Jungle Brothers were formed through the high school friendship of Nathaniel "Afrika Baby Bam" Hall and Michael "Mike G." Small. Mike brought family friend DJ Sammy B into the mix and the Jungle Brothers were born. Members: Nathaniel Hall, Michael Small, and Sammy Burwell.
Review: As early members of the Native Tongue Family, New York's Jungle Brothers dropped their classic debut Straight Out The Jungle in 1988. The album showcased their innovative sound, fusing positive, Afrocentric rhymes with funky samples and extraordinary drum programming. It also featured a pre-Tribe appearance by Q-Tip on "Black Is Black" and early hip-house sounds on "I'll House You." Mike G, Sammy B, and Baby Bam soon copped a major deal and released Done By The Forces Of Nature. Although a quality record start to finish, many heads slept on it, and several years went by before their next release, J Beez Wit The Remedy, surfaced in 1993, containing the great tracks "My Jimmy Weighs A Ton" and "Good Lookin Out." The album also demonstrated a growing tendency to experiment with their sound, including some highly unusual, bugged-out instrumentals. The group continues to evolve, incorporating more of a Drum 'n' Bass/club influence into their heavy jazz vibes and intelligent, witty lyrics.
