Jurassic 5 thrives on old-school beat

By Derek Paiva
Advertiser Staff Writer

The music of Los Angeles-based hip-hop crew Jurassic 5 — from left, DJ Nu-Mark, Akil, Zaakir, Marc 7even, Cut Chemist and Chali 2na — is reminiscent of rappers such as De La Soul, Treacherous Three and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. Jurassic 5 7 p.m. Saturday World Café $20 585-2877

Four masters of lyrically elegant harmonic flow — Marc 7even, Chali 2na, Zaakir and Akil — and not one, but two solid DJ/producers in Cut Chemist and DJ Nu-Mark, they're all heading for Honolulu for a concert Saturday night.

And though they've been loath to admit it in most of their interviews (but not for this paper, because Marc 7even was nowhere near where he was supposed to be when we phoned for a scheduled interview), the second thing you might want to know is that they probably sound a lot like a few old-school rappers you might already know and love.

Fond of a little De La Soul and Treacherous Three with your side order of Bone Thugs? You could hardly do worse than a mixed plate of J5's landmark 1997 debut "Jurassic 5 EP" and the group's 2000 full-length major label bow "Quality Control."

The former — a 200,000-plus selling indie release full of intelligent rhymes and chunky beats — is considered by more than a few hip-hop aficionados as one of the genre's best 1990s recordings. The latter — a less critically lauded, but nonetheless compelling listen throughout — is J5's major label sellout that wasn't. It's an album's worth of deftly chosen samples, '80s Def Jam-like production values and My-T-Sharp barbershop quartet lyrical stylings that stumbles only once — when Beatle spawn and quasi-musician Sean Lennon outs himself as a Jurassic fan between tracks one and two.

Before their 1993 meeting of the minds at famed L.A. open-mike haunt The Good Life Cafe, the members of J5 were members of other local hip-hop crews. Chali, Marc and Chemist made up Unity Committee. Zaakir and Akil came from Rebels Of Rhythm. Finding a common ground in the styles and record collections of one another, the five recruited Nu-Mark and recorded the independently released 12-inch single "Unified Rebellion," a modest college radio and club hit in 1995.

Deciding there was still more musical ground its members could explore, J5 stayed together to record the self-financed, self-distributed "EP" in 1997. "EP's" unexpected success in the United States, and especially Europe, drew the attention of a slew of major labels that had universally ignored the band just two years earlier. Seeking and receiving full creative control of their product, J5 signed with Interscope Records.

The Los Angeles Times called J5's live show "a seamless set that showcases the group's vocal harmonies and its appreciation for break-dancing and DJing." Arriving at the end of a month-long swing through Australia and Japan, J5's Honolulu performance tomorrow night at World CafŽ should be akin to nirvana for local hip-hop fans long starved for a live performance from a potent national act.

And really, after last night's retro-punk infused ramblings courtesy of The Strokes, and David Byrne's trip tonight down Talking Heads Lane, who wouldn't be in the mood for a little old-school Saturday night?

Go ahead. You can sleep in on Sunday.