Recently when I was listening to a local radio station here in Boston, I heard an interview with one of my absolute favorite artists, Talib Kweli. During the interview they asked him who he thought was the most influential and talented rapper out there today. Without hesitation he said, "Black Thought from The Roots." And he couldn't be more right. The lead vocalist for the group, Black Thought brings a wild talent to the group that is unmatched by other artists today. Combining with the other extraordinarily talented members of the group, ?uestlove (Questlove) on drums, Hub on guitar, and Malik B. on vocals, the result is incredible.

The Roots create such unique forms of music from all over, up and down the spectrum, to combine with hip-hop for a truly unique sound. Their talent and abilities are clear in this album as they wow the listener with their fantastic musical aptitude.

There are 16 total tracks on the cd but on the back of the album, The Roots decided to mix it up a little bit and start counting from number 18 to 33 to number their tracks. For the sake of confusion I'm going to start counting from the beginning.

1. Intro/There's Something Going On
Nothing special about it. Just typical Roots intro, Black Thought introducing that you're about to hear some organic hip-hop jazz

2. Proceed
Starts out with a funky beatboxing sound that leads into Black Thought saying "I shall, proceed, and continue, to rock the mic..." The slow relaxed baseline gives the song a nice rhythm and his laid back lyrics enhance the slow pace. The song is basically about proclaiming they're lyrical and musical prowess and how they have records spreading across the land. Decent song overall, real relaxed pace as I said before.
"I can make a hundred yard line start to dash / I can make a whole lake of fish start to splash / I can make Conan and the Titans clash / I can make Metallica and guns 'N Roses crash..."

3. Distortion To Static
Beginning with ?uestlove on the drums this song has a nice little piano enhancing the beat in the background. This song really shows off Black Thoughts lyrical abilities. Between his rhymes, the way he manipulates the base, and the vocabulary he uses this song really gives you the idea of why The Roots are different than other groups. The song is the same type as the previous track, talking about how people can't compete with the abilities of the band and how superior their lyrics are.
"My mission to strike mics and lighten your tights / Frightening, like lightning / Fluorescence, incandescent, effervescently / I represent, foreign objects and ill elements..."

4. Mellow My Man
The title couldn't be more appropriate. The laid back mellow beat fits perfectly with the lyrics of Black Thought and Malik B. The lyrics of the two are awesome as they pass back and forth on the beat so smoothly. The lyrics I'm quoting below will show how awesome they manipulate their lyrics. They have a nice tone and pace throughout the song, I definitely love to relax and listen to this one all the time.
"...Who likes to party like Slick Rick the Ruler I'm cooler than a ice brick / Got soul like those afro picks, with the black fist / And leave a crowd drippin' like John the Baptist..."

5. I Remain Calm
Coming through with confidence, this track is all about how Black Thought always keeps his cool while he's blasting other mc's. He has some really good word manipulation in this and there's a nice retro sounding keyboard sound in the beat, giving a little more substance to the song.
"That ni**a Thought flows like a river I deliver
styles like Domino's, eyes closed I inhale / Equality follow me now son / Listen my divisions advance I surpass one half the rap mass / The other half, want my autograph, because I got soul / Plus a ghetto stroll similar to Shaft..."

6. Datskat
Going to be truthful here, I'm not too sure what datskat is. The lyrics are kind of out there but if you're a fan of the group you can see how it's just part of their style. The lyrics are full of hip-flip-a-didip's and Wadibi-dee-doo-bop's if you can follow them. Malik has some good lines in this that I quote below. The saxophone in the beat switches things up a little bit giving the song a nice touch.
"If you bugs, if you act like plugs, you're gettin' pulled out of sockets / The extra-curricular particularly this / Miraculous in lyrics they be callin' me Jesus / Please just call me Malik I'm not a prophet / Pass me a topic and I'll drop it..."

7. Lazy Afternoon
This is one of my favorite tracks on the cd. I love the beat and the lyrics, it just fits my relaxation mode so much. The song is so simple, it describes a lazy afternoon for them. HA Such a different concept for a song, it's so simple you'd think that someone would have done it by now. The deep slow baseline combined with the gentle murmurs in the background during the chorus and the woman's voice saying "it's a lazy afternoon" just seal the deal for me. It gives it such a great sound, I can't even tell you how many times I've thrown this cd in and played this song drinking a beer and relaxing by the pool with friends.
"Now I'm in the shower / I meant the bath in which I simmer for half an hour / Then got drier, put on attire to inspire / Hit my dresser for numbers of women that I admire / Laid around and lounged 'til around two / Then I got up and ate, drank a brew and caught a page from the crew / sayin' 'Where ya at? Later, meet us up at the Plat / Bring a sack, ayo it's Saturday, it's gonna be fat'..."

