Though Black Thought, Questlove & crew had already made an impression on audiences overseas, their second LP formally introduced their distinctive artistry to US hip-hop listeners.
Read moreThe Roots’ ‘The Tipping Point’ Turns 20 | Album Anniversary
‘The Tipping Point’ might not have been what fans envisioned a Roots album to be in 2004, but even a “pop” album by the legendary crew is better than most albums by other artists.
Read moreThe Roots’ ‘Things Fall Apart’ Turns 25 | Album Anniversary
Not only is ‘Things Fall Apart’ arguably the best hip-hop album released in 1999, but it’s also one of the best hip-hop albums of the late ’90s, and the group’s strongest overall effort.
Read moreThe Roots’ ‘Rising Down’ Turns 15 | Album Anniversary
The Roots’ eighth studio affair is a potent statement and very much ahead of its time in terms of subject matter, proving yet again that the group is never boring.
Read moreThe Roots’ ‘Phrenology’ Turns 20 | Album Anniversary
As a whole, The Roots’ fifth studio album spotlights Black Thought’s persistent lyrical mastery, as well as the band’s ability to push the envelope sonically and thematically.
Read moreJay-Z’s ‘Unplugged’ Turns 20 | Anniversary Retrospective
Jay-Z’s ‘Unplugged’ is less an album, more a moment in time you revisit on repeat. And when this time got stamped, it did so multiple times, with both feet.
Read moreThe Roots’ ‘Illadelph Halflife' Turns 25 | Anniversary Retrospective
Arguably one of the strongest albums to surface in 1996, The Legendary Roots Crew’s third studio affair is a focused project that’s unified in tone and heavy in musical versatility.
Read moreThe Roots’ ‘Game Theory’ Turns 15 | Anniversary Retrospective
The Roots’ seventh studio affair is the disquieted soundtrack to learning you’re in a game engineered for you to lose—a first-person shooter with your weapons removed.
Read moreThe Roots' ‘How I Got Over’ Turns 10 | Anniversary Retrospective
The Legendary Roots Crew’s ninth studio affair succeeds—where many other hip-hop albums fall short—in tackling the larger emotions associated with doing what’s necessary to survive.
Read moreLEST WE FORGET: Revisiting The Roots’ ‘Undun’ (2011)
Our recurring ‘Lest We Forget’ series is devoted to celebrating albums that have been unfairly overlooked and warrant revisiting.
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