Jeru The Damaja – Cabaret Underworld (June 16, 2012)

Gang Starr introduced Jeru The Damaja on my all-time favorite of their discography, Daily Operation.

The Wrath of The Math follow-up was and still is slightly underrated but it's up to the curious and determined listener to discover the jewels within. 

Jeru The Damaja returned to Montreal on Saturday, June 16th to perform at Cabaret Underworld (1403 Sainte Elizabeth). 

I saw Jeru The Damaja perform on the same bill as Nas at The Shatner Ballroom in 1994.

Both had released their classic albums around the same time. If memory serves, both albums were reviewed in the same issue of The Source.

One of the differences between the two was that Nas received 5-mic classic status for Illmatic. A handful of hip hop's best producers crafted him beats for his album. Jeru's album was produced entirely by Nas beat-provider DJ Premier.

The New York Knicks were competing for the NBA Championship that night and although Nas was more interested in its outcome than rocking the Montreal crowd ahead of him, it is quite possible Jeru too was preoccupied with finals. Both lacked charisma and personality on stage and had it not been for their budding legendary status and heat of their tracks, the night would have been a write-off. To this day, that concert was among the worst hip hop shows I'd ever attended. It was all the more disappointing because these were two of New York's most promising hip hop artists poorly performing on the same night.



The Jeru show at Cabaret Underworld was significantly greater than that 1994 night. The relatively intimate venue and crowd allowed Jeru to be engaging and interact with the appreciative audience. Thankfully he seized the opportunity and the crowd by building a rapport with the Montreal heads in attendance. The sharp wit and sense of humor displayed in 2012 was not present at my last Jeru show.

Obvious classics from his Sun Rises In The East and Wrath of the Math albums were performed. I've been partial to D. Original for a while but it had been a long time I heard it. Whatever from Wrath was also a subtle favorite. It felt good to see and hear those and other songs performed live after all this time. His killer verses from the Gang Starr albums and the Crooklyn Dodgers single were also delivered.



Jeru mingled among the crowd shortly after the performance and I got the chance to speak with him briefly. After congratulating him on a solid set, I asked about the possibility of new recorded music. He said new music is in the works and is slated for release within a few months.



In light of recent concert cancellations and headliners getting outshone by local opening acts, I was happy to have been at Cabaret Underworld to see and hear Jeru The Damaja. It would have been easy to say I had my fill of Jeru shows after the poor 1994 performance. If I had maintained that frame of mind, I would have missed a great night of real hip hop dropped on this fair city.

Jeru The Damaja returned to Cabaret Underworld on February 13, 2013. 

The hosts of the Wu-Block show at Club Soda announced there were some special guests in the house before the headliners hit the stage.

To our delight, The Beatnuts, Jeru the Damaja & Sticky Fingaz stepped on stage one after the other. They were in Montreal for their performance at Cabaret Underworld the following night. Jeru took photos from the stage.

There were more hip hop vibes at Cabaret Underworld for me.

After two live performances in Montreal in two years, I can say it is always a good thing to check out Jeru the Damaja’s music. One fan in attendance repeatedly asked for Me Or The Papes but unfortunately it wasn’t on the set list. 

Here is a gentle reminder why Jeru The Damaja’s two albums are hip hop classics. He could not have chosen a better city to celebrate his birthday.

Thank you to Jeru The Damaja and Cabaret Underworld promoters & organizers for a night of classic hip hop fire.