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I'm thinking about starting a blog or something, since God forbid I do something productive with my life. So this is a review that I wrote in the event that I actually follow through with it...I probably won't.

The Roots--Rising Down (2008)

Like a lot of people, when I heard "Get Busy" and "75 Bars" I had high expectations for this here album. So when I downloaded this (niggas don't support shit, right?) I was really looking forward to something great.

1. The Pow Wow (Intro) 0/0

The Roots had record label problems apparently.

2. Rising Down (Hum Drum) (featuring Mos Def, Styles P & Dice Raw)

Two words: cot damn. These cats are not fucking around. 6/5

3. Get Busy (featuring Dice Raw, Peedi Crakk & DJ Jazzy Jeff)

See above. 7/5

4. @ 15

I guess this is what Black Thought and them were doing in high school. Now them cheelrens are on that "Crank Dat"...making youtube videos of themselves and shit. Maybe I'm being melodramatic, but I take this little interlude track as a testament to just how far we've fallen as a society. Black Thought was imitating fast rap greats like Kane and now niggas is imitating fucking Soulja Boy. I'm afraid for the future... 0/0

5. 75 Bars (Black's Reconstruction) (featuring Tuba Gooding Jr.)

Three words this time: Jesus Tap Dancing Christ! I take it that this is a direct shot at anyone trying to make the claim that Black Thought is the b-word. Dude goes off. "I'm in the field with a shield and a spear nigga/I'm in your girl with her heels in the air, nigga." 8/5.

6. Becoming Unwritten

Some old weird interlude beat. I guess it's okay...I guess. 0/0.

7. Criminal (featuring Truck North & Saigon)

And this is where shit starts going bad. After a nice string off strong contenders for song of the year (seriously), the Legendary Roots Crew turns in a backing track that sounds kind of, for lack of a better word...gay. Add some forgettable verses and you've got yourself the album's first mis-step. 2.5/5

8. I Will Not Apologize (featuring Porn, Dice Raw, & Talib Kweli)

Who's decision was it to let this nigga Porn on the track? This fool really stinks up an otherwise nice track (I'm a sucker for Afro-Beat) with a pretty amateurish verse. And why just have Kweli on the hook? Why not give him Porn's spot? 3/5

9. I Can’t Help It (featuring Malik B & Porn)

And I can't help but skip this track. Musically, this might be the low point of the album. I couldn't force myself to really try to check the rhymes on this. I mean, I know everyone tried to tell me that "Birthday Girl" was the single worst event in human history, but I would have much rather they included that than this. It's that bad....but I guess not quite as bad as whatever they're playing on the radio right now so I'll still give it a 2. 2/5.

10. Singing Man (featuring Porn & Truck North)

This one I like. While Porn turns in another weak verse, his flow isn't as awkward and distracting as it was on "I Will Not Apologize." Black Thought easily steals the show with lines like "13 but he look 35/Changed his name to little No Man Survive." And the backing track? Sounds like an updated version of something they would have done on Illadelph Halflife. I likes. 4/5

11. Up There (Unwritten) (featuring Mercedes Martinez)

A short track that kind of reminds me of something off of Game Theory....mainly because of how weak the chorus is. That album had a lot of bad choruses. 3/5

12. Lost Desire (featuring Malik B & Talib Kweli)

While not exactly on par with some of the first few tracks, this one is a step back in the right direction. A strong backing track+strong vocals=a strong track. Again, Black Thought seems determined to shake any notion of him being boring. 4/5.

13. The Show (featuring Common)

And this one is a step back in the wrong direction. It's got this bassline that's kind of like the bassline for "Hip-Hop" by Dead Prez but not as good and some military sounding drums. If that sounds like it doesn't work it's because it doesn't. Rhymewise, ain't nothing wrong with this (Common actually comes decent) but the backing track really takes the air out of the whole affair. 2.5/5

14. Rising Up (featuring Wale & Chrisette Michelle)

This one is nuts! The vibe on this one is decidedly more celebratory than anything else on this album. I'm especially feeling the Go-Go percussion. Very nice. 5/5

15. Live at WPFW, 1994 (Hidden Track)

Hey, remember when a freestyle actually meant something that you came up with off the top of your head and not just some verse that you haven't put on a song yet? The Roots remember. Also, according to the dialogue at the end of this track, white people don't like getting screamed at. Who'd a thunk?

