Jeru The Damaja in Portland

Jeru The Damaja is an American rapper from Brooklyn whose hard-edged boom-bap records became part of New York hip-hop’s 1990s sound. Closely associated with the Gang Starr Foundation, he is best known for the DJ Premier-produced albums The Sun Rises in the East and Wrath of the Math, and tracks including “Come Clean” and “Ya Playin’ Yaself.” Jeru The Damaja began touring with Gang Starr after appearing on the group’s track “I’m the Man.” He later took his solo catalog to clubs and festivals outside the United States, particularly in Europe. His concerts use an MC-and-DJ format and draw heavily on the records he made with DJ Premier.