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.
Back 4 U
Jurassic 5 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Real quick
I don't know if everybody know us personally as individuals
So what I want to do right know is
Is I want to take this timeout just to introduce everybody
So let me just introduce everybody
I need from the people up top
And the people in the back on both sides
To give it up when I say
(When the music is the soul)
(And the soul is the music)
So what I want to do right now
Is I just want to go back a little bit with y'all
Check this out
Yo, dressed in indigenous garb sittin' abroad
The words that I use to be awed people applaud
Now watch how the brother adapt fill in the gaps perhaps
I play the block until the curb collapse
Now check the method and put the message on record
Promote the effort and change the neighborhood preference
And keep 'em guessing from the old to the adolescent
It's J5 and it ain't no half steppin'
The word play we display
Can only convey the vibe when they DJ
Colonial rep but far from the empecee
Feel sorry for those who by stand innocently
The menace in me divides men's courage in half
I murdered my staff
Demolished every nerd in my path
The verbal giraffe
We tower over new day jive
We do play live
Ask the people who they fly
The crew J5
We ride right into the night
Words that we write
We're calm then a settle your site
Come to the light
The word play we display
Kept us movin from Tokyo to LA
Catch the feelin' as we move on
Follow the groove and steadily soothe
Gotch you all comin' in two
Follow the crew
No mean thing cause we tied like shoe strings
When we sing you hear buzz like bee stings
(Thank you, thank you)
This is a, uh, very historical moment for us as Jurassic 5 man for real man
I feel like, uh you know, we have some serious support out here...
[Chorus]
You know we bring this back 4 you
So you know we bring this back 4 you
So you know we know we know we know we know we
So you know we bring this back 4 you
Yeah, what, yeah
When we play you walk this way
We walk in faith I hope you feelin' great
We came here tonight just to celebrate
Put ya hands up high you know we're rockin' the place
If you came here to hate you came way to late
Jurassic emcees have came to set shit straight
Originality, check the way we originate
Style and communicate check the way we demonstrate
Countdown three two one
Some rappers a speak the real
And I can see through some
I focus my sound
I never sellin' surplus pounds
I'm workin' to smash and drown all you circus clowns
You try to dis and get your rims crushed like ants eggs
From my fate to where my tims touch my pants legs
We indestructible plus we's magnificent kings
Beat over book by overlooking insignificant things
That bullshit that you bring
[Chorus]
You know we bring this back 4 you
So you know we bring this back 4 you
So you know we bring this back 4 you
So you know we bring this back 4 you
The song "Back 4 U" by Jurassic 5 is essentially an introduction to the group and showcases each member's unique style. The opening lines are an announcement of sorts- with the group introducing themselves to the audience. The next verse is delivered by Chali 2na, who is known for his deep, booming voice. His verse is about the power of his lyrics and the impact they have on people, as well as his pride in his indigenous heritage. The third verse is delivered by Akil, who raps about the importance of staying true to oneself and being original in a world full of imitators. The final verse is a collaboration between Cut Chemist and Nu-Mark, the group's DJs, who discuss the importance of music and how it brings people together.
The chorus of the song, which repeats throughout, is a declaration of the group's loyalty to their fans and their commitment to always bringing their best to their performances. The lyrics also touch on the group's desire to spread positive messages and originality through their music. Overall, the song is an upbeat and energetic introduction to Jurassic 5, showing off the unique talents of each member.
