Today, with happy rap near extinction, Jurassic 5's old school sound has become the rarest of treats. J5's live show is refreshing and nostalgic. How many other hiphop groups today still smile a lot?
Venturing into Vancouver's Commodore Ballroom for a Jurassic 5 show is similar to stepping into a rhyme-time machine. The fake Halloween cobwebs strategically placed throughout the club suitably matched the 1980s style clothes sported by the teenaged trick-or-treaters attending the show. Tracksuits, fake gold chains, caps twisted sideways, and cheap iron-on T-shirts was the attire favoured by the 19-year old fans who helped sell out the show.
As a spontaneously unfurled Jurassic 5 flag suddenly appeared on the stage, DJ Numark mounted his turntable station, dropped the needles, and just about blew the trembling cobwebs off the ceiling. The hyped crowd bounced to the old school beat as Numark cut and transformed futuristic sounds and set the DJ cockpit ready for blast off.
The four rhyme-traveling MC's took the stage one by one, rapping their verses and hi-fiving everyone, just like at the intro of an all-star line up before a basketball game.
Charlie 2Na, with his signature baritone, old school flow and towering stature, overjoyed the fans. Mr.Charlie's arm seemed to stretch clear to the back of dance floor, long enough to slip-skin with the brothers at the back. The mob of underdressed Asian girls in the front row were lucky, not only because of their front row position but because Charlie 2Na is a friendly giant incapable of losing his cool. But that Mr. Charlie could have easily turned the front row into a Godzilla-in-Tokyo scene.
The word "Jurassic" was etched into my mind after seeing Charlie 2Na's larger than life dinosaur-like existence--a true relic.
Jurassic 5's synchronized slow dance—shades of Motown's Temptations--grossly contrasted DJ Numark, crabbing faders and transforming sound waves on alien kid toys and gadgets that seemed to be bootlegged from outer space. With head spinning and mind boggled, I was left pondering whether this show was taking place in 1975, 1985, or 2010. And whether, after this, Matrix movies will still be considered fiction.
The multi-cultural crowd, hyped yet harmonized in a unified groove, fully participated in J5's block party calls. For these people from different corners of the earth, happily waving their arms and unanimously replying to J5's rhyme delivery, it was truly a night to savour.
But the highlight came at the end when, during his encore performance, Charlie 2Na asked everyone to raise two peace fingers in the air and said: "This is what we need most in this world."
Jurassic 5 will play in Toronto, Kitchener, London, Ottawa and Montreal on November 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 respectively.
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