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A legend in Philadelphia for decades roots Best hip hop live band. But their exciting live performances would be nothing without him in one of the most diverse catalogs of songs in the history of rap music.From jazz-inspired grooves from early projects Organics When Want more? ! ! ! ? ? ! to endless experiments with albums like phrenology When undunRoots works tirelessly in the studio, absorbing a variety of influences and recruiting a seemingly endless cast of talented collaborators.
Seamlessly incorporating the sounds of jazz, rock, punk, drum’n’bass, psychedelia and Afrobeat into hip-hop, The Roots have stood as a model of range and musical virtuosity more than any of their contemporaries. With over ten studio albums and numerous B-sides, side projects, live albums and collaboration projects in their catalog, it’s impossible to fully summarize the best songs The Roots have to offer, but this list highlights their I’m introducing a song. sound.
Listen to the best of The Roots on Apple Music or Spotify.
anti circle
His roots began in the early 90’s busking on South Street in Philadelphia. It was there that the band developed a fusion of hip-hop and jazz. “The Anti-Circle” shows its early roots his sound. Over a smooth bassline, Black Thought spews rhymes full of clever dialogue and metaphor. The band evolves far beyond this sound, but “The Anti-Circle” contains key elements of their sound: elite MCing and fluid musicianship.
The Session (longest posse cut ever)
In hip-hop, a poscut is when four or more MCs get together to show off their skills on a track. For the song “The Session,” The Roots brought 10 MCs into the studio for a 13-minute barrage of rhythmic gymnastics. Jazzy, mid-tempo instrumental, Questlove, Black Thought kicks on his verses, future Roots member Malik B, De La Soul’s Shorty No Mas, Philly’s legendary Foreign Objects crew. Members are lined up. The track evokes memories of the age-old practice of gangs of MCs gathering in hallways, bathrooms and playgrounds to kick rhythms with cyphers.
static strain
Leading single from major debut, Want more? ! ! ! ? ? ! “Distortion to Static” stood out on release and still sounds like no other today. Over thick, textured drum breaks and dark electric piano chords, Black Thought and Malik B trade ferocious, redundant verses.Chorus, a smooth reference to Pink Floyd dark side of the moon, featuring Malik, Blackthort, and Questlove laughing maniacally in the background. “Distortion to Static” was an early sign of the studio experiments the band would employ throughout their career.
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as the second single from Want more? ! ! ! ? ? ! The Roots chose the funky, breezy song “Proceed”. Built on a groovy bassline and fueled by Black Thought and Malik’s obvious chemistry, this song represents his early Roots at its most accessible. ‘Proceed’ also features a number of excellent alternate versions, including Part 2 featuring jazz legend Roy Ayers and Part 3 featuring Philly rap pioneer Bahamadia.
Essay Human?!!!!?!
Recorded live at Philadelphia’s legendary venue The Trocadero, “Essaywhuman?!!!!?!” is a snapshot of the Roots’ power as an early live act. Black, a masterclass in improvisation and call-and-response Rhyme and scat of his sort, but Scott Storch, bassist Leonard Hubbard, Questlove, saxophonist Steve His Coleman short instrumental line by line his licks and respond with .
silent treatment
With Black Thought’s sweetly sung hook and the band’s mellow instrumental groove, “Silent Treatment” is a gem in The Roots’ catalog. A vivid tale of heartbreak, “Silent Treatment” was inducted into the Hip-Hop Love Songs Hall of Fame alongside LL’s “I Need Love” and The Pharcyde’s “Passing Me By.”
Clones feat. Dice Raw and MARS Co-op
When it’s time to record Half-life of iladelph, The Roots deliberately shifted towards a hard, rugged production sound and approach. This new sound was demonstrated on the 1996 single “Clones”. Backed by neck-thumping drums and dreamy Quincy Jones/Valerie Simpson samples, Black Thought and Malik B deliver a blazing, battle-ready bar on MARS Co-op and Dice Raw. To exchange.
What They Do feat. Rafael Sadik
3rd single from Half-life of iladelph, “What They Do” is a scathing critique of the rap industry wrapped in a relaxed soul jam. It features sleepy hooks and Tony’s guitar! Toni! condition! Singer/guitarist Rafael Sadik, Black Thought, performs a few terse verses, while Sadik’s deft runs and licks land somewhere between George Benson and Curtis Mayfield.
You’ve Got Me feat. Eve and Erykah Badu
By the time The Roots released their 1999 song, “You Got Me,” the band was well established as key darlings, but they were still looking for a bona fide hit. Commercial success comes in the form of a melancholy love song composed by keyboardist Scott Storch and written by a future superstar from North Philly named Jill Scott. Black Thought and Eve share stories of love and disbelief around an instrumental that fuses , hip-hop and drum & bass. The song was a hit and the group won a Grammy Award and eventually propelled the album. something that collapsesto platinum status.
dynamite! feat.erotic
The bouncy, guitar-influenced beat of “Dynamite!” is one of the clear standouts something that collapsesBlack Thought and ELO get busy, and the verses before and after reveal delightful chemistry. “Dynamite!” produced by Detroit hip-hop legend J. Dilla. It remains a crowd favorite.
