Gyangsta 4 Life wrote:I stopped listening in 1999. All the singles since then have sucked. Shit got too artsy fartsy for the sake of commerce sounding.
Mindbender Futurama wrote:album will be ANOTHER disappointment, and another ALMOST great piece of work.
'Illmatic' isn't the perfect classic everyone says cause it's just too short (plus 'Halftime' was out on the Zebrahead soundtrack and it has an intro. It's really only 8 songs. That's not an album, that's an EP.
Unless this album has 4 songs around 10 minutes each, this is already ing me out
Actually, an album could be 1 song long, but if it's at least 30 minutes long it's considered an album. Why are you judging this album before you hear it?
i aint passing final judgement, i'm just saying i'm sick of the Roots approach to things these days. it seems intentionally obscure with diversion for the sake of it. there's always at least ONE thing wrong with their last few albums. cmon admit it, none of them have been as cohesive and satisfying a listen as the first ones. always some guest that isn't on the level, some beat that is missing something, or something else unsatisfying. Roots fans are the biggest apologists around, every album it's about making excuses why this isn't "the One". I'm sick of it. I know they have it in them to make a classic, but what the fuck is wrong with them?
Philaflava wrote:I'm sure if Mindbender had to interview either Black Thought or ?uestlove tomorrow his tone would change. I'm positive of that.
get off it, son.
I met Black Thought when I was 14. He was the first famous rapper I ever met. Dude was a fucking dickhead when I met him, very rude. I handed him my cassette, and said "respect to the Roots" and he didn't say shit, nor return even most basic human courtesy. Black Thought was my first rap dream shatterer. Years later, I discovered how introverted he is and why, and half forgave him. I've got LOTS of stories about personal experiences with the Roots, and I have NO problem criticizing them. But I'm also one of their biggest fans, and supported them for 15 years.
you don't know me and you don't know my style. so fucking lame, Jason. don't become one of THEM. you're better than that, man. I hope you are.
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Create the universe you dream of. http://www.mindbenderlovesyou.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Gyangsta 4 Life wrote:I stopped listening in 1999. All the singles since then have sucked. Shit got too artsy fartsy for the sake of commerce sounding.
Anyone care to list a few standout joints?
Since 1999? I'll give you my favorite track from each album..
Mindbender Futurama wrote:
I met Black Thought when I was 14. He was the first famous rapper I ever met. Dude was a fucking dickhead when I met him, very rude. I handed him my cassette, and said "respect to the Roots" and he didn't say shit, nor return even most basic human courtesy. Black Thought was my first rap dream shatterer. Years later, I discovered how introverted he is and why, and half forgave him. I've got LOTS of stories about personal experiences with the Roots, and I have NO problem criticizing them. But I'm also one of their biggest fans, and supported them for 15 years.
you don't know me and you don't know my style. so fucking lame, Jason. don't become one of THEM. you're better than that, man. I hope you are.
Mindbender Futurama wrote:
I met Black Thought when I was 14. He was the first famous rapper I ever met. Dude was a fucking dickhead when I met him, very rude. I handed him my cassette, and said "respect to the Roots" and he didn't say shit, nor return even most basic human courtesy. Black Thought was my first rap dream shatterer. Years later, I discovered how introverted he is and why, and half forgave him. I've got LOTS of stories about personal experiences with the Roots, and I have NO problem criticizing them. But I'm also one of their biggest fans, and supported them for 15 years.
you don't know me and you don't know my style. so fucking lame, Jason. don't become one of THEM. you're better than that, man. I hope you are.
So this is where all of the tension comes from.
Black Thought is the most consistent lyricist of all-time, besides Redman. As a rapper, he's a slept-on standard that most MCs can't keep up to. As a person, his personality is insulated and introverted to the point of negative neutrality, and is the main reason the Roots have NOT blown up yet. More people know The Roots for the drummer with the big afro, and he doesn't even do any vocals on the records.
I respect them so very highly, but know why they aren't appreciated the way they want to be. It's been too many years of this under-achieving greatness.
You're in Heaven right now, God.
