Following a successful album is never easy, no matter what the style of music. In hip-hop, the challenge is arguably more difficult since the whims of the genre are constantly shifting, the sounds ever-evolving. On their second full length album, Power In Numbers, JURASSIC 5 prove up to the task of answering one remarkable album -- their first, Quality Control -- with another. Nobody could really doubt the result. The Los Angeles-based outfit has always displayed a blazing ingenuity and inventiveness in their craft, earning the four MCs and two DJs of the group a loyal, dedicated following that reaches throughout the world. Jurassic 5 -- MCs Chali 2na, Zaakir (Soup), Akil and Marc 7 and DJs Cut Chemist and Nu-Mark -- conjure an energy that recalls a throwback era in hip-hop, when the only thing that seemed to matter was the music and having fun. The time of park jams and block parties, of willful braggadocio and stylish wordplay, of crafty disc jockeys and handclap beats. J5 have always displayed characteristics of those back-in-the-day jams, like their powerful vocal harmonizing and amplified funk beats, but what the group embody more than stylistic flourishes is that era's spirit: making good music that connects with the people. Jurassic 5's roots lie in the L.A. Underground, a hip-hop movement centered around The Good Life Café open-mic space in the heart of South Central Los Angeles' old jazz district, where dozens of MCs and DJs would congregate regularly to perform. During its most prolific period (1991-1994), the L.A. Underground was a Mecca of musical innovation, spawning groups like The Pharcyde and Freestyle Fellowship; more importantly, the movement encouraged its artists to constantly balance progressive styles and good music -- an idea that still resonates with J5, the most successful group to emerge from that scene. As always, Jurassic 5 remains dedicated to their live shows: energetic, tightly performed, can't-miss affairs that emanate infectious vibes. The summer of 2002 featured the group on the road as part of the Smokin' Grooves Tour, with Outkast, Lauryn Hill and The Roots. That J5 can do this kind of tour, as well as something like the Vans Warped Tour in past years, only underscores the versatility they exhibit as a group and the breadth of listeners who appreciate their sound.
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