Line by Line Meaning
Check this out
Listen carefully to what I'm about to say
Real quick
This won't take long
I don't know if everybody know us personally as individuals
I'm not sure if everyone is familiar with each member of our group on a personal level
So what I want to do right now is
My intention at this moment is
Is I want to take this timeout just to introduce everybody
I want to take a moment to introduce each member of our group
I need from the people up top
I need those in the higher seats to participate
From the people on the bottom
I need those in the lower seats to participate
And the people in the back on both sides
I need those in the far back seats on both sides to participate
To give it up when I say
To show enthusiasm when prompted by me
(When the music is the soul)
The music is what drives us
(And the soul is the music)
Our passion and emotions are expressed through the music
Yo, dressed in indigenous garb sittin' abroad
I am dressed in traditional clothing while sitting outside of my usual environment
The words that I use to be awed people applaud
The words I choose to speak impress and receive praise from the audience
Now watch how the brother adapt fill in the gaps perhaps
Observe as I adjust and provide missing elements in our performance
I play the block until the curb collapse
I continue to perform in the neighborhood streets until the pavement deteriorates
Now check the method and put the message on record
Listen closely to our technique and take note of the message we're conveying on this recording
Promote the effort and change the neighborhood preference
Encourage others to appreciate and support our work, and change the community's preference towards it
And keep 'em guessing from the old to the adolescent
Dazzle and intrigue both older and younger listeners
It's J5 and it ain't no half steppin'
We are Jurassic 5, and we don't do anything halfway
The word play we display
Our clever use of language in our lyrics
Can only convey the vibe when they DJ
Our verbal skills are fully realized when accompanied by a skilled DJ
Colonial rep but far from the empecee
We have a reputation as colonial hip hop artists, but we are far from average emcees
Feel sorry for those who by stand innocently
Pity those who unintentionally remain uninvolved or unaware of our music
The menace in me divides men's courage in half
My intimidating nature causes others to cower in fear
I murdered my staff
I dominated the music scene and outperformed all my contemporaries
Demolished every nerd in my path
I defeated any musician who posed a threat or challenge to me
The verbal giraffe
I tower over others with my lofty and impressive lyrics
We tower over new day jive
Our music and style surpasses contemporary popular trends
We do play live
We perform our music live in concert
Ask the people who they fly
Inquire with our fans to see how much they enjoy our music
The crew J5
We are the group Jurassic 5
We ride right into the night
We continue to perform late into the night
Words that we write
Our lyrics that we create
We're calm then a settle your site
We have a soothing presence that allows you to relax and enjoy our performance
Come to the light
Embrace our music and be enlightened by it
The word play we display
Our clever use of language in our lyrics
Kept us movin from Tokyo to LA
Our music has brought us success and popularity in both Tokyo and Los Angeles
Catch the feelin' as we move on
Experience the emotions and energy we convey as we continue to perform
Follow the groove and steadily soothe
Let our music guide you and help you relax
Gotch you all comin' in two
We have the attention and support of all of our listeners
Follow the crew
Join us and become a part of our loyal fan base
No mean thing cause we tied like shoe strings
Our unity is strong and we are all connected like the laces on a shoe
When we sing you hear buzz like bee stings
Our music is so powerful and captivating, it's like getting stung by a bee
This is a, uh, very historical moment for us as Jurassic 5 man for real man
This is a significant moment for us as members of Jurassic 5
I feel like, uh you know, we have some serious support out here...
I feel like we have a tremendous amount of support from our audience
You know we bring this back 4 you
We are performing this music for you
Yeah, what, yeah
An expression of excitement and enthusiasm
When we play you walk this way
Our music is so captivating, it makes you want to move and groove to the beat
We walk in faith I hope you feelin' great
We have confidence in our music and hope that our listeners enjoy it as much as we do
We came here tonight just to celebrate
We are performing tonight to commemorate and enjoy our work
Put ya hands up high you know we're rockin' the place
Show your excitement and appreciation for our performance by raising your hands in the air
If you came here to hate you came way to late
If you came to our concert with negative intentions, you are too late because we have already captivated the audience
Jurassic emcees have came to set shit straight
We, the members of Jurassic 5, are here to correct and set things right in the music industry
Originality, check the way we originate
Our originality and unique style is evident in the way we create and perform music
Style and communicate check the way we demonstrate
Our music is not only stylish, but also effectively communicates our message
Countdown three two one
Giving a countdown before the music starts
Some rappers a speak the real
Some rappers truly speak the truth
And I can see through some
However, I can see through others and their dishonesty
I focus my sound
I am dedicated to my craft and perfecting my style
I never sellin' surplus pounds
I never compromise my integrity for the sake of making money
I'm workin' to smash and drown all you circus clowns
I am striving to eliminate and silence all of my detractors and competition
You try to dis and get your rims crushed like ants eggs
If you try to disrespect us, you will face harsh consequences and be crushed like an ant's egg
From my fate to where my tims touch my pants legs
From my head to my shoes, I am fully confident and in control
We indestructible plus we's magnificent kings
We are unstoppable and powerful rulers of our craft
Beat over book by overlooking insignificant things
We prioritize our music and creativity over other less important matters
That bullshit that you bring
We are unimpressed by any negativity or unnecessary drama brought by others
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: ANNE DUDLEY, COURTENAY HENDERSON, DANTE GIVENS, JONATHAN JECZALIK, TREVOR HORN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind