Read: Bandcamp Hidden Gems – An Overlooked Gem From DJ Jazzy Jeff Showcases Philly in the Early ’00s

Thank you to Bandcamp for featuring DJ Jazzy Jeff‘s ‘The Magnificent’ as their hidden gem. Released on August 20, 2002 under BBE as part of the Beat Generation series.

In the early ’00’s, Philadelphia was a bubbling hotbed of musical activity. While the city was known for the fiery, street-oriented hip-hop of groups like State Property and Major Figgas, there was also a vibrant neo-soul scene being carved out in spaces like the legendary Black Lily open mic night at the Five Spot in the city’s Old City neighbourhood. The Magnificent, the 2002 debut album by pioneering DJ and producer Jazzy Jeff, combines streetwise hip-hop and contemporary soul the city was known for at the dawn of the millennium.

Click here to head over to Bandcamp to check out the full feature and have a listen to the album.

Album sleeve notes, as penned by Jazzy Jeff himself:

1) We live n Philly…I always loved the Roy Ayers jawn…I thought it would b phatt 2 do a remake…my man ?uestlove came in an laced the drums n percussion…he iz hands down the most incredible drummer Ive ever heard n hez from Philly…that guy can b a human drum machine…thank u dawg…P Smoovah laced the bass…old school style… no 1 has the bass feel he haz…Pete (white chocolate) Kuzma laid da keys Jus like dey did on the original joint…Chuck Treese laid guitarz lovely…Larry Gold did da stringz n da arrangement…hez da man 4 dat shit…thank you 4 the flava…then Jill Scott came n an laid the icing on the cake with a lovely journey through the dayz n Philly history…I love u babe…thank you…I held the record up till u came home from tour…it waz well worth the wait…

2) We are…this song moves me cause it has a purpose seeing that so many songz don t now a dayz…u can hear the emotion that Cy n Raheem give…I wish there were more songz like this…bangin wit a purpose

3) Charmed Life…I ve been a fan of J Live 4 a long time…he z a true mc…this iz 1 of my favorite trackz…when he picked this beat I waz like damn cause I loved it so much az an instrumental…when he laced it wit a small piece of hiz life it jus put the icing on the cake…thank u J Live for being what we need more of…true m.c.z

4) Shake It Off…wow…talk about last minute…the night b4 we finished all the mixing Kev Brown n Chef Word come up wit this shit…I m mixin “We Live n Philly,” n go n the other room n hear this shit…I waz like letz finish n mix this shit…datz rite Chef Word…b that cat I know u can be…thanx

5) In Time…this iz the 1st of many collabz with Masters @ Work…my friendship with these guyz go back along way…me n Kenny met about 8 years ago n he z been like a brother 2 me ever since…I worked with them on the Nuyorican Soul…we always talked about a colab…this waz it…MAW comin wit tha dance side/ATOJ comin from da soul side…what a great combo…my man Vee haz been wit me 4 a long time…we been thru a lot of the industry shit 2getha…thank u 4 being 1 of the dopest vocalist n the world…history iz being made az we speak…thank u and 2 my brothaz from the 3rd member of MAW…thank u

6) 4 Da Love of the Game…Kenwood inspired this 1 by comin in while I waz messin around sayin datz phatt…P Smoovah grabbed the bass…Pete sat @ the Rhodes…Vee sang some shit…Paul walked in an said”4 the love of the game” Blak sat down wit Paul n wrote it…all this n about an hr…and it feelz so good…that s what I love about how we do what we do…itz never planned…datz ATOJ

7) Don t u Know ur Hood…wow…could this b a concept song…Pauly Yamz wanted 2 talk about catz n da hood that think dey know what z goin on…but really don t/Chef Word iz on all the shit dat u know about ur hood…were 2 eat, where 2 go or not 2 go…etc Jus another day n da hood…ya know

8) Scram…me n Freddie Foxxx aka Bumpy Knuckles have been cool 4 a while…Kev Brown really wanted 2 work wit him so he made a beat cd n we got it 2 him…he picked a beat n came down…now u know a veteran when u can come n and lay down a whole joint n 20 minz…and it phatt az shit…thanx 4 keepin it real dawg

9) Break it down…this iz a jem…j live laced me on da lyricz…P Smoovah (da golden child) laced da beat…p might b the most versatile musik cat I ever met…then I came up with a great idea…I m fanz of a whole lot of djz so y not have a tribute 2 all turntablist n get a bunch of the dopest cat I know 2 do cutz on it…I couldn t get all the 1z I really wanted…but I damn sure got enuff…djz…Spinbad, Kwestion, Obi Won, Avee, soul one, Jay Ski, Xcel, Sat One, Dirty Ice, Spin One, Babu, Qbert and Revolution…thank u all…I have the utmost respect 4 all of u

10) How I do…Shawn Stockman…u know from Boys II Men…we always talked about doin something 2gether…funny thing iz this happen from a drop by visit from him…thatz what I m talking bout…jus do it…he came wit some new different shit…great brotha 2 know…Cy Yeezy laced da rhymes as always…dat how we do…haha

11) Musik Lounge…Kev Brown iz the most unselfish producer I know…he hooked me up wit Kenwood and he introduced me 2 hiz man Amir…Amir came up n played me some beatz that were dope…but I waz tryin 2 get Kev Brown rollin so he went back 2 Maryland…he waz determine 2 get back 2 ATOJ n do some shit…8 monthz later he gave Kev a beat cd wit this song on it…writing and producing the song himself…the song feelz great n the topic fit right along wit what we are doing…I asked him if he wanted 2 b on the project…he said cool…all I can say iz dope…what the hell iz going on in Maryland…

12) My Peoples…I did this track n Vee sang some dope ass ooohhhs n aaaahhhs 2 add dat old flava…P Smoovah again on da bass n Pete on da keys…but I could not figure out where 2 go from there…do I want Vee 2 sing a song…or do I want Paul lace a rhyme…so I asked Raheem “what would u do 2 a jawn like this”…he said, “write some smooth shit”…I told him n Vee I wanted 2 talk about whatz goin on n the world 2day…15mins later he came up wit this…Vee added some more… these guyz r incredible…this iz not a lazy song…give a good listen…itz very uplifting

13) The Magnificent…Blak n Paul made me do this intro…I need 2 start of wit something…old school cutz, P Smoovah on da bass, Pete on da keyz, Vee wit da ooohhhz n aaahhhz…nice vibe 2 start off wit…a lil bit of what makes up The Magnificent

14) Worldwide…Blak n Paul have always had a chemistry 2gether…like 2 old school vets feeding off each other…this song iz hip hop wit a touch of Vee

15) Rock Wit U…1 of the best song writers n the world…Eric Roberson…from the heated NBA live battlez we ve had me n this brother have been cool from the day I met him…he bring jus as much energy 2 the studio as he does when he s losing n live (sike…he beats me sometimez)…he z a true fan of good musik…look out 4 this 1…he iz da shit…thank u man…whatever u need…holla…I m here

16) Travelz…this is my favorite Baby Blak song…he talkz about our journey overseaz…2 Canada and hiz trips 2 France…1 of the dopest mc s out…his time is now…get ready.

17) Love Savior…I ve been a fan of Flo Brown 4 a while…but never met her…1 of the dopest, deepest mc s…male or female…she blessed me with a jewel on this record…thank u Flo Brown 4 being true…letz keep it going…anytime u want

18) Mystery Man…Philly’s own Last Emperor is the shit…I don t know what 2 say about him…its time 4 the world 2 know how dope he iz…through no fault of his…his records never came out…itz a shame that some1 this incredible hasn t had a chance 4 the world 2 know how dope he iz…yet….look out Here he comez…thanks Jamal…if u need me 4 anything…jus call