Me thinks so.

Phernology was ok, but it was not like they said it would be.

Water is great, until all that damn noise at the end.

That shit sounded like a college student's soundtrack to an expiermental film project.


After a while black Thought, the rapper, sounds like he has a lisp and has run out of things to rap about.

After a while I am like, what the hell is he rapping about?

And it aint good when the best songs on the album are r and b tracks.

Sometimes, I think The Roots remind me of the "great white hype."

you jokin' right?

yeah - it's weird with The Roots. I love everything they do for other artists, like when they back Erykah Badu on a song or work with Angie Stone etc. They really are kick ass musicians !! But the stuff they do under their own name to me is pretty good but not like nearly as good as when they work on someone elses' project. What's up with that ?

?uestlove is like a damn clock.

XLBubba said:

Are you only using"Phrenology"as a point of reference? What about "Things Fall Apart" "Illadelph Halflife" or "Do You Want More"?

classic77 said:

---
Word. If you listen to the Roots' entire discography you will realize that these are some brilliant brothas. The music and the rhymes are incredible, and I feel that Phrenology may be the best out of all of their albums.

The Roots are as close to real hip-hop as there is right now. Too bad people aren't appreciating them as much as they should be. Maybe they need to put more asses in their videos.

(This was my 100th post!! Whhhheeeee!)
[This message was edited Thu Feb 20 17:54:08 PST 2003 by doeineffect]

Jesus... well if you don't get the Roots then... you don't it I suppose

Things Fall Apart is a bloody incredible album. Roots Come Alive was brilliant... Phrenology is a wonderful piece of work... Do You Want Some More is not bad... Illadelph Halflife has some decent moments...

Still, it's not for everyone I suppose! I love their work though. Thank fuck for the Roots... and Common.

ian said:

yeah, well you're a philistine. so what do you know

I saw the Roots at Bumbershoot in Seattle...i fuckin' LOVED that show.

"Things Fall Apart" is awesome...the only other album I have heard of theirs so far is "Do You Want More?" which I found quite tedious.

I'd like to hear "Come Alive" though as I saw them live and "Phrenology"

Any recommendations considering I only really like "Things Fall Apart"?

AaronUnlimited said:

Shut your cakehole Captain America!

I Like them Live better than in the studio overall."Idelphia Halftime" is the Best album I think they have done.but they are all the Critics Favorites meaning they don't sell Records&don't have much Impact&?Love has said He wants Success.

THE ROOTS ARE THE BEST OUT HANDS DOWN. I can't wait to see them live in concert March 14 here in NYC. Damn, now I'm all hyped up again. Personally, I think this album rocks anything out there musically right now.

You ppl are crazy,,,you dislike Lauryn Hill's work but you like the Roots?? They talk about similar issues.

Harlepolis said:

I love Lauryn's work... my thread about her was about the acoustic album. I loved her other stuff.

The Roots are fucking great.

Bit of a yawn-fest.

Lauryn Hill? Talk about hype.

The Roots do not make good hip hop songs.

None of their songs really move you to shake anything.

They seem to only make good r and b songs, but I ask how long are the going to continue to push this replayed soul sound?


As a whole, it seems people just give them credit because they play instruments. Big deal, the only member in the band worth anything is the drummer.

There is a section in Phernology that is real great: Break You Off, The Seed and Water. The rest of the album is just like oh and the play instruments, lol.

Black Thought raps too much about nothing, I mean based on all the shit talking that they do.

How many times is Questlove gonna do his interpertation of I Wonder You on his albums?


Most people that bought their albums based on singles, thought they were an r and b band.

Damn XL, are we talking about the same band here? If you've ever seen them live you wouldn't talk like this. Pick up or borrow their performance at woodstock, besides some monitor problems Black Thought was having they rocked the crowd. Name me a bass player in SOUL MUSIC that destroyed a solo like their bass man did. Listen to the many styles the keyboardist goes through. And then in the middle of the set he picks up the guitar and freaks that the same way. You claim B.T. raps about nothing, maybe if he puts some ICE, WHIPS, HOES, HOW MUCH MONEY HE'S HOLDING you might call him the greatest rapper of all time. Look at who is running the game now, A corny white boy who raps mono-tone about a hard life he never had. And his pet project 50 cents who get shot and said that he loved it. The same fool that was on Rap City pulling out wades of cash like was stupid. And these are what people consider great rappers. Give me an intellgent black man rapping about what is in his heart anyday over these ignorant jackasses. YES SLIM SHADY SUCKS!!! GO SHORTY. IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY. Great lyrics. Great lyrics.

okay, i'm not that blown away by their records too, but live they are the shit! for all you non-believers; go check out www.therootslive.com for some downloads of their latest live performances. i'm there on the 2nd of april for their concert at the paradiso in amsterdam, holland.

"Do You Want More" through to "Roots Come Alive" 2CD set is a great body of work. "Phrenology" didn't hit as hard IMO but write them off at your peril.

My answer to your question is ...BOTH!!! They are hyped a great deal and they're very pleasurable to the human ears. They're certainly some talented dudes trying to bring something to the hip-hop table through instrumentation{a rarity in itself}. They have laid down some nice musical backdrop for the likes of folks like Badu. Time will be a true revealer though as to how TRULY good they are.

As it stands now, they're an interesting work-in-progress.

These brothas are as talented as they come when U speak of Hip-Hop. They are well rooted "so-2-speak" in music's past & present...And alot of these brothas in this genre today can't say the same.

U can't knock these eclectic cats unless U really want 2 B overly picky. There bright open minded respectful and 4-ever learning bunch of soulful brothas...I think they back it up live.

As far as I'm concern, theres not many hip-hop acts that I'd pay 2 see...But I'd give up 2 them...

I am not talking about what they do live, because that is another post.

They are not a good hip hop band, but they do everything else great outside of hip hop. They make good r and b songs and other styles, but they can not do a decent hip hop song.

They should let other people produce for them.

I just wacthed The Seed video, but it sounds and looks more like a dude with a beard and a hat featuring his band The Roots.

Well thats the way U feel then...bottom line U say they need 2 let others produce them? I've heard that 4 Prince etc...Thats what "U want". Them getting produced by another may not B in there best interest right now...and U can't tell someone 2 do what they don't feel themself. The music "they create" at this time is who they are right now in music.
In a saying...
U want them 2 fake the funk?

If U or anybody got such a tough time diggin somebodys journey or how they go about making what music pleases them first B4 most...then don't support it. Thats very simple cuz The Roots didn't force U 2 buy "Phernology".

There solid, but if U feel U can make better or how did U put it "decent" Hip-Hop music then show ?uestlove & the bunch how its done.

UsexyMF said:

Sorry dude, I did not undertsand one thing you said.

The Roots are the shit! Do You Want More???!!!?? is my very favorite. I can understand how some people wouldnt dig em though cause of their unique style, but I love em especially when I wanna just mellow out!

XLBubba said:

Sorry dude, I did not undertsand one thing you said.[/quote]

***Yeah having "depth" is a bitch 4 some* No worries~