The group debuted for TVT Records in 1995 with the single for Unified Rebelution. Their acclaimed position in the 1990s alternative hip-hop movement, alongside artists including Company Flow, Black Star and Kool Keith, was confirmed when the Jurassic 5 EP was released in December 1997.
The EP was later repackaged with additional tracks and released in December 1998 as the band's full-length debut album, entitled Jurassic 5 LP.
The tracks harked back to the old school attitude of New York's Native Tongues Posse, the seminal late 1980s coalition of artists who reaffirmed rap's social agenda, which included De La Soul, the Jungle Brothers and A Tribe Called Quest. This was evident on the song Concrete Schoolyard ("Let's take it back to the concrete streets/Original beats from real live MCs"), and the album even provided the troupe with a surprise UK Top 40 single when it reached number 35 in November 1998. The other stand-out track, Jayou, was built around a hypnotic flute loop from Pleasure Web's Music Man Part 1 (Music Man Part 1).
In 1999, Jurassic 5 signed to Interscope Records, who re-released the Jurassic 5 EP. This was followed by their second album (their first on a major label), Quality Control.
In 2002, they released their third album, Power In Numbers, which was followed by touring with the newly-revived Lollapalooza festival in the summer of 2003.
Their latest album, Feedback, was released on July 25, 2006.
A Day at the Races
Jurassic 5 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Move and motivate those with musical talents, uhh
Read it in bold print, we holdin' it down
Lick a shot, hip-hop when we in yo' town
Uhh, master blaster sound
Freak the future far from here and now
With style, release increase the peace, uhh
Bubble with the beat 'til they feelin' the heat in the streets
On one, listen to the warrior's drum
Beatin' up the block with the ghetto hop that knock
And make you want to crash the spot
And unlock explode (boom) the alpha and omega code
With drum rolls and old soul, we uphold
And foretold to scores of six years ago
Fast flow from g. rap to cool moe
Supasyllable, major to the minimal
Every individual, bounce to the tempo yo
Lungs collapse and raps be trapped in
The only way to make it happen, jaw-jappin', fast rappin'
Yo, I'm the hot dog that run the hottest monologue
In star poetic inserts and yes y'all s
My speech is like holding two glocks apiece
The outreach that rock police
The super adventure men portend to put somethin' in bitches
Win when we write, the Emmy winner get hyped, off any printer
And I came to get it (hit it)
Like operation push, operate the tush
Black octopus of soul, in inter-planetary patrol
I planted my gold, and low and behold
It's the brother doc, ready to rock-rock
Don't stop hobbes, I known like the lumberjack chop chop
The wordsmith, I write in block letters of cursive
Curse my circus, serve this surface
And watch how the brother fet over
The fly Casanova with the frankincense odor
Bear witness
To where riches'll make career bitches share pictures
When the ears get this ya brainses software'll glitches
Splatter your brains
Leave scattered remains of matter and stains
That'll explain how you was battled and slain
I get rude and go, to your show and use a row
Of fans to boo and throw you off 'til you lose your flow
A pro mean like joe greene when I blow theme
Put your whole team on pause like cold cream
Then show laughter when I flow faster, your hoe haveta
Go after her weave from the breeze when I blow past ya
I'm dapper plus ghetto and just pedal
When the dust settles we left in the rubble the crushed metal
Nurses with hearses sealin' conversed with lit purses
Spit fire, make you first to bit, try me
Like Osama, odoma', I'ma cause trauma
And homicides when I collide I get kamikaze
Kane baby, walk hard, the p-jects
On streets of Brooklyn I'm a crew of d-cepts
On streets of l.a. I'm a whole e-set
On tracks with Jurassic I be the T-Rex
Still that Gucci dressin', still that coochie pressin'
My pimp game smooth be-gets 'em
I don't use discretion; cop tends to be stressin'
Fuck explainin' it, who's he testin'?
Finsta perform all physical forms
Leave your ass shakin' like a Mystikal song
Please dumb, what type of shit was you on?
