The Roots are back this month with their ninth studio album, How I Got Over. The album takes a turn away from the deep, dark tone that their previous albums (Game Theory; Rising Down) emitted. Though this may be the case, The Roots certainly haven’t lost their flavor.
Though the album seems to be a little more positive and discusses topics of perseverance, “Dear God 2.0” has rapper Black Thought questioning his faith. This track features indie/folk super group Monsters of Folk, giving the track a very ghostly vibe. Actually, if you want to get specific, The Roots sampled Monster of Folk’s portion of the song from the band’s song, “Dear God.” The featured band sings powerful lines like, “Well I’ve been thinking about/And I’ve been breaking it down/Without an answer/I know I’m thinking aloud, but if your love’s/Still around why do we still suffer?” and has Black Thought rapping powerful lyrics, such as: “They said he’s busy, hold the line please/Call me crazy, I thought maybe he could mind read … They sent my daddy to you in a barrage of bullets/Why is the world ugly when you made it in your image?/And why is livin’ life such a fight to the finish?” The track is not only lyrically strong, but the music draws the emotion from you as well. It starts off very slow with a piano and continues with ?uestLove’s slow drumming and quick hi-hat beat. The vibe of the song is dark and slow, especially with the inclusion of Monsters of Folk in the chorus. But you must admit that it certainly makes you question your faith or at the very least, makes you think about your place in the universe.
The group’s single and title track is “How I Got Over,” featuring Dice Raw. The track is more upbeat musically but the topic is still very heavy. Traces of jazz and soul are found in “How I Got Over,” another song about persevering through life on the streets. An organ can be heard along with the drum beat and subtle guitar solos in the background which definitely makes you want to move. But I have to wonder: with a song this deep, was that the intention of The Roots? At any rate, the lyrics are the highlight here, pleading for a change to come to help save the individuals stuck on the streets.
One of my personal favorites on How I Got Over is “Hustla,” featuring STS. This song starts off with a drum roll and a baby crying on auto tune (I guess everybody really is doing it). The beat is slow and the bass line is incredibly thick which gets your head bobbing. Never failing to record a song with a message, The Roots provide a great-but-short track about wanting their kids to not have to struggle in this world. But would you call your kid a hustla? This tongue-in-cheek track puts a twist on normally sweet-sounding songs for their children with lyrics like, “Please let her be a hustla, baby be a hustla/Hope my baby girl grows up to be a hustla/Let her be a hustla, baby be a hustla/If not, then you’re only a customer.”
The Roots successfully put out a record that rises above the rest of that radio rap that tends to be so superficial. How I Got Over merges smart lyrics and thought processes while still putting out great music that can appeal to everybody. Though ?uestLove’s use of a traditional drum kit is refreshing to hear in the rap game, my only gripe is that I miss the big beats. But this makes The Roots sound more “authentic” and honestly, gives them more credibility in the talent department. Especially since the entire album was recorded live with a live band!
Bonus Highlights: Walk Alone, Radio Daze
Buy the album at our record store on Amazon
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- Album Review – What is Love? by never. shout. never.
- Sunday’s Blessings – God Bless The Generation Gap
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- Album Review – Hurley by Weezer