Create the universe you dream of. http://www.mindbenderlovesyou.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
to be honest a long roots album with only black thought is not always the easiest thing to listen to. thats a pretty solid lineup and i like the short tracklist, makes me feel like they've been more selective for what their allowing on it.
The Roots are the best all around group in hiphop. equal to ALL OF WU TANG CLAN, ALL OF HIEROGLYPHICS, and all of THE WEATHERMEN (and mabye Flipmode Squad/ATOMS Family-Alienation).
I won't argue about why they are musically, lyrically, quality-wise, live performance and crew talent wise better than Cash Money, No Limit, Ruff Riders, Shady, G-Unit, Bad Boy, Rockafella/Dipset, Project Blowed and how many other crews that can't compare with The Roots' musical entertainment effect , in terms of their style of flavor for generally good hiphop.
Do You Want More?!?!?! -Proceed, Lazy Afternoon, What Goes On part 7, Swept Away, Silent Treatment, The Lesson Part 1
Things Fall Apart -100% Dundee,Double Trouble,Adrenaline, Dynamite!, Love of My Life, the Next Movement
Illadelph Halflife -the Hypnotic, Episodes, Concerto of the Desperado,Respond React
Rising Down -Get Busy, 75 Bars, Rising Up, Rising Down
The Tipping Point - Star, Don't Say Nuthin', Boom, The Mic, Somebody's Gotta Do It
and they have with them in their corporate collaboration connections people like:
-COMMON
-MOS DEF
-DICE RAW
-PEEDI
-MALIK B
-JEAN GRAE
-TALIB KWELI
-SCRATCH
-their band members (first and foremost)
and then the songs I listed are so guranteed timeless party jam classics, that the culture is slowly being saved by them because of the lyrics that Black Thought is writing and the beats QuestLOVE is producing/playing...
they have already went WAY over the top with some of the action anthems on those previous songs that I listed....they dont need to be hype fanatics that fall for all formulaic fame grabs that will make the world love them with devotion and put them as some heroes of hiphop and have them be some power players in the higher levels of the corporate scene...
I think that people want to play longer for the BIG PAYOFF....like 2025, just START to come with some next shit you expect....see how people are preparing for career longevity... all I have to say is that , they got black soul vibrations down to a utilizable, recognizable formula and brand/sound...so let them float and marinate to RAP ROYALTY RULER STATUS...
everybody old and new in NYC is gonna do some east coast shit...
westcoast LA done it nuff times with gangsta remixes and crew tracks
I BET THE ALBUM IS AS GOOD AS IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE. WITH EXTRA SURPRIZES THAT ARE WORTH MORE THAN KNOWABLE...
the blind see not the notes of the sounds of the rhymes of the divine mind
Last edited by Conspiracy on Fri May 21, 2010 2:47 am, edited 1 time in total.
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everybody sharing all the food, liquor, drugs, and money for free spiritual knowledge and PUSSY....
extraterrestrial illumination has been discovered!(Really.)
top 10-BUSTA-RZA-AZ-REDMAN-NAPTRON-APATHY-ABSTRACT RUDE-BLACK THOUGHT-DR DRE-SCARFACE (and Supernatural as a bonus 11*)
2010 C
Mindbender Futurama wrote:album will be ANOTHER disappointment, and another ALMOST great piece of work.
'Illmatic' isn't the perfect classic everyone says cause it's just too short (plus 'Halftime' was out on the Zebrahead soundtrack and it has an intro. It's really only 8 songs. That's not an album, that's an EP.
Unless this album has 4 songs around 10 minutes each, this is already ing me out
man, shut the fuck up.
Album will be at least good, if not great, like every other fucking Roots album.
I've got a feeling this album will be less straight-up hip hop, and certainly nothing like Rising down. Probably much more playful maybe experimental. I'm predicting a decent album but not what people are expecting thus a lot of hate on this board.
Thanks, vermillion. I'll check those when I get home.
The joint at the top of the page, the one with Dice Raw and Peedi...shit is AIGHT, I guess. Not very memorable. Peedi barely manages to rescue it at the end.
That claustrophobic Rik Cordero style video also does not help.
