Kendrick Jeru Davis, known as Jeru the Damaja (born February 14, 1972) spen… Read Full Bio ↴Kendrick Jeru Davis, known as Jeru the Damaja (born February 14, 1972) spent his early years in the Brooklyn neighborhood of East New York, where he has been rapping at block parties since the early days of his youth. He first showcased his hardcore Brooklyn style to audiences on "I'm the Man," a track from Gang Starr's 1992 album Daily Operation. The following year he released his first single, "Come Clean", which was produced by DJ Premier and became an instant underground hit. His first album, The Sun Rises in the East, released in 1994, and produced entirely by DJ Premier, is considered a classic, and was one of the most acclaimed Hip Hop albums of its time.

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.

Wrath Of The Math
Jeru the Damaja Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Let us now discuss the mental attitude
The mental must always stay clam
You must let nothing move you
Be it good or bad

But when the mental and I be moved
There is no longer good or bad, there just is
When there just is

You have the power to form and shape

So now witness
The wrath of the math

Tell me when you ready
I'm ready

Overall Meaning

In the opening verse of "Wrath of the Math," Jeru the Damaja urges his listeners to pay attention to their mental attitude. He stresses that the key to success is to remain composed in all situations, both positive and negative. He believes that mental stability is a necessary ingredient to provoke personal development from the good or bad that one may encounter in life. But as soon as one starts to let emotions take over, everything loses sharpness and color, and we are no longer able to clearly distinguish between good and bad. At that point, we have the power to control and modify our mindset and shape our future course of action. By doing so, we are in a state to take on the "wrath of the math," referring to the aggressive and intense delivery of the song.

The "wrath of the math" is a metaphor for the harsh reality of life and the unforgiving consequences of not being prepared mentally, physically, and spiritually. Jeru urges his listeners that when they are ready to face anything that comes their way, he will be ready too. He implies that he is a teacher and that he has taught his community the tools to strive even when the world is tough. The song encapsulates traditional rep-style hip-hop beats and rhythms, and Jeru's unconventional delivery, reminiscent of a storytelling shaman, guides the listener with lyrical excellence.

Line by Line Meaning

Let us now discuss the mental attitude
Let's talk about the importance of a calm and focused mental state

The mental must always stay calm
Your mind must maintain a state of calmness and clarity

You must let nothing move you
Don't allow external factors to disturb your mental state

Be it good or bad
Regardless of any positive or negative circumstances

But when the mental and I be moved
When your mental and emotional state is altered

There is no longer good or bad, there just is
The concept of good or bad becomes irrelevant and only the present reality remains

When there just is
When you accept the present moment as it is

You have the power to form and shape
You can use this acceptance to create and shape your own reality

So now witness
Pay attention and observe

The wrath of the math
Experience the intense power and precision of mathematical concepts applied to reality

Tell me when you ready
Let me know when you're prepared

I'm ready
I am also prepared and eager to demonstrate the power of mathematics

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: KENDRICK J DAVIS, CHRISTOPHER E MARTIN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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