Cause man to compress a nigga mean one less a nigga (uh-huh)
All I want is my niggaz all recruitin' a slimmy
All I want is my liver all polluted with remi
Duel with any, bring it, I face-off
Son you out your league like Jordan was with baseball
Yeahhh, your majesty, word flash photography
Third class economy, blade slashed your artery
Nerve gassed anatomy, blurred past dramatically
Herbs hashed, my word splash packed agility
Never predictability
Maneuvers of mind fully designed cause I'm true to the rhyme
We do the sublime, crackin' yo' backbone
Attackin' you wack clones
Vernacular right and exact, capital rap zone
That come back verbal assault rifle (ahhhhh)
We fight like Stokely Carmichael
Nope! we just like you
We broke and ain't no tellin' what we might do
Ain't no joke
Provoke the right to reverse to seek mercy
With the king Asiatic and Percy P
Ain't heard the worst of me, until your chest 3-d
Spit venom and burn your body like a std
Put a twenty on the next brother steppin' to me wrong
I mess around a lick cause you done cheat on my theme song
This might seem wrong, but this is a mean song
Crushed like king-kong, and just like ping-pong
Back and forth, I spit knowl' and toss, it's time to floss
My verbal affirmation is to always go off
When syllables slide you'll be enjoyin' the vibe
When consider it pride, it's J5
When another deadly medley, camera action yo we heavy
Aim steady slash machette Maserati engine ready
Good and plenty don't be petty count the fetti and we jetti
Off to another city where we do our nitty grity
We wild like Serengeti, tear it down let's seek and set it
Get ready, for the ride, verbally hand-glide
Write and stay tight, mission's in sight
Murderer worldwide the stage is yo' knife
The lyrics of Jurassic 5's "A Day at the Races" speak to the group's prowess as lyricists and performers, with clever wordplay and allusions scattered throughout. The verses of the song are packed with metaphors and references to hip hop culture, including mentions of "hip-hop when we in yo' town" and the "ghetto hop that knock[s]." The group declares themselves to be "master blaster sound," and describes their flow as "fast rappin'."
Throughout the song, they make references to other hip hop artists, including G-Rap and Cool Moe Dee, and describe their sound as a combination of old school and new school styles. They also speak to the importance of collaboration and teaching in the hip hop community, invoking the phrase "each one, teach one, reach one, young gun."
The chorus of the song features a repeated call and response between the rappers and a backing vocal, creating a sense of urgency and excitement that reflects the energy of the lyrics themselves. The chorus also features an allusion to the phrase "a day at the races," which traditionally refers to a day spent watching horse races but in this context seems to suggest a day spent performing and competing in the world of hip hop.
Overall, "A Day at the Races" is a testament to Jurassic 5's skill as performers and lyricists, showcasing their creative use of language and their deep knowledge and respect for the history of hip hop.
Line by Line Meaning
Yo, my metaphor, my musical madness
My metaphorical expression and passion for music
Move and motivate those with musical talents, uhh
Inspire and encourage individuals with musical abilities
Read it in bold print, we holdin' it down
Confidently and proudly representing our craft
Lick a shot, hip-hop when we in yo' town
Bringing the energy and essence of hip-hop to your city
Uhh, master blaster sound
An explosive and powerful sonic experience
Freak the future far from here and now
Pushing boundaries and creating innovative music
With style, release increase the peace, uhh
Spreading positivity and harmony through our unique style
Bubble with the beat 'til they feelin' the heat in the streets
Creating a contagious and vibrant energy that resonates with the listeners
Now each one, teach one, reach one, young gun
Passing on knowledge and inspiration to the next generation
On one, listen to the warrior's drum
Attentively listening to the powerful rhythms and messages in our music
Beatin' up the block with the ghetto hop that knock
Making a strong impact in the community with our urban-inspired music
And make you want to crash the spot
Creating such a captivating atmosphere that it compels people to join in
And unlock explode (boom) the alpha and omega code
Revealing and unleashing a profound and timeless musical formula
With drum rolls and old soul, we uphold
Honoring the traditions and roots of the genre with vintage influences
And foretold to scores of six years ago
Predicted and prophesied years in advance
Fast flow from g. rap to cool moe
Delivering rapid and fluid verses like legendary rappers
Supasyllable, major to the minimal
Using complex and impactful wordplay, from grand to simplistic
Every individual, bounce to the tempo yo
Encouraging everyone to groove and move to the rhythm
Lungs collapse and raps be trapped in
Delivering energetic and breath-taking performances
The only way to make it happen, jaw-jappin', fast rappin'
