The Roots "Tipping Point" (July 13, 2004)

A band is usually only as good as its front man. The Roots are no different. Take their last album Phrenology. When Black Thought stuck to a subject (for example, "Pussy Galore" and the first four minutes of "Water"), Phrenology's appeal went beyond the rock fans who dug "The Seed 2.0." So it's pretty safe to say that as Thought goes, so do The Roots. And on the Illadelph crew's sixth studio album, The Tipping Point, Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter delivers some of the best work of his underrated career. Sounding invigorated by the turbulent political climate, he condemns Dubya's foreign policy on "Why? (What's Going On?)" rhyming, "Young teen joins the Marines, said he'd die for the corps / Inducted in the government's war / Is it for land or money?" However, The Tipping Point is not about heavy-handed preaching. Producing entertaining music with a message is one of Hip-Hop's greatest challenges--ask your favorite struggling, "conscious" artist--but The Roots manage to pull it off. Even on "I Don't Kare," one of the band's most club-friendly beats to date, Tariq spits, "The police known the green, black and red are too strong to control." With their political agenda satisfied, The Roots go back to '88 with "Boom!" a vicious track akin to the Bomb Squad's chaotic, yet melodic barrage of sound. On the final two verses, the skillful mimicry extends to the mic, as Thought impersonates Big Daddy Kane's and Kool G Rap's voices and flows, down to the very last lisp. Such reverence for the past is admirable, but sometimes The Tipping Point goes off the deep end. Tariq veers off topic on "The Web," seemingly freestyling over a dull drum-and-bass heavy track. Also, while "Din Da Da" and "Melting Pot" are impressive instrumentals, at a combined twenty minutes in length, they disrupt the album's momentum. But those missteps don't spoil The Roots' most entertaining album since 1999's Things Fall Apart. With minimal cameos, skilled lyricism and topical rhymes abound, The Roots front man takes center stage on The Tipping Point. And that's to the benefit of everyone in the band. - The Source (Sept., 2004). Revisit The Tipping Point below...

The full review in The Source and more are below...

The Roots "Things Fall Apart" (2/23/99)

Philadelphia's Roots have been one of the consistently brightest hopes of hip-hop's new school to have emerged in the '90s. Their forward-thinking, on-point, no-b.s. lyrics, and fresh, funky live beats--brought to the people on wax and through exhaustive touring for the better part of this decade--have earned them a well-deservedly airtight rep. With Things Fall Apart, their third major-label release, the Roots have gone back to the basics, scuffing up most of the smoother edges they displayed on 1996's Illadelph Halflife. Lyricists Black Thought and Malik B are in top form throughout, backed by a set of tracks that occasionally highlights the Roots' kinship with late-model A Tribe Called Quest. "The Next Movement," "Dynamite" and "Don't See Us" are all guilty as charged, using minimal drum snaps, pulse-tone bass lines and ethereal background effluvium to grab our ears. The juxtaposition of the calming tones and the aggressive, battle-oriented lyrics makes for a strong combo, and the pattern works time and again. These tracks can also be raw: "Without A Doubt," "Step Into A Realm," and "Double Trouble" (featuring Mos Def) could all go up against any underground track you might bring to the table. Things Fall Apart will ranks as one of 1999's most enjoyable hip-hop platters. - CMJ New Music Monthly (April, 1999). Revisit this classic once again...

A few promo items from Things Fall Apart + full article in CMJ...

The Roots "Do You Want More?!!!??!" (January 17, 1995)

