Wrath of the Math | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Studio album by | ||||
Released | October 15, 1996 | |||
Recorded | 1995–1996 | |||
Genre | East Coast hip hop | |||
Length | 51:47 | |||
Label | Payday/FFRR/PolyGram Records 124 119 (U.S.) 828 846 (international) | |||
Producer | DJ Premier | |||
Jeru the Damaja chronology | ||||
|
Wrath of the Math is the second album by the hip hop artist Jeru the Damaja. The album spawned the 2 singles "Ya Playin' Yaself" and "Me or the Papes". The album peaked at number 3 on the US Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums, and number 35 on the US Billboard 200.
The album was completely produced by DJ Premier and continues the themes of Afrocentricity, preserving hip-hop culture, and more about the harms of materialism that were discussed on The Sun Rises in the East .
In its liner notes, it even says, "This album was created to SAVE hip-hop and the minds of the people who listen to it." [1] One significant track that intends to uphold Jeru's vision of hip hop is "One Day", where he tells a story of Puff Daddy, Foxy Brown and Bad Boy Records kidnapping somebody named Hip-Hop. [1] The Notorious B.I.G. took offense to the song, as he was signed to Bad Boy Records, and was closely connected with Puff Daddy and Foxy Brown. Biggie retaliated by throwing subtle jabs at Jeru in the song "Kick in the Door" (which was aimed at other rap artists as well). The track "Me or the Papes" contains aim for Puff Daddy, Jeru stating, "My name ain't Puff, I ain't got loot to waste", to which Puff Daddy did not respond.
It contains many tracks that are sequels to songs on Jeru's first album such as "Revenge of the Prophet (Part 5)", "Me or the Papes" and "Physical Stamina", featuring Afu-Ra, the one guest emcee, as he was on Jeru's first album.
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Allmusic | link |
Robert Christgau | link |
Entertainment Weekly | B+ link |
RapReviews | (9/10) link |
The Source | [ citation needed ] |
The album was well-received, but was not as critically acclaimed as his first album. John Bush of Allmusic was one of the few critics who felt that it was just as strong as Jeru's first album. [2]
Entertainment Weekly : "Combined with DJ Premier's head-bobbing minimalist funk, Jeru tells it like it is like no other." [3]
Vibe : "Armed with a prophet's sense of social responsibility, Webster's vocab, and the best beats in the business.... Jeru's at his best...when he fights playa-ism with its most potent weapon: sharply visual, action-packed narrative." [4]
The Source : 3 Mics: Good—"Returning with an unabashed intolerance for the artistic moves of some well-known rap figures...Jeru the Damaja proves that his musical compositions are too mentally stimulating to be ignored." [5]
Melody Maker : Ranked #43 on Melody Maker's 1996 list of Albums of the Year. [6]
# | Title | Songwriters | Performer (s) |
---|---|---|---|
1 | "Wrath of the Math" | K.J. Davis, C. Martin | *Interlude* |
2 | "Tha Frustrated Nigga" (previously featured on Pump Ya Fist (Hip Hop Inspired By The Black Panthers)) | K.J. Davis, C. Martin | Jeru the Damaja |
3 | "Black Cowboys" | K.J. Davis, C. Martin | Jeru the Damaja |
4 | "Tha Bullshit" | K.J. Davis, C. Martin | Jeru the Damaja |
5 | "Whatever" | K.J. Davis, C. Martin, M. Small Jr. | Jeru the Damaja |
6 | "Physical Stamina" | K.J. Davis, A. Phillips, C. Martin | Jeru the Damaja, Afu-Ra |
7 | "One Day" | K.J. Davis, C. Martin | Jeru the Damaja |
8 | "Revenge of the Prophet (Part 5)" | K.J. Davis, C. Martin | Jeru the Damaja |
9 | "Scientifical Madness" | K.J. Davis, C. Martin | Jeru the Damaja |
10 | "Not the Average" | K.J. Davis, C. Martin | Jeru the Damaja |
11 | "Me or the Papes" | K.J. Davis, C. Martin | Jeru the Damaja |
12 | "How I'm Livin'" | K.J. Davis, C. Martin | Jeru the Damaja |
13 | "Too Perverted" | K.J. Davis, C. Martin | Jeru the Damaja |
