House, R&B, Soul & Rap > Underground / Alt Rap House, R&B, Soul & Rap

P.A. Stand Up!!

Advantages: Black Thought.
Disadvantages: Requires a few listens to fully comprehend

"Rising Down is the tenth album from the Hip Hop group from Philadelphia, The Roots. The group are unconventional as they are in fact a Hip Hop band, consisting of Owen Biddle (bass guitarist), Captain Kirk Douglas (guitarist), Kamal Gray (on the electronic keyboard), F. Knuckles (percussionist), (Black Thought (the MC) and of course ?uestlove (drummer). The line-up has seen many changes over the yearswith the inclusion of now-producer Scott Storch ...
...been together for a couple of years. As conscious Hip Hop becomes more popular, with Common, Lupe Fiasco and Talib Kweli being more mainstream, I expect this group to really breakthrough as these did because they have been around for ages. If you do enjoy music from the aforementioned MCs, then you will probbaly not know of the depth that this sub-genre of Hip Hop goes to and The Roots are just another act that will excite you without shoving their ...

XICripZ 28.05.2008 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Rising Down [PA] - Roots (The)

The Roots - Do You Want More: A Cheesesteak-like melting pot...

Advantages: An amazing blend of jazz, rap, soul, funk, and rock.
Disadvantages: Repetitive subject matter

...did on their sophomore album Do You Want More?, which what im reviewing right here. On the legendary "Proceed", Black Thought and Malik B rock the mic. The hook is one of the most memorable and famous ones in hip hop, and so is the instrumental. Featuring a sombre bassline, samples, simple drums, along with all of the jazzy soundings, make this track a classic. The other side of this classic track is the Malik-B solo "Distortion to Static", which ...
...we get so many good things that its beyond mental capacity. So its pretty easy to answer the question that pertains to the title of the album, and Do You Want More? is yet another addition to the Roots cadre of great albums, beyond that of just regular hip hop. ...

bigdiship-hop 19.10.2009 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Do You Want More [PA] - Roots (The) (Rap)

Ev-ry-bo-ty... The Roots Back Once Again

Advantages: Consistent quality
Disadvantages: A couple of average tracks

...and he doesn't really do things well whilst taking up such a position as in a leading role. **Three Stars** 6. "Dynamite!" The standards are brought righ back up in this offering from them, as they explode with raw, philly Hip hop for the listners. You are bound to really enjoy this if The Roots are your thing as they get deep in this one, and vibe off amazing beats from J Dilla, as well as little input from ?uest, whislt drumming and Rahzel on ...
...this one as they change things up a littel by sampling Schooly D, and using it to go a little Old School to the listners. However, unless you are aware of the track, it doesn't sound that old-fashioned, in terms of the beats used, and comes out with a banger of a tune at the end of it all. **Five Stars** 8. "Ain't Sayin' Nothin' New" I foudn this to be an excitign one by the group as they get really lively when they all heard the amazing compoistion ...

XICripZ 10.12.2008 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Things Fall Apart - Roots (The) (Rap)

They're Going. Goin'...

Advantages: Lots of big tunes
Disadvantages: Nothing specific

“The Tipping Point” came out in 2004, and was the sixth album to be released from the Philadelphia Hip Hop band, The Roots. Led by ?uestlove on the drums and Black Thought as the MC, this sees further developments as Ben Kenney and Scratch had left the group. However they were still capable of bring the same high-energy Hip Hop that they had been known for since their debut 1990 album, “Organix”. 1. “Star/Pointro” 2. “I Don’t Care” The funky grooves ...
...which they don’t ten to get into as much as you find them doing more of a commercial song with Dom singing on the hook, and giving the rest of the performers a chance to do something which deal with issues which are a lot more broadly understood, however Thought keeps it how it should be – raw. **Five Stars** 3. “Don’t Say Nuthin’” This is just an incredible track, which deals with just how far Black Thought’s rhymes has developed, as in this one ...

XICripZ 17.05.2009 · Read full review
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Review of Tipping Point, The (Parental Advisory) [PA] - Roots (The)

Got Game?

Advantages: Lots of bangers
Disadvantages: Nothing specific

“Game Theory” was released in 2006 as the seventh album from the Philadelphia Hip Hop band The Roots. It gets ?uestlove (the leader and drummer), Black Thought (the MC) and the crew ripping into more of their socially-conscious Hip Hop material to take things even further from the general sound of the mainstream. It finds some production from the late J Dilla, who had recently died at the time when this dropped). 1. “Dillatastic Vol Won” (Intro) ...
...that with this one you get some heavy beats coming and pounding away to get you hyped up for what is about to come on the album, and I felt that from this point it just stayed with the high quality as Black Thought lays down some relevant lines to get the thing underway. **Five Stars** 3. “Game Theory” Here they bring the titular track from the album and it sees that Malik B returns with them )although not as a full-fledged member of the band) and ...

XICripZ 09.08.2009 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Game Theory (Parental Advisory) [PA] - Roots (The)