8. ? vs. Rahzel
This is a really unique idea and leave it to The Roots to combine with Rahzel to do it. For those of you who don't know, Rahzel is one of, if not the most, gifted beatboxer in the world. His talents are absolutely astounding, something you really need to hear to believe. A title he often attaches to his name is The Godfather Of Noise. In this track ?uestlove and Rahzel go back and forth mimicking noises that the other makes. It really is something you need to experience because I can't do it justice just by describing it. The song is just ?uestlove on the drums and Rahzel making all of the other sounds you hear on the track, which you wouldn't be able to believe were made by just a persons mouth. The two go back and forth almost mirroring the others noises and then they combine to form a full beat that sounds awesome. Definitely worth a listen.
"There aren't really lyrics in this song, just beatboxing and casual talking by Rahzel"

9. Do You Want More?!!!??!
The beat has a great instrument (at least I think it's an instrument) that is almost a cross between a bagpipe and a flute. It gives a great sound to the beat along with some gentle keyboards. The lyrics are great and get you up, this is a little more fast paced than the rest of their songs on the album, more upbeat and get the crowd going type music.
"Like I'm a medical doctor, watch the damage / I inflict properly, ain't nobody risin' on top of me / I be droppin' more plot in my mic monopoly / Got to be, got to be reality, Stevie Wonder see / Black Thought be me, I groove ba-by..."

10. What Goes On Pt. 7
Starting off with some drums and beatboxing the beat has a nice sound to it. The lyrics are letting the listener know where Black Thought comes from and how music was so influential to him growing up. The song isn't outstanding, but like most of the tracks has a good lyric to beat feel that helps the song flow better.
"This wild environment hostile produce, the music in me / So my style's the blend of what is and was / You could get a buzz from it..."

11. Essaywhuman?!!!??!
I love this track. I can't get enough of it. Black Thought goes through each of the instruments checking to see if they're ready at the beginning of the song. Then he beatboxes different sounds adding tidbits of lyrics between them and the instrument he is talking about mirrors the sounds he makes. It's a really great song and interesting idea. The instruments mirror almost exactly what sounds he makes, it's so cool to listen to. Much like the song with ?uestlove and Rahzel you need to hear it to appreciate it. Absolutely give this song a listen.
"This song doesn't have complete lyrics, just tidbits of words put together between sounds"

12. Swept Away
A little saxophone gives a great relaxation to this beat. Black Thought boasts about his lyrical prowess in this track as well, saying other mc's who aren't on point will get swept away. It's a decent track but doesn't have any outstanding qualities.
"The rhythm just sways, and like a sorceress I slays foes, and ri-vals, who wanna come / This way, they, better pay attention / or a penchant not to mention suspension / from the microphone, plus the tension..."

13. You Ain't Fly
This song's great and it even gets ?uestlove on the mic too. It's about the guys getting shot down by women and trying to lie to themselves afterwards saying "you ain't fly" trying to bolster their confidence after getting denied. I love the fact that ?uestlove gets on the mic during this track and I quoted some of his lines below. Mostly drums the beat is real simple with just a touch of keyboards you really have to listen for to hear.
"Mmm strollin' in my Pumas down the avenue / Not tokin' on a J, not sippin' on a brew / Saw a soul sister on the streets of five-two / 'MMM, my name's Question, umm, who are you?'..."

14. Silent Treatment
All about women giving their men the silent treatment, Black Thought pleads with his girl to stop giving him the silent treatment. The song is a little unconventional compared to the other types of themes on their tracks, which puts a nice spin on things, mixing up the emotions the group conveys to the listener. Another slower beat, the drums and keyboards occupy most of the sound.
"Girl you know that you need / To stop givin' me the silent.. treatment baby / Can't you see what you mean to me? / I wanna love you constantly, but you keep neglecting me / And treating me silently..."

15. The Lesson Pt. 1
Beatboxing gives this track a lot of character. It feeds into the feel of the lyrics talking about where Black Thought came from and how he grew up. The song is mostly lyrics, lots of substance for the listener to take in it's really true hip-hop in a really raw form.
"For wealth stealth missions for crack / In the alleyways, where ni**az get grazed in the back / From stray shots / Clips with hollow tips, for your spine or / Either remain calm, catch a rhyme, to your mind..."

16. The Unlocking
Kind of a different sound, the song starts out with a phone conversation. It leads to Urusla Rucker doing a poetry jam type thing with a real unique feel to it. This song really speaks volumes about where The Roots come from. They were originally discovered in a place called The Black Lilly in Philadelphia Pennsylvania where a lot of neo-soul / poetry jam type artists hang out. This track just brings them back to their roots. The track definitely has a sexual overtone, I won't get into it here but I'll let you listen to it. It gets pretty graphic so I'm not going to quote any lyrics from it.

Overall the album is really good. The Roots have a different kind of vibe, a different flavor of music that some need a little time to get used to. It isn't something one would listen to right off the bat and like right away, you have to understand their music and understand where they come from to appreciate it. But for anyone who is looking for something new, different, and genuine, I would absolutely recommend this album to you.


Please Feel Free To Take A Look At My Other Music Reviews:

Alicia Keys - Songs In A Minor
DJ Honda - H II
DJ Honda/Mos Def - Travellin' Man Single
Mos Def - Black On Both Sides
Mos Def and Talib Kweli - Blackstar
Talib Kweli - Quality
Talib Kweli - Reflection Eternal
White Lion - Pride
White Lion - The Best Of White Lion


© Copyright 2006 - ace3502


Recommended: Yes

Great Music to Play While: Hanging With Friends