Overall Rating: 3.5/5

I know a lot of folks are going to try to tell me that this is the best album of the year, but those people will be wrong. While this really does start off great, there's a run of tracks in the middle that are weakened by a few seriously amateurish guest spots and weak backing tracks. I guess, if it's an upside it's that there was none of that Wahud Amhad spoken word shit like on Game Theory.

Best tracks: "Get Busy", "Rising Up", "45 Bars"


Peace

And yeah, I'm a hater. If you thought this was the album of the year, I'm not mad at you.

It's not as good as Game Theory (which is my fav Roots album btw) but it's pretty damn dope

My biggest problem is too many guest features, I just wanna hear Tariq rap, fuck Dice Raw, Porn, Malik B and whatever

4/5

I liked it....and I was glad to see Wale get some shine, that kid is going places

I thought Wale's verse was one of the weaker ones, i agree with morten as Game Theory is my fav. Roots album which is saying alot id give this a 4.2/5

peedie's verse is one of my favorites on the whole album

and criminal in no way deserves a 2/5, that's one of the better tracks at least a 4/5 frrom me.

yeah, I didn't get that rating either.

well i love the album

yep....but as for the album, i was 'meh' about it...

What's not to get? I thought it was a very mediocre track, hence the rating.

explain your thoughts sir

The album seemed to start off really strong , weaken towards the middle THEN it picked up again towards the end.

All in all, it was a good album. Maybe a 4/5.

And Wale's verse wasnt anything to write home about.

As much as I like to see new talent...especially the down to earth type cats like Wale get shine, I'm afraid dude is a little overhyped, in my opinion. I mean did you here Pusha T on that "Back in the Go Go" joint? At that point I was like 'Wale who?'.

This album....hmm

When you are as cutting edge as the Roots, its harder on you. When a band is known for constantly reinventing...It's like, at some point, they are bound to fall short of SOMEone's expectations. I guess....namely Me. I'm known to have hight expectations but...My problem with this album is that it is, in my opinion, ONLY as good as Game Theory....which was 'good' at best. I bet if you listened to these albums on one disc they would gel together perfectly. Sounds like a good thing, right? But I didn't want to hear another Game Theory.

First two tracks, like Game Theory, jump off VERY street. Bangers:

Rising Down: hard
Get Busy: hard. "Buy a baseball bat break a bootlegger leg/I'm used to the one two check not the one to step, les' go, I leave every cat among you wet". Crack expressing his discontent with the direction of the music couldn't have been put better.

I hate interludes (@ 15)

75 Bars. Yall already know

Then, a' la Game Theory, the cd mellows out too abruptly. This is where I start skippin cus I'm primed for head noddin.

I hate interludes!!

I think Criminal is a bit forced

and yeah, that Porn cat has an abominable lisp issue. Kweli being on HALF the hook did annoy me on that Apologize joint.

"And I can't help but skip this track", (I Can't Help It) I can't help laughin my ass off right now! Fo real. You ain't neva lied. It's hard to type and cackle at the same time....
(by the way, I think Birthday Girl is hilarious and somewhat misunderstood.)

I skip to Rising Up at this point and then take the cd out.

I hate to say it but I lost this cd and I ain't even searchin the house for it. I hate a cd that gets me excited only to fall off after the first 3 tracks. Nas does that to me all the time.

Roots are one of those groups that everyone has high standards for which makes sense kuss they come correct pretty much all the time, i think everyone expects them to outshine there old shit but sumtimes getting to that high point in a career again doesnt happen due to expectations but overall the roots come solid on this and every effort they come out with

Good album amongst with all the rest