The Roots: The Tipping Point
Geffen, 2004
Just out is a new album from The Roots. While it sounds a lot more poppy than their previous LPs (and has been panned by some critics as a result), there’s some really interesting production going on, and the rhymes are tight as ever. Things start off somewhat weakly with “Star,” which drills a Sly & The Family Stone melody into listeners’ heads with “It’s a Small World”-esque repetition. And “I Don’t Care” is almost embarrassingly dance-oriented.
Things finally pick up with “Guns Are Drawn.” Its chorus features some crazy echoed vocals. “Stay Cool” is nice and soulful, with phrases like “tougher than penicillan” over thick horns. “Web” is old-school simplistic, with dense rhymes over bare beats and bass. The rap even name-drops Boba Fett and Gargamel. “Boom!” is an ominous dance track. It’s catchy, if not deep. “Somebody’s Gotta Do It,” on the other hand, is smooth and slow, with a great guest spot by Jean Grae and hyperbolic lyrics about the rap industry. Bonus tracks include the macho, star-studded “The Mic,” and a disappointingly self-indulgent, Stomp-inspired outro.
These tracks are hit or miss, but I wouldn’t write off the entire album. The Roots are definitely looking for bigger hits, but they still know how to put together an interesting rap. The Tipping Point is eclectic and forward-looking. It walks a fine line between head-nodders and feet-stompers, and while it may alienate extremists in both camps, I think it will reward repeat listeners.
