The Sun Rises in the East (CD - 1994)

Recorded at D&D Recording Studio, New York, New York.

As the title indicates, THE SUN RISES IN THE EAST is one of a handful of albums (also including Nas' ILLMATIC, Mobb Deep's INFAMOUS, and Black Moon's ENTA DA STAGE) that put the East Coast back on the hiphop map. West Coasters Dr. Dre and Snoop had stolen the spotlight with THE CHRONIC back in the summer of 1992. Jeru helped to usher in a renaissance of true-school rap.

SUN was entirely produced by hardcore composer DJ Premier, and the album represents his finest work. The beats themselves are nothing short of mindblowing. Shelly Manne's waterphones ("Come Clean") and the off-kilter piano loop on "D.Original" are worked into soundscapes worthy of Philip Glass or Steve Reich without any compromise of the music's ineluctable street appeal. In contrast to other Premier undertakings--where sterling production languishes beneath mediocre or inconsistent vocals--Jeru matches the producer in quality. His rhymes are at once simple and complex, employing an offbeat cadence and a compelling narrative flow. Even the ostensibly misogynistic "Da Bichez" breaks the mold, showing love to the queens and young ladies who defy the titular epithet. minimize