Return to Innocence Lost feat. Ursula Rucker
The Roots’ early albums (Want more? ! ! ! ? ? !, Half-life of iladelphWhen something that collapses) each concludes with a poem by Philadelphia-born poet Ursula Rucker. From “The Return to Innocence Lost” something that collapses It may be the most profound and emotionally devastating of the trilogy. Musically, “The Return to Innocence Lost” is tender and delicate, giving room for Rucker to tell harrowing tales of abuse, loss and intergenerational trauma.
water
In addition to being one of the most complex songs in The Roots’ catalog, “Water” is also one of the band’s most personal and painful themes. Black Thought tackles rubbery, syncopated grooves while weaving a terrifying tale of his rhyme partner Meiluk B’s descent into substance abuse, linking Malik’s struggles to Philadelphia’s infamous opioid crisis. depicting sexuality. The second half of “Water” (labeled “The Abyss”/”The Drowning”), which is over ten minutes long, uses a provocative, avant-garde musical to show the band being torn apart by addiction. You can see that it evokes the sound of the spirit. texture. “Water” showcases Roots’ unique ability to use rap music to map darker emotional realms.
Thoughts@work
“Thought @ Work” puts Black Thought and The Roots in full party-shaking mode. Over infectious breakbeats, Black Thought gets to the heart of the matter, piecing together punchlines, elite boasts, historical references, and more. The whole thing has a Park-his jam vibe from the early days of hip-hop. Close your eyes and imagine the sound pumping through a wall of Cerwin-Vega speakers, shaking concrete into blocks.
Seed 2.0
A catchy, muscular take on Cody Chesnutt’s “The Seed,” The Roots’ “The Seed 2.0” turns Chesnutt’s version into an edgy yet accessible anthem. Black Thought takes cues from his Chesnutt lothario vibes and expands on them to create a vibrant world of sex, rock’n’roll and drugs of fame.
keep calm
A seminal inversion of trumpeter Al Hirt’s “Harlem Hendoo,” “Stay Cool” reveals The Roots’ absolute best attributes. At its core, The Roots is a virtuoso band with the ability not only to play something, but to repurpose and filter it through a hip-hop lens. With Black Thought gliding on course and Martin Luther snorting on the hook, it’s hard not to hear the idea of ​​”cool” as both a state of being and a way of life.
In Love With The Mic feat. Dave Chappelle, Skills, Track North
A raucous, chaotic tune from the Roots catalog featuring Skillz, Truck North and comedian Dave Chappelle. Skillz tops it off with an expanded trope centered around his love of MCing art. Dave Chappelle’s ad-libs add manic energy to the progression, while Track North picks up the third verse in its scene-stealing debut. In a fun, uptempo cut, each MC uses such intense skill that they even “rhyme off the page.”
Baby
Sleeper died in mid-2006 game theory, “Baby” is one of the nicest and weirdest cuts in Roots history. It combines dark and haunting instrumentals with lyrics describing crimes of infidelity and unnamed passion. Hub’s bassline and Kirk Douglas’ trippy guitar meld beautifully, taking you on a short journey into the darker, psychedelic side of the blues. In less than three minutes, you’ll reach the crossroads where Nick Cave and Howlin’ Wolf meet.
Please Don’t Go
“Please Don’t Go” is another lesser-known song in the Roots catalog. Produced by J. Dilla, the song is groovy and love-struck, with Black’s smooth vocals of his sort taking over the hook.
can’t stop this
Recorded shortly after J. Dilla’s untimely death, “Can’t Stop This” is a loving and heartfelt tribute to the band’s dead musical companions. Using Dilla’s instrumental “Time: Last Donut of the Night,” Black’s sort pays tribute to Dilla’s memory, while also exploring crime, poverty, and the crisis of faith these struggles can cause. address the topic of Later in the track, recorded voices from Dilla’s friends and associates expand, contract and morph as his messages convey words of love, respect and admiration.
how did you get over
Released a year after The Roots took a dramatic turn, agreeing to become the house band for Jimmy Fallon’s show, how did you get over It’s a very evocative album full of brief moments where the band sounds downright optimistic. However, it’s tempered by a hardened/cynical worldview that gives it highs and dramatic lows. A clear example of this dynamic is the album’s title track. “How I Got Over” with a funky, uptempo beat and Dice Row’s uplifting chorus feel Good, but its lyrics tell a bittersweet tale of survival and struggle. The illusion that or commercial success would cause the band to shy away from some of their darker thematic tendencies effectively drives out.
Think we missed one of The Roots’ greatest songs? Let us know in the comments below.
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