Rating:
  Review Date: January 22, 2007
  Website: Juggaknots Website
  Label: Amalgam Entertainment

Juggaknots “Use Your Confusion” Album Review
Juggaknots’ “Use Your Confusion” was perhaps my most highly-anticipated album of 2006. After all, it had been a long ten years since the group had dropped their first album, “Clear Blue Skies,” which brought them an underground following and street buzz almost unparalleled in hip-hop at the time. But beyond that, I’ve always been interested in the Juggaknots for one simple reason: They are a family. I have always felt that family is one of the most important things in our lives, and I was looking forward to hearing what the trio of siblings had to say as a unit.

The Science of Siblings
A couple of weeks ago, I came across an article in TIME magazine entitled “The New Science of Siblings.” The article talked about the complexity of the human personality, and reviewed scientists’ past attempts to explain whatever factors might shape our individual personalities. Of the myriad conclusions created by this discussion over the years, scientists have favored the ideas that our personalities are shaped by our parents, our genes and our peers. However, these conclusions often brought about even more unanswered questions.

Recently, more and more scientists have started answering these questions by pointing to peoples’ siblings as the major influence on the development of their personalities. Siblings may be the only people who qualify as life partners for us, and are therefore possibly the most permanent and long-term influences we will ever have in our lives. Because of this, researchers are launching all kinds of new studies into the “sibling dynamic,” or how brothers and sisters interact over their lifetimes to create who they are and how they act. Being from a family of four children, this theory makes a lot of sense to me, and I think the Juggaknots are one example of this theory in practice for the hip-hop generation.

Hip-Hop and the N-Word
I guess that is why I thought it was ironic that less than one week after I purchased “Use Your Confusion,” a national debate arose over hip-hop’s use of the N-word when the comedian formerly-known-as Kramer went on a racist tirade during a stand-up performance. This debate hit close to my Juggaknots-inspired train of thought at the time, because of all the experiences that relate to the influence my siblings have played in my life, my N-word experience is probably one of the most prevalent.

My N-word experience is one of my earliest memories. I was in the second grade, and had a classmate who would frequently use the N-word. Although I had never heard the word before, and had no idea what it meant, I concluded from my classmate’s usage that the word described a stupid person, as he would often refer to a kid as “a stupid nigger” or “that dumb-ass nigger.” And since all the kids would laugh when he made such statements, I thought the N-word was simply a method of teasing other kids.

One evening, I was sitting at the kitchen table doing some homework. Annoyed by repetitious elementary mathematical questions, I lashed out at my workbook, stating “This homework is for niggers.” My brother, who was pacing back and forth in the kitchen on the telephone at the time, heard me. He quickly gazed in my direction: “What did you say?” he aggressively inquired. “This homework,” I said laughing, “it’s for niggers.”

Before I knew it, my brother had dropped the phone, slammed me against the wall, and was in my face with my shirt gripped tight in his hands. “I don’t ever want to hear to say that word again . EVER!” he yelled. I froze, unaware that I had done anything wrong. “Do you understand what I’m saying?” he asserted as he shook me by my shirt collar. I could only shake my head yes as the tears started to fall from my eyes. From that day forward, I may not have known what the N-word meant or how it had come to be, or even why it was wrong to say, but I did know that I was not to say it . ever.

And to be completely honest with you, I don’t recall ever using the N-word since that day. I guess I’m still scared of what my brother would do if he found out. This experience is one of many that makes the “science of siblings” true from my perspective. Looking back on it, I can recall my grandparents and parents explaining the reasoning behind not using the N-word, but it was a damn-near ass whipping by my older brother that taught me the real lesson. If I could learn such an important lesson from a sibling, think of how much we truly learn from our siblings on a daily basis. And think of how much you could gain by listening to the stories and lessons of siblings of all backgrounds and environments.

To me, therein lies the brilliance behind the Juggaknots and their music. This trio of siblings demonstrates a true musical and lyrical familial bond, from the similarities in flow and vocal style, to their varying yet cumulative perspectives of topics discussed lyrically, to the manner in which they play off of each other with their rhymes and production. Through their music, it is obvious not only that they have spent their lives together, but also that they have learned from each other and successfully managed to coexist in the business of hip-hop. Give their exceptional sophomore album, “Use Your Confusion,” a listen. It might just give you a glimpse of real family experience and knowledge. Peace.