THE BAD NEWS: "Game Theory", The Roots highly anticipated first release on Def Jam Records was leaked to the internet a month and a half before it hits stores. THE GOOD NEWS: It's the best album the group has released in years!
Let me start by saying, I'm not an OKAYPLAYER, so consider this an unbiased opinion. Don't get me wrong, I always liked The Roots. Their first three albums were beautiful moments in hip hop. No, those albums weren't political, controversial, or extremely conceptual, but they were solid as hell. Good music, nice flows, you know, solid. I even consider "Things Fall Apart" more than solid, to me it's an undeniable classic. What happened to The Roots after that, well, that's where it gets weird. Hip hop is one of the few genres of music where, the better people get at it, the more they feel a need to get away from it, or to somehow extend its boundaries. (Or maybe it's the more people evolve as musicians and people, the more they get bored with hip hop, see Andre 3000). The Roots are no different. "Phrenology" and "Tipping Point" were two albums that could be labeled "experimental", or "wack", depending on who you talk to. For me it felt more like they were being defiant. As if to say, "we know yall want that boom bap sh*t, but allow us to be artists while we give yall this other sh*t." So we waited. Well, actually, I didn't. I kind of wrote The Roots off as dope live performers who COULD create something good if they wanted to, but chose not to. I stuck a fork in'em and moved on.
Then something happened. Unlike some, I'm not gonna give the credit to being on Def Jam, or being under Jay-Z for that matter. I give the credit to hip hop. Hip hop demanded a return to greatness by The Roots. Hip hop always demands that of a worthy few. Hip Hop demanded Rakim to come back in the late 90's. Hip hop demanded Nas to return to defend his throne in the new millennium. And yes, hip hop demanded The Roots to be more than Jay-Z's back up band of choice, so The Roots got real. And Black Thought got real like I've never seen him. I think Black Thought is dope. My problem with him has always been, he busts a rhyme, you nod your head, and you smile with approval. But one minute after he's done rapping, you have no idea what he was talking about, even though it sounded so good. Why? Maybe because he hardly ever writes rhymes to a tight knit concept, "What They Do" being one of those rare times. Or maybe because The Roots don't rely on memorable hooks as much as they do melodies. Whatever the case, this song writing deficiency has left Black Thought an after thought when people mention their top emcees, even though he's unmistakably ill with his. Well, on the new album, Black Thought is flexing a pen that just might shut all of his naysayers up. And the return of Malik B. seems to be that secret intangible that makes this Roots records, a true return to their glorious past.
"Game Theory" is appropriately dark. No, it doesn't make you want to cut your wrist. But it's somber in a way that begs you to sit back and think. It's the hip hop album you'd expect from Kurt Cobain. Not quite straight forward hip hop, but not so far from the essence that you can't just sit back and nod to it, and relate to it. Stand out cuts include "Game Theory", "In The Music", "Long Time", "Clocks With No Hand", and "Don't Feel Right", which previously didn't feel right to me, feels better in the context of the album. The Roots are older, and this music definitely feels older and more mature. I applaud them for stepping out of their box, without stepping away from hip hop to make this album. I hate using the classic word, but off a few listens, yeah, I think it has all the ingredients of a classic, but time and the fans will ultimately tell. Although this album is leaked, do cop your official copy from stores when it's finally released. Hip hop is good for demanding greatness, and terrible for supporting the more creative side of the genre. So definitely support. As for The Roots, I guess they are living proof that sometimes things have to fall apart, before they can fall back together. Peace.
8 comments:
Guess you'll be there at the State to see them August 3rd.
Thanks for writing this peice on the Roots, one of Hip Hop's finer groups. I agree completely with you honest and to the point views. I am a big fan and always have been sinse "Proceed". To make a long story short I love this group. However I felt that they left me high and dry they just fell the F off, almost to the extent of the Goodie Mob. I remeber going to my favorite mom and pop store to get Phernology 4 days early on that Friday before the Tuesday it was released even though I had to pay $6 more for it there, just to listen to a completely wack album, but still I remember the endless hours of listening to "things fall apart". Thanks
That was a great review. Thanks for taking the time to share it. I really liked how you showed the view some would have for being artists experimenting.
Kevin From Toronto Canada
I disagree. While Do you.. and Illadelph were definitely more "classic" hip hop than Phrenology, I wouldn't call it "whack." Just because they "expanded their boundaries" to a more rock-based sound, doesn't mean they fell off. They are a live band, so they make music with live instruments. If they kept doing what they did, people would say they are repeating themselves or call them played.
They are musicians, and it is no fun for them to keep doing the same shit over and over. Plus, Phrenology was way more hip-hop that most garbage that was out then.
That being said, I have to agree that I feel this new record more than the last two. However, I think it’s wrong to cast them aside as "misses" when they were just (I know it sound corny, but..) different.
The Roots are the best hip hop group hands down. I have been a fan since their first album and I have seen many of their shows. I absolutely appreciate everything about them.
Thank God for "The Roots"!!
nuff said.......
To anonymous,
How could you say phrenology was a wack album? See "quils" and "water" Thought spits his a$$ off!
Ooh. I can get excited for Game Theory? I trust your judgement.
I liked Phrenology. I liked it more than The Tipping Point, but I enjoyed Tipping Point, too. The Roots have often forced me to listen, withhold judgement, and adapt over the development of their discography. I resisted Phrenology and the Tipping Point, and my guys were real hurt by it--like The Roots fell off. So, I gotta respect that. And, though I am willing to open my mind to something new from The Roots, I still prefer an album that goes in a new direction, while keeping some familiar elements in place to ground me.
I was scared but hopeful about this Def Jam thing. I kept reading these articles about how Black Thought was going to be more narrative, and I must confess I wondered if he could do it. Is that wrong? Please forgive me. Black Thought has never been my favorite. I mean, old boy is cold. Don't get me wrong. He could free-style. Remember when he used to free style? I would kill to see him battle. His voice is mad sexy. But, really, my man is Malik, then Dice Raw. At the same time, while The Roots change, Black Thought stayed the same. So, when a new sound emerged, Black Thought's familiar voice, bravado and raunch were the only connective tissue from the previous manifestation to the present. So, being that the comments you made and other readers made sound so much like the comments my guys would say, I am going to dare to get excited about the new album.
Thanks for this review. I seriously was gonna skip this LP until I read your post, cuz I agree with pretty much everything you write about this band.
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