by: Sun-J
From the very beginning, the roots have pushed the hip-hop sound envelope, experimenting with new techniques, and broadening horizons. Coming up in an era where rap music was in need of guidance and direction, the "illadelph" crew transformed themselves into rap mavericks. They were the very first heavy act to drop "academics" live. Live performances defined and flawed The Roots. They were always able to fall back on live shows which shaped a cult following of starving fans. Though, years passed, and as usual, "things" fell "apart." As rap grew to be more and more commercial, The Roots' live shows had less and less meaning to potential listeners. The Roots were backed up against a wall, fighting for revival of their fan base, and the attention of fresh urban ears. So, they returned to the studio, and banged out a brand new album titled Phrenology. Once again, The Roots continue their tradition of experimentation with this LP. At times, The Roots head towards the rock genre, and other times, The Roots can be heard exploring the funk side of things; and though they experiment, it is not always successful. For example, the third track titled, "!!!!!!!!" is about twenty-five seconds of misplaced punk rock. Fortunately, for the most part, The Roots bring heat behind Black Thought's lyrical science. Behind the mic, Black Thought is at his best on the tracks, "Thought @ Work" (which is a dope remake of Kool G Rap's "Men at Work."), "Rock You", and "Quills". The Roots also have addressed the commercial side of things by enlisting the talents of two well respected pop acts. "Sacrifice" brings in Nelly Furtado for a melodic ride consisting of nasty lyricism and a colorful chorus via Nelly. Similarly, "Break You Off" is smooth, jazz influenced R&B cut courtesy of Musiq. Simply put, The Roots never left, but if they did, they are definitely back.
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