14 | "Ya Playin' Yaself" | K.J. Davis, C. Martin | Jeru the Damaja |
15 | "Invasion" (previously featured on New Jersey Drive, Vol. 2 ) | K.J. Davis, C. Martin, C. Mayfield | Jeru the Damaja |
Information |
---|
"Ya Playin' Yaself"
|
"Me or the Papes"
|
Chart (1996) | Peak position |
---|---|
UK Albums (OCC) [7] | 79 |
US Billboard 200 [8] | 35 |
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) [9] | 3 |
Year | Song | Chart positions | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Billboard Hot 100 | Hot R&B/ Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks | Hot Rap Singles | Hot Dance Music/ Maxi-Singles Sales | ||||||||
1996 | Ya Playin' Yaself | - | 57 | 20 | 6 | 1996 | One Day | - | 89 | 1 | - |
1997 | Me or the Papes | 99 | 78 | 2 | 26 |
Lynise Walters, better known by her stage name Queen Pen, is an American rapper, singer, and novelist. She also has experience as a record producer, and has received a Soul Train nomination for Best New Artist. She has dealt with some controversy in relation to her use of lesbian themes—it being a taboo within hip-hop—in some of her music. Walters has written eight novels.
Life After Death is the second and final studio album by American rapper The Notorious B.I.G., released on March 25, 1997, on Bad Boy Records and Arista Records. A double album, it was released sixteen days after his death. It features collaborations with guest artists such as 112, Jay-Z, Lil' Kim, Mase, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, Too $hort, Angela Winbush, D.M.C. of Run-D.M.C., R. Kelly, The Lox, and Puff Daddy. Life After Death exhibits The Notorious B.I.G. further delving into the mafioso rap subgenre. The album is a sequel to his first album, Ready to Die, and picks up where the last song, "Suicidal Thoughts", ends.
Christopher Edward Martin, known professionally as DJ Premier, is an American record producer and DJ. He is considered one of the greatest hip hop producers of all time. He was half of the hip hop duo Gang Starr—alongside the rapper Guru—and presently forms half of the hip hop duo PRhyme, together with Royce da 5'9".
Daily Operation is the third studio album by American hip hop duo Gang Starr. It was released by Chrysalis Records on May 5, 1992. It peaked at number 65 on the Billboard 200 chart.
Hard Core is the debut studio album by American rapper Lil' Kim. It was released on November 12, 1996, by Undeas Recordings, Big Beat Records, and Atlantic Records. After achieving success with the hip hop group Junior M.A.F.I.A. and their album Conspiracy (1995), Kim began working on her solo album with The Notorious B.I.G. serving as the executive producer. She collaborated with a number of producers, such as Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs, Stevie J., David "Ski" Willis and Jermaine Dupri, among others. Other rappers, including Jay-Z, Lil' Cease and Puff Daddy were featured on the album.
The Platform is the debut studio album of the West Coast hip hop group Dilated Peoples. It was released in 2000 under the Capitol Records label, and represents a movement of several California underground hip hop artists away from the violence and misogyny of gangsta rap, towards a more traditional, conscious form of rap.
Kendrick Jeru Davis, known as Jeru the Damaja, is an American rapper and record producer. He is known for his 1993 single "Come Clean" from his debut album, The Sun Rises in the East, ranked as one of the 100 greatest hip-hop albums of all time by the editors of About.com. He has worked extensively with Guru and DJ Premier of Gang Starr, whom he has known since he was in high school.
The Sun Rises in the East is the debut album by American hip hop rapper Jeru the Damaja, released May 24, 1994 on Payday Records. Production on the album was handled by DJ Premier. The album features fellow Gang Starr Foundation member Afu-Ra. The album cover depicts the World Trade Center on fire only one year after the 1993 bombing of the North Tower.