Utilizing rapid-fire and skillful rhymes to create a memorable experience
Yo, I'm the hot dog that run the hottest monologue
I am the charismatic and talented performer who dominates the stage
In star poetic inserts and yes y'all s
Crafting poetic and captivating verses that captivate the audience
My speech is like holding two glocks apiece
My words are powerful and impactful, comparable to holding two weapons
The outreach that rock police
The influence and impact we have on law enforcement with our music
The super adventure men portend to put somethin' in bitches
As adventurous individuals, we aim to captivate and mesmerize our audience
Win when we write, the Emmy winner get hyped, off any printer
When we write our lyrics, they are award-winning and generate excitement
And I came to get it (hit it)
I am determined to achieve success
Like operation push, operate the tush
Like a surgical operation, I operate and achieve success
Black octopus of soul, in inter-planetary patrol
A powerful and unique force in the world of soul music, expanding our influence globally
I planted my gold, and low and behold
I have established my worth and presence, and it is undeniable
It's the brother doc, ready to rock-rock
I am the skilled and talented artist, prepared to deliver an amazing performance
Don't stop hobbes, I known like the lumberjack chop chop
I am widely recognized and respected, just like the sound of a lumberjack's axe chopping wood
The wordsmith, I write in block letters of cursive
As a master wordsmith, my lyrics are both bold and elegant
Curse my circus, serve this surface
Embrace the uniqueness of my artistic expression and deliver it to the surface
And watch how the brother fet over
Observe how mesmerizing and captivating my performance is
The fly Casanova with the frankincense odor
I am a charming and charismatic individual with a distinct and appealing presence
Bear witness
Observe and acknowledge the greatness
To where riches'll make career bitches share pictures
The pursuit of wealth can attract attention and create opportunities for aspiring individuals
When the ears get this ya brainses software'll glitches
When you hear our music, it can have a profound impact and alter your perception
Splatter your brains
Blow your mind with our powerful and thought-provoking lyrics
Leave scattered remains of matter and stains
Leave a lasting impact that cannot be easily erased
That'll explain how you was battled and slain
Reveal the intensity and power of our lyrical prowess
I get rude and go, to your show and use a row
I confidently and fearlessly disrupt your performance
Of fans to boo and throw you off 'til you lose your flow
Engage the audience to turn against you and disrupt your rhythm and performance
A pro mean like joe greene when I blow theme
I am a professional and dominant force, just like Joe Greene in his field
Put your whole team on pause like cold cream
Temporarily halt and immobilize your entire crew
Then show laughter when I flow faster, your hoe haveta
Mock and laugh at you as I outperform and outshine you
Go after her weave from the breeze when I blow past ya
Create such a powerful presence that it affects the physical appearance of those around me
I'm dapper plus ghetto and just pedal
I have a sophisticated and stylish persona, combined with my urban background
When the dust settles we left in the rubble the crushed metal
After the chaos subsides, we emerge victorious and leave destruction in our wake
Nurses with hearses sealin' conversed with lit purses
Powerful and influential individuals who control the fate of others
Spit fire, make you first to bit, try me
Deliver intense and fiery lyrics that leave you speechless
Like Osama, odoma', I'ma cause trauma
Inflict emotional and psychological damage like infamous individuals
And homicides when I collide I get kamikaze
Cause chaos and destruction when I collide with others, willingly sacrificing myself
Kane baby, walk hard, the p-jects
I am Kane, confidently navigating and succeeding in challenging environments
On streets of Brooklyn I'm a crew of d-cepts
In the Brooklyn streets, I am a respected and influential group
On streets of l.a. I'm a whole e-set
In the city of L.A., I have a significant and powerful presence
On tracks with Jurassic I be the T-Rex
When collaborating with Jurassic 5, I dominate and overpower like a T-Rex
Still that Gucci dressin', still that coochie pressin'
I maintain my stylish and impressive appearance, as well as my charm with the ladies
My pimp game smooth be-gets 'em
My ability to attract and influence others is effortless and effective
I don't use discretion; cop tends to be stressin'
I act without caution and disregard authority that may cause stress
Fuck explainin' it, who's he testin'?
I refuse to justify myself to anyone who questions my abilities
Finsta perform all physical forms
I excel and impress in any physical aspects or forms of performance
Leave your ass shakin' like a Mystikal song
My performance is so powerful and captivating that it makes you move like a Mystikal song
Please dumb, what type of shit was you on?
