"Everything is a balance," declares Brand Nubian rapper Lord Jamar. "That's what we try to show with our music -- the balance between the seriousness of trying to spread knowledge and showing that we're real people who enjoy life." On In God We Trust, Brand Nubian bring their inimitable mix of elements to a new level of precision and power. Knowledge and understanding parallel rage. Intensely held beliefs of the Five Percent Nation of Islam segue into party-hearty road tales. The ancient Muslim vocal of the first cut, "Allah U Akbar," blends with the sublime manipulation of the most sophisticated new technology. "This record is more organized and more rough," believes Sadat X. In God We Trust was recorded after the departure of original member Grand Puba Maxxwell; "It's just two different types of musical expression; people will be able to tell the difference between the two albums," says X, previously known to Nubian fans as Derek X. (Sadat is a more righteous, fitting name," he explains...) The urgent, multi-layered beats of the first single, "Punks Jump Up To Get Beat Down," set the stage: "The track is about not being taken advantage of in life," explains Jamar. "The feelings you have when someone tries to take advantage of you and what we would do if that happens. It's also beating them down with the sound," he says with a smile. "We're beating them down with the lyrics, the vocals, the mentality -- and physically, if it has to be." Brand Nubian formed less than two years before making their major label debut, when Sadat X and Lord Jamar left their retrospective outfits, the Chosen Few and KD & The Ever-Lovin' 3. Sincere, officially joined the group in time to record In God We Trust, although he had creative input on Brand Nubian's first album, One For All. "We'd been friends for a long time," Jamar recalls. "We both got knowledge around the same time." The New Rochelle, New York-based group made their debut at a 1989 New Music Seminar showcase. - Press Bio, 1993. Revisit Brand Nubian's sophomore LP, In God We Trust, below...
Here's the official press release from Brand Nubian...
