Power In Numbers: Jurassic 5 & Heavy D - "The Way We Do It" (The White Stripes)

Aside from the Beastie Boys of course, I think it's pretty safe to say that Jurassic 5 were my first favourite Hip-Hop group that I discovered entirely on my own; if I'm not mistaken, "What's Golden" was featured on some sort of early 2000's basketball game for either N64 or PlayStation. Power In Numbers (2002) still remains in heavy rotation in my car stereo and is without a doubt one of my all-time favourite Hip-Hop albums. I remember having a burned CD-R copy of the album released either directly before of after Power In Numbers, which was always an enjoyable listen, too. After releasing four positive "Conscious Hip-Hop" albums and one EP between 1993-2007, Jurassic 5 decided to part ways and unveiled one final album recorded without previously departed DJ Cut Chemist, Feedback. Following the under-the-radar release(s) and luke warm commercial reception of a few side projects, including Ron Artiste and a compilation of 1980's French Post-Punk, Chali 2na, Cut Chemist, Akil, Zaakir, Marc 7 & DJ Nu-Mark finally decided to re-form the band for a string of festival dates last summer; and then, completely out-of-the-blue Tuesday night, Jurassic 5 unleashed their first new track in eight long years! "The Way We Do It" is in fact a posthumous release that was produced by Heavy D, who somehow managed to expertly chop and sample The White Stripes' Blues Rock-influenced 2005 single, "My Doorbell." Cut Chemist's website-based blog further notes that '"The Way We Do It" was produced by Heavy D during J5's Feedback recording sessions. J5 immediately connected with D as a true Hip-Hop hero, as well as a great person. This is one of [four] songs recorded with legend. More exclusive songs and versions of songs are coming soon!" It's currently unclear as to where "The Way We Do It" and the other aforementioned tracks will eventually appear, but we can all only hope it's a new Jurassic 5 album; until then, you can catch Jurassic 5 on their expansive summer-long tour along with opener Dilated Peoples across the United States and Europe, spanning from June to early August.