Pioneers in the fusion of hip-hop and jazz, Jungle Brothers preceded renowned bands including De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest, who were clearly influenced by the trio's groundbreaking style. Although they didn't quite achieve the same level of acclaim as those two bands, Jungle Brothers are credited with laying the groundwork that led to their success.

Jungle Brothers have the distinction of being founding members of The Native Tongues, a collective of late '80s and early '90s hip-hop artists that included De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest and Queen Latifah. The Native Tongues were known for their positivity and pioneering use of electronic samples and jazz-influenced beats. Now they're back with a recent album Keep It Jungle -- a return to form that's energetic, positive and a whole lot of fun.

Don't miss your chance to catch these underheralded hip-hop pioneers doing what they do best on their North American tour.

Jungle Brothers Live in Concert

Michael Small (Mike Gee) and Nathaniel Hall (Afrika Baby Bam) formed the Jungle Brothers in New York in the mid-'80s. Their first album, Straight Out the Jungle, was released on an independent record label (Warlock). Although the record was not commercially successful, Jungle Brothers were offered a record deal by Warner Bros. Records, which released their sophomore album, Done By the Forces of Nature, in 1989.

Done By the Forces of Nature hit No. 46 on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and received rave reviews from music critics who praised its house-influenced production, sampling of music genres -- including jazz, R&B and funk -- and its Afrocentric themes. Rolling Stone raved about its lyrical substance and "positive spiritual vibe." It also made The Source magazine's "100 Best Albums" list. That said, it was largely overlooked and didn't lead to the type of commercial success that many of their peers achieved.

Since that time, the hip-hop trio has released numerous albums on almost as many labels, including 2000's V.I.P on V2 and I Got U in 2006 on Rambling Records. Now, they're touring in support of their 2020 album, Keep It Jungle, which incorporates much of what made them great from the beginning.