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.
Verbal Gunfight
Jurassic 5 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This is a verbal gunfight like the wild wild west
And if you got beef get it off your chest my son
Because the 2na's gonna show you how the west was won
[Akil]
We rolled up to the spot about a half past noon
Jumped from the horse, slid into the saloon
Danced up to the bar, a double snapple on the rocks
[Chali 2na]
Now mr. bartender told me strangers get flack (Really black?)
But they'll be fuckin with the black billy jack
Feel the mack, ??? you can never even got the chance bro
We move the crowd like we were ?????
[Akil]
And my drink he never passed it, he got real sarcastic (Fat Bastard)
You them niggas from the crew called Jurassic
Talkin mad shit as his face showed a frown
You niggas better leave before the sun go down
[CHORUS 1]
'cause uh, we be the king of, the verbal gunslingers
You better bring a casket, a preacher and a singer nigga
We be the kings of the ones that brought static
I use my rhymes like a glock automatic
[Both]
Ay yo, somethin lookin fishy yo I think we better watch
Yo, I'd make sure you got your trigger uncocked
Yo I'm sayin real niggas always deal a gun blast
Get the horse, kiss the girl, grab the mic and let's dash
[Chali 2na]
'cause uh, we be the king of, the verbal gunslingers
You better bring a casket, a preacher and a singer nigga
'cause when the lead locks on it don't let ya
I'm not a grifter more like a high-plains drifter
[akil]
And as the plot kickened, thickened, niggas started shovin me
Muggin me, tuggin me, into the good bad and the ugly
Troubly doubly I grabbed a glass full of bubbly
Publicly rubbin me I told my nigga Chali cover me
[Chali 2na]
Yo, I gotcha back and I'm buckin I'm lookin back and I'm duckin
I'm tryin to get us the FUCK out the place
Brothas who was harassin we was doin the blastin
Yo suit go get us the bucks out the safe
CHORUS 1
Dead men never tell about the things they saw
The stakes is what can make a man become an outlaw
Hey, we be the peeps who keep the past alive
2na fish, and Akil from the Jurassic 5
[Akil]
Ay yo peeps has been grand, but understand we in a hurry
Emergency currency, many niggas that wanna murder me
Heard of me
And 2na fish ??? capacity keepin the west blazin like Sundance and Butch Cassidy
[Chali 2na]
Man, we need some type of plan 'cause peeps is skanless
Thinkin that they can make a man hush with the ambush
My man bust til you crack the safe
Yo back is safe and we gon take the back escape
[Both]
Now if you don't know who we are, I suggest you better hiiiide
Or look down the devil's eye, sing a lullaby
And the picture on my poster make my left side my best side
[Chali 2na]
I'm on my last two rounds I let a thousand free
I heard the bartender called for the cavalry
Now they outside, waitin on my ????
Verbal gunslinger forever and proud to be
'cause uh, we be the king of, the verbal gunslinger
And now they got the casket, the preacher and a singer 'cause they
????? at the ?????
Stay alive yo!
Rhymin with our back to the wall, tryin to survive the fall
'cause dead men never tell about the things they saw
The stakes is what can make a man become an outlaw
Hey, we be them peeps that keep the past alive
It's 2na fish, and Akil, from the Jurassic 5
The lyrics of Jurassic 5's song Verbal Gunfight describe a showdown between the band and some cowboys in a saloon in the Wild Wild West. The song opens with the band members reminding their opponents that this is not a test, but a verbal gunfight. They make it clear that they are the kings of the verbal gunslingers and they use their rhymes like a glock automatic. As the verbal battle heats up, they find themselves in a physically dangerous situation and one of their opponents warns them to leave before the sun goes down. However, the band members stand their ground, knowing that in the Wild Wild West, this is "how the west was won."
The song is both a playful homage to the Western genre and a commentary on the power of words. By presenting themselves as verbal gunslingers, Jurassic 5 plays with the idea of language as a weapon. Moreover, the song sheds light on the band's unique style which combines skilled rapping and old-school hip-hop artistry with a nostalgic twist.
Line by Line Meaning
Now what you hear is not a test
This is not a drill, we are engaging in a serious battle of words
This is a verbal gunfight like the wild wild west
We are rapping back and forth aggressively, like a classic western shootout
And if you got beef get it off your chest my son
If you have a problem with us, speak up now
Because the 2na's gonna show you how the west was won
I, Chali 2na, will demonstrate how to come out victorious in this battle, just like legendary figures of the Wild West
We rolled up to the spot about a half past noon
We arrived at a location in the middle of the day
Jumped from the horse, slid into the saloon
We quickly made our way inside
Walkin in the spot I heard the musicman stop
We entered the building and the music abruptly ceased
Danced up to the bar, a double snapple on the rocks
I confidently approached the bar and ordered a drink
Now mr. bartender told me strangers get flack (Really black?)
