Streetsoul [Explicit Lyrics]

Guru, Gurus Jazzmatazz | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 3, 2000)
• Original Release Date: October 3, 2000
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Explicit Lyrics
• Label: Virgin Records Us
• ASIN: B00004YLJ4
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (49 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #109,840 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Quality material, but not jazz, January 17, 2001

By 

Scott Esposito "Readsalot" (Oakland, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Streetsoul (Audio CD)

3.5 Stars

The standout track on this album, Plenty, shows us what Jazzmatazz could have been. This 6th track pairs Guru with Erykah Badu (with the beat produced by the ever soulful Badu), and it delivers on the promise implicit in such a collaboration. Over a beat which can best be described as a near perfect fusion of jazz sounds and hip-hop drums Guru and Badu playfully speak with one another, Guru through his rap dialect, Badu with her eloquent voice. If Jazzmatazz had delivered 15 tracks in this vein it would have been a masterpiece. It didn't.

The main problem with this album (and partly why Plenty stands out as much as it does) is that for an album named "Jazzmatazz," there isn't a whole lot of jazz going on. Instead of finding lesser-known artists who truly make jazz music, Guru has acquired quite popular artists, some of which can only tenuously be described as soul singers or jazz artists.

The feel of this album can be readily summed up in the song Hustlin' Daze. This song is standard Guru material; as such it is definitely quality, but it nothing outstanding that we have not heard before. DJ Premeir produces a nice beat and Donnell Jones provides a servicable hook. Over this backdrop Guru delivers three verses which are not outstanding, but better than most verses out there. Like Hustlin' Daze the rest of the album is good material, but rarely becomes outstanding. Further, like Hustlin' Daze most of the album is hip hop disguised as jazz by only the thinnest of masks (in the case of Hustlin' Daze my best guess is that the presence of Donnell Jones was the jazz element, although that's not really too jazzy). And lastly, like Hustlin' Daze this album, while good, is not outstanding and is not anything we haven't heard before.

All this isn't to say that Jazzmatazz isn't a nice listen. There are plenty of good tracks which will require heavy rotation. Keep Your Worries, Certified, Plenty, Night Vision, and Timeless are all high in quality. The rest of the album (with the exception of the Roots track, a major disappointment) is far from filler material.

While the album is nice, it definitely falls short; it makes me wish that Guru hadn't included Plenty on the album. The quality of that track tells me that if Guru had put his mind to it Jazzmatazz could have been a near-classic, if not a classic, which trully bridged the gap between jazz and hip hop and explored a new genre of music. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, that didn't happen and Jazzmatazz, while nice, leaves you wanting something better.

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding piece of work, October 5, 2000

By 

Warren Woo (Vancouver, B.C. Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Streetsoul (Audio CD)

Ok, I admit it...as far as soulful music goes, this year has been an utter and complete disappointment. The poor quality and formulaic construction of both Joe and Boyz II Men's albums (YES i did say that, now i want ANYONE to respond that they were better than the old albums by the same artists) has brought me to almost refute the entire genre, the only thing i look forward to now is the K-ci and jojo album in december with a new jodeci track! But despite that fact, Guru's third Jazzmatazz effort comes through in a brilliant way, successfully hybridizing soul with hip-hop and a tinge of jazz.

This Jazzmatazz appeals to a wider audience than the first two editions did; the focus is hip-hop with a message, and the soulful influences are not forced onto the listener, but mainly an additional musical layer. Standout tracks are "Keep Your Worries", "Hustlin Daze", "Guidance", and "Timeless". Guru has successfully stepped out of the shadow of Gangstarr and proves that he can create an entire album that is extremely listenable, almost never slipping up even without DJ Premier's reliable sonic background. In fact, this album simply increases the anticipation for the next Gangstarr album; it's very good to hear Guru's confident rhymes again, and it's also very comforting to know he hasn't forgotten any of his soulful hip-hop roots unlike artists such as the Boyz, Joe, and Sisqo. A thoroughly enjoyable album from start to finish, and one of the best albums of the year!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Guru brings the soul......, October 30, 2000

By 

Elliot (NYC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Streetsoul (Audio CD)

Suup y'all. This new Guru Jazzmatazz: StreetSoul is one of the most solid LPs of 2000. I know that the second one may have lacked focus in ceratin areas, and peeps who liked the first one may have written him off, but this third installment is a great example of how compilations should be. The artists/producers on this album are the who's who of the present day hip hop/soul/jazz world. Joints like "Lift Ya Fist" and "Hustlin' Daze" keeps the album on the hip hop tip, but soul creations like "Certified" and "Guidance" smooth the album out. There is even a very jazzy joint entitled "Plenty" in which Erykah Badu melts the track with her voice, and Herbie Hancock even lends his talents to the last piece on the album. All in all, this album is mad solid from front to back. A necessity for anyone who is into the neo-soul/smooth hip hop scene that is droppin' right now. Definitely worth the money spent, a few times over. Peace..