Every once and a while I am amazed that I slept on a talented artist for such a long time.
Such memorable slept on artists in my life:
DJ Shadow - Endtroducing
The Pharcyde - LabcabinCalifornia
Burial - Street Halo
and now...
Jneiro Jarel.
Jneiro Jarel - Timeless Mix CD Vol 1
Heavily producing and composing real hip - hop since 2002, Jneiro Jarel has been quite an underground gem in an earth full of wack production.
Jneiro Jarel was born in Brooklyn, New York where he gained knowledge and connections to the hip hop scene, starting his own record label, Orienj Records, and gaining recognition for the release of 2 albums in 2004. "Timeless Vol 1 and Three Piece Puzzle" were his two works that best exemplify his attention to true hip hop.
Relying immensely on the idea that MPCs + Old jazz and soul samples = amazing hip hop,
Relying immensely on the idea that MPCs + Old jazz and soul samples = amazing hip hop,
Jneiro Jarel has easily taken me back to the good old days.
In his first mix / album, "Timeless : Mic CD Vol.1", Jneiro embarks on a mission to keep it true to the forefathers like Jay Dee and The Roots, while introducing himself
to the world and Upperhands as more than just a hip hop artist.
I don't say this often about music, but:
This album changed my life.
I have an affinity for finding an album and become mildly obsessed with them,
playing the album sometimes 2 or 3 times a day for a week.
Jneiro Jarel's 2004 Mix did this to me.
Obsession song #1 :
Breathin'
Other notable obsession albums in my past:
The Pharcyde- "Labcabincalifornia"
DMX - "Its Dark and Hell is Hot"
Beastie Boys - "Paul's Boutique"
Jazz Liberatorz - "Clin D'Oiel"
Jneiro Jarel performing live with a little help from the AKAI MPC 32
Jneiro Jarel - "Three Piece Puzzle"
Fast forward to 2007 and Jneiro Jarel decides that he is tired of one alias, so he starts a new moniker and beat style known as "Dr. Who Dat?" and "Shape of Broad Minds". Featured in some of the Adult Swim commercial pieces of 2006 to 2008, Jneiro Jarel made his way back into the fold
with cutting edge hip hop beats that branched out into using the electronic sound and sampling style.
The Dr. Who Dat? project is a strictly instrumental series, whereas the Shape of Broad Minds series features emcee's like Count Bass D, MF Doom and John Robinson rhyming over the smooth and intelligently composed Jneiro Jarel beats.
Dr. Who Dat? - "Beat Journey"
Jneiro Jarel sporting the Miles Davis style. Not just a Hip Hop producer/ Emcee
Shape of Broad Minds "Craft of the Lost Art"
Let us fast forward now to how it all started for my fascination with the artist that is Jneiro Jarel.
About 3 months ago I was elated with the prospect of a new album from one of my favorite artists of all time: MF Doom.
MF Doom is by far one of the most noted hip hop artists of all time and has been hard at work putting amazing work together for the past 10 years. It is safe to say that whenever MF Doom releases an album or decides to work with some relatively unknown producer, it's going to be fire!
Enter JJ DOOM.
Pulling together all of Jneiro Jarel's past beat making accomplishments and artistry,
the album "JJ Doom: Key To the Cuffs", is a testament to all hip hop heads and backpackers out there
that not only is MF Doom still strong in the game, but Jneiro Jarel has no plans on leaving hip hop.
JJ DOOM : "Key to the Kuffs"
Jneiro Jarel and "The Man in the Mask" MF DOOM on a rooftop in NYC
JJ DOOM, "Gov'Nor" video
Shot almost exclusively in an empty production warehouse, this video has brought music video making into a whole new frontier. Using a primitive split screen method, the director joins multiple shots and views together to create one seamless frame.
I really appreciate this video because it also gives us a deeper view into MF Doom.
For the first time, we the viewers and followers of Doom's career get a closer look at the man in the mask and even get a closer look at the design of his mask.
Now equipped with plastic eye pieces, Doom's mask resembles something I would have used in a
metal sculpture class to cut metal, but in this case brings all of the mystique and creativity of Doom to the forefront.
Thank you Jneiro Jarel for all that you have done to change my life and the way I listen to music.
Special Thanks to: Coffee, Jneiro Jarel, MF Doom's mask, rainy days in Los Angeles.
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