The bartender warned me that outsiders may have trouble with the locals
But they'll be fuckin with the black billy jack
They will be facing a formidable opponent
Feel the mack, ??? you can never even got the chance bro
Experience the power and intensity of our rapping, you won't even stand a chance
And my drink he never passed it, he got real sarcastic (Fat Bastard)
The bartender refused to serve me and made sarcastic comments about our group
You them niggas from the crew called Jurassic
He recognized us as the rap group Jurassic 5
Talkin mad shit as his face showed a frown
He insulted us and appeared upset
You niggas better leave before the sun go down
He suggested that we leave before things escalate further
'cause uh, we be the king of, the verbal gunslingers
We are confident in our ability to out-rap any opponent
You better bring a casket, a preacher and a singer nigga
You better prepare for death, because you're no match for us
I use my rhymes like a glock automatic
I rap with the precision and force of an automatic weapon
Ay yo, somethin lookin fishy yo I think we better watch
I sense danger and we should be cautious
Yo, I'd make sure you got your trigger uncocked
Make sure your weapon is ready to fire
Yo I'm sayin real niggas always deal a gun blast
True tough guys are always ready to shoot
Get the horse, kiss the girl, grab the mic and let's dash
Let's make a quick escape on horseback after finishing our performance
Dead men never tell about the things they saw
Those who die in conflicts never reveal information about what happened
The stakes is what can make a man become an outlaw
High stakes situations can lead people to engage in criminal activities
Hey, we be the peeps who keep the past alive
We are preserving the traditions and culture of hip hop
Ay yo peeps has been grand, but understand we in a hurry
It's been great hanging out, but we need to leave quickly
Emergency currency, many niggas that wanna murder me
I need to always have money on hand and be prepared to defend myself against potential attackers
Heard of me
People know who I am and what I'm capable of
And 2na fish ??? capacity keepin the west blazin like Sundance and Butch Cassidy
I, Chali 2na, am maintaining the rap game in the West, just like legendary outlaws
Man, we need some type of plan 'cause peeps is skanless
We need a strategy, because people are ruthless and unpredictable
Thinkin that they can make a man hush with the ambush
They believe they can silence and overpower us with a surprise attack
Yo suit go get us the bucks out the safe
Quickly retrieve the money from the safe
Now if you don't know who we are, I suggest you better hiiiide
If you're not familiar with our group, you should be scared
Or look down the devil's eye, sing a lullaby
Otherwise, you'll be confronted with evil and danger
And the picture on my poster make my left side my best side
The image on my promotional poster was shot from my best angle
I'm on my last two rounds I let a thousand free
I have only a few chances left to make a powerful impact, and I'm taking advantage of them
I heard the bartender called for the cavalry
The bartender called for backup to help deal with us
Now they outside, waitin on my ????
Our enemies are waiting outside for us to emerge
Verbal gunslinger forever and proud to be
We'll always be known for our powerful and skilled rhyming
'cause when the lead locks on it don't let ya
When you're in a dangerous situation, there's no way out
Rhymin with our back to the wall, tryin to survive the fall
We're battling with everything we've got, facing immense pressure and doing our best to stay afloat
Hey, we be them peeps that keep the past alive
We are dedicated to preserving the history and legacy of hip hop
It's 2na fish, and Akil, from the Jurassic 5
We are members of the rap group Jurassic 5
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
kalahauoli355
The first time I ever tripped on acid, this song came on my Pandora. Needless to say it's been a favorite ever since.
Emma
This is absolutely sick, there is no other hip hop/rap song like it.
Zach Stigall
one of the best, consistently flowing raps by jurassic - THANKS!
TheFelixxRevolution
Love those songs that have ur head noddin before you even realize ur doing it
John Trolovinski
Paying homage to a classic. Still bumping this in 2017.
Sebastian
2020 rip... going out with bangers though. Fuck it. Let the world fall. Fuck the NWO
Jovany Martinez
Still bumping it in 2019
RoseOfHizaki
2019
John the crazy guy
2018
Hydro Gen
I downloaded the bonus disc on mp3. Wow! the noises I heard. Were as classic as a KRS-One CD or record format. What I didn't understand is how many voices gone astray at the sight of this story tale bonus disc. It's as if someone died.