Hip-Hop, a genre of canned beats and laboratory samples, has been broken out of its test-tube origins to explore the worlds of live jazz and funk. On the Brand New Heavies' 1992 breakthrough Heavy Rhyme Experience, guest rapper Grand Puba heralded the dawn of a new hip-hop era with the memorable declaration, "The bass player's real and the drummer's real." Philly-based rap-jazz ensemble the Roots continue this move from laid to played grooves on their debut offering, Do You Want More?!?, a mellow new recording that cockily celebrates its lack of synthesized sound. Inventively backed by bassist Hub, drummer B.R.O. THE R.?, and guest instrumentalists Steve Coleman on sax, Rufus Harley on jazz bagpipes, and Rahzel the Human Beatbox, rappers Malik B. and Black Thought spin rapid rhymes of self-aggrandizement over original bass-heavy jazz compositions guaranteed to set heads nodding... The group shines on funky tracks like "I Remain Calm," a laid-back groove with an addictive bassline, and on more haunting offerings such as "Swept Away," a breathy hip-hop neo-ballad, to firmly establish themselves as daring and highly capable pioneers of the new live hip-hop. - CMJ New Music Monthly, 1/95. The review argues that the lyrics are "predictably empty" on the album, and I disagree, but you can read that in the full review, and listen below...

Cassette, sticker and full review in CMJ are below...

Dust & Grooves: Adventures in Record Collecting

This is a phenomenal coffee-table book that I'd slept on when it was first released, likely due to the price tag, but I finally circled back this month and grabbed it. It's now recommended reading: Eilon Paz’s 436-page book illuminates over 130 vinyl collectors and their collections in the most intimate of environments -- their record rooms. With a foreword by the RZA, compelling photographic essays are paired with in-depth interviews to illustrate what motivates record collectors to keep digging for more records. Readers get an up close and personal look at a variety of well-known vinyl champions as well as a glimpse into the collections of known and unknown DJs, producers, record dealers, and everyday enthusiasts. The book is divided into two main parts: the first features 250 full-page photos framed by captions and select quotes, while the second consists of 12 full-length interviews that delve deeper into collectors’ personal histories and vinyl troves. That's straight from the Dust & Grooves website, but I nodded along in agreement. Some sample photos are above and below, consider ordering a copy HERE.

Common "Like Water For Chocolate" (Billboard, 2000)

Common's 4th studio album, 'Like Water For Chocolate,' was released 17 years ago today via MCA Records. With heavy influence from Questlove of The Roots and production from J Dilla, DJ Premier, and Karriem Riggins + features from Slum Village, D'Angelo, Bilal, Cee-Lo, MC Lyte, Erykah Badu, Jill Scott & more, this album was Common breaking through. Tracks like 'The Light' and 'The 6th Sense' were the big singles + 'Dooinit' had a push & the remix with Macy Gray for 'Geto Heaven', but for album cuts, the Dilla-produced 'Nag Champa (Afrodisiac for the World)' was the one! In the Billboard article (Feb, 2000) above, my OG, DJ Eclipse, was interviewed about the album at Fat Beats and he said, 'Common's albums seem to mature every time out. He provides a good balance between mainstream and the underground.' That about sums it up and was definitely accomplished on 'Like Water for Chocolate.' Common's catalog isn't without a couple missteps, but this was not one of them. Did anyone receive any of the eight digital postcards that were supposedly sent out for the album? If so, tell me about them in the comments, I'm curious if it happened. Revisit the LP below...

Take It Personal Podcast "Philly Tribute Episode"

"Episode 6 is our longest one yet and for good reason. This isn’t your typical Philly hip-hop show, this is the official Philly hip-hop tribute show. Chock-full of Illadelph classics, along with our special tour guides Vinnie Paz, Maylay Sparks, Baby Blak, CHOPS, Todd Wolfe and MarQ Spekt to help navigate you through the two one fifth. Unlike the ewoks, our episode VI won’t disappoint. So whether you’re from Philly, know of Philly or even like Philly, you can’t front on our music. We’re more than just cheese steaks, soft pretzels and Rocky Balboa, we’re home of some of the greatest musicians ever. If you’re a fan of Schoolly D, Steady B, 100x, Bahamadia, Freeway, Tuff Crew or The Roots — we got you! – Philaflava." Click HERE for the Philly tribute playlist and more information.

