Jurassic 5: Power In Numbers : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone

Album Reviews

L.A.'s Jurassic 5 consciously mine old-school rap styles, from their name on down. This approach has hampered past recordings with retrograde stiffness, but their second album will thrill fans who stopped clocking rap a decade ago and heads who never let go. Political funk stroll "Freedom" features Chali 2na's robust baritone firing incisive couplets such as "Got people screaming 'Free Mumia Jamal'/But two out of three of y'all will probably be at the mall." Old-school nods include Big Daddy Kane's fast rap verse on "A Day at the Races" and a bass line on "After School Special" that evokes Digital Underground's 1990 "The Way We Swing." Best of all may be "Thin Line," a Minnie Riperton-sampling rumination on platonic love starring Nelly Furtado that should break out J5 like "You Got Me" did the Roots.

PETER RELIC
(RS 910 – November 28, 2002)