As an interesting side note, the album cover shows the World Trade Center on fire only one year after the 1993 bombing of the North Tower. The album featured Jeru's signature conscious lyrics, however he was criticized by The Fugees for his explicit lyrics particularly, in the song "Da Bichez". Fugees member Pras lightly mentioned Jeru on the track "Zealots", from the group's landmark 1996 album The Score, with the line "No matter who you damage, you're still a false prophet", referencing Jeru's single "You Can't Stop the Prophet". Jeru lightly responded in the intro to the track "Me or The Papes".
Jeru followed up in 1996 with his sophomore album Wrath of the Math again produced solely by DJ Premier. The album was also widely acclaimed, though not on the same level as his debut. Like on his first album, Jeru was accusatory of commercial hip hop artists and record labels (Death Row, Bad Boy), who he criticized on the concept track "One Day". After the release of Wrath of the Math, Jeru had a falling out with DJ Premier and Guru, and was missing from the scene until 1999, when he released his third album, Heroz4hire, released together with Mizmarvel. Heroz was his first album without production from DJ Premier and also his first under his then newly created KnowSavage Records. It featured the single "99.9 Pa Cent", which was a verbal attack on his former affiliates Gang Starr. Heroz4hire was less critically acclaimed, due mostly to Premier's absence. His latest album, Divine Design, released in 2003, was the first album under his new record label, Ashenafi Records. The album received little attention and mixed reviews. A new Jeru album, tentatively titled Still Rising was released in 2007.
Great Solar Stance
Jeru the Damaja Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Before the doctor cleaned off the afterbirth
I kicked a verse, smoked a blunt, shooked the Earth
Smacked the physician, and fucked the nurse
The truth hurts, like a sword in the hand of this expert
Cuttin through your soul, like your best friend did your dirt
Mental like physical blows destroy ego's
Your style is Babylonian, like dicks in assholes
I can't stand snow, it only blows like nitro
Blistering, my flows I'm splittin, so I hope you listening
Super shoutout to all my niggas in prison
Shout to the pyramids, the cypher and scription
Science fact not fiction, I cut with precision
Speak multiplication, subration, addition
Division, Great Solar Stance burns compition
"This-this-this-this is the Showdown"
I put you in the chicken wing like Bob Backlund,
jack ya team captain
Bring drama like summer night, ghetto action
Some honies got it twisted, fat asses I mash 'em
Cops like jewels, back in the days I snatch 'em
You catch a tantrem, date how the raws rockin the drum
Float like the white lotus, kill like Whitey in Vietnam
You should peel arm, gorilla tactics like Viacom
Set shit on fire like a bomb, up in smoke like Cheech & Chong
True blacks too strong can't let nothin stand in my way
Shit will get thick like Juice 60 in Friday
In Brooklyn, kill MC's like Captain Hook your children
To rappers I'm a villain, fill esteem wan't my secret like Samson
Picture so hard, I stunt your grandson son
Teleport from Coast To Coast like Spaceghost
Like soy butter on my breakfast toast
And when It comes to makin it nasty, I flips it the most
"This-this-this-this-this is the Showdown"
"This-this-this-this-this is the Showdown"
Setting it off like pistols in the projects
The climax hold ya six like nasty hot wet sex
But string tech I catch wreck, ejucalate when I inject
Not a player hatter, regulator, trick niggas get checked
When I resurrect hip hop, you know the bullshit stop
Like you got the oo-wop, the pops and what nots
Fruity like Ed Koch, ya straight boo-tops, I'm top notch
Super funky like a derelict prostitute prop
Ya hear gun shots, the coroner shows up to take flicks
Shit is feet, but no feet shit like chicks with dicks
Ya throat flip too quick, to blaze magnetic
Paramedics roll up on the scene,
it's tragic, don't deal with Magic
Johnson, renegade like Charles Bronson
Packing a force like 18 Bronzemen
Grand larson, excelent marksmen arson
Fire, water, earth, metal, wind
The song "Great Solar Stance" by Jeru the Damaja is a powerful force of braggadocio, in which the rapper flexes his lyrical prowess and ability to stand up to any and all competitors. The opening lines are especially striking, as Jeru claims to have accomplished more in his first 24 hours of life than some people do in their entire existence. He brags about his raw talent, his ability to craft lyrics that cut like a sword through his listener's souls, and his disdain for those who use Babylonian-style rhymes.
