April 09, 2017

Jeru The Damaja vs. African Sam (April 9, 1997)

Jeru The Damaja African Sam Vibe August 1997

This article was printed in the August 1997 issue of Vibe, where they covered a story about Jeru The Damaja that happened 20 years ago today. Jeru was slashed on his arm and received 13 stitches when a caucasian MC named African Sam (pause for effect) challenged Jeru to a freestyle battle in Colorado. Naturally 'Sam' took the L, and didn't take it well. He tried to snatch the mic from Jeru and hit himself in the mouth, then caught a bad one from the Prophet. Did homie not hear all the kung-fu references in Jeru's music? lol During the ruckus on stage, someone slashed Jeru, but he did not press charges and closed out the article droppin' a gem: 'How can you stand for peace and love if people are going to be able to just take you out? If I'm trying to uphold something, I have to be able to hold it down.' Peace to Jeru out in Europe still doing his thing.

"Tryin to rhyme up in my cipher is gamblin' 
Freestylin me G, I be buckwilin' 
You can't even challenge a n!gga in my position
Technician, renditions more freaky than Rick James
Fly like airplanes thru all it remain the same"