You Must Learn – Jeru The Damaja (Episode 1)

The word anniversary once referred to the commemorative feast in honor of a Catholic saint. Today we use the term for a celebration of any past event that took place the year or years prior on the same date.

This year in particular marks the 20th Anniversary of a hip-hop record distinguished by its raw sound, uncompromising lyricism, and social commentary: Jeru the Damaja’s debut album, The Sun Rises In The East. 1994 was a powerful, transformative year for hip-hop. Nas, OutKast, and Biggie Smalls each dropped their debut albums, while other more established artists released projects regarded both then and now as milestones in the genre. Jeru was only 21 years old when he recorded the The Sun Rises; 22 when it came out on Payday Records. And the album was well received in the hip-hop community.