Jeru's message is one of empowerment, as he encourages his listeners to stand up for themselves, to fight back against bullies, to resist being held down by authorities, and to rise up as individuals. He also expresses his deep respect for those who have been incarcerated and have managed to maintain their dignity and strength in the face of adversity. Ultimately, "Great Solar Stance" is a manifesto of sorts, a call to arms for anyone who values the power of words and the strength of their own will.
Overall, the song expresses Jeru's vision for a world in which people are accountable for their own actions, in which rap music is a force for good rather than simply a platform for empty materialism, and in which creativity and artistry rule over commerciality and fame.
Line by Line Meaning
What niggas deal, they last 24 I did in the first
I accomplished in my first 24 hours what others can't do in their lifetime.
Before the doctor cleaned off the afterbirth
Immediately after birth, I was already making an impact.
I kicked a verse, smoked a blunt, shooked the Earth
I started off strongly, took things easy and affected the world greatly.
Smacked the physician, and fucked the nurse
I'm a rebel and I don't tolerate disrespectful behavior, causing chaos wherever I am.
The truth hurts, like a sword in the hand of this expert
The truth can be harsh, just like an expert swordsman's strike.
Cuttin through your soul, like your best friend did your dirt
The truth can be painful and cut through one's soul, like betrayal from a close friend.
Mental like physical blows destroy ego's
Mental attacks are as devastating as physical attacks and can crush one's ego.
Your style is Babylonian, like dicks in assholes
Your style is terrible, barbaric and repulsive, similar to the act of rape.
The drama unfolds, don't mean nothing up my nose
Drama surrounds me, but I don't let it get to me.
I can't stand snow, it only blows like nitro
I despise drugs, like cocaine, that can blow up your life.
Blistering, my flows I'm splittin, so I hope you listening
My flow is intense and can split minds, so listeners should pay attention and reflect.
Super shoutout to all my niggas in prison
I support and acknowledge people who are locked up.
Shout to the pyramids, the cypher and scription
I acknowledge the great cultural achievements of ancient civilizations.
Science fact not fiction, I cut with precision
I am grounded in reality and cut through with precision in my rhymes.
Speak multiplication, subration, addition
I can speak about basic math operations with ease and accuracy.
Division, Great Solar Stance burns compition
In a competition, I have the power to divide, separate and ultimately win.
I put you in the chicken wing like Bob Backlund, jack ya team captain
I can gain control by putting you in a wrestling move like Bob Backlund's chicken wing and take down your team captain.
Bring drama like summer night, ghetto action
I bring drama wherever I go, like a summer night in the ghetto.
Some honies got it twisted, fat asses I mash 'em
Some ladies have the wrong idea, but I appreciate them for their physical attributes.
Cops like jewels, back in the days I snatch 'em
I used to steal from cops, who were attracted to stolen items like jewelry.
You catch a tantrem, date how the raws rockin the drum
You can feel intense emotions when I'm rapping and the beat drops.
Float like the white lotus, kill like Whitey in Vietnam
I move gracefully like a white lotus flower, but I can also be deadly like an American soldier in Vietnam.
You should peel arm, gorilla tactics like Viacom
You better be ready for combat because I use gorilla tactics like media conglomerate Viacom.
Set shit on fire like a bomb, up in smoke like Cheech & Chong
I create amazing music, sometimes explosive, like a bomb, or light up the stage with my performance, like a joint smoked by Cheech & Chong.
