The hungriest MC on the planet
Alan Pounds | Minneapolis, MN | 09/22/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Anybody that's been following Big Jess and Mad Son (from the Unknown Prophets) over the years, knows that they've been ready to blow-up for quite awhile now. Each release has been consistently better than it's predecessor. Now it's 2005, and Big Jess drops "The Super Jump Off" on us like a ton of bricks. And when given the chance, this album will turn hip-hop heads inside out. Hip-hop truly needs an album like this. I haven't heard this much passion, sincerity and insight in an album since Brother Ali's "Shadows On The Sun" (2003). This album is made for everybody, but once you become a fan, it seems that Jess is playing these song for you. There is a certain vulnerability and honesty to his flows and messages, that makes you feel like you're talking to him 1-on-1. Similar to Blastmaster KRS-One, Jess likes play the teacher role. Those tracks rank among the best on the album. He's a very intelligent individual. There is a refreshing amount of common sense and logic that simply gives me goose bumps. Positivity is what keeps this album so fluid. Where many emcees rap about negative aspects of life, Big Jess is looking forward to the future. He's a husband and a father - on his way to age 30 - and he couldn't have a more optimistic view on life. It should also be pointed out that Jess produced this whole album too.
If you are reading this, you most likely own, or have heard of "Good Clean Fun" (Part 1). I was a huge fan of the album, but I must say, this one hits the nail on the head. The production is more complex, the hooks and beats are catchier, and most importantly, it flows better. The largest improvement lies within the choruses. They are more memorable, and constructed better. The lyrics are more passionate, and include a lot more memorable verses and rhymes. Everything that was somewhat lacking on "Good Clean Fun" (Part 1) has been stepped up dramatically.
"Part 2" kicks off the album nicely with some scratches by Willy Lose. The catchy lyrics are intact from the get-go - "I represent my crew called the UP's / Dude please / We got a waiting list for groupies". "theSuperJumpOff" is the one that really gets you moving. Here we have music from "Super Mario Brothers" from the first Nintendo system. Nostalgic loops of the first level's music (and the second [the blue and black level]), extra lives, coin collections, and eating mushrooms makes this one a jaw dropper for me and most of my friends. The production is quite sick. I especially like it when he speeds up his voice and boasts this clever lyric - "Normally I don't rap like this / and I'm nowhere near as fast as this / but I said 'what the fu*k' I took a stab at it / and when I finished it I was like 'that's the sh*t!'". "brinstar" kicks off the theme of his favorite Nintendo game, "Metroid". It holds up as interludes throughout the album ("norfair", "ridley", "kraid1", "kraid2", and "tourian"). "Don't it Feel Good?" featuring tight flows from New MC, has a very catchy production, which in turn relates well to this lyric - "This sound is bound to keep your head bobbin' / So much to the point you feel your neck throbbin'". "Insight" is the first of many of my favorites to come. Like I said earlier, Jess likes to play the role of the teacher (the "big brother" role), and this track represents him at his best. This also has one of the best and most heartfelt choruses on the album. I like this lyric when he's talking to the girl - "You want to be sittin' in jail on a maximum sentence / 'Cause in your days of adolescence you're actin' relentless / And you tried to have sex with every thug on the street / You're only sixteen and already a mother of three / I was a teenage father myself / incoherent, without a clue, on how to raise a child and be a parent / Believe me, it's not easy to be in that position / But it's never too late to start making better decisions". "All I Know" is definitely my favorite track on the album. This song sounds so rich, full and layered; it almost sounds mainstream. The chorus is without a doubt my favorite, which is helped dramatically by vocalist Brent Snyder. Mix all that with some of the most personal lyrics on the album, and you have quite a goose bump starter. Check out this lyric - "I used to write rhymes for certain types of people / But now I've come to find that all kinds like what we do / From rollerbladers, to skateboarders, and snowboarders / People of all colors, the spectrum is so gorgeous". DJ Amin times out the best samples possible to make the track shine more. "FAQ" has one of my favorite beats/loops on the record. It has a real polka/Sicilian vibe to it that works very well. Jess also cracks out one of my favorite verses - "'Yo Jess, how come I never see you at the clubs man? / Dog, I'm happily married and I'm in love man / I got no reason to be wasting all my money on some over-priced liquor and some high-maintenance honey / I'd rather go to the carnival with my family / Ride the Ferris wheel and eat a bunch of cotton candy / Then go home, make a couple of beats and plan my acceptance speech for when I win my first Grammy". If you own "Good Clean Fun" (Part 1), then you would know that Jess is a big fan of taking production and lyrical stabs at artists such as Ludacris, Aesop Rock, and 50 cent. Now it's Snoop Dogg's turn. He recreates the beat and transforms his voice into Snoop Dogg's nicely. It's hard to tell if the songs are disses or a tribute to the artist. Either way, it's a parody that speaks the true title of the album - "Good Clean Fun". "Proceed" featuring Dispute One, and scratches by DJ Anton, is a little more aggressive. This lyric is sweet - "This is not a game, this is serious business / High-class rappers with stamina; superior fitness / Goin' the distance / clearly it's ridiculous to underrate us / Goin' down in history as one of the greatest". "Road Rage" featuring Mohs, sticks to the theme of good clean fun, expressing some distaste for Minnesota drivers. Here's a tight verse from Mohs - "Slappin' the steering wheel, singin' at the top of your lungs / Unaware that you just violently swung / Across four lanes, but your bumper stickers prove you're a thinker / If you're so smart start using your blinker". "Caped Crusaders" featuring Mad Son and Willy Lose is the Unknown Prophets at their finest. I would like to quote some of Mad Son's flows, but they're too fast to quote accurately. "Big Jess Music" picks up nicely from the last cut with another slammin' beat - "I bring the pain and ruckus to all these sucka's / But also put a smile on the thugs and mean mugga's / That's versatility, you nerd's is killing me / Man, our sh*t's a classic like the Star Wars trilogy". "It Can't Rain Forever" is a very personal statement and one of the more soulful cuts on the record. I look at it as an older and wiser Big Jess giving advice to a younger inexperienced Big Jess. Check out this lyric - "You strugglin' just to make end's meat / You've got a map, but it leads you to a dead end street / And minimum wage has got you on a limited income / Your breakfast is the city air, and dinner is bread crumbs". Getting towards the end of the record, "Time Brings Change" is my favorite. It's another very insightful message to the younger generation. Here's a fun lyric - "I used to play video games with 8-bit graphics / And now they make systems with internet access / I try to tell these kids about Coleco and Atari / And they're like 'Sorry, I don't even know what that is'". "Pure Excellence", "Where is Paradise?", and "Y'all Need This" all surpass the format of good clean fun. They are among the most profound and passionate cuts on the record. If you own "Good Clean Fun" (Part 1), you know that Big Jess' favorite movie is The Karate Kid. Since that is also one of my favorites, I was absolutely blown away by the "hidden" track. A cover/re-mix of the main theme from the movie. The lyric - "You're the best, around / Nothing's gonna ever keep you down" has been stuck in my head for over a week.
I can't stress enough how much hip-hop fans need this album. This is the grand statement that Jess has been working to make for all these years. His skills are steadily increasing, and his lyrics make you think no matter how many times you hear them. Big Jess doesn't rhyme just to rhyme. He does it for a reason; to make a difference in your life. He has definitely affected my life, and the life of several others. I can only hope that Jess enjoyed making this music as much as I had (and still am) listening to it. Jess is far from getting the recognition he deserves. If this album would simply make it's way into the right hands, I have no doubt it would explode."
Track Listings (24) - Disc #1