Amazon.com: Two years after Jurassic 5's debut album, Quality Control, proved that B-boy-oriented retro-rap doesn't have to be corny, the six-member crew (four MCs and two DJs) seems to be gearing up for the revolution. While fans of Quality Control's bright sound will still find much to enjoy here, J5's sophomore offering does a good job at extending their sound. Opening with "Freedom," a quiet yet focused call to action, Power in Numbers presents a slightly darker vision of hip-hop nirvana than the group offered first time around. In keeping with the album's title, J5 has also expanded its crew--Percy P. (of the early-90s underground group, Double XX Posse) and Big Daddy Kane help wreck the G Rap-esque "A Day at the Races," and the always game alterna-diva, Nelly Furtado, lends a surprisingly effective pop edge to the bouncy "Thin Line." On the production end of things, Juju of the Beatnuts adds his special blend of Colombian madness to the jazzy "If You Only Knew" and the considerably bleaker "One of Them." --Rebecca Levine
Disc 1:
This Is
Freedom
If You Only Knew
Break
React
A Day At The Races (feat. Big Daddy Kane & Percy P)
the only GOOD rap band! wicked album guys. Got a pre release version of this with a blue cover and DVD and errors on the track listing due to the time limit of a couple of songs. Nelly Furtado guest stars on one of the songs! This is an awesome old school politically orientated rap band who care for our planet. Theve got a new album coming out soon as well. So i guess "Stay Tuned"
Not *as* good as "Quality Control", but it's still an awesome rap album by J5! Even though I like "Quality Control" a lot more, their follow-up, "Power In Numbers", is still a great rap album that you definitely ought to check out. It follows relatively the same formula as their debut, although the songs don't seem as inspired or creative as they did on "Quality Control". However, there are 17 tracks here, and all of them are good-if-not-great. Rappers Akil, Zaakir, Marc 7even and Chali 2na are a tad worse than they were on "Quality Control" (they feel less natural), but they're still great and extremely appealing. They still have that oldschool flow and delivery that is severaly missed in today's rap scene. Lyrically the songs are always a lot of fun to listen to, and some of the songs are even quotable. The lyrics are definitely fun to memorize and sing. Musically it's a little different sounding than "Quality Control", but the producer here still has a good eye for great hooks and beats. Though every song here is good, there are definitely several stand-out songs here which I would argue bump the album's rating up - "Sum Of Us", "High Fidelity", "Remember His Name" and "A Day At The Races", for example, are GREAT rap songs that are very very memorable. I'm pretty sure that within one or two listens that you'll either have these stuck in your head or that you'll remember them forever. Basically folks, if you like rap or Jurassic 5 then "Power In Numbers" is another classic album by this classic group. Absolutely recommended!
Highlights include: "Sum Of Us" "Remember His Name" "A Day At The Races" "High Fidelity" "Break" "If You Only Knew" "What's Golden" the rest are good or decent
Great Music. Classic If you don't have this album, you need to get this. Buy it, don't download it. Everyone needs to support good hip hop like this. Man, I first heard this at the end of 2002 I was captivated. The beats are a little grimier than the first ablum and the LP, but they still have that true hip hop sound, no club banger from that garbage 50 cent. The rhymes are clever and these guys mesh so well together. The rhymes are great, whether in a love/friendship story in Thin Line, to battle lyrics in One of Them, to old school flavord lyrics in A Day At the Races. They have great guests too. Legends Percee P, and Big Daddy Kane shine in A Day At The Races. They both showed that they still have it. Ju Ju spits fire at all of the glitz and glam mc's in One of Them (which thinking about it is pretty funny because the Beatnuts seem to be gearing towards that direction.) And a supriser, Nelly Furtado, pop superstar fits well in the song Thin Line. Get this, this group is in the same breath as both old school mc's in A Day At the Races, A Tribe Called Quest, Wu Tang, you get the picture.
Sexy Music This is easily one of the best hip-hop albums I've ever heard. No one is out of place in the group. Jurassic 5 really gets back to the old school of big daddy kane and public enemy. Not only do their words have substance but the rhymes are on point! If you like cheap ghetto rap like g-unit or jay z with the catchy hooks, this ain't the album for you!
I hate hip hop To correct myself, it's a love/hate relationship. I grew up on Run DMC and The Beastie Boys, but I quickly lost interest in hip hop during the Mase, Puff Daddy and Biggy days. From that point to now, with all of the commercial so-called "gangster rap" and "durty south", I can easily tell you it's garbage. Because of the trash that soars through the hip hop mainstream, true noble rap has been forced underground.
Now take Jurassic 5, Power in Numbers, and you have great, true to the art form hip hop that sits next to Del, Hieroglyphics, De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, and DJ Quik. This album specifically, Power in Numbers, is an awesome follow up to Quality Control, one of my favorite albums. Although not as good as Quality Control, is an amazing sophomore product. The two DJ's don't fail to push out great old school beats whilst 4 MC's synthesize rhymes and kinetic flow over subjects more interesting than hoes and shooting people.
If you love rock, and hate hip hop, but have enough guts to find out what the hip hop underground is all about, pick up this album and help the rest of us enthusiasts bring the art back.
Anything Goes Trivia
Megaton Man
Not Available Comics
Tony's Online Tips
Trevor