I question the questionable and unintelligent decisions you made
Cause man to compress a nigga mean one less a nigga (uh-huh)
To confront me is dangerous and may result in your demise
All I want is my niggaz all recruitin' a slimmy
I desire for my friends and crew to attract attractive and desirable women
All I want is my liver all polluted with remi
I want to indulge in excessive drinking and partying
Duel with any, bring it, I face-off
I fearlessly challenge anyone to compete against me
Son you out your league like Jordan was with baseball
You are completely outmatched, just like the scenario when Michael Jordan attempted to switch sports to baseball
Yeahhh, your majesty, word flash photography
Acknowledging the regal and commanding presence, capturing attention with spoken words
Third class economy, blade slashed your artery
A reference to a lower social status and causing harm or destruction
Nerve gassed anatomy, blurred past dramatically
Delivering intense and striking lyrics that leave a lasting impact
Herbs hashed, my word splash packed agility
Exposing and ridiculing individuals who lack talent, while showcasing my own impressive skills
Never predictability
Consistently surprising and never conforming to expectations
Maneuvers of mind fully designed cause I'm true to the rhyme
Crafting intelligent and well-thought-out lyrics that stay true to the essence of hip-hop
We do the sublime, crackin' yo' backbone
Delivering exceptional and outstanding performances while capturing your attention and affecting you emotionally
Attackin' you wack clones
Directly and aggressively targeting and exposing unoriginal and untalented artists
Vernacular right and exact, capital rap zone
Using precise and impactful language, dominating the rap scene
That come back verbal assault rifle (ahhhhh)
A metaphorical weapon that delivers powerful and biting lyrics
We fight like Stokely Carmichael
We fight for our beliefs and rights, just like Stokely Carmichael did
Nope! we just like you
Contrary to popular belief, we are relatable and similar to our audience
We broke and ain't no tellin' what we might do
Being financially struggling, we are unpredictable and willing to take risks
Ain't no joke
Shouldn't be taken lightly or as a laughing matter
Provoke the right to reverse to seek mercy
Aggressively challenging and forcing those who oppose us to beg for forgiveness
With the king Asiatic and Percy P
Collaborating with respected and skilled artists, representing greatness
Ain't heard the worst of me, until your chest 3-d
You haven't experienced the full impact of my abilities until it hits you deeply
Spit venom and burn your body like a std
Deliver poisonous and damaging lyrics that leave a lasting impact on you
Put a twenty on the next brother steppin' to me wrong
Challenging anyone who dares to disrespect or oppose me
I mess around a lick cause you done cheat on my theme song
I retaliate and strike because you have betrayed or disrespected my artistry
This might seem wrong, but this is a mean song
While it may appear harsh, this song serves as a powerful expression of emotion
Crushed like king-kong, and just like ping-pong
Completely overwhelmed and defeated, just like King Kong or a game of ping-pong
Back and forth, I spit knowl' and toss, it's time to floss
Delivering insightful and intelligent lyrics, showcasing my talents and success
My verbal affirmation is to always go off
Promoting the idea of always giving an extraordinary and impressive performance
When syllables slide you'll be enjoyin' the vibe
When my rhymes flow smoothly, it creates a pleasurable and engaging experience for listeners
When consider it pride, it's J5
When you appreciate and acknowledge our confidence and skill, it represents the essence of Jurassic 5
When another deadly medley, camera action yo we heavy
Delivering another powerful and dangerous blend of music, ready to captivate the audience
Aim steady slash machette Maserati engine ready
Preparing to exhibit precision and speed, just like a sharp machete or a high-performance engine
Good and plenty don't be petty count the fetti and we jetti
Don't be small-minded and focus on insignificant things; instead, count the money and let's move on
Off to another city where we do our nitty grity
Moving on to the next destination where we continue to perform and showcase our talents
We wild like Serengeti, tear it down let's seek and set it
We are unpredictable and untamed, ready to bring excitement and energy to any place we go
Get ready, for the ride, verbally hand-glide
Prepare yourself for an exhilarating journey as we skillfully navigate and glide through our lyrics
Write and stay tight, mission's in sight
Continuously write and perform at a high level, always aiming to achieve our goals
Murderer worldwide the stage is yo' knife
Conquer the music industry globally, with the stage as our weapon of choice
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: DAVID AXELROD, DANTE LAMAR GIVENS, ANTONIO HANDY, COURTENAY D. HENDERSON, LUCAS MCFADDEN, MARK ALI POTSIC, JOHN SIMON, CHARLES L. STEWART, MARC STUART
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind