I am very sad about this news. One of my favorite groups have called it quits. Jurassic 5 have put out quality music for years. I’m in shock that they are parting ways. I’ve never heard any news or rumors of problems between the members. They put out such good music and were so cohesive as a group, more than any other group in hip hop. I really can’t believe it happened. According to group member Chali 2na in an AllHipHop.com interview:
There is no real heavy back story. You’ve got to remember, it’s been 14 to 15 years of us doing stuff together. And without exposing any dirty laundry, you have to look at this as a long-term relationship. It’s really like being with a woman. When you’re with them to the fullest, you have the most incredible time of your life. But with tough times, things also get real tough. J5 is in a position now where we weren’t always together. And it basically came to an end. We have done a lot of amazing things, and experienced a lot of amazing things. We’ve met a lot of people. It’s been an irreplaceable journey. And I would never have guessed that in my wildest dreams. But right now, this is a new chapter for all of us.
In honor of the great group they were, here is one of my favorite songs by them from their debut EP. The song is called Concrete Schoolyard.
[audio:http://pieceofshep.com/audio/Jurassic-5-Concrete-Schoolyard.mp3]
What do you get when you cross three great musicians all hailing from the city of brotherly love? You get one of the best jazz albums to come out in recent years. The Philadelphia Experiment was the result of a virtually impromptu three day long jam session involving the supremely talented Christian McBride (bass), Ahmir “?uestlove” Thompson (drums, also from the Roots), Uri Caine (keyboards) and joined by Pat Martino (guitar). It turned out to be one of 2001’s best-selling jazz records. I know it’s fairly old, but I do suggest that if you love jazz and have not heard this album to give it a shot. You can go buy it from the