Humble and hip hop rarely occupy the same thought, and Jeru the Damaja is not an exception. No, Jeru’s exception lies not in the ‘he’s humble’ demeanour, but rather a drastic shunning of mass appeal tactics. As is often the cases with hip hop’s underground, Jeru’s lyrics show a disdain for unpalatable gauche rapper archetypes that are propagated. “I don’t gang bang or shoot out bang bang, the relentless lyrics the only dope I slang” captures this sentiment beautifully. Hype and reality sit on different sides of the fence since the ascendency of gangster hip hop. Unfortunately success in hip hop is now synonymous with hype and hyperbole. It is also the case that those who use this kind publicity often gain more recognition.
Jeru entered the “rap game” during the golden age of rap, when our air waves where first saturated with hip hop; it was easy to slip under the radar. Yet his first album ‘The Sun Rises in the East’ achieved immediate critical success, due partially to its producer DJ Premier, one half of successful rap duo Gang Starr. That’s not to say the album was carried by Premier, Jeru is a more than able rapper. Conscientious lyrics litter the album, with thought provoking sentiments that aim to breakdown the mechanisms that created the over hyped and insubstantial elements of mainstream hip hop. It was an album in the true sense, each track linked in some way while remaining distinctive. He’s easy swagger made it clear that MC’s didn’t have to “front” to gain respect, and what’s more they shouldn’t chase fame. He’s contribution as a role model for a different mode of behaviour has gone largely unappreciated leaving Jeru the Damaja an unsung hero of hip hop.
By: Ben Borows
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