True blacks too strong can't let nothin stand in my way
I am a strong and confident black person, who won't let anyone or anything get in my way.
Shit will get thick like Juice 60 in Friday
Things will get intense like the rush hour in the movie 'Friday'.
In Brooklyn, kill MC's like Captain Hook your children
I destroy other rappers in my hometown Brooklyn, like Captain Hook defeated Peter Pan's children.
To rappers I'm a villain, fill esteem wan't my secret like Samson
To other rappers, I am seen as a villain, but they still admire me and want to know my secret, like Samson's hair.
Picture so hard, I stunt your grandson son
My image is so impactful, it could stun your grandson's son.
Teleport from Coast To Coast like Spaceghost
I travel across the country effortlessly like a Space Ghost.
Like soy butter on my breakfast toast
I like my breakfast with soy butter.
And when It comes to makin it nasty, I flips it the most
I excel at making suggestive music, taking it to greater heights than anyone else.
Setting it off like pistols in the projects
I start off strongly, just like gunshots in a dangerous neighborhood.
The climax hold ya six like nasty hot wet sex
I build up to a powerful climax, making you feel the same excitement as hot, passionate sex with someone you desire.
But string tech I catch wreck, ejucalate when I inject
My flow is sharp and lethal, making an impact that feels like an orgasm.
Not a player hatter, regulator, trick niggas get checked
I don't hate on players, but I regulate and check those who try to deceive me.
When I resurrect hip hop, you know the bullshit stop
When I bring back the essence of hip hop, the superficiality and fakeness of the genre will come to an end.
Like you got the oo-wop, the pops and what nots
Like you have all the necessary ingredients and more.
Fruity like Ed Koch, ya straight boo-tops, I'm top notch
You are soft and weak like Ed Koch, while I am at the top of my game and unstoppable.
Super funky like a derelict prostitute prop
My music is funky and groovy, like a broken-down prostitute.
Ya hear gun shots, the coroner shows up to take flicks
When guns go off, law enforcement arrives to document the scene.
Shit is feet, but no feet shit like chicks with dicks
The situation isn't good, but it's not terrible like a woman with a penis.
Ya throat flip too quick, to blaze magnetic
You can't handle the heat, suffocating when I bring the magnetism.
Paramedics roll up on the scene, it's tragic, don't deal with Magic
When emergency services arrive, it's often a tragic situation and not something to mess around with.
Johnson, renegade like Charles Bronson
Like renegade actor Charles Bronson, I am fearless and will do what it takes to get the job done.
Packing a force like 18 Bronzemen
I am as powerful as the 18 Bronzemen, a group of skilled martial artists.
Grand larson, excelent marksmen arson, Fire, water, earth, metal, wind
I am a grand arsonist, skilled with guns and the elements: fire, water, earth, metal, and wind.
This-this-this-this-this is the Showdown
This is the moment of truth.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: KENDRICK JERU DAVIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
David Zamarripa
I never knew Jeru was an ill producer, this beat is insane
Mike
more then 10 years has this song been one of my favorite tracks of all time. and will be there for another 100 years.
David_Koppafeel
This beat was insane when it came out and is still crazy as fuck all these years later! I miss the 90's :(
onemanarmyasonrip
Jeru Is Truly Dedicated Did all the Producin' on This Album While Verbally Rippin' Shit the Whole Time. Legendary.
RighthandAnne
I just looked this stuff up, I'm a new fan of Jeru and I think he is now my favorite rapper.
christian pires
jeru kills with skills verbal show stopper...respect
elijah wilson
Mo Ki reaches tha 9th grade of the solar stance cool stuff. Check out the sil lum 1 finger burning palm.
toofine9
this beat sounds funny..i like it..its weird
uptown1317
the beat is almost off-beat thats why it sounds hot
Dominique Marsell
Fire, Water, Earth , Metal, Wind