Mindbender Futurama wrote:album will be ANOTHER disappointment, and another ALMOST great piece of work.
'Illmatic' isn't the perfect classic everyone says cause it's just too short (plus 'Halftime' was out on the Zebrahead soundtrack and it has an intro. It's really only 8 songs. That's not an album, that's an EP.
Unless this album has 4 songs around 10 minutes each, this is already ing me out
man, shut the fuck up.
Album will be at least good, if not great, like every other fucking Roots album.
NO, YOU shut the fuck up
I never said it was going to be wack
stop yer crying and bitchin. i'm a hardcore Roots fan, I'm just not an Okayplayer dickrider who thinks everything they do is perfection.
You're in Heaven right now, God.
Create the universe you dream of. http://www.mindbenderlovesyou.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
How many albums that we all love have less than 9 good tracks once you ignore the filler, skits, and otherwise meh songs? Getting worked up because (hopefully) all that other bullshit wasn't included is fucking retarded.
these talented fuckers have never got an album right since they made 'Illadelph Halflife'
Extremely wrong.
One of the most consistent groups of any genre.
"Things Fall Apart" came out after "Illadelph Halflife" and is widely considered to be their best album.
Also, "Game Theory" is fuckin' phenomenal.
Despite a lotta opinions, I think "Rising Down" was also great.
Mindbender Futurama wrote:
These guys are not hip hop heads. They are really anachronistic jazz musicians who hate the modern music industry and hate to follow the rules of it. Which is why they sabotage themselves every fucking album since the one that ALMOST went platinum ('Things Fall Apart').
What? No, YOU shut the fuck up. They're obviously hip-hop heads, you dummy.
I met Black Thought when he came to my old college to speak about Obama. Dude was real outgoing and willing to speak to fans. He was riding in a limo and wearing Gucci high-top sneakers.
I'd say dude "enjoys the perks" of being a rapper.
As far as doing a whole record with Jay (either Jay)...no.
That makes no sense for either of them. It is a dumb idea and would not benefit either artist in the long run.
The Roots backing Jay-Z live is a great idea, but an actual album with him would only maximize expectations and inevitably disappoint "seen it all" hip-hop "heads" such as yourself.
Every single album the Roots have released, excluding Organix, is 4 mics plus.
C'mon guy. You're alone on this one.
No one's dickriding, but somebody seems to be hating for hate's sake and justifying it by saying they've seen them live 19 times.
1. How I Got Over is a great track. If that's an indicator, the album should be good.
2. John Legend had an album called Once Again in 2006, it was excellent, and "Again" was a recurring theme on the album. Hmm.
3. I've had an early version of this album for a long time.
My tracklist:
01. Don't Talk
02. Walk Alone
03. Bless You My Child
04. Make A Move
05. Take Me Away
06. The Day
07. Now Is The Time
08. Peaches en Regalia
09. Live Without You
10. Serve This Royalty
Although it is weirdly coded, so none of the tracks work. But I still keep it around in case I figure out how to crack it.
I finished what I had to say, y'all can continue on...
Last edited by The Frankest on Fri May 21, 2010 1:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Mindbender Futurama wrote:album will be ANOTHER disappointment, and another ALMOST great piece of work.
'Illmatic' isn't the perfect classic everyone says cause it's just too short (plus 'Halftime' was out on the Zebrahead soundtrack and it has an intro. It's really only 8 songs. That's not an album, that's an EP.
Unless this album has 4 songs around 10 minutes each, this is already ing me out
man, shut the fuck up.
Album will be at least good, if not great, like every other fucking Roots album.
this.
I loved rising down.
get busy still goes on repeat like once a month. shit bangs.
these talented fuckers have never got an album right since they made 'Illadelph Halflife'
Extremely wrong.
One of the most consistent groups of any genre.
"Things Fall Apart" came out after "Illadelph Halflife" and is widely considered to be their best album.
Also, "Game Theory" is fuckin' phenomenal.
Despite a lotta opinions, I think "Rising Down" was also great.
Mindbender Futurama wrote:
These guys are not hip hop heads. They are really anachronistic jazz musicians who hate the modern music industry and hate to follow the rules of it. Which is why they sabotage themselves every fucking album since the one that ALMOST went platinum ('Things Fall Apart').
