Search - Jungle Brothers :: Done By the Forces of Nature

Essential Native Tongue recording

DukeOfEarl | Phoenix, AZ United States | 02/03/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you loved albums like De La Soul's "3 Feet High & Rising" and A Tribe Called Quest's "People's Instinctive Travels & The Paths of Rhythms," don't stop there! You need this album too! This one gives off many of those same vibes, and some may consider this to be better than those debut albums. The Jungle Brothers actually preceded De La and the Tribe on their 1988 debut "Straight Out The Jungle."

The Jungle Brothers were easily the most afrocentric members of the Native Tongues. That's their specialty displayed here, but they make the jams fun and creatively go off-topic here and there. The production on this is solid to very good, especially for the late-80's, mostly upbeat and playful to relaxing. Mike G. and Afrika(Baby Bam) weren't no Posdnous' or Q-Tips on the mic, but they were more than capable and above-average. They drop knowledge and love all over this album.

My favorite track here was the amazing and relaxing "Sunshine." Also remarkable was the Native Tongue posse cut "Doin' Our Own Dang." A great song, great verses by Q-Tip, Posdnous, Trugoy(Dave), and Monie Love, and a song every Hiphop head needs to hear! An classic late-80's jam. Other standouts are the title track(love that flute and sax!) and the spiritual "In The Days 2 Come." Actually every song on here is important, nothing I can refute. They throw in a couple club tracks, "What U Waitin' 4" and "U Make Me Sweat," that are actually stellar, especially the former. Listen to club tracks from today, then go back and listen to these two. You shall notice a big difference in quality! Other great tracks on this album are "Feelin' Alright," the intelligent and empowering "Acknowledge Your Own History," "Beeds On A String," and the beautiful dedication "Black Woman." They lighten the mood on "Belly Dancin' Dina," which is an acceptable change-of-pace, and drop some African tribe-type sounds on the rhyme-less "Good News Comin'."

"Straight Out The Jungle" is an excellent Hiphop album virtually free of profanity and frought with intelligent and spirtual thoughts. Think you can neglect these guys if you like old-school and Native Tongue Hiphop? You can't! The Jungle Bros. may have fallen off after this, but like I said, they did stand right with or above their De La and Tribe counterparts back then. Don't hesitate to buy, most definitely check this one out!"

I dare you to listen to this music without moving

Bob Dickson | Valencia, CA USA | 07/16/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I remember the day I discovered the JB's. I was browsing in a record store in 1990 and found myself bouncing to the music the store was pumping through their system. I wasn't the only one enjoying the sound. A guy next to me broke out into a full-on, funky dance right there in the store at the end of "In Days 2 Come." It was great!I bought the CD on the spot, even though I wasn't a big fan of hip-hop at the time. What a great decision! The music is fun, lively, and very infectious. "Black Woman" and "Doin' our own Thing" are two of my favorites, and I still get a kick out of "In Days 2 come," just thinking about that crazy guy in the store. He may have been the only one to start dancing mid-store, but everyone within earshot probably wanted to. "Done by the Forces of Nature" is that good. You'll love it!"

"Done By The Forces Of Nature": A Lost Hip Hop Classic

Bob Dickson | 10/25/1998

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Like their peers and fellow Native Tongue members De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest, the Jungle Brothers have created some of the most musical and original hip hop around. Though "Nature" never sold like Tribe's and De La's albums did, it is a classic to those that gave it a listen. This album is much better both musically and lyrically than their debut "Straight Out The Jungle." The JB's incorperate old r&b, jazz, funk, and hip hop samples and mold it into some of the finest hip hop sounds around. The JB's focus lyrically on maintaining a positive environment and creating new forms of hip hop as opposed to the bragging and the love serandes of their debut. While people like Puff Daddy and Master P may be called successful due to the money they make, the Jungle Brothers are successful for creating one of the best rap albums ever made. This is a must have for all hip hop fans and followers."