Label: Island/Def JamRating: 3 Guns
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Rap is not known for bands- it’s not known for live instruments. If you are expecting convention from a hip-hop/rap album, then The Roots are not for you. Since their debut in 1993, The Roots have spoken out about social issues of race, drugs, politics and class.
A recorded conference between Black Thought and then label Geffen is the first track off the album. The rage you hear on “The Pow-Pow” lets you know that this is not a happy go lucky album.
An exception can be made for the track “Birthday Girl” with Fall Out Boy’s Patrick Stump. A reggae style pop song, great for a summer drive to the beach. This has been added as a bonus track as it did not fit the mood of the album.
75 Bars (Black Reconstruction) is a solo track by Black Thought that has no hook, just straight rapping. It is very interesting to hear him just going through a conscious stream of thought. So many rap songs are focused on hooks and really nothing of importance is said.
The title track says how they are going to “dominate the world like Oprah did”. The song is hope after hearing tracks like “Lost Desire” which speaks about senseless street violence.
This is just another solid album from The Roots and from hip-hop in general.
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