Hip-hop, though always a dynamic force in music, has, until recently, been on a sort of downward spiral due to the watering down of creativity by the likes of Sean Combs, Tupac Shakur, and other money hungry sorts (you know who I'm talking about.) Many, myself included, were turned off of hip-hop because of its steady seat in the mainstream music world. Mid to late nineties hip-hop brought about dreadful results, and though the underground still flourished, the west coast had no true heros of the underground. Or so we thought... Jurassic 5 have literally re-invented west-coast hip-hop. Melding old-school hip-hop rhymes with beats and samples courtesy of Cut Chemist's extensive rare-groove, funk, and instructional records collection, this band has created a sound unique to them, while smoothly paying homage to their influences. This EP is perhaps the best hip-hop record in recent memory, as it not only demonstrates their intensely rich vocal skills, but also has opened people's minds to a more authentic sounding style of hip-hop. Jurassic 5 are original and honest, which makes them somewhat of an anomaly in the rap game. This EP and the 12" "improvise" are two of my favorites in my hip-hop collection, so do yourself a favor and open your ears and mind to them.

Attention all REAL HIP HOP fans! J5 has come from the underground to save you from the noise of puff daddy, the family, no limit, and all the rest of the main stream B.S. that makes you want to vomit. If you like phat,ORIGINAL, beats and a crew that can rhyme better than Mother Goose, check out Cut Chemist, Chali 2na, Zaakir, Marc 7even, Akil, and DJ numark- JURASSIC-5.

If you're tired of all the "bling bling, gold chains, platinum rings, playboy" [music] being played on the radio and getting the undeserved title of hip-hop, look into Jurassic 5 for some fresh air. You won't hear them rapping about their cars (...), slicing up their girlfriends (...), or the other no-thought-required drivel being played all over rap airwaves around the United States.

Making use of two DJs to cut some solid beats up that puts anything by Juvenile or Jay-Z to tearful shame, the 5 rappers in turn have some of the meanest flow since Gang Starr. And contrary to most of the mainstream garbage, these guys can actually perform that forgotten act of singing when they want to as well, making good use of it on the refrains of the tracks. "In The Flesh" is instantly catchy, "Concrete Schoolyard" is top performance hip-hop at its best with an ode to old school rhyming, and "Action Satisfaction" showcases J5 at their best.

With an already growing following and 2 classic releases behind them, J5 may be well on their way to changing how hip-hop is perceived, and it's definitely for the better. The only complaint about the EP is the large number of interludes and skits. Personally, I detest such a thing on full length albums, but its just ridiculous putting it on an EP, when the group really should have focused more on full-length songs to impress their listeners. Depending on what version you buy there's only 4-5 real songs on the EP. However, if you want to check out J5 before committing to a full length LP, grab this.

Don't hesitate to get the full-length album "Quality Control" if this grabs your attention at all or if you have a strong desire to hear something other than the usual Ja Rule garbage being forced on you right now.

I find the originality and execution of this EP to be unmatched in hip hop. And it is better than a classic underground EP, it is darn near classic in general due to the timeless Concrete Schoolyard and Action Satisfaction. Also, Lesson Six is a classic DJ track for people who are into that (I am among those). Find this used cheap and you will keep it (and play it) forever.

I hadn't heared anything by J5 when I got this EP but after seeing the reviews it got, I had to pick it up. I wasn't dissapointed at all. Each Emcee has mad skills on the mic and it's not all that "flossin ice in da backseat of my hummer with da 25 inch platnim dubs" rap music either. If you are a fan of Blackalicious or any real Hip-Hop, you should pick this up.

My only gripes about this CD is th tracks Setup and Sausage GUt are just "filler" material. Also In The Flesh (hey, don't get me wrong, this is an excelent track) is edited and edited music gets on my nerves. Lesson 6: The Lecture doesn't really float my boat either. If it was a 6 minute beat production with some solid rhymes I would love it but listening to beats (even good ones like these) can get tired quickly.

The rest of the Tracks are great. Pay attention to Jayou, Concrete Schoolyard and Action Satisfaction. Note: You might notice that Jayou appears in the PS game Grind Session.