The Roots "Things Fall, A Preview" (Mixed by Jazzy Jeff, 1999)

The Roots are at the top of a very short list of groups that continue to break new ground and push the culture forward. It's actually amazing to watch them do their thing, consistently, for so many years. To me, Black Thought is a top 5 lyricist and I struggle to understand anyone who would disagree, lol. To honor 'Things Fall Apart' being released on this day in 1999, I uploaded the DJ Jazzy Jeff-mixed promotional tape, 'Things Fall, A Preview' for your listening pleasure. Be sure to purchase or revisit a copy of 'Things Fall Apart' today, and give Black Thought his all flowers while he can smell them! Apologies in advance if the mix gets blocked in certain countries, ya know, restrictions apply!

The Roots "Clones" (The Source, July 1996)

"Sometimes you wish hip-hop could be distilled to a simple equation: talent = success. Unfortunately, it ain't that clear-cut. Case in point: an incredibly talented group outta Illadelphia puts together a debut work that receives critical acclaim, but generates no commercial explosions. Any fool knows that the Roots measure 10 plus on the hip-hop Richter (guess that makes the general public a bunch of geniuses). But if there's a great arbiter of hip-hop fairness, the second time around may prove to be the charm for Black Thought, Malik B & co." Watch the visuals to "Clones," cont'd...

"Clones" and "Sections" are clear indicators of the direction in which the crew seems to be headed. Musically, they've eased back from the live band feel in favor of a more conventional sound. And both joints come with much more of a lyrical edge than most Roots faithful may be accustomed to, particularly "Clones" - which also features capable wordplay from M.A.R.S. and Dice Raw. While Malik B has always had a penchant for flipping on n!ggas, Black Thought could usually be found developing complex verbalistics on varied subjects ... It's too early - and probably incorrect - to say that the Roots are retreating from their original steelo, but they rip through this first single and leave a pointed mission statement on the brain: we are f#cking dope MCs." - The Source, July 1996. 

The Roots "Things Fall Apart" (Rap Pages, 3/99)

"What is it about these cats that makes them shine through on any project? Is it the wordsmith vocals of Black Thought and Malik B., or the musical stylings of Kamal, Hub, ?uestlove and Rahzel the Godfather of Noyze? In truth, it's both. The two elements combine like hydrogen and oxygen to make a sound so fluid Aquaman would drown. On their fourth CD, aptly titled Things Fall Apart, they do, though not in a detrimental way. The Roots simply choose to travel a musically less familiar path - that of a stripped-down sonic mixture - carrying with them only the bare essentials. This minimalist approach is a new avenue for the crew, but one they maneuver with ease, ever careful not to tread lightly and feign a noncommittal stance. Things Fall Apart is an opus that gathers speed along the way, the whole while subtly introducing the impressive lyrical skills of Dice Raw."

"Step Into The Realm," a harp-based track, stops and starts like an instant-replay highlight shifting from fast-forward to rewind, while the cool-out vibe of "Ain't Sayin Nothin New" smoothly soothes. "Double Trouble" (a pairing with Black Star front man Mos Def) and the Hip-Hop ode "Act Too (Love Of My Life)" - for all intents and purposes "I Used To Love H.E.R." revisited, with an assist from Common - are both worthy tag-team duos. "You Got Me," perhaps the best joint on the album, sees the fellas reuniting with their collaborative compadre, the ubiquitous Erykah Badu. The catchy singsong hook and minuscule guitar loop will catch heads off guard. Thought not groundbreaking like Do You Want More?!!!?! or saturated with guest appearances like Illadelph Halflife, Things Fall Apart is a welcome return for The Roots." - Rap Pages, March 1999. Full review is available below.

?uestlove "J Dilla Tribute Mix" (Live on Hot 97)

James Dewitt Yancey (February 7, 1974 – February 10, 2006), better known by the stage names J Dilla and Jay Dee. Dilla continues to inspire and on the 10th Anniversary of his passing, I went back to a mix by ?uestlove of The Roots on Hot 97 in 2012. Quest pays tribute to his friend and cultural icon... listen to the mix below, no tracklist necessary - it's all dopeness. Rest In Peace, J Dilla.

