Photos and words by Scott Sheff
Good things come to those who wait. After 20 plus years of performing hip-hop across LA and the world, Jurassic 5 finally got their time on stage at the fabled Greek Theatre for their “Word of Mouth Reunion Tour.”

And it couldn’t have happened to a better group of guys. Even before they took the stage, members of J5 could be seen milling around the plaza area talking to and taking pictures with fans. They took the same laid-back, approachable attitude to the stage for an unforgettable night for their fans.

J5 brought out some of their “toys” for the show, including the over-sized turntable known as “Big Wheel.” However, it’s not like they needed props to get the crowd’s attention, as virtually everyone from the front to the back of the theatre was engrossed in the show, hanging onto to every word uttered from the stage. And to make sure everyone was involved, Chali 2na said “we don’t need any party poopers,” and had the entire crowd raise their hands in the air while Cut Chemist (aka Lucas MacFadden) and Nu-Mark gave instructions to “open and close” their hands, creating a cool visual from the back of the venue.

One of the most touching moments of the night was when Cut Chemist brought his mom out on stage to thank and recognize her for all her support over the years. Without her, the band may never have come to be. I’m sure the words shouted by the man sitting behind me are echoed by all: “Thank you, Mama MacFadden!”

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Dilated Peoples:
Dilated Peoples got the crowd fired up with tunes off their first two albums, as well as a few from their forthcoming album Director of Photography, due out on August 12. With the Beat Junkies’ DJ Babu manning the turntables, Evidence and Rakaa Iriscience worked the edge of the stage to connect with the fans.

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MC Supernatural:
Witnessing the talents of MC Supernatural in person is quite a treat. The man that is famous for his freestyle raps drew a slew of “oohs and aahs” with lyrics dissing other hip-hop artists, as well as his jaw-dropping ability to freestyle based on objects fans hand him on the spot. And if you haven’t seen him perform “The 3 MCs,” that alone is worth the price of admission. In addition to performing, Supernatural served as the emcee for the night’s festivities.

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Beat Junkies:
Kicking off the night and dropping seamless beats was the crew of DJs known as The Beat Junkies. Each member impressively took turns at the turntable, switching off one after the other without missing a beat (no pun intended).

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