The Jungle Brothers - Crazy Wisdom Masters (1993)

 The Jungle Brothers were a hip hop group that was associated with the informal Native Tongues coalition that included groups such as De La Soul, Tribe Called Quest, and Black Sheep.  The groups could be connected through their common interest in expanding the sound of the genre, sampling jazz fusion albums, country music, sixties pop music, as well as a greater palate of R&B and funk. In addition, their approach to MCing moved away from the aggressive, shouting approach that defined earlier acts such Run DMC, the Beasties, etc. to smoother, more laid back approach. Lyrically, the groups alternated between serious political topics and a return to the sort of playfulness that defined early hip-hop. The band put out their first record in 1988, with 'Straight Out Of The Jungle', and a second album followed in 1990 with 'Done By The Forces Of Nature'. 'Crazy Wisdom Masters' was to have been their third album, and it featured some considerably experimental hip-hop for the time, as well as production from Bill Laswell. Warner Brothers constantly rejected the tapes, and eventually a much diluted version of the album was released in 1993 under the title of 'J. Beez Wit The Remedy'. Though the final album is considerably more conventional, experimental tracks are still in evidence, including a few left over from the 'Crazy Wisdom Masters' sessions, such as 'Spittin' Wicked Randomness' and 'For The Headz At Company Z'. Some tracks have officially surfaced, with four appearing on the Wordsound 'Crazy Wisdom Masters' 10" EP in 1998, and the track 'Troopin' On The Down Lo' being included on the obscure Warner Brothers compilation 'Trademark of Quality Volume 2' in 1993, but here is the full album as it would have appeared if the band had been given their head and been allowed to take rap and hip hop to the next level. 

Track listing

01 Simple as That
02 Good Ole Hype Shit
03 Book Of Rhyme Pages
04 JB's Comin Through
05 Spittin Wicked Randomness
06 Sparl A New Flame
07 Mysterious Monkey
08 Battle Show
09 I'm In Love With Indica
10 Ra Ra Kid
11 Peace Ahki
12 Trials Of An Era
13 Book Of Rhyme Pages (Remix)
14 Troopin' On he Down Low
15 Headz at Company Z