The Roots are a generational act that can never receive enough praise. Their contributions to music are undeniable and to this day, they continue to push themselves to new creative limits that challenge their natural abilities. The initial duo of rapper Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter and drummer/producer Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson dates back to their high school days in the city of Philadelphia. The two would busk street corners with Questlove banging away on overturned buckets while Black Thought used that rhythm to form his poetic verses. It wasn’t long after their initial formation when they met another rapper, Malik B, and were joined by bass player Leonard “Hub” Hubbard that they decided to start penning original music. After a failed attempt to gain traction in their hometown around 1992, the four-piece decided to move to London and try their hand overseas. This decision would ultimately be the most important of their young careers, their trip to London was not only fruitful creatively but it’s where the band got their first taste of fame. The band independently released their unofficial debut album, Organix, in 1993. Via their own means of distribution, the album picked up speed quickly, and soon major labels were interested in The Roots’ jazzy approach to hip-hop.
After countless meetings, negotiations came to a close when The Roots signed with DGC/Geffen that same year. The four-piece then transformed into a full-blown jazz band when they began to record the first of their many groundbreaking albums, the jazz/hip-hop fusion masterpiece, 1994’s Do You Want More?!!!??! The Roots have gone on to create some of the most groundbreaking, artistically daring music all while cultivating one of the most diverse and calculated discographies in modern music. The Philadelphia natives have built a career on the unpredictable and approach every album with a refusal to repeat themselves. Going through a discography like this is a refreshing experience that doubles as a slap in the face reminder that The Roots’ longevity is earned through creative risks that landed the band in new territories where they redefined themselves and achieved artistic feats that will never be duplicated.
To kick off 2023, Glide went through and ranked all 11 Roots albums that were non-collaborative (no Elvis Costello, John Legend, etc) in order to decide which of their sonic risks paid off the best. Check out our rankings below;
11. Organix (1993)
The first collection of songs The Roots ever recorded is widely unknown but acts as an important blueprint for what would evolve into a groundbreaking sound. Organix was recorded after the band moved to London after failing to garner a following in the states. The album was released independently and ended up gaining enough attention to garner them a record contract at DGC/Geffen. The live drum loops work perfectly with the youthful rhymes of a young Black Thought whose flows are delightfully funky and his hooks are undeniably infectious.
While their structure is fitting of the time, the organic sound achieved through Questlove’s live loops adds a unique depth and texture that couldn’t be heard from its early 90’s counterparts. The playful nature of their unofficial debut does not take away from the pure musicianship that drives the colorful personality of Organix, there are moments of sporadic improvisation that keep things from going stale while also adding a nice change in texture to Questlove’s crispy drum loops. Not only did Organix gain The Roots widespread attention, but it also was an early sign of the fearless creativity that would push The Roots to become the undeniable legends they are today.
10. Phrenology (2002)
Up until their fifth album, you could sort of predict what direction The Roots were going to go in sonically. Pressing play on Phrenology is like being reintroduced to an old friend after some time apart, you expect change but gauging how drastic that change is going to be is a fool’s errand. The juxtaposition between the first two full songs on this album is enough to prove the band’s intentions with this album, The Roots want to prove they are more than just a hip-hop band, but full-blown artists with a diverse grab bag of sonics to choose from.
The band begins to explore new genres to incorporate into their ever-growing sound, the rock-influenced “The Seed (2.0)” comes directly after the spastic up-tempo nature of “Thought @ Work”, both songs featuring tempos and moods previously unexplored by the legendary Roots crew. The expansion of their sound can be summed up in a few words, The Roots allowed themselves to be weird. Whether it’s the extra five-minute instrumental piece added onto the end of “Water” or the fact that this collection of odd sounds transitions beautifully into “Quills”, the band dug deep and allowed themselves to experiment beyond their usual jazz/hip-hop gumbo.
With the departure of Malik B, Black Thought was the sole vocalist for The Roots which allowed him to explore more of that celebrated storytelling we were introduced to on Things Fall Apart. Songs like “Sacrifice” and “Break You Off” show that Thought’s pen can flip between fiery verses to high-strung concepts, all executed with that signature unwavering confidence behind Thought’s cadence. While living up to their first three albums was going to be a challenge regardless, The Roots saw that challenge and upped it by exploring a new aspect of their creative process to build on their sound in a new way, blossoming into a new era of The Roots.
9. The Tipping Point (2004)
If Phrenology was The Roots exiting Earth’s atmosphere, The Tipping Point is their trip back from space. For their sixth album, The Roots played it relatively laid back and conventional, opting for a more straightforward approach to song structure with short loops leading the way instead of the genre-bending odysseys that drove their previous albums.
With the exception of the danceable outro “Din Da Da”, which is sincerely one of the best moments in their discography, and the drum-driven “Web”, The Tipping Point is filled with more conventional hip-hop instrumentals that lean more on the funk side. While the band’s approach to this album’s sonic landscape seems like a step back from their previous work, Black Thought once again steps up and continues to immerse himself in the art of rap. Thought has always been a show-stopping emcee but on The Tipping Point, you can hear him truly find his voice.
