Editor’s Note: The Albumism staff has selected what we believe to be the 50 Greatest Live Albums of All Time, representing a varied cross-section of genres, styles and time periods. Click “Next Album” below to explore each album or view the full album index here.
THE ROOTS | The Roots Come Alive
MCA/Universal (1999)
Selected by Daryl McIntosh
“You are now rocking with the best” is an expression we have all heard used to describe the Roots’ incredible live show. For those of us that were still too young, or just hadn’t gotten around to seeing Philadelphia’s 5th Dynasty in person by the close of the ‘90s, their live album The Roots Come Alive brought every aspect of hip-hop’s rhythmic wrecking crew into our homes and headsets.
Riding the wave of their fourth and most commercially successful studio album Things Fall Apart, released earlier that same year, you could hear the confidence in the voice of the group’s lead vocalist/lyricist Black Thought as he commanded the audience in Zurich, Switzerland. The chemistry amongst the other band members—Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson on percussion, Leonard "Hub" Hubbard on bass, and Kamal Gray on keyboards—was as impeccable as an edited studio production.
Even the guest appearances from frequent collaborators Dice Raw, Jaguar Wright, and Common were all so well placed, you were likely to jump to your feet yelling encore by the culmination of the LP, even if you were vibed out on your couch while rocking with the legendary Roots crew.
LISTEN: