Brand Nubian exploded onto the hip-hop scene with One for All (Elektra, 1990) — a full-blown rap opus that drew equal and immediate comparisons to the upbeat musicality of De La Soul and the gritty realness of Poor Righteous Teachers (whose members, like the Nubians, were members of the Nation of Islam’s Five Percent cypher). Fire in the Hole (Babygrande, 2004) is the group’s fifth album, and it brims with much of the funky bravado and pointed social commentary for which Brand Nubian has always been known. What’s different this time out, though, is Lord Jamar’s emergence as a seasoned producer with groove-driven instincts galore.

Having logged time as a Nubian with everyone from Diamond D to DJ Premier to the legendary Lord Finesse, Jamar has kept his eyes and ears open while gradually building up his studio chops. “I kind of grew into it,” he says, recalling the early days of working with Grand Puba — well before Brand Nubian had even come together as a group. “Puba kind of showed me how to sample and make beats. During our first album, I did a lot of hanging over people’s shoulders, you know, watching what was going on. For the second album, when Puba went to do his own solo thing, some people thought they were gonna take advantage of me and [Sadat] X by giving us some half-assed beats and trying to charge us a whole bunch of money. We were like, ‘Listen, for the price of one beat, we can get some equipment and do it ourselves.’ And that’s basically what we did.

One For All 1990

01_all_for_one.
02_feels_so_good.
03_concerto_in_x_minor.
04_ragtime.
05_to_the_right.
06_dance_to_my_ministry.
07_drop_the_bomb.
08_wake_up_(stimulated_dummies_mix).
10_slow_down.
11_try_to_do_me.
12_Who Can Get Busy Like This Man …_Brand Nubian.
13_Grand Puba, Positive And L.G._Brand Nubian.
14_Brand Nubian_Brand Nubian.
15_wake up (reprise in the sunshine).
16_Dedication_Brand Nubian.

In God We Trust 1993

01 Allah U Akbar.
02 Ain’t No Mystery.
03 Meaning of the 5%.
04 Pass the Gat.
05 Black Star Line.
06 Allah and Justice.
07 The Godz.
08 The Travel Jam.
09 Brand Nubian Rock the Set.
10 Love Me or Leave Me Alone.
11 Steal Ya ‘Ho.
12 Steady Bootleggin’.
13 Black and Blue.
14 Punks Jump Up to Get the Beat Down.

Everything Is Everything 1994

01 – Word is Bond.
02 – Straight Off Da Head.
03 – Weed vs. Weaves (Interlude).
04 – Nubian Jam [feat. Laura Alfored].
05 – Alladat [feat. Busta Rhymes].
06 – Step Into Da Cipher [feat. Maestro Money, Serge, and Sn.
07 – Sweatin Bullets.
08 – Lookin’ at God (Interlude).
09 – Lick Dem Muthaphuckas [Remix].
10 – Another Day in the Beast (Thoughts From a Criminal).
11 – Claimin’ I’m a Criminal.
12 – Gang Bang.
13 – Down For the Real.
14 – Return of the Dread.
15 – What the Fuck.
16 – Hold on [feat. Starr].

Foundation 1998

1. Here We Go
2. The Return
3. Shinin’ Star
4. The Beat Change
5. Migraine (Interlude)
6. Don’t Let It Go To Your Head
7. Brand Nubian
8. Maybe One Day
9. Let’s Dance
10. Back Up Off The Wall
11. Black On Black Crime (Interlude)
12. I’m Black And I’m Proud
13. Sincerely
14. Probable Cause
15. The Ghetto (Interlude)
16. Love Vs. Hate
17. Too Late
18. Straight Outta Now Rule
19. Foundation
20. U For Me

Fire In The Hole 2004

01 – Who Wanna Be a Star (It’s Brand Nu Baby!).
02 – Young Son.
03 – Where Are you Now [feat. Starr].
04 – Just Don’t Learn.
05 – Still Livin’ in the Ghetto [feat. Starr].
06 – Momma.
07 – Got a Knot.
08 – Coming Years.
09 – Whatever Happened….
10 – Always Mine.
11 – Ooh Child [feat. Aisha Mika].
12 – Soldier’s Story.

Times Runnin Out 2007

01. Brand Nubian – Intro (Produced by Grand Puba) 00:48
02. Brand Nubian – Seen Enough (Produced by Lord Jamar) 04:03
03. Brand Nubian – Girls, Girls, Girls (P
roduced by Alamo) 04:02
04. Brand Nubian – One Time (Original Version) 04:22
(Produced by Alamo)
05. Brand Nubian – Scientists Of Sound 04:50
(Produced by Grand Puba & Lord Finesse)
06. Brand Nubian – Time’s Runnin’ Out (Original Version) 04:14
(Produced by Brand Nubian)
07. Brand Nubian – Brand Nu Hustle (Produced by Grand Puba) 03:40
08. Brand Nubian – Once Again (Produced by Lord Jamar) 03:23
09. Brand Nubian – Rockin’ It (Produced by Grand Puba) 03:41
10. Brand Nubian – I Wanna Hear It (Produced by Grand Puba) 03:34
11. Brand Nubian – A Child Is Born (Original Version) 04:19
(Produced by Vance Wright)
12. Brand Nubian – Right Here (Produced by Grand Puba) 04:24
13. Brand Nubian – Enjoy Yourself (Produced by Grand Puba) 04:08
14. Brand Nubian – Go Hard (Produced by Lord Jamar) 03:06
15. Brand Nubian – Somebody Told A Lie (Produced by Lord Jamar) 04:14