Jeru The Damaja
This Friday coming sees the triumphant arrival of the man they call Jeru The Damaja, a true legend in every essence of the word when it comes to hip hop and Afrocentricity. Jeru’s debut album The Sun Rises in the East is considered a benchmark not just in music but also in New York culture and helped rubberstamp hip hop as a global artform.
I’m the Man – Gangstarr ft. Jeru the Damaja and Lil’ Dap (1992)
This jam first showcased the powerful authenticity of Jeru to a mainstream audience, while also proving to be the beginning of a fruitful relationship with the gods DJ Premier and Guru. Taken from the 1992 Gangstarr album Daily Operation, Jeru closes the track with raging flow and hits the listener with conscious lyrics that leave us in awe for more.
Come Clean – Jeru The Damaja (1993)
The underground hit that proved to be a game changer for the Brooklynite which garnered enough attention to make Jeru’s debut LP The Sun Rises in the East a sought after gem in record stores across the US. Produced by the aforementioned DJ Premier, as with the rest of the album, the track lit up dancefloors and B-Boy circles since it first dropped back in October 1993. Jeru’s disjointed flow perfectly compliments the lazy Primo beat, which still sounds fresh to death to this present day. Jeru sums it up perfectly himself, "Real, rough and rugged, shine like a golden nugget; Every time I pick up the microphone I drug it."
Da Bitchez – Jeru the Damaja (1994)
As soon as that killer horn riff kicks in within 3 seconds (taken from the Crusaders 1974 hit Whispering Pines) you know you’re in for a right royal banger. Personally, this is the hardest hitting Jeru track he’s ever attacked but it didn’t come without its controversy; the song was labelled a benchmark of misogyny, particularly from the Fugees member Pras. Nevertheless the track has become one of the hits Jeru is best known for and no doubt will hit the spot come Friday.
White people debate with Lauryn Hill (1995)
A little off-peak here, but this gripping debate with goddess Lauryn Hill proves absolute fruitful viewing for anyone who likes a deep and meaningful argument about left of field society and politics. In truth Jeru comes off as slightly racist towards the dominant white culture, but his points make a lot of sense and force the viewer to question mainstream society and the world we live in. One line stuck with me when I first watched this footage, spoken by Jeru, "You have to know that every brother is not a brother and every other is not an other. But you must know who your enemy is and on a major scale, a worldwide scale, the white man is my enemy." Powerful words, whether you agree or not.
One Day – Jeru The Damaja (1996)
This song comes from the Damaja’s second LP Wrath of the Math, which in truth was nowhere near as influential as its predecessor but still showed why he was such a major force in the golden age of NY hip hop. The track became famous for its not-so-subtle diss to Bad Boy Entertainment, the record label associated with Notorious B.I.G and its head honcho Puff Daddy. The track tells a story where Puff Daddy, Foxy Brown and Bad Boy Entertainment kidnap a person called ‘hip hop’ which shook the powerful label to its foundations. Anyone who likes their rhymes with vicious cutting edge need to take note, a masterful display of metaphors and hidden messages.
Jeru the Damaja plays at Market Bar on Friday 12 September 2014 in conjunction with Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop. Info and tickets can be found here.
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