BLACK THOUGHT
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05 Dec

Posted at 14:34h in Music, Reviews
If there was a solitary reason for the lack of more 'eclectic' Hip Hop groups being present in today's field, it probably would be because of the fear of living up to the ridiculously high standards set by Philadelphia’s legendary outfit The Roots. Black Thought, ?uestlove and co have been rocking out for almost two decades now with their sublime arrangement of true school Hip Hop, golden era jazz and blues. Even whilst often cited as one of the most 'underrated' groups in musical history, The Roots have consistently remained within the realms of many top five lists due to their staunch lyrical offerings and their dynamic live shows. Whilst currently the in-house band for US chat show Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, Undun is the 13th offering from The Roots but still creates the same tingles of anticipation as previous efforts; the hope now is that the same musical richness of the past carries over to this December release.

07 Mar

Posted at 22:39h in Music, Reviews
Still going strong in 2011, the Wu-Tang revolution, continues get Hip Hoppers amped like the first time they ever came across the Staten Island natives. One question which continues to remain unanswered (besides when the new joint Wu album will be released) is which member has the most stellar catalog of albums? Whilst there’s room for many debates, the Chef Raekwon is one name who can lay claim to the accolade. Putting out fine, cinematic material since the 1995 classic Only Built For Cuban Linx, Rae’s importance to the branding of the Wu remains ever much important, and his latest release intends to keep the ‘W’ in the circle of rap’s greats still present in the new millennium.

30 Nov

Posted at 09:00h in Reviews
In the sea of name-checking and auto-tuning Hip Hop and R&B acts that have graced our shores from the US recently, it’s easy to forget what the artists’ voices actually sound like. Then along comes John Legend and The Roots with their covers album - appropriately named Wake Up! - and we’re reminded what R&B and Hip Hop in it’s truest – and in my opinion best - form really sounds like. Hammersmith Apollo was the setting for their first ever collaborative UK tour and gone were the over-produced instruments and vocal distortions that we’ve become used to [from lesser acts] and in their place the distinguishable, pure voice of John Legend fused with the powerful rap of Black Thought and the rest of the finely tuned yet unpredictable band that make up The Roots.

20 Jul

Posted at 08:00h in Music, Reviews
For the past two decades, the hip-hop ensemble known as The Roots has produced a sundry, quintessential sound for the music masses. They're regarded in many circles as the best Hip Hop band in the history of Hip Hop music and their 11th album overall [9th studio album], How I Got Over may be their best work of music since Things Fall Apart. They've been classified in their own category over the years and recently many thought their demise was on the horizon due to them agreeing to be the band for the Late Night With Jimmy Fallon TV Show. But as usual they've proven to be the exception to the rule.