Jeru The Damaja is an MC, Producer, and Photographer that has been an essential part of Hip-Hop culture for over twenty-five years, from his early collaborations with the legendary Gang Starr to the present day. Born (Kendrick Jeru Davis) in the East New York section of Brooklyn, Jeru honed his skill as an MC while navigating the often-deadly streets of his notorious Brooklyn neighborhood. In The late 80s, Jeru was fortunate enough to be introduced to Guru of Gang Starr by a childhood friend. Gang Starr first introduced Jeru The Damaja to the world on a track entitled “I'm the man,” from their 1992 Daily Operation album. Jeru's first two albums The Sun Rises in The East and Wrath Of The Math were produced entirely by DJ Premier and are hailed as Hip-Hop classics. In fact, The Sun Rises In The East was released on this day in 1994, and Chuck D's This Day in Rap and Hip-Hop History says: With masterful production by Gang Starr's DJ Premier, the acclaimed debut from Jeru combined Five-Percent and Rasta doctrine with witty rhymes, reached #36 on the Billboard 200 and #5 on the R&B chart. The Sun Rises In The East produced the classic hits "Come Clean," and "You Can't Stop The Prophet." Fellow Gang Starr Foundation member Afu-Ra guested on the track "Mental Stamina," where Jeru was awarded The Dopest Rhyme of the Year in The Source for 1994. If you dig into my archives HERE, you'll find album reviews, original promo, publicity photos, sure shot singles, videos and lots more, so please use the search and tags to learn more about the album and his follow-up releases! For the last few years, Jeru has lived in Berlin, Germany, and is planning to release a new album in 2020, so stay tuned for more! Danny Hastings did the original art below.
