know us but it's not the Cold Crush / 4 mc's so we ain't the Furious / not the Force MC's or the 3 from Treacherous / we a blast from the past from the moment we bust". Nu-Mark adds a ton of percussion and other effects to the beat, so you better do pay attention.

"Jurass Finish First" is pushed by a piano, as well as some late 80's drum, but only as long as the strings are not screwing themselves in your brain, and you take cover from all the other stuff happening in part 2. Things then get serious on "Contribution", as it's on a "either your a part of the problem / or you're a part of the solution / what's your contribution to life?" type vibe. "Twelve" then allows Shafiq Usayn to contribute a beat. And that was very unnecessary, but is only half regretted. Nevertheless we progress to "The Game", that is verbal basketball and Shawny Mac and Marvski are dropping by to give a helping hand. Call it an analogy, whatever, this is "demonstrate invisible bomb raps / not no hustler or player / no speaking to crime crap / I'm vocally trying to score before my time lapse". And second to last, "Concrete And Clay" is the musical and lyrical remix of "Concrete Schoolyard". It's providing a jazzy beat and all, the lyrics are revisited nicely, but it still leaves a bitter taste, hearing this chorus over such a not up to par with the original beat. But we forget about that, as soon as Cut Chemist and Nu-Mark team up to blush (if not to say flush) all those wanna be DJ's and people behind turntables and samplers, with their "Swing Set". Up till now you were happy that all the swing you had to deal with was in the Malcolm X movie, but it's quite possible that you will be tempted to reenact some of the steps you saw there, as soon as you listen to this.

And while we don't want to know if you or your man is going to wear the dress, and if you really will try to remember your tap-dance lessons, we, on the other hand, will start to listen to this album over again, as it's fresh and funky.