Quality Control

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Editorial reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review
Jurassic 5 made an instant name for themselves with the release of their self-titled EP; like the Freestyle Fellowship before them (also regulars at the now-legendary Good Life Cafe), J5 were a Los-Angeles-based crew of old school hip-hop purists that sounded like they had come straight outta the schoolyard. With sparse, melodic backing tracks, the attention here is placed squarely on the four MCs, who--each with their own sound and style--come across as the hip-hop equivalent to a street-corner doo-wop group. Quality Control, the group's first proper album, is a history lesson wrapped around a tribute, stuffed with quality and innovation: DJs Nu-Mark and Cut Chemist keep things moving with tight production and great tracks--no one in hip-hop does more with music designed not to call too much attention to itself--while Chali 2Na, Akil, Marc 7 and Zaakir (Soup) weave intricate routines.

Not as self-conciously hip as the Beastie Boys or as political as Blackalicious, the J5 MCs still hit all the right notes, name checking everyone from Lionel Hampton to Grand Puba, the Funky Four +1 and the Treacherous Three while boasting of "Original beats with real live MCs / Playground tactics, no rabbit-in-a-hat tricks / Just that classic rap hit from Jurassic" ("Concrete and Clay", a re-worked version of the original EP's "Concrete Schoolyard"). Think of them like the hip-hop Temptations, with the 6-foot-15-inch (or so) basso profundo Chali 2Na as the group's David Ruffin. Modern turntablism and a pre-Run DMC, Rock Steady Crew mindset mixed together, J5 are showmen--and Quality Control displays those talents admirably. --Randy Silver

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Description
Forgoing the grim lyrical concerns of many of their hip-hopcontemporaries, Los Angeles' Jurassic 5 point up a more carefree time in the music's history. Recalling the youthful irreverence of the Native Tongues groups, Jurassic 5's easygoing rhymes and bouncy rhythms reveal a reverence for hip-hop's "old school", when the definition of a good tune was something to rock the party.
QUALITY CONTROL maintains an infectious energy level throughout. The MCs all take turns playing what they like to refer to as 'verbal basketball', spouting seemingly stream-of-conscious street poetry. Often the lyrics seem nonsensical; the emphasis here is more on fun and less on violent imagery or consciousness-raising agitprop. As demonstrated by the smart production work of Cut Chemist and DJ Nu-Mark, Jurassic 5 avoid simplistic musical formulae.Many of the sample sources are obscure, and encompass a wide range, from swing and funk, to jazz. Open-minded hip-hop fans will find simple pleasures in QUALITY CONTROL's optimistic and upbeat grooves.

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Customer reviews

review by: A Tibetan Monk date: 2006-11-19 rating:
Classic Hip-Hop with some groundbreaking ideas...
Modern day rap is something that, in my opinion , has been bred from the whole egotistical and mass of abusive songs that came from the early 90's. Big Daddy Kane is, ofcourse, an exception from most of this scene, but there is no doubt that modern day 'gangsta-rap' is heavily influenced from this scene. The less offensive, more casually and laid back 'rap' was often left oiut the mainstream equation, with the afore mentioned Big Daddy Kane and Will Smith leading the way through various sub-genres of hip-hop. Jurassic 5 are, ironically, descendants of this smooth, summer-esque 'beats-and-rhymes' mindset of music. Which, in this day and age, is truly a brilliant thing indeed.

So, to the album itself. The album, as a whole, is a good, solid package of smooth songs that instantly brighten up anyone's day, or make it even better. The are, however, some true moments of brilliance, less than there are on 'Power Of Numbers', on this album. The title track is great, with the innovative 'rhymers', as they preferred to be called, bouncing off each other. 'Swing Set', a DJ instrumental of sampling and scratching, is based on, what the various voice-overs call 'the sound of the 30's' - it's imaginative, smart and down right good. Period. 'World Of Entertainment' is a clever and ironic song, with some great beats provided by DJ Nu-Mark and Cut Chemist. 'Contribution' is my personal foavourite, as the lyrics are laced with irony and wit. A very smart song with some wonderfully slick backbeats.

In short, Jurassic 5's 'Quality Control' is smart, smooth and so original in today's hectic place. It's a great change from what we're are used to hearing these days. If you want a brilliant and powerful ntrip down the good parts of memory lane, then you couldn't do much worse than listening to this musical goodness.

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review by: gza date: 2006-02-26 rating:
smooth, anti-gangsta, rapping and ace beats
This is a great hip hop album, without any of the dismal macho posturing that passes for MTV-friendly hip hop these days. Five blokes rapping wittily and smoothly in sync, flowing really well, etc. But the absolute highlight is the last tune, a *mad* cut-and-paste 6 minute mix of old Swing/ Big Band-style 78s. Thumping beats and horns going off all over the place, and clever little samples. It is funky as anything. It is seriously worth buying this album just for this one track.

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review by: date: 2006-01-30 rating:
Top hip hop
Nevermind Kanye West, 50 Cent or even Emimem these guys rap faster an truer than anyone else, all the tracks on this album are pure quality. From pure fun to making a statement this is the best Hip hop there is.

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review by: date: 2005-03-15 rating:
J5 Keep Their Beats Alive
After stumbling across Jurassic 5 by mistake in a Burtons shop with 'Concrete Schoolyard' bursting out of the speakers i new at that moment i need their stuff. So i brought the J5-Lp a brilliant album and one of the best rap/hip-hop debuts ever!
Although this alubm is not as good as the first it still is a masterpiece 'Quality Control' uses more tracks and rhymes to make the listener just chill.
Quality Control is easily the best song on the album and the second best they've done. The line 'Lyrical Decapitation' sums up this entire band. With 2na the best deliverist and top 5 of my favourite Mc's. Other stand out tracks include Lausd and Influence, with Concrete And Clay a good lyrical display but not as good as the Schoolyard from the first.
This album needs to be in your collection, a mellowed out Black Star!


review by: tommy_d_yall date: 2004-10-14 rating:
quality album
This is the best album i have ever heard and should be an essential of everybodies collections. listen to the music fan from manchester above him. take his review in mind and remember that he is only talking about two tracks, not the whole album and he has not gone into detail on the best two tracks: quality control and concrete & clay

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