also, the new Roots album is really weird and interesting. At first I wasn't sure what to think, but slowly I'm thinking it's their best album in maybe 10 years.

nr: I agree on the new Roots. I'm kinda hot/cold with them as actual artists now that they're a fucking house band. It doesn't sit well with me. But their new one is probably my favorite since Things Fall Apart (one of my favorite hip hop records of all time)

the house band thing... too many it's actually really smart. They can do whatever they want. They've got a steady check coming in right? It's a lot like SY buying their own studio.

But that aside, just straight talking music, I'd say this is my fav thing they've done since Tipping Point, which was ultra good and overly slept on and fucking 10 years ago now.

Yeah, I missed that one. I missed most of what came after "The Seed" because that song absolutely ruined my summer, 2003. What a disgusting and stupid song.

But the Roots were among that first group of hip hop artists that I started to "respect" in the mid-90's. I really liked their first set of albums, and even though I thought they were kind of pussy (not a lot of "parental advisory" on Do You Want More?, and Illadelph Halflife kills but also felt weak compared of the hard production of the gangsta era) they were really high up in my favorite hip-hop groups list until that fucking song.

And them being on Fallon is not, by itself, a negative thing. It's just that it made ?uestlove such a fucking pop culture, VH1 special commentary giving, twitter tweeting bore. I feel like they're a semi -novelty act now , even though I know that's wrong.

Most people know them for Fallon at this point. They're still making albums like crazy but shit, I don't buy them. It's only been this recent one that's brought some of their edge back. I don't know - maybe I'm just hatin' but they used to be known for their music. Nothing else . Not even videos or feuds or anything like that. They sounded organic back when I felt that NOT sounding organic was a bad thing, but they still sound like that more or less.

Kind of like Pearl Jam. What I loved about them in the early 90's was their relentless energy, and their unapologetically lyric/guitar/bass/drum focused music. They were political and primal and they felt like the real deal, even sometimes in comparison to better bands like Nirvana.

Roots had all the same shit going on. And both bands just sound like an experiment in long term sonic mundanity.

But I'm not some roots hater. I just don't care enough for that label to fit me. But I'm glad their new album is compelling and dark and feels like TFA.

interesting post, and I respect yr thoughts.

But I also loved "The Seed." I loved Phrenology. That was to me when they got really weird. Like started messing w/ punk, drum-n-bass (which they had done previously on "You Got Me" yeah) and free-jazz on the same album.

You should know how big they were to me growing up though.

Do You Want More I bought the same day as 6 Feet Deep and Southernplayalistic... imagine that day?!

Do You Want More blew my f'ing young mind. SO much so that I hunted down their keyboardist at the time on the young internet and had him help me find the import EP From The Ground Up. So much so that I also I also imported the first printing of Organix before Univeral re-pressed it. So much so that The Roots were the very first concert I ever attended a mere weeks before they dropped Illadelph.

Not trying to "I liked them before..." blah blah. Just telling you how dearly I hold that band, and how much nostalgia prob plays a role. So yeah, all those records, up to and including The Tipping Point are not just like albums I love, they're albums that sort of sound like soundtracks to the year they were released to me. Y'dig?

thoughts on Hella Hoes?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xtW58xvv2Q

I like it.

Narduwar vs. Wu-Tang Clan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LK2oHpQdJh4

nice interview.

^^ dude, im watching those Kung Fu movies this weekend. i saw the previews.

i watched one a few weeks ago, it was cool. the acting was terrible, but the dialogs and the fights were pretty awesome.

Lil Wayne Calls "Drake Vs. Lil Wayne" Tour "A Battle Type Thing"

Lil Wayne confirms Drake is set to appear on several songs on "Tha Carter V." Nicki Minaj is also slated to be a guest on the effort.

http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/i...le-type-thing-

Mastermind is my fav hip hop album this year I think.

Though A$AP Mob will prob dethrone.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ip0vYR3xJWU

I've been spinning this track every now and then for the last 4 months or so. "...You don't understand my words, but you must chose..."

Oi!

All ears out for the badass new mixtape by Chigago rapper KIT, titled "Lownt God Rising" and produced entirely by Supreme Cuts.

It's been compared to "Yeezus" more than onece, and while there's a lot of other influences in there, it's a fairly appropriate point of reference (though Yeezus is like a holy scripture actually signed by "God" compared to the single panel "Family Circus" Sunday comic strip that is this album.

BUT STILL- Bros it is worthy of some of that hype. I actually paid money for it on iTunes because I couldn't find any remaking free links.

Give it a listen, and get back to me with your thoughts.

The local gas stations on the more "ghetto" side of the city have been selling illegal crap CD's (usually sports mixes obviously made by some dude with a shitty printer and some cd-R's)

BUT the other day they had this fucking MASSIVE selection of top shelf mixtape releases. I picked up hard copies of a few of Tha Dedications (just for kicks) and Fabolous's Soul Tapes 2 & 3!!

I also gambled and grabbed TWISTA's "Reloaded" mixtape. I've never listened to the guy much. I don't even know if it's a recent release, but whoever he is, wherever he came from, that ninja can FUCKING SPIT.

@SUCHFRIENDS: You, in particular, should enjoy Twista if you aren't already familiar with him. I know you and I share an affinity for E-40, especially his recent run of block brochure LP's. Well, Twista is totally a disciple of E-40's conversational rapid fire cadence. I think T may even be faster!

Anyway. Holler if you've checked out Lownt God Rising by KIT yet.

I like what I've heard so far.

http://www.factmag.com/2014/06/10/do...-supreme-cuts/

is there any other link to hear this^^?

Liquid Swords is grand and classic but "Only Built" is like digging up the same hidden treasure chest but with new scientifically laser cut diamonds included each time. more wealthily than ever.

you think? I love Only Built but I think Liquid Swords outshines it quite a bit. Those two though... amazing. And a cut above Tical and ODB's debut.

Ironman lives in its own planet.

Liquid Swords sounds like a Wu album. Mostly. Until Killah Priest comes in w/ "BIBLE" and you realize how unique the record that proceeded it has been.

Ironman sounds like a GHOST album.

Liquid Swords is most played by me and i dig the grooves more, but lyrically Only Build breaks thru to something new each time i hear it.


ha, BIBLE was great the first time but got old quick and doesn't fit.