The Game Boy

Debut album from Jurassic 5 resurrects rap's forgotten era

Jurassic 5
Interscope Records
Release Date: Available Now

Grade: A

Dominated by the likes of V.I.Producer Dr. Dre, the laid-back demeanor of Snoop Dogg and the better-actor-than-rapper Ice Cube, West Coast hip-hop is appreciated worldwide for its party-inducing atmosphere, easy-to-catch gangsta-rap lyrics and, of course, its penchant for the love of Mary Jane.

But emerging from the haze of weed smoke and the smog of Los Angeles is Jurassic 5, a six-man group (four Mcs, two Djs) that could possibly change the landscape of west coast rap with its debut full-length album, Quality Control.

It has taken the east coast conscience that groups such as De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest possessed and transplanted it into the soulless west.

By melding the best of old-school beats and new school lyrics, J5's retro sound is like a hit of pure oxygen after spending a week in a Port-O-Potty.

The four Mcs (Akil, Chali 2Na, Marc 7 and Zaakir) of J5 have the uncanny ability to meld their four distinctive voices into one. For examples of this check out any of the 15 tracks on the CD.

"Quality Control" has the prehistoric ones trading rhymes over an understated beat with a funky guitar riff. The title track showcases little solo rapping, mostly duos and the whole group joining in.

One common trait that J5 shares with all rap artists is the need to represent its ‘hood, and J5 shines a second sun on Lala land on "Lausd." The track shows the group trying to stay true to its underground roots and confront artists caught up in the glamour and glitter of success. The quintet drops rhymes like: "We are no superstars/ Who want to be large/ and forget who we are/ Don't judge us by bank accounts and big cars/ No matter how bright we shine/ We're far being star."

"W.O.E. is Me (World of Entertainment)" stands out like Shaq in Munchkinland. This exemplary example of what hip-hop has the potential to be should be a blueprint for all aspiring rhymers.

The industrial beat of "Monkey Bars," ingenious scratches and poetic bassline of "Great Expectations," and clever Lawrence Welk-ish sample of "Jurass Finish First" round out a must-have album for all hip-hop connoisseurs.

"Improvise" is a song that you should have insurance and a neck brace for, due to the whiplash you might receive for all the head bobbing you're going to be doing.

Sprinkled throughout the album are quirky skits that employ the voices of Bigga B, Sean Lennon and Sherman Helmsley.

"Contribution" and "Twelve" were not produced by super-duo DJ Nu-Mark and Cut Chemist, but by Shafiq Husayn, and are kind of like nursing babies -- they suck.

The jury's still out on the group's final track, "Swing Set," an interesting attempt to combine hip-hop and the living dead music genre, swing.

This valid attempt has no words, just a showcase of Cut Chemist and Nu-Mark.

The West coast can no longer be ruled by just Dr. Dre and his cohorts. J5, along with Dilated Peoples and the Pharcyde, are forging new paths in the treacherous world of west coast hip-hop.