How tough is it keeping a 6-man crew together?

Nu-Mark -Oh, man, it's hard. People always ask me, "Do you guys think you've made it now that you go and tour Europe now?" and I just say, "Man, I'm just lucky we've stayed together for seven years." Delegating is the important thing; knowing who's going to do what in the studio or on stage helps a lot.

Jurassic 5 is actually made up of two crews that came together: Unity Committee [Chali 2NA, Marc 7, and Cut Chemist] and Rebels of Rhythm [Akil and Zaakir (Soup)]. Is there ever any sort of split between the two camps? Does that get in the way?

Nu-Mark -No, actually, it's interesting; Chali hangs out more with Akil, and Marc hangs out more with Zaakir.

What about Ozomatli? Aren't they going to want Cut and Chali 2NA back soon?

Nu-Mark -No, they're cool, they know we're busy getting this record out.

Cut Chemist -I'm not doing that much with them these days. They're in a really good position right now; they're trying to figure out what label they want to be on, and they're doing some recording.

I'm loving the new album. Is Quality Control everything you thought it would be when you started making plans for it after EP came out [in 1997] ?

Nu-Mark -It's not, really, but that's good. You know, your vision changes over time. We're not just bumpin' beats over rhymes anymore. We've toured all around and listened to a lot of things, soaked up a lot of sounds and ideas and met people all over the world, and we've been influenced by all that.

Do you get annoyed by critics who say you're a throwback to old-school rap?

I have to ask; what exactly is going on in the exchange between "Monkey Bars" and "Jurass Finish First"? I was cracking up laughing when I heard that ish.

Nu-Mark [who produced both tracks] -We basically had one day to finish the album. We had already sequenced it twice, and then we sat down with the Interscope guy, and he said no. So we were all in my apartment, the whole group, and I started thinking that the album didn't really sound like us, didn't show any of our sense of humor. So I ran and got some DATs and we went through them - I always make sure they're rolling during the recording process - and I found this crazy thing where Akil was doing a character, going, "That nigga stopped the tape!" - and we were all cracking up. Then we go into talking about how we're going to set up this other song, which actually didn't make it onto the album.

It must be a difficult process creating tracks with four MCs and two DJs. Do you have input on the tracks Cut produces and vice versa, or do you just hang back?

Nu-Mark -We have a great relationship that allows us to ask each other's opinion when one of us gets stuck. Cut will be like, "That sucks! You should try this," and we just work it out like that for each other.

How was it doing "Swing Set" together? Who came up with the idea to make a breakbeat record out of an old Bing Crosby song?

Nu-Mark -Well, I wanted to play a set of swing music at Root Down and Cut and I were talking about it and I played him that swing loop, the bass line, and then he had some ideas, and we just passed it back and forth. It was harmonious.

I really like the strings you use on "Jurass Finish First" - it actually sounds original instead of a rip-off RZA.

Nu-Mark -I am so glad you said that, because some of the other guys didn't like that track and it almost got voted off the album. Strings are always used in a dark sense, to be eerie, and I just wanted to use them in kind of a basic way, almost instructional chords. It came out kind of funky, I think, but not everyone in the group agrees.

Any upcoming guest spots?

Nu-Mark -I just did a remix for STP, the Japanese crew on De La Soul's Buhloone Mindstate; they're awesome. And I did some work on the Adam Sandler record and the "South Park" soundtrack.

Cut Chemist -I have some stuff coming out on Mo'Wax that will probably never make it to a store near you; it's a 12" for Major Force of "Return of the Original Art Form." They're eBay items - if you see 'em, grab 'em quick, because there aren't going to be a lot of them available.

All-time slept-on MC?

Cut Chemist -Percy P, from the Bronx. If you hear him, you'll hear the genesis of Organized Konfusion.

All-time slept-on turntablist?

Nu-Mark -I'll say Aladdin, even though he's won DJ competitions, because he's just the funkiest and most people outside the turntable movement don't know who he is. As far as hip-hop DJs, I'd say Jazzy Jeff. He was really clean, man; most DJs hold it too long but Jaz was always just right on point.

Cut Chemist -Cutmaster DC. Definitely.

Do you have an influence no one has ever guessed?

Cut Chemist -Yeah, but I'm not going to tell. I'm waiting for someone to guess. [Pause] I play this artist at gigs; if someone comes to one of my gigs and they hear this artist, they'll be able to guess, probably, but no one's ever said.

But what about if someone lives in Madison, Wisconsin like me, and will probably not get to hear you anytime soon?

Cut Chemist -Okay. [Pause] Laurie Anderson. It's Laurie Anderson, man. When I heard Big Science I was ten. That shit fucked my head up. Huge influence.

What would you like your legacy to be ten years from now? Do you want to be known as one of the all-time greats, or do you just want to move the crowd?

Cut Chemist -Of course I want to be one of the all-time greats, but I just want to move the crowd too. If you can always move the crowd, that's what makes you great. I still want to be moving the crowd ten years from now.

Any question I didn't ask?

Cut Chemist -Just that question. Oh, and "Why are there still styrofoam cups?"

That's a good question.

Cut Chemist -I know. They're bad.