With two DJs at the helm and four MCs busting on the mic, it's no wonder that Jurassic 5 has one of the freshest sounds in hip-hop. Back with their second full-length effort, Power in Numbers, the six-piece continue to build on their unique vocal harmonies and some of the strongest production in the genre, courtesy of Cut Chemist and DJ Nu-Mark. "We just wanted more dynamics on this album," says Nu-Mark. "We wanted to paint an album that had a lot of ups and downs. Something that a lot of cats in hip-hop just really aren't doing they're staying in one tempo or one feel. We wanted to have as much dynamics as a rock record, but have it be very urban."
Power in Numbers is in fact more dynamic than past Jurassic 5 recordings, ranging from thugged-out yet light-hearted numbers to straight up, slinky R&B cuts, including a surprisingly excellent guest spot from Nelly Furtado. With such a diverse and original sound, you would think the masses would be drooling over such a release. "In my eyes, I figure if a group like J5 came along they would sell like 300,000 [records] in the first week because it's something different," Nu-Mark says. "It's like if all you have around you is McDonald's and then an In-N-Out Burger opens up, everyone's going to want to try In-N-Out Burger. But it's not like that." Instead, the record sales are tied to the amount of nauseating video and airplay less creative acts tend to benefit from. "The repetition thing on radio is what conditions people's minds," Nu-Mark explains. "So when you get a group that isn't talking about asses and guns and shooting your neighbour, you want to diss it because it's something new."
Power in Numbers is in fact more dynamic than past Jurassic 5 recordings, ranging from thugged-out yet light-hearted numbers to straight up, slinky R&B cuts, including a surprisingly excellent guest spot from Nelly Furtado. With such a diverse and original sound, you would think the masses would be drooling over such a release. "In my eyes, I figure if a group like J5 came along they would sell like 300,000 [records] in the first week because it's something different," Nu-Mark says. "It's like if all you have around you is McDonald's and then an In-N-Out Burger opens up, everyone's going to want to try In-N-Out Burger. But it's not like that." Instead, the record sales are tied to the amount of nauseating video and airplay less creative acts tend to benefit from. "The repetition thing on radio is what conditions people's minds," Nu-Mark explains. "So when you get a group that isn't talking about asses and guns and shooting your neighbour, you want to diss it because it's something new."
