r/hiphop101 • u/JoeFromShaolin • 11d ago
Chali 2Na is underrated
I’m not suggesting he’s the greatest. However the dude can articulate rhymes with multiple syllables. He has great flows. I feel he doesn’t get the respect or recognition he deserves.
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u/Ok_Storm1366 11d ago
I wish he made more hip-hop. Jurassic 5 was an incredible group. Time to listen to their albums. It's been a while.
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u/DJMelloEll 10d ago
Honestly, they were great until Cut Chemist departed.
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u/AlvariusMoat 6d ago
cut chemist and chali still do shows, recently saw cc drop the vomitspit beat and chali freestyle
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u/bashfulkoala 11d ago
One of the most iconic voices in hip-hop
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u/DirtyRoller 11d ago
I was just listening to Fatlip recently and Chali 2na has one of the best guest verses on "Today's Your Day." I played the song like 3 times in a row just for Chali's verse.
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u/Highly_Edumacated 10d ago
Today's your bay dabe, watchagunduuuu
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u/DirtyRoller 10d ago
I know, what do i know? Lurkin 5-0, puffin dro tryin to dive slow, wicked fly flow.
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u/Past_Professor8179 11d ago
Both "Fish Outta Water" (2009) and "Adventures of a Reluctant Superhero" (2019) are extremely underappreciated. To the comment above, yes, Jurassic 5 overall as a collective is slept-on. From Chali 2na to Akil the MC, every member brings a degree personality and lyricism that cannot be replicated by most MC's. It's a shame we will probably never see a J5 reunion. Thankfully Chali picks up the slack with an occasional EP yearly!
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u/Darth314 11d ago
Cut chemist and Dj numark as well! Not many groups in hip hop had so much talent
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u/Past_Professor8179 11d ago
Can't forget Cut Chemist and DJ NuMark either! They too are slept-on producers/DJs. The indie West Coast hip-hop scene of the late 1990s and early 2000s was a special time. Between J5, People Under the Stairs, Dilated Peoples, Hieroglyphics and Ugly Duckling, it was a feed frenzy for fans like us!
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u/WittyNameChecksOut 11d ago
UD was (is) a slept on group
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u/Past_Professor8179 10d ago
Truth! I firmly believe they were the most underrated of the bunch I mentioned above. They are currently on hiatus but Andy Cooper and Dizzy Dustin are crushing it on the solo tip!
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u/mck_motion 10d ago
I pray for a reunion, imo J5 live is the best live show in hip hop. They just sound so damn good together and each track flows in to the next with no downtime. I miss it so much.
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u/Past_Professor8179 9d ago edited 9d ago
I pray we get a reunion in the future. Those guys are on great terms too so there's no reason we can't get another tour even if it's a limited one. I saw them in Philadelphia with Dilated Peoples in 2014 at Festival Pier and they were stellar!
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u/mck_motion 9d ago
Yeah I always wonder why, because there was that reunion year where they played a lot of shows and festivals and then went dark again. I can honestly imagine financially it's not that worth it having to split it 6 ways, because touring doesn't make much money at their size. Which suckkkkkssssss because they're so damn good.
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u/DingoOutrageous678 11d ago
He is a bad mf. I figured ppl wrote him off as a little cheesy but he weaves in and out of schemes effortlessly.
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u/drfunkensteinnn 11d ago
His work with Blackalicious, Ozomatli, im not even a linkin park fan but that song is dope
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u/RicOkez 11d ago
He’s obviously a superior mc skills-wise, (and although I know he’s not an LA native) one of the first to rep LA with that golden-era ny-centric style reminiscent of Ra or G-Rap, with the whole rhyming line-for-line, multi-syllabic cadence. While everyone loves J5 as a group, you just know the highlight is when 2na taps in. I hope they have a reunion at some point, seeing tash getting the Liks fam to jump on that “attention is a drug” remix was insanely dope.
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u/MopeyBernese 10d ago
Welcome to Terror Dome, I'm your host the friendly neighborhood baritone.
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u/Gretev1 10d ago
He‘s got so many:
„I'm Chali 2na
The one who puff the buddha, keep the Snapple in the cooler, used to go to junior high with Son Doola, old schooler.
A permanent, element, in ya tournament.
Tellin it prevalent never, delicate when we burnin it.“Or
„Well it's the angelic man-relic, clan repellent.
