Photo Credit: Def Jam
By: Cyndi Riegger
Twitter: @Label_Whore_Art
In a land where twerking, rapping about chicks and what you can afford
reign supreme, the world of true hip hop music was severely
lacking...until now. The most recent release of The Roots' "...and
then you shoot your cousin." is a breath of lyrical fresh air in a
polluted market of what barely passes for hip hop.
Never sparing a drop musically or verbally, The Roots delivered a
thirst quenching 8 track release, their 11th studio offering in May of
this year. My favorites: "When The People Cheer" and "Understand".
"Understand" a blessing upon my eardrums, is more poignant in its hook
alone than anything I've heard in a very long time.
"People ask for god, 'till the day he comes
See God's face - turn around and run
God sees the face of a man
Shaking his head then says, "man'll never understand..."
The tone of the album is definitely not lighthearted or for
individuals looking to dance in the club but it is painfully sincere
and leaves one eerily satisfied within its darkness. Each song touches
upon social awareness, personal struggles and the reality of issues
affecting the world at large, rather than filling each offering with
uninteresting fluff that has no relevance and quite frankly, aren't we
all tired of hearing about Rolex watches?
This album is everything current hip hop is not and man, am I glad. It
doesn't boast about accolades, of which The Roots have many. But,
instead offers an almost satirical look at the culture their genre has
become in "When The People Cheer":
"First I feed her vodka shots then she eat my Johnnie Cochran
Livin’ fast, drinkin’ capt'
One of them hoes even had
The audacity ask me how long this thing would last
I said, "You wanna pay for class? Get on that stage and shake your ass."
She keep a dick in a box and in an emergency break the glass
I make her laugh
She makes it clap
And then she gives me lap dances and I’m thankful that
She keeps providing the place for me to be unfaithful at…"
If you're tired of the typical and want a whole lot of lyrical
substance, this concept album by The Roots is a perfect fit for you
and worth a download on good 'ol iTunes or a purchase at your local
music store (I know, what are those, right? But, they do still exist,
I promise!).
"...and then you shoot your cousin." left me feeling reflective and
glad to have listened. It's so rare that a hip hop release these days
brings any sort of real reaction out of me besides a head nod or a tap
of my foot, but this most certainly did and is worth a listen if you
want to listen to something REAL.
The members, as always, make it clear how talented (an understatement)
they are at their craft and have blessed us once more with something
to truly be proud of. This album is like water in the desert, very
much welcomed and utterly satisfying.
Twitter: @Label_Whore_Art
In a land where twerking, rapping about chicks and what you can afford
reign supreme, the world of true hip hop music was severely
lacking...until now. The most recent release of The Roots' "...and
then you shoot your cousin." is a breath of lyrical fresh air in a
polluted market of what barely passes for hip hop.
Never sparing a drop musically or verbally, The Roots delivered a
thirst quenching 8 track release, their 11th studio offering in May of
this year. My favorites: "When The People Cheer" and "Understand".
"Understand" a blessing upon my eardrums, is more poignant in its hook
alone than anything I've heard in a very long time.
"People ask for god, 'till the day he comes
See God's face - turn around and run
God sees the face of a man
Shaking his head then says, "man'll never understand..."
The tone of the album is definitely not lighthearted or for
individuals looking to dance in the club but it is painfully sincere
and leaves one eerily satisfied within its darkness. Each song touches
upon social awareness, personal struggles and the reality of issues
affecting the world at large, rather than filling each offering with
uninteresting fluff that has no relevance and quite frankly, aren't we
all tired of hearing about Rolex watches?
This album is everything current hip hop is not and man, am I glad. It
doesn't boast about accolades, of which The Roots have many. But,
instead offers an almost satirical look at the culture their genre has
become in "When The People Cheer":
"First I feed her vodka shots then she eat my Johnnie Cochran
Livin’ fast, drinkin’ capt'
One of them hoes even had
The audacity ask me how long this thing would last
I said, "You wanna pay for class? Get on that stage and shake your ass."
She keep a dick in a box and in an emergency break the glass
I make her laugh
She makes it clap
And then she gives me lap dances and I’m thankful that
She keeps providing the place for me to be unfaithful at…"
Image Credit: Philly.com
If you're tired of the typical and want a whole lot of lyrical
substance, this concept album by The Roots is a perfect fit for you
and worth a download on good 'ol iTunes or a purchase at your local
music store (I know, what are those, right? But, they do still exist,
I promise!).
"...and then you shoot your cousin." left me feeling reflective and
glad to have listened. It's so rare that a hip hop release these days
brings any sort of real reaction out of me besides a head nod or a tap
of my foot, but this most certainly did and is worth a listen if you
want to listen to something REAL.
The members, as always, make it clear how talented (an understatement)
they are at their craft and have blessed us once more with something
to truly be proud of. This album is like water in the desert, very
much welcomed and utterly satisfying.
