Jeru the Damaja

DJ Premier's first album-length production outside of Gang Starr was his best by far. Of course, the star of the show was Jeru the Damaja, a cocksure young rapper who brought the dozens from the streets to a metaphysical battleground where he did battle with all manner of foe. His flow and delivery were natural, his themes were impressive, and he was able to make funky rhymes out of intellectual hyperbole. The Sun Rises in the East stands alongside Nas' Illmatic (released the same year, and also boasting the work of Premier) as one of the quintessential East Coast records. (amg)

(1994) The Sun Rises in the East / V0