Long Live the Kane is the debut album by American rapper Big Daddy Kane, released by Cold Chillin' Records on June 21, 1988. It was produced by Marley Marl and established both as premier artists during hip hop's golden age. Kane displayed his unique rapping technique while covering topics including love, Afrocentricity and his rapping prowess. Marley Marl and Big Daddy Kane display a sparse production style - creating beats with fast-paced drums and lightly utilized James Brown samples.
No Way Out is the debut studio album by American rapper Puff Daddy. It was released on July 22, 1997 by Bad Boy Records and Arista Records. The album's crediting of "The Family" references the guest appearances from his label-mates and other artists, where Puff Daddy initially gained recognition through his public image and work as a producer for Bad Boy.
Hard to Earn is the fourth studio album by American hip hop duo Gang Starr. It was released on March 8, 1994, by Chrysalis and EMI Records in North America. The album featured the singles "Mass Appeal",, "DWYCK", and "Code of the Streets". Guest appearances on the album include Group Home, Jeru the Damaja, and Big Shug. At the time, all were part of the Gang Starr Foundation, which made the album a stepping-stone for future DJ Premier-helmed projects by Group Home and Jeru. Hard to Earn received acclaim and commercial success upon release.
Livin' Proof is the debut studio album by the American hip hop duo Group Home. It was released on November 21, 1995, through FFRR/Payday Records. Recording sessions took place at D&D Studios in New York. Production was handled by Gang Starr and Big Jaz. It features guest appearances from Absaloot, Big Shug, Guru, Brainsick Enterprize and Smiley the Ghetto Child.
Aaron Phillip, better known by his stage name Afu-Ra, is an American underground rapper. Afu-Ra is a member of the Gang Starr Foundation, and has worked closely with its members, Gang Starr, Jeru the Damaja, Big Shug, Group Home, and others.
Heroz4Hire is the third studio album by hip hop artist Jeru the Damaja. It is entirely produced by Jeru the Damaja himself unlike his first two albums which were produced by DJ Premier.
"No One Else" is a song by Total, from their 1996 debut album. The track was a collaboration between the group's record label owner Sean "Puffy" Combs, now infamous member of the Trackmasters Jean-Claude "Poke" Olivier and Terri & Monica vocalist/writer Terri Robinson. It featured a rap verse from Da Brat, a sample from the track "South Bronx" by KRS-One/Boogie Down Productions and was a top 40 hit, peaking at number twenty-two on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and faring even better at number four on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
American actor, rapper and record producer Sean Combs, known professionally under the pseudonyms Puffy, Puff Daddy, P. Diddy or Diddy, has released five studio albums, one remix album and seventy-two singles – including thirty-three as a lead artist and thirty-nine as a featured artist.
"Be Happy" is a song by American singer Mary J. Blige. It was written by Blige, Sean "Puffy" Combs, Arlene DeValle, and Jean-Claude Olivier from duo Poke & Tone for her second studio album, My Life (1994), while production was helmed by Combs and Olivier. "Be Happy" contains an instrumental sample of the song "You're So Good to Me" (1979) by musician Curtis Mayfield and a re-sung vocal portion of the record "I Want You" (1976) by Marvin Gaye.
"All Night Long" is a song written, arranged and produced by American musician Rick James for the Mary Jane Girls.
Friends & Lovers is the second studio album by English R&B singer Marsha Ambrosius. It was released by RCA Records on 15 July 2014. The album features guest appearances from Charlie Wilson, Dr. Dre, Skye Edwards and Lindsey Stirling. On 23 June 2014 the album's first and second singles "Run" and "Stronger" featuring Dr. Dre, were released.
The discography of Jeru the Damaja, an American hip hop musician, consists of five studio albums, one extended play and nineteen singles. His most successful album to date is his sophomore album Wrath of the Math, which peaked at #35 on the Billboard 200 in 1996. Jeru's only song to date to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 is his debut single "Come Clean", which peaked at #88 in 1993.