Commercial success has never been a motivating factor for The Roots but with their latest release, Rising Down, it seems like that pressure is starting to build. Not so much in the sense that a crossover appeal is starting to take place, but more so for not being recognized for their unequivocal consistency/talent.
It’s no question that the legendary crew hailing from “illadelphia” have spanned an illustrious career of classic material, but outside of their loyal fan base--nobody really seems to take notice. However, one can only rise down for so long and fortunately for The Roots, their rising up will be well worth the wait.
Upon first listening to Rising Down, one can safely say that The Roots are hungrier than ever. Most notably Black Thought, as he goes all the way in on the drum heavy "75 Bars (Black’s Reconstruction)". His impeccable microphone presence is on display here and it kind of makes you wonder why his name isn’t mentioned among some of the elite MC’s. Clearly, he deserves it in my opinion but whether underrated or unnoticed, the fact still remains that this guy is pretty good. Overall though, The Roots collectively shine and in doing so, the guest appearances seem to mesh rather well. The title track, “Rising Down”, featuring Mos Def and Styles P. is a standout cut but not to be outdone, the closing track “Rising Up” featuring Wale and Chrisette Michele is equally good as well. Both tracks address political discontent and in typical Roots fashion, the end result is an audio masterpiece.
Then again, I guess the same thing can be said for this CD as a whole. Tracks like the raucous “Get Busy” and the unapologetic “I Will Not Apologize” are what fans of The Roots will be drawn to, but it’s not too complex to the point that new fans will be turned off. Realistically, this album is more catered to the longtime fan anyway but if you love real hip-hop, then Rising Down is well worth the listen. Besides, regardless of the medium, the message remains the same. Hip-Hop is far from dead…and The Roots are living proof.
It’s no question that the legendary crew hailing from “illadelphia” have spanned an illustrious career of classic material, but outside of their loyal fan base--nobody really seems to take notice. However, one can only rise down for so long and fortunately for The Roots, their rising up will be well worth the wait.Upon first listening to Rising Down, one can safely say that The Roots are hungrier than ever. Most notably Black Thought, as he goes all the way in on the drum heavy "75 Bars (Black’s Reconstruction)". His impeccable microphone presence is on display here and it kind of makes you wonder why his name isn’t mentioned among some of the elite MC’s. Clearly, he deserves it in my opinion but whether underrated or unnoticed, the fact still remains that this guy is pretty good. Overall though, The Roots collectively shine and in doing so, the guest appearances seem to mesh rather well. The title track, “Rising Down”, featuring Mos Def and Styles P. is a standout cut but not to be outdone, the closing track “Rising Up” featuring Wale and Chrisette Michele is equally good as well. Both tracks address political discontent and in typical Roots fashion, the end result is an audio masterpiece.
Then again, I guess the same thing can be said for this CD as a whole. Tracks like the raucous “Get Busy” and the unapologetic “I Will Not Apologize” are what fans of The Roots will be drawn to, but it’s not too complex to the point that new fans will be turned off. Realistically, this album is more catered to the longtime fan anyway but if you love real hip-hop, then Rising Down is well worth the listen. Besides, regardless of the medium, the message remains the same. Hip-Hop is far from dead…and The Roots are living proof.
Rating: 7.0 headphones out of 10
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