The Roots "Illadelph Halflife" (CMJ, 12/96)

"While many hip-hop and jazz artists were exploring the common ground between the genres, Philadelphia's Roots went one stop further by combining them, approaching the languages of rap and jazz as equal counterparts instead of distant relatives on Do You Want More?!!!??! Eschewing samplers and turntables in favor of a live band, the Roots had the tricky task of winning respect as qualified rappers despite folding their rhymes in abstract, yet forceful jazz motifs. On Illadelph Halflife, the group has, praise God, decided not to make the same record twice. Busting out of the shady corner of a jazz club, Malik B. and Black Thought have made an album that's an unrelenting display of chest-beating rhymes at the fore, with occasional bizarre production twists tossed in for depth and complexity." Check out the visuals to their hit single, "What They Do," cont'd below...

"Right off the bat, "Respond React" keys the listener into its cerebral street style: With titanic beats and a light, melodic layer of jazzy sounds, the cut, like much of the album, features atmospheres in which Malik and Black Thought exhibit their supreme skills, presenting universal hip-hop themes while illustrating life on South Philly streets. Although it's not immediately evident, this is a deep, complex work for the group, and it's the Roots' insatiable desire to grow that makes this such a triumphant release." - CMJ New Music Monthly (November 1996). Revisit the album HERE.

Questlove "The Lesson Mix" (Samples Mix, 2005)

The Lessons Mix was originally broadcasted on Gilles Peterson's Worldwide Show on BBC ten years ago today (9/25/05). Questlove, is of course the drummer from The Roots, and has put together a mix of sampled songs that popular Hip-Hop songs have borrowed from, which provides an interesting and alternative journey. I think Quest would agree that it’s not focused on the super rare stuff, more a personal trip through the history of samples and focuses more on samples which are classics in their own right. You'll recognize these samples from tracks by Kanye West, Common, Camp Lo, Wu-Tang Clan, Eminem, Alicia Keys, Junior M.A.F.I.A., Smif-N-Wessun, and lots more. The musical journey continues, click HERE for another samples mix from Questlove. Listen to it below...

The Roots "Silent Treatment" (The Source, May 1995)

"A love song may not be the best way to establish yourself with the hip-hop core - especially when you're a group with "alternative" leanings to begin with. But with their new single, "Silent Treatment," Philadelphia's The Roots deliver a very atmospheric jam. They wisely avoid the artsy-fartsiness favored by other "alternative" groups and drop drums that swing like an old-fashioned breakbeat! Their bassline - moody, pensive and soothing - ties it all together into a complete package. The Roots know hip-hop kids ain't out to hear about this "love shit," so they effectively present their subject in slang-filled terms. Any self-respecting hip-hop kid couldn't be paid to subject himself to LL's "I Need Love" in '94. So releasing a song like this, a romantic ditty in a violent age, is akin to taking a bit of a chance..." Watch the visuals for "Silent Treatment," cont'd below...

"If The Roots hadn't brought it to us raw, nobody'd wanna hear it; but they did, which is why "Silent Treatment" works. F#ck weeping and giving flowers! They're not getting dewy-eyed cause she's passing them by! They're dropping jew-els (like the following) from a cinematic B-Boy's perspective and getting their point across: "I puff an El on fifty deuce / while I walk in the rain / heart feeling, killing pain while I'm hopping the train / Dial the number to the rest and ain't no messages left / regardless my chest thump from stress / Yo it's a mess." Another deserving work, The Roots' "Silent Treatment" may help earn them the credit they deserve." - The Source, May 1995.

The Roots "Distortion To Static" (The Source, 8/94)

"With all the talk about live instruments in hip-hop, there has yet to be a group that truly captures the gritty excitement of real rap using live players. Too often, "unplugged" rap sounds too wimpy and too disconnected from the dirty, mechanical funk we hip-hop heads expect. Well, hold down your samplers, because a crew from Philadelphia is tryin' to change all that. Make way for The Roots. Sporting a four-piece band, a funky drummer and two skilled MCs, The Roots are definitely on some next shit. Their sensibility and approach is based in true hip-hop, so on a certain level ther sound is the same as any good rap group. But since the drums, bass and moody keys are live, the familiar hip-hop terrain is charged with a mellow funk energy." Check out "Distortion to Static" below...

