Jeru The Damaja Sun Rises In The East CD

Personnel includes: Jeru The Damaja (rap).
Recorded at D&D Recording Studio, New York, New York.
DJ Premier's first album-length production outside of Gang Starr was his best by far. Where Premier's productions hadn't shone underneath the cracking, over-earnest vocals of Guru, with a superior stylist like Jeru these tracks became brilliant musical investigations with odd hooks (often detuned bells, keys, or vibes), perfectly scratched upchoruses, and the grittiest, funkiest Brooklynese beats pounding away in the background. Of course, the star of the show was Jeru, a cocksure young rapper who brought the dozens from the streets to a metaphysical battleground where he did battle with all manner of foe -- the guy around the corner on "D. Original" or an allegorical parade of hip-hop evils on "You Can't Stop the Prophet." The commentary about inner-city plagues arising from spiritual ignorance only continued on "Ain't the Devil Happy," with Jeru preaching knowledge of self as the only rescue from greed and violence. Jeru also courted some controversy with "Da Bichez," at first explaining, "I'm not talkin' 'bout the queens...not the sisters...not the young ladies," but later admitting his thoughts ("most chicks want minks, diamonds, or Benz"). His flow and delivery were natural, his themes were impressive, and he was able to make funky rhymes out of intellectual hyperbole like: "Written on these pages is the ageless, wisdom of the sages/Ignorance is contagious." It lacks a landmark track, but The Sun Rises in the East stands alongside Nas' Illmatic (released the same year, and also boasting the work of Premier) as one of the quintessential East Coast records. ~ John Bush
As the title indicates, THE SUN RISES IN THE EAST is one of a handful of albums (also including Nas' ILLMATIC, Mobb Deep's INFAMOUS, and Black Moon's ENTA DA STAGE) that put the East Coast back on the hiphop map. West Coasters Dr. Dre and Snoop had stolen the spotlight with THE CHRONIC back in the summer of 1992. Jeru helped to usher in a renaissance of true-school rap.
SUN was entirely produced by hardcore composer DJ Premier, and the album represents his finest work. The beats themselves are nothing short of mindblowing. Shelly Manne's waterphones ("Come Clean") and the off-kilter piano loop on "D.Original" are worked into soundscapes worthy of Philip Glass or Steve Reich without any compromise of the music's ineluctable street appeal. In contrast to other Premier undertakings--where sterling production languishes beneath mediocre or inconsistent vocals--Jeru matches the producer in quality. His rhymes are at once simple and complex, employing an offbeat cadence and a compelling narrative flow. Even the ostensibly misogynistic "Da Bichez" breaks the mold, showing love to the queens and young ladies who defy the titular epithet.The Source (8/94, p.86) - 4 Stars - Slammin' - "...the music both contrasts and compliments his disjointed flow and deep poetical lyricism..."
Melody Maker (8/13/94, p.33) - Bloody Essential - "...hypnotic and chilling as a blues party on Pluto...Another step forward for hip hop..."
NME (Magazine) (6/18/94, p.34) - 7 - Very Good - "...Jeru is more original than most...there are delights aplenty here..."