Backstory: Straight outta Philadelphia, the Roots burst onto the scene in the early ‘90s as one of the first hip-hop acts to use a live backing band. And what a band: centered around drummer Amir “?uestlove” Thompson, the Roots’ rhythm factory has remained one of the tightest acts in the music game, from early efforts like “Do You Want More?!!!??!” and “Illadelph Halflife” to their crossover hits “Phrenology” and “Tipping Point.”
Why you should care: The Roots are still the most relevant band in hip-hop, and easily one of the most relevant in music in general. Full stop.
Verdict: Whereas their most recent efforts have widened the Roots' portal into the mainstream, “Rising Down” is a defiant, agitated classic that might thankfully shake off the weaker bandwagon-jumpers. The title track throws down the gauntlet on geopolitical strife, from blood diamonds to climate crisis, with the help of conscientious virtuoso Mos Def. Dice Raw, Peedi Crakk and DJ Jazzy Jeff stop by to bring staccato danger to the visceral “Get Busy,” while the Roots’ rapper-in-residence, Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter, uses his militant, machine-gun delivery on “75 Bars” to remind us why rap used to actually scare some people. (Ah, the good old days!)
The tone is all but set with intro “The Pow Wow,” an intra-band fight recorded over the phone, as well as the hypnotic “I Will Not Apologize.” The Roots know that these are times of trouble we're in, and there are no top 40 hits worth recycling anymore. “Yesterday I saw a B-girl crying/I walked up and asked what's wrong/She told me the radio has been playing the same song all day long,” sings guest star Chrisett Michelle on the jazzed closer “Rising Up.” This message is a reason in itself, especially with hip-hop, to rejoice.
X-Factor: The Roots recently performed Jimi Hendrix's Woodstock rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” on “The Colbert Report” during the show’s visit to Philadelphia for the Democratic primary.
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