And I know I'm gonna like them, I've heard a few of their songs, and I just dig their attitude and the atmosphere their music has (And ?uestlove is my baby). They're the exact kind of rap group I've been looking for, and I seemed to have more or less ignored them for years.

But I decided to do a little shopping and I was overwhelmed by all their material on itunes. I had no clue what to get.

What's a newbie to do? All their albums seem kinda...I dunno, themed different. Should I just go for it at random, or is their a particular album I oughta start with?

i'd probably start with things fall apart, since that was kinda their biggest seller/most popular one, i think. i was really enamored with them and their whole circle of performers (erykah badu, d'angelo, mos def, etc.) late in the last millineum and early in this one. i lost interest in them around the tipping point (ironic ). i don't really follow them anymore, but they have done some pretty good music (just not really good "albums", as of late especially) and are awesome live, i hear . ?uestlove is one of my favorite drummers

I would go way beyond "Things Fall Apart". I would start with "Do you want more" and then work my way to their current stuff. I prefer their early stuff as oppose to their later material. People seem to believe that an artist's popular material, is their best stuff. This is not always the case. MJ's, "Thriller" is a great example. It out sold "Off The Wall", but to me, "Off The Wall" is a much stronger album. While "Things Fall Apart", is a good CD, it does not hold a candle to their earlier material.

As for where to start, they've made it easy: Home Grown! The Beginners Guide to Understanding The Roots, Vol.1.

Career retrospective; flows together beautifully... what more can you ask for? There's even a Vol.2 to follow it up with.....

deebee said:

Dang Thanks, guys