While the instrumentals aren’t as grandiose or jazzy, Thought takes the opportunity to pen some of his best raps to date and approaches these loop-centric beats like he still has something to prove. You have a track like “Duck Down” where producer Scott Storch provided an animated instrumental with a certain bounce that we haven’t heard on a Roots album up to this point. Thought attacked that instrumental with ease and followed it up with the soulful and heartfelt song “Why (What’s Going On?)”, a song that shows Thought’s songwriting in a polar opposite light compared to the aforementioned “Duck Down”. Without directly saying it, The Tipping Point is a Black Thought album. While the instrumentals were far from boring, Thought’s approach to cadence on this album steals the show and further proves just how alien Thought truly is.
8. …And Then You Shoot Your Cousin (2014)
The Roots yet again string together another well-executed concept album but this time the band opts for the avant-garde to push the plot. The band incorporates classics from Nina Simone and Mary Lou Williams that help build the narrative. Unlike their previous concept album, Undun, ATYSYC features multiple characters that give a satirical perspective to the state of hip-hop. The band also used ambiance in a way they never have before, allowing the silence of minimalism to build the sonic aesthetic. This allowed The Roots to control the narrative of the album without being so direct with the storyline, giving the band the chance to experiment with their instrumentals.
While the sonics of the album is the driving force here, Black Thought’s performance only adds to the overall picture being painted on this album. A moment like the triumphant “Understand” is a reminder that The Roots are a hip-hop band at their core and can fit an explosive example of the genre into some of the most off-kilter moments in their discography. ATYSYC is yet another artistic leap for The Roots that paid off handsomely and acts as a reminder that even as veterans, The Roots aren’t afraid to experiment.
7. Game Theory (2006)
Game Theory has The Roots at their most stripped-down and raw. The band’s 2006 album leaves no questions unanswered, the directness displayed all over this album adds to the dark tones and rich textures that force this album to stick out in their discography. Game Theory is The Roots’ most concise album in terms of concepts and tones explored. If their past releases were a sunny and carefree day, this album is the thunderstorm on the horizon. The typical relaxed nature of The Roots transformed itself into a cautious hesitation, and anxiety about the state of their country.
Game Theory is a direct response to the world it was created in, the sociopolitical topics explored here add an extra layer of purpose and honesty, two concepts that aren’t foreign to The Roots, but have never been put through a filter quite like the one on Game Theory. At the time of recording this album, The Roots were handling the loss of close collaborator and friend, J. Dilla, which adds to the bleakness explored on this record. Game Theory taps into the energy of Public Enemy and mixes it with a hint of southern blues, creating a sound that allows Black Thought to air his grievances with anything and everything which led to some of the most vulnerable music of The Roots’ discography.
6. How I Got Over (2010)
The Roots replace their anger and electronic drums with somber piano melodies and more organic arrangements on their ninth studio album. How I Got Over feels like a more zen approach to the issues addressed in albums like Game Theory and Rising Down, though those issues are far from over. Black Thought’s songwriting feels sentimental and for the first time in his career, his signature confidence begins to waver. This does not take away from the quality of his delivery by any means, Thought uses the live instrumentals to pick apart his issues poetically. The album is soulful and finds The Roots taking a smoother approach to their classic jazz influences without losing the fire they built on their two previous releases.
How I Got Over has The Roots at their most vulnerable, the album is void of ego allowing the chemistry between The Roots to reach a new height. The gentle pianos that lead the tone on songs like “Radio Daze” and “Walk Alone” allow Black Thought to reach a stream of consciousness that yet again redefines him as a true songwriter. While the album is generally melancholy, How I Got Over is yet another addition to The Roots’ catalog that shows the artist in a new, heartfelt light.
5. Rising Down (2008)
The risks taken on Game Theory pay off on its predecessor as The Roots continue to dive into more political topics while continuing to experiment with song structure, tempo, and tone. The Roots made their most challenging album to date, Rising Down continues to play on the dark tones that we saw on Game Theory without feeling like a carbon copy. The band shamelessly leans on more electronic instrumentals which add depth to the already complex textures used on this album. Songs like the title track or the synth-heavy “Lost Desire” are a welcomed step in a new direction for Roots production that allows them to create such anxious and angry undertones throughout the album.
The Roots sound reborn on this album, they reshaped their sound in such a way that is so refreshing for their discography without sounding out of place in it. This was all driven by Black Thought’s politically-focused songwriting and the band’s frustration with its label as seen on the intro, “The Pow Wow” and the hidden track “Pow Wow 2”. The album feels punk in that way, The Roots take an anti-established stance and express it through dark, up-tempo drums while the vocals, including the features, are delivered with a passion reminiscent of a machine gun. The theme through Rising Down is anger, The Roots created an album that doubles as their answer to every issue they see on a day-to-day basis while continuing to push their sonics to new heights.
