Music
Jeff's 'Magnificent' Effort
By By Anthony Harding--SeeingBlack.com Contributrig Writer
Apr 15, 2008, 09:37

Do you know that guy who is always getting tossed out the Banks mansion by Uncle Phil on “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air?” You might know him as Jazz, but his real name is Jeffrey Townes, better known as Jazzy Jeff. He’s been kind of absent from the mainstream rap game, but real hip-hop heads know that Jeff didn’t disappear after the Fresh Prince albums of the late 80s and early 90s.

He dropped his solo debut, The Magnificent, in 2002 and, since then, Jeff has been deejaying shows and releasing installments with his Hip Hop Forever compilation series. With his sophomore effort, The Return of the Magnificent, Jazzy Jeff gets down behind the boards and, with the help of some of underground rap’s finest, shows listeners that he hasn’t lost his touch.

Jazzy Jeff’s production style shines with his signature lush, laid back grooves. The opening track, “Hip Hop,” is a perfect example of this, as emcee Twone Gabz flows over a chill musical backdrop:

Now how they gonna say I ain’t real
‘less I’m pulling triggers or gun play
Cuz I ain’t hustlin’ or pushin’ drugs or money?

Jeff’s smooth, layered keys for CL Smooth on “All I Know” can hold a candle to the material CL made with Pete Rock back in the day and “The Garden” uses lush piano and guitar keys to highlight Big Daddy Kane’s ode to hip-hop.

Jeff’s R&B production is laced tight as well, perfectly backing ChinahBlac’s vocals on “Touch Me Wit Ur Hands” and providing a grown and sexy beat for Raheem DeVaughn with “My Soul Ain’t For Sale.”

Jazzy Jeff is the same guy who kept the party jumpin’ while Will Smith got the crowd hype and there are still a lot of hard-hitting beats as well. “Jeff N Fess” features Rhymefest rapping over Jeff’s feverish scratching and a catchy break and Peedi Peedi of State Property runs wild over the old school “Brand New Funk 2k7.”

In maybe the most interesting moment of the LP, “Hold It Down” sees Jeff break more needles and utilizes a confident head nodder that skillfully matches Method Man’s lyrical quips.

On the whole, The Return of the Magnificent is saturated with solid rhymes and beats, with flares of brilliance. The skits scattered through the album tell a hilarious story that is actually entertaining; it doesn’t gum up the flow of the LP.

If you like Jeff and don’t take yourself too seriously while listening to this, you’ll enjoy it for what it is. Not “backpacker,” not “gangsta,” not “R&B.” Just a collection of some pretty choice cuts from Uncle Phil’s number one menace (aside from Will, of course).


Read and search hundreds of music reviews on SeeingBlack.com's Music channel and archive.

Click here to post a comment on this review or your own review.



© Copyright by SeeingBlack.com