Both men became the quint essential purchase in any record store during the rapid growth of hip hop in the 90's. Amongst the staunch levels of cadence flaunting MC's who popped out of every crack in the urban areas of California and New York, Jeru Tha Damaja and MF Doom made their mark by distancing themselves from all the ubiquity.
Suffice to say that aside from the glowing sensualism each one of their tracks will evoke in you, both men possessed different attributes, which will now do battle as we try to decipher which one of these hip hop Goliaths has the greater credentials.
JERU THA DAMAJA
He once made the grandeous claim that he was "the saviour of hip hop". Two decades have past since that proclamation and it would be hard to form a rebuttal against it.
Jeru first came into the spotlight during a snippet of the track I'm the man off the album Daily Operation by fellow striving artists Gang Starr in 1992. His moment of fame came when he was signed to Payday Records and released both his debut album The Sun Rises in the East and Wrath of the Math with them in '94 and '96 respectively.
He enjoyed early success on both ( even when he was reprimanded for stereotyping women in the song Da Bitchez off his debut drop) however people really began to pay attention upon the release of the '99 album Heroz4Hire. It was here that Jeru would gain the prevalence that will keep him infinitely at the top echelons of hip hop.
The experimental production on the album created a melancholic feeling in every track. The real success story of the album was the song that would eventually define Jeru amongst the broader catchment area of phlegmatic rap fans. 99.9 percent and the success it enjoyed could hardly have been expected considering it was placed as the last track on the album. Nevertheless it encompassed all that has made Jeru the iconic figure he is, a lyricists with the ability to hold the most fastidious of critics.
His success has continued (somewhat) in recent years with the album Still Rising, an album title that says all you need to know about the man. There have never been any attempts at pretentious songwriting or a false sense of intellect with Jeru. He was (and still is) simply a man who began to talk about what his day to day life entailed and enjoyed the success that this combined with a melodic voice brings.
He was perhaps a victim of his own circumstances; he came on the scene at a time when Brooklyn and the East coast was engrossed in nothing but B.I.G. Nonetheless respect must always be payed to Jeru who will be highly regarded for his illustrious career, both on solo projects and with other big names in the business at the time.
MF DOOM
Born Daniel Dumile yet forever known as the masked hero of hip hop; MF Doom. His career will probably be better known for collaboration work on such album's as the transcendent Madvillainy (2004) with meticulous MC Madlib. The album contained the track All Caps, instantly recognisable for it's nostalgic beat that will take you back to the sun-filled days of your youth. Other tracks off the album, including Accordian and Raid became instant hits for the Madvillain collaboration and has them held in high esteem as potentially the best collaboration in hip hop.
That is not to say that MF Doom has not enjoyed a fruitful solo career. His two CD album Doomsday shall always be the first thing that roles off a persons tongue when you mention him, regardless of the success Madvillain enjoyed.
Operation: Doomsday unleashed the man under the mask, or more importantly the mind under the mask. Whereas Madvillainy gave a 50/50 split of talents on display to both producer and rapper, the simple beats off OD allows the voice of a lyrically maverick to take it's full effect. The album established him as one of the fastest bar-spitters at the time.
The themes tackled range from misery in the ghetto to a struggle with adolescent alienation similar to writer James Joyce's Potrait of an Artist as a Young Man. Probably one of the lesser known tracks off the album is The Finest. Anyone who wants to experience the full portrayal of MF's talent culminated in a single track should proceed immediately here. His ideals are timeless, every generation of rap fan (be they old or young) seem to discover MF.
The nostalgic rap fan will appreciate the harmony of early 90's rap beats featured on the album, including the blissful sound of record scratching on the decks.
Another interesting fact about MF that may tickle the fancy of general knowledge enthusiasts is that he was born in England and moved to America during the early years of his childhood. It didn't take long for him to fit amongst the culture rising around him.
THE VERDICT
I would say that if you took the early careers of both men, a clear advantage would have to be given to Jeru for how much quicker he came onto the scene with his solo albums (bear in mind both men are the same age). Before MF had released Operation: Doomsday in '99, Jeru had already made an impression with three albums including his '99 Heroz4Hire.
However the belated success of Doom was something that began a catatonic revolution in rap and was the primary reason why he enjoyed so much success on collaborations. He became a commodity everyone wanted to identify with.
MF Doom also seems to enjoy greater success in the present, whereas Jeru has somewhat been entered into the history books (that is not to take away from the prowess of his career).
MF Doom's Madvillainy also gives him a 2-1 advantage over Jeru when it comes to iconic albums of hip hop.
IMMORTAL CRITIQUES RESULT: MF DOOM WINS
No comments:
Post a Comment