4. Undun (2011)
Much like the bleak color palette used for its cover, Undun is a surprise masterpiece from a seasoned band using their music as their last breath. The cinematic feeling of the album comes from the larger-than-life approach to these arrangements. The harmonies of the string sections dance with the piano melodies to create a symphony of suspense that is capped off by a four-part melody that features sweeping strings and lush chord progressions. To add to the dramatics, the lyrics on Undun find Black Thought exploring a new approach to storytelling by writing from the point of view of a character in a play.
The structure of this album is so meticulous and ends up playing a huge role in setting the dramatic tones explored through Black Thought’s songwriting. The execution of the concept behind Undun makes it a milestone for the band, marking a new creative space that combines their natural sense of creating tone with their gift of storytelling to make one of their most compelling albums. The musicianship alone is enough to place this album as one of the most underrated of their career, Undun also proves that even this far into their career, The Roots refuse to repeat themselves and continue to craft albums that are closer to perfect than anything else.
3. Do You Want More?!!!??! (1995)
For their studio debut album, The Roots deconstructed the idea of genre-bending and created a living, breathing piece of art that sounds relevant over two decades after its release. Throughout Do You Want More?!!!??!, you can hear The Roots experimenting with the structures of traditional jazz and hip-hop songs and attempting to bridge them together through Black Thought and Malik B’s intricate rhyme schemes and some of the crispest drums ever recorded. The light-hearted nature of their jazzy influences is met with venomous verses, creating a unique juxtaposition that is, in its simplest form, groundbreaking.
The most mind-blowing realization of going back and listening to The Roots’ debut is that Black Thought has been one of the most clever songwriters from the jump. The way he and Malik B are able to engulf themselves in the concepts behind these songs and pen verses that not only fit into a central idea but prove their rhymes can keep up with any of their counterparts. Songs like “Mellow My Man” and “Distortion to Static” sum up this album perfectly, simple yet smacking drum patterns act as an entry point for the rest of the arrangement to develop and swell into a relaxed harmony while the vocalists spit out head-spinning verses that cemented The Roots as one of the most exciting bands to emerge from the 90’s “Golden Era” of hip-hop.
2. Things Fall Apart (1999)
On their third album, The Roots answered the age-old question of “Who is the greatest rapper of all time?”. The band hit a stride that is only hit once every decade, every cog in The Roots machine was so in sync that error was further than perfection. The dark sound executed on “Illadelph Halflife” was met with an undertone of playfulness that allowed the band to experiment with their instrumental choices. The simplicity that is laced in a song like “Without a Doubt” shows the sense of freedom that came with the astounding response garnered by their first two albums. The Roots were able to achieve a cinematic feeling while still staying relaxed, creating a sophisticated looseness that refuses to be duplicated. All that is without diving into the height that Black Thought and Malik B reached with their songwriting.
All over the album, the two Roots’ vocalists continue to evolve as rappers and put on a clinic of diverse songwriting talents. The storytelling on “You Got Me” is what makes the song one of The Roots’ most popular tracks but only a few songs back on the tracklist there is the hard-hitting “100% Dundee” which is filled with witty wordplay and slick rhyme schemes. Malik B and Black Thought trade verses that are riddled with clever metaphors, some that even nod to the song title which alludes to the classic film “Crocodile Dundee”. The forethought and execution of the songwriting combined with the tones created by the instrumentals collide with The Roots’ love for relaxed song structure to create a beautiful and celebratory harmony. Things Fall Apart is the marriage of their first two albums with a hint of experimentation, giving the album a distinct personality that is simply timeless.
1. Illadelph Halflife (1996)
Only one year removed from their groundbreaking studio debut, The Roots created a worthy counterpart in the form of Illadelph Halflife. Their sophomore album is more hip-hop focused than their initial effort, opting for darker arrangements and allowing Black Thought and Malik B to test their skills against some of the best emcees from the era. They replace the cheery nature of their jazz influence with menacing drum patterns, providing a more sinister sound to their treasure trove of influences.
While songs like “One Shine” harken back to their jazz roots, the rest of Illadelph Halflife is for hip-hop heads who appreciate the simplicity of a rapper, a microphone, and an instrumental. Everything about The Roots’ sophomore album feels intentional, they simplified their arrangements without sacrificing their musicianship and created an air of purpose with every verse rapped and every note played. They tighten every facet of their recording process, tweaking it just enough to avoid the infamous sophomore slump without completely changing their sound.
To this day, “Respond/React” has some of the most impressive rapping ever recorded, proving that despite features from Q-Tip and Yasiin Bey (Mos Def), The Roots are solely in competition with themselves. Illadelph Halflife had enormous shoes to fill following up Do You Want More?!???!?, not only did they fill those shoes, they tore through them and created a brand new, more intense sound that removed the youthfulness of their debut and replaced it with an air of darkness that brought new life to The Roots and proved that they are far from a one-trick-pony.
