Jeru the Damaja
Kendrick Jeru Davis was born on the 14th of February 1971 in Brooklyn, New York. He spent his early years in the borough's East New York neighborhood where he began rhyming at block parties as a youth. This environment shaped his initial development as a rapper before he entered the professional music scene. His unique style first showcased to audiences appeared on "I'm the Man" from Gang Starr's 1992 album Daily Operation. He also contributed to "Speak ya Clout" from Hard to Earn during that same period.
Davis released his first single "Come Clean" which was produced by DJ Premier and became an underground hit. The following year he released his debut album The Sun Rises in the East which was produced entirely by DJ Premier. He has worked extensively with Guru and DJ Premier of Gang Starr whom he has known since he was in high school. Their collaborative history defined his early career output through these two albums. The partnership remained strong until after the release of Wrath of the Math when they reportedly had a falling-out. Jeru later dismissed this conflict claiming they simply wanted to go in different directions. In 2002 Jeru made up with both Premier and Guru following the passing of shared friend Kenneth "HeadQCourterz" Walker.
The Sun Rises in the East was well-received but faced criticism from the Fugees for its lyrics particularly regarding the song "Da Bichez". Fugees member Pras lightly mentioned Jeru on the track "Zealots" from the group's landmark 1996 album The Score. The line read "No matter who you damage, you're still a false prophet" referencing Jeru's single "You Can't Stop the Prophet". Jeru responded lightly in the intro of the track "Me or the Papes" and also on the track "Black Cowboys". Despite the controversy the debut album gained significant acclaim over time. In 2013 The Sun Rises in the East was ranked as one of the 100 greatest hip-hop albums of all time by the editors of About.com. They called it "one of the quintessential '90s hip-hop albums." In 2022 Rolling Stone magazine named it one of the '200 Greatest Rap Albums Of All Time'.
Davis followed up his debut with Wrath of the Math released in 1996 which was again produced solely by DJ Premier. The album received wide acclaim although not on the same level as his debut. He remained critical of commercial hip-hop artists and record labels that produced them such as Death Row Records and Bad Boy Entertainment. The latter he criticized on the concept track "One Day". After the release of Math Jeru created Know Savage Records to maintain control over his work. His third album Heroz4Hire released together with Mizmarvel came out in 1999 under this new label. It featured the single "99.9%". His next album Divine Design released in 2003 was the first album under his new record label Ashenafi Records. That album received little attention and mixed reviews from critics.
In 2009 Jeru started to collaborate with drum and bass producers expanding his musical horizons beyond traditional hip hop. He appeared on Kabuki's track "Watch Your Step" produced by Mainframe and also on "Open Up Their Eyes" by Italian producer Fabio Musta. Group Home collaborated with him in 2010 for a song titled "Guru" dedicated to the late rapper Guru. Polish rap star OSTR featured on the song "Oddałbym" on the album Reedukacja of Slums Attack. The album sold out in the first couple of days and became a great success in Poland. In 2012 Jeru featured in the song "The Mourning Son" on the album Remix with the Sun of French trip hop group Chinese Man. On the 17th of June 2014 he released an EP through Hedspinn Records entitled The Hammer for digital download.
Jeru reunited with Premier to feature on Gang Starr's "From a Distance" off their final album One Of The Best Yet in 2019. This collaboration marked a significant moment in his career following years of separation from the duo. He has maintained a home in Berlin while continuing to release music independently. His discography includes six studio albums and one EP spanning from 1994 to 2014. Critics have increasingly recognized his contributions to hip hop culture over the decades. The retrospective acclaim received by his work solidified his status as a respected figure in the genre. Interviews with him regarding Divine Design appeared on sites like Exclaim! and thesituation.co.uk highlighting his continued relevance.
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Common questions
When and where was Jeru the Damaja born?
Kendrick Jeru Davis was born on the 14th of February 1971 in Brooklyn, New York. He spent his early years in the borough's East New York neighborhood.
Who produced Jeru the Damaja debut album The Sun Rises in the East?
The Sun Rises in the East was produced entirely by DJ Premier. This collaboration defined his early career output alongside Guru from Gang Starr whom he has known since high school.
What year did Jeru the Damaja release Wrath of the Math?
Jeru the Damaja released Wrath of the Math in 1996 which was again produced solely by DJ Premier. The album received wide acclaim although not on the same level as his debut.
Why did Jeru the Damaja leave Gang Starr members Guru and DJ Premier?
The partnership remained strong until after the release of Wrath of the Math when they reportedly had a falling-out. Jeru later dismissed this conflict claiming they simply wanted to go in different directions before making up with both in 2002 following the passing of shared friend Kenneth Walker.
Which label did Jeru the Damaja create to maintain control over his work?
After the release of Math Jeru created Know Savage Records to maintain control over his work. His third album Heroz4Hire released together with Mizmarvel came out in 1999 under this new label.