The Damaja is back. This album is a nice mix of ralism as well as conscious rap styles. Jeru shows his true skill and lyrical ability.I think if Jeru sticks to this formula he will get the critical acclaim that he deserves. Lets face alot of people arent ready for straight conscious rap, Ive always appreciated it but most aint ready to see that light if it aint mixed with hardcore. I recommend that if you are a Jeru fan, pick up this album..
October 31, 2007I sampled this album. First and foremost the beats stink. These beats are boring and under produced. They sound like beats that didn't make the cut back on an album made in like '87. Don't get me wrong i love "dirty" tracks that aren't over produced( ie Premier, Large Pro, Diamond D) but these tracks are just plain bad. Lyrically, typical Jeru off beat flow thats saying something and that could actually work with a decent producer. Maybe 9th Wonder should do a remix of this album. Jeru step your game up, this is 3 wack albums in a row that don't even come half as close to your first 3 classics. I almost bought this last week but decided to wait until i could sample it based on Jeru's horrible prior 2 efforts. Luckily I did wait. I may be a little harsh but i'm tired of being disappointed by cats from the golden age of hip hop..ie '88 to approximately '01 who claim they gonna save hip hop and put out garbage. They are just tuning more and more younger fans off. How can these fools honestly listen to their earlier stuff and put out subpar work? Makes u wonder if someone behind the scenes should have taken credit for their earlier stuff. U should know if your album is wack i'm sorry. Nuff Said.
October 30, 2007 |  | Jeru keeps the sun "Still Rising" in the east |  |
You know this album is going to be pretty good when within the first few seconds of the intro Jeru is waxing about "alchemy"?! For those expecting another album the likes of "The Sun Rises In The East" or "Wrath Of The Math"... that ain't happening, however on the flip side, it's not Heroz4hire or Divine Design either (which is a good thing). This is Jeru finally getting his footing in a hip hop landscape not painted by DJ Premier. You see, it's real easy to sound good over Premo beats but the true test is seeing if you can be listenable without them (don't get me wrong, we all love Guru... but not nearly as much as when he's spitting on a Premier beat). Here Jeru is more than just listenable, he's downright engaging and sounds easily the best he has since his prime. He basically covers his usual ground, bragging and battling against invisible foes mixed with some social commentary with a little education thrown in too (including his near opus "History 101"). He also icludes some introspective moments on the album with tracks like "Quantum Leap" and "Hold Tight" that even address (briefly at least) his falling out with Gang Starr and the quality of his last couple of releases. So lyrics and delivery are on point but what about the beats? Well, remember when I mentioned Jeru using the term "alchemy" at the begining of the review? Here he uses his alchemy skills to turn lead (the beats) into gold (or at least bronze). The beats provided (almost exclusively by Sabor) aren't bad but aren't much to get too excited about either (a few do stand out though)... basically good enough not to ruin Jeru stepping back into form (minus track 12, "Juss Buggin"... what is this?!). Ultimately this is a 3.5 star album that has The Damaja representing well with the rest of his veteran class that dropped discs this year (The X-Clan, Marley Marl & KRS, Wise Intelligent...).
October 28, 2007| | | The Prophet Can Still Reach And Teach {4 Stars} | |
Jeru's first release in 4 years is definitely on point. The production is what I'd call stripped down. Lyrically, Jeru is still in good form when he tackles topics that deal with the black community, history, religion, and philosophy. "History 101" showcases Jeru in peak form while examining the history of slavery over a so-so beat. "Dirty Bomb", "Quantum Leap", and "NY" are other highlights that bring that raw b-boy material. I'd label "Airplay" as the standout track though. There are a lot of points there that should be heard. The strengths here definitely outweigh the weaknesses.
There are forgettable tracks on the album though. There are a good number of joints where Jeru comes off kind of dull. Not because what he says doesn't have merit or isn't worth hearing, but because the presentation is kind of lazy. I'd say "Ghetto", "Hold Tight", and "Kick Rocks" are perfect examples of that. I wouldn't call the wack though. And "Murdera" is just plain boring to this listener. The rest of the album is solid through and through though.
Still Rising is a solid release from Jeru The Damaja. The lyrics are still in tact for the most part, and the beats are a good backdrop for Jeru's delivery. So, if you like your rap music heavy on the boom bap and lyrics, this album should find its way into your collection. I recommend checking it out.
Standout Tracks: Juss Buggin', How Ill, History 101, NY, The Crack, Quantum Leap, Dirty Bomb, Streets, and Airplay (My Favorite).
October 16, 2007 | | Jeru the Damaja, the Mellow | |
I remember listening to "You Can't Stop the Prophet (Pete Rock Remix)" and "Come Clean" in a Catholic high school in Japan in 1994. The album of latter 2007 delivers its compelling flows to the next level.
October 16, 2007More reviews at Amazon.com ...
