Hip-Hop's Intellectuals - The Roots Simplify Their Newest Record
“We’re always working, working, working! Our motto is ‘Sleep is the cousin of death.’ We can sleep when we’re dead. There’s too much work to do!” - ?uestlove, the Roots’ drummer and spokesman
With six studio albums, innumerable collaborations, and an average of 250 live shows a year already to their credit, the Roots aren’t showing any signs of slowing down.
Known as hip-hop’s hardest-working live band, the Roots have honed their jazzy, guitar-infused brand of hip-hop since they formed in Philadelphia more than fifteen years ago. On August 29, they’ll be releasing their seventh studio album, Game Theory - undoubtedly another testament to the Roots’ constantly evolving sound. “I know that the formula for a Roots album makes people uncomfortable,” ?uestlove says, “because it’s always the opposite of the previous one. Every album will have a new angle to it.”
“We’re toying with the idea of doing our biggest angle yet for the next record,” ?uestlove continues, “which could possibly see the group balloon to a funkadelic 15-member size.” While they’re increasing the number of musicians, they hope to cut down on the length and quantity of tracks, departing from their tendency to record long, elaborate jam sessions. On their decision to be more concise, ?uestlove says, “For a rap group to say ‘this is our seventh record’ and for it to mean something is amazing in itself. The most logical thing for us to do is to make a simple record.”
Of course, the process of making a simple record is anything but simple, especially for perfectionists like the Roots. “You have to fully develop a song, don’t just half dress it,” ?uestlove insists. “Make sure it has a melody, make sure it has a bridge if necessary and make sure the rhythm is compatible with the beat.”Don’t Feel Right, the first single from Game Theory, is itself a fully developed hip-hop masterpiece. The track features the smooth, Lauryn Hill-esque vocals of Maimouna Youssef, a laid-back drumkit-driven rhythm, stark keyboard chords, and an arresting bridge with synthesized bass and MC Black Thought’s lyrical genius. Other standout tracks include Here I Come (hectic, edgy, and vocally curt), Long Time (agitated and intricately catchy, with a repeated guitar riff and crashing drums), Atonement (somber and soulful, with a sample from Radiohead’s You and Whose Army?), and Game Theory (whimsical, with pipe organs, buzzing guitar and prominent bass lines).
A band as volatile as the Roots finds itself constantly editing and rehearsing, touring and recording - which makes for attractive musical unpredictability. Their intellectual ambition, however, has been consistent from the beginning. While their mainstream hip-hop contemporaries rap about partying and bling track after track after track, the Roots delve into issues like urban existentialism and Hurricane Katrina, often penning ambiguous lyrics whose meaning depends on the interpretation of the listener.
Both lyrically and musically, Game Theory is the Roots’ darkest, most mature record yet. “This is definitely a down mood, dark record,” remarks ?uestlove. “Like, there’s not a party atmosphere. And I don’t think there’s anything wrong with being serious about your craft.”
Artist Info
The Roots: Hub (bass guitar), Captain Kirk (guitar), Kamal (keyboard), Black Thought (MC), Knuckles (percussion),
?uestlove (drums)
Most Popular Songs: You Got Me featuring Erykah Badu, The Seed (2.0) featuring Cody Chestnutt
Has Collaborated With: Eve, Erykah Badu, Nelly Furtado, Talib Kweli
Inspirations: Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Al Green
?uestlove Quotes:
“There are so many people who only care about me because I was in a 5-second skit with John Mayer on Dave Chappelle.”
“I downloaded Scrabble and practice three hours a day.”
“I just think that we surround ourselves with the right group of people who sort of play judge and jury. Sometimes your feelings get hurt: you present a song that you think is incredible and none of them are doing cartwheels over it, but I’ve just always credited us for not hanging around a bunch of ‘Yes’ men. They’re people that actually care about the group. If they don’t like it, it gets trashed or worked on again.”
“Our audience is about change, elevation, musicianship, virtuousity - they support that fully. But the video generation isn’t ready for that. They want to hear the album version or they want it just like the video. They want no additives, no preservatives and it’s a shame really that the younger generation can’t make something its own. There’s not really much loyalty left in that particular sound and there’s contempt for anything historical. It doesn’t cherish its resources as other cultures and art forms do. Kids right now are applying the term ‘Old School’ to anything that’s more than three years old, like Wu Tang Clan and Snoop Doggy Dog. I’m like ‘That’s old school?’ That’s pretty much new to me! You’re not going to be throwing the Beatles away just because they came out a few years ago, you know what I mean?”
More…
- "The Seed (2.0)" (video)
- The Roots on Wikipedia
- The Roots on MySpace
- The Roots on iTunes
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