"The A-side brings a head-snappin' beat punctuated by sharp drum blasts, with the slow-but-strong pacing of a Black Moon or Crooklyn Dodgers. Behind the music, the sound of record static is laid, and sometimes the beat drops so that lyrics are dropped on top of that friction. Lead MC Black Thought weaves complex rhymes around the track, making the flow sound like a rat-tat-tat-tat of rhyming syllables. The subject matter is abstract, but the word choices are intelligent. They're the kind of rhymes thick with double-meanings that take more than a few listens to fully decipher. MC Malik B makes only an intentionally brief, funny appearance on this cut... It appears that in one swoop, The Roots have accomplished two difficult tasks: putting Philadelphia back on the hip-hop map and creating an "alternative" take on rap that's really worth a listen." - The Source, 8/94.

The Roots "Things Fall Apart" (February 23, 1999)

On their fourth effort, Things Fall Apart, the Roots find themselves on the cusp of a commercial breakthrough. Like De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest, the Roots have always stood for innovation in hip hop, both sonically and lyrically. Borrowing the title of Chinua Achebe's literary masterpiece, Things continues the evolution the Roots have undergone since their independently released debut, Organix (Motive/MCA, 1993). To paraphrase Chuck D, from the Roots' album, Illadelph Halflife in 1996, the Roots are an enigma, perhaps even to themselves. They certainly remain one to critics, who have tried to pigeonhole the group ever since they released Organix and their critically acclaimed sophomore album, Do You Want More?!!!??! (Geffen, 1995). Stuck with the "alternative" label, the Roots were then falsely accused of restructuring their sound on Illadelph to gain a harder, more authentically "hip hop" sound. Fusing the free-throwing live instrumentations of their first two albums with the methodical, yet still revolutionary, in-house production and engineering techniques of Illadelph, the Roots have finally perfected their sound. This synthesis, coupled with the vocal gymnastics of Black Thought & Malik B., makes for one of the most complete albums of the decade.

The plush beats on "The Next Movement" and stripped-down acoustics on "Dynamite" exemplify that wholeness. "Dynamite," which features the background harmonies of next-school soul group Jazzyfatnastees, captures the Roots at their most nuanced. Using structure, chord changes, and unorthodox time signatures, the Roots take techniques associated with hard bop-era jazz and put them in a hip hop context. The seemingly simple guitar licks on "Dynamite" provide another example of the group's creativity. Black Thought, using his voice as an instrument, stutters his way up the scales, while the guitar accents his vocal riffs. Even when they take a more traditional approach, the Roots manage to raise the standards for hip hop. The aptly named "Adrenaline" features a sparse piano loop that spurs the wordsmiths to new heights. Thought, Malik B., Dice Raw, and newcomer Beans each outshine the other in a battle of lyrical one-upmanship. But it's the tracks' subtleties that separate the group from their peers. Rahzel channels live turntablism through his transcendent beat-boxing, while Thought and his cohorts display stunning verbal calisthenics. The Roots have reconfigured the pyramid again, placing themselves at the top. Although some things in hip hop continue to fall apart, the Roots pick up the pieces and construct a new order. - Vibe, 1999. 

The Roots "From Trees To Branches: Do You Want More?!?!" (Mix)

Today marks nineteen years since the release of The Roots' sophomore album, "Do You Want More?!!?" Over the last two decades we've seen The Roots grow from small stage shows and open mics in the streets of Philly, all the way to headlining their own festival and the Late Night show with Jimmy Fallon. As they proceeded to continue to rock the mic, their impact to Hip-Hop was immediate! From the jump, they displayed an expertly mixed combination of lyricism and live musicianship, which amazed fans and influenced their peers alike. We hope today's reminiscent reflection and tribute of Hip-Hop's greatest live rap band will help you understand the complexity of seeds planted by The Roots. Dig into UnitedCrates' mix below, presented by UpNorthTrips.