Jurassic 5

True innovators are hard to come by. There is an encouraging emergence however, in crews that know what it means to rock a mic and move a crowd. Enter Jurassic 5. Formed in LA circa '93, emcees Akil, Chali 2NA, Marc 7, and Zaakir joined forces with DJs Cut Chemist and NuMark to create original and exciting hip-hop. They met rocking open mics at the Good Life Café, a hotspot for new and creative LA bands such as Pharcyde and Freestyle Fellowship. They released their first single "Unified Rebelution" and continued to perform and evolve their own unique sound. Epitomized by charismatic lyrical interplay, tonal harmonies reminiscent of old-school NYC crews, ample turntable trickery, and a high energy stage show, true heads have embraced them worldwide. They released a self-titled EP in '97 and have appeared on numerous compilations, including Lyricist Lounge Vol.1, World Famous Beat Junkies Vol.2, and Quannum Spectrum, among others. They have also released several singles, toured relentlessly, and dropped their exceptional debut LP Quality Control in early 2000. Their old-school/new-school sound is truly infectious, familiar yet unique, and quite simply: fresh.