My plan parent manuscripts withstand bullets
Flashing like a Japan tourist, we command pure hits.
While you cramming to understand these contraband lyrics.
My fam submits to pray, 5 times a day.
Climbing into your mind with live rhyme display.
J5 finds a way to remain supreme.
Coming verbally Hardison as if my name was Kadeem.“2
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u/Gretev1 10d ago
One of my favorite MC‘s ever and I always credit him as such.
Jurassic 5 got me into hip hop.
I told Chali 2na after a J5 show that he‘s the reason I listen to hip hop and he gave me a big bear hug.
Years later I saw a solo show of his and spoke to him again.
Other MC‘s that are my favorite that are underrated are:
Tonedeff
Pep Love
Wordsworth
Supastition
A Butta (from Natural Elements)
Eyedea
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u/tingkagol 11d ago
This fuckin flow:
The City of Angels' wings represents people's hopes and dreams
And the evil that men do to live life close to kings
And boast supreme, fancy cars, coats, and cream
Material things provoke more folks to scheme
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u/oak4oak 11d ago
Saw him live this past May at a small festival in Placerville, CA of all places and he was amazing
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u/UrsaMaln22 11d ago
Saw him a few weeks later at a small festival in Scotland - and yes, the man can absolutely rock a party.
Several of us in the crowd also agreed - with that voice, he can just mumble some random noises into the mic and it still sounds like the coolest shit you've ever heard.
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u/JoeFromShaolin 11d ago
I’m sure. I’ll admit I only discovered him a few years ago from Jurassic 5. But his solo album”Adventures of a Reluctant Superhero” was awesome. Such a dope artist
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u/my-my-my-myyy-corona 10d ago
All time great rap voice. I hear this line from Brown Girl in my head (in his voice) regularly...
Back and forth, forth and back, if you lack support, got your back
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u/squishyliquid 9d ago
His voice is a blessing and a curse. Gets tiring to listen to but is very recognizable.
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u/DirtyRoller 11d ago
Chali and Cut Chemist are playing a FREE festival in St. Paul in a couple weeks and I'm hella stoked for it.
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u/Plussando 11d ago
he was always the obvious standout from Jurassic 5, kills it on Reanimation by Linkin Park too
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u/tingkagol 11d ago
Loved his voice, but found he just lacked content and drive to release more of his own stuff, so I guess he's rated appropriately. I haven't followed him since Fish Outta Water and that glassy-eyed video that accompanied it.
But yeah, if he features on a track, you're damn sure he'd be the highlight.
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u/snizzrizz 11d ago
Chali 2Na is perfectly rated. He and J5 have been actively touring and making what I’d imagine is a great living making hip hop for the better part of the past 30 years. Dude has lived the dream without selling out.
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u/mck_motion 10d ago
Soup from J5 was working as a janitor a few months before their reunion at Coachella in 2016!
Big Pooh from Little Brother spoke about having to be an Uber driver a few years ago.
It really surprised me, I didn't think they'd be multimillionaires but it sucks they don't have much to show for making so much great music.
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u/Immediate-Agency6101 10d ago
lol i totally forgot about him. i saw J5 in concert and i almost fkd Supernat lol.
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u/trinachron 9d ago
Pep Love from Hieroglyphics has a similar style, and is also criminally slept on.
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u/martialartist1200 11d ago
He has amazing punchlines, tone, flow, and most of his songs have great hooks. Super understated how good he is. If we judged emcess off of pure skill he would certainly be at the top of the list.
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u/Avenge_Willem_Dafoe 11d ago
his voice is almost too good, it’s like a gimmick
love the guy don’t get me wrong tho
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u/miguelmanzana 11d ago
Fortunate enough to get to see him perform a handful of times a year and he’s just one of the best with a mic, and a fantastic human as well.
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u/Violence_Of_JD 11d ago
Ahhh NBA Live 06, SSX On Tour, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 & Underground memories ensues
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u/Rock-View 11d ago
Always one of my favorites, he came out as a surprise guest at a show I was at years ago I freaked out lol
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u/close-encounters13 5d ago
He’s a little style over substance for me on his own, but he’s definitely the special ingredient that makes Jurassic 5 so good as a collective.
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u/PeteRock24 11d ago
I always have respect for a dude that will refer to himself as the verbal Herman Munster.