What? No, YOU shut the fuck up. They're obviously hip-hop heads, you dummy.
I met Black Thought when he came to my old college to speak about Obama. Dude was real outgoing and willing to speak to fans. He was riding in a limo and wearing Gucci high-top sneakers.
I'd say dude "enjoys the perks" of being a rapper.
As far as doing a whole record with Jay (either Jay)...no.
That makes no sense for either of them. It is a dumb idea and would not benefit either artist in the long run.
The Roots backing Jay-Z live is a great idea, but an actual album with him would only maximize expectations and inevitably disappoint "seen it all" hip-hop "heads" such as yourself.
Every single album the Roots have released, excluding Organix, is 4 mics plus.
C'mon guy. You're alone on this one.
No one's dickriding, but somebody seems to be hating for hate's sake and justifying it by saying they've seen them live 19 times.
Mad excited for the new record.
I was being facetious about them not being hip hop heads. You didn't exactly get my point. I LOVE the Roots. I just don't love every decision they make, and think if they sacrificed their inside-joke privacy a bit, the world would embrace them and there wouldn't be all this hemming and hawing and handwringing every time they put out an album and it underperforms compared to what people want them to achieve.
Of course they make good music. Of course their last 3 albums weren't wack. Yes, they were 4 mic level albums. Yes they are consistent. That's a given with the Roots. But really: were any of them classic? That is always arguable with them. These guys need to make their 'Blueprint' or their 'Carter 3' for the now generation of hip hop heads. And I think they don't want to play the game, but they want to win the game every time. Doesn't work that way. You have to meet people in the middle of genius and accessibility. Until the Roots do that, they will always underachieve, no matter how good the albums are.
oh, and most importantly: YOU shut the fuck up.
Thun wrote:
Philaflava wrote:I'm sure if Mindbender had to interview either Black Thought or ?uestlove tomorrow his tone would change. I'm positive of that.
But he'd still download the album for free, word is bond.
sigh, Roger. you just don't feel right not spreading negativity and hate, hey? you need an evolution, brother. Hell is repetition, and your inner devil is getting heavy rotation.
Kids, when you're done speculating and judging my private life, you let me know. I'll be here, NOT doing that to you, and waiting for the Roots to get with the program.
You're in Heaven right now, God.
Create the universe you dream of. http://www.mindbenderlovesyou.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Mindbender Futurama wrote:
I was being facetious about them not being hip hop heads. You didn't exactly get my point. I LOVE the Roots. I just don't love every decision they make, and think if they sacrificed their inside-joke privacy a bit, the world would embrace them and there wouldn't be all this hemming and hawing and handwringing every time they put out an album and it underperforms compared to what people want them to achieve.
Good point. I don't think they care about sacrificing the "inside-joke privacy" as you called it tho, since they still make very good money from their music and have a great reputation overall.
Mindbender Futurama wrote:These guys need to make their 'Carter 3' for the now generation of hip hop heads.
every Roots album is superior to The Carter 3, and I'm a Wayne fan for the most part.
Mindbender Futurama wrote:And I think they don't want to play the game, but they want to win the game every time. Doesn't work that way. You have to meet people in the middle of genius and accessibility. Until the Roots do that, they will always underachieve, no matter how good the albums are.
You got it, Sherlock Dreadlock. They don't play the game because they don't want to.
And they DON'T HAVE TO.
They have "won". They are deeply established in the "game", are all millionaires (yes, even the bass player), and for the most part, have the respect of 38-year-old "old school" heads and 16 year old suburban message board trolls alike.
They won, Bendy. They're doing what they want: making bookoo bucks while maintaining artistic integrity.
YOU of all people should champion that.
"Things Fall Apart" is a classic. 5 mics. Everything else is 4 to 5 according to most critics and fans. They done been winning man. Stop trying to find flaws that don't exist.
Now YOU shut the fuck up.
And go make some music or write something.
ing me out
So this is where all of the tension comes from.
opinions, I think "Rising Down" was also great.
