This essay on the Roots’ How I Got Over was posted July 14 on Rhapsody.com’s Music Stuff Place blog. I wrote it for my Rap Is Not Pop column.

Last week, I promised that I would abandon the concepts that have marked most of my Rap Is Not Pop entries and go deep on one album. This was my attempt. I didn’t get to mention my reservations about How I Got Over, from its meandering arena rock tone (interesting that critics called out B.o.B for that, but not the Roots — I guess it’s not what you do, but how you do it) to the way it ends, clumsily, with two tracks, “Web 20/20″ and “Hustla,” that didn’t match the rest of the album’s sound. But I’ve long since learned that it’s pointless to try and cram every thought about every track into a single critique. Better to focus on a theme, just as I would any other type of article, and give an impression of what the album sounds like. That leaves plenty of other nooks and crannies for listeners to explore.

Having said that, the essay just turned out okay. I made some writing mistakes.

—————————

Rap Is Not Pop: The Roots’ Lost Paradise

Since 1996′s Illadelph Halflife, The Roots have explored social realism, portraying the mythical “streets” as a world of intractable crime, imminent dangers that require street smarts and split-second decisions, and blacks at risk of a high mortality rate — or, in scientific terms, a greater half-life. In some ways, Illadelph Halflife was a response to critics and fans who categorized the group as “jazz-rappers” after the brilliant 2004 1994 disc Do You Want More?!!!??! Much like Gang Starr, Digable Planets and other hip-hop acts saddled with the “acid jazz” tag, The Roots felt compelled to move in a more hardcore direction, albeit one that would continue to utilize their skills as excellent live musicians.

Illadelph Halflife also introduced another theme The Roots repeat to this day. Nineteen ninety-six was the year of De La Soul’s Stakes Is High. The East Coast-West Coast conflict, the incursion of organized gangs into the music industry, and Diddy and Dr. Dre’s commercialization of hardcore hip-hop all led rappers to portend that the music genre faced a virtual apocalypse. Now it seems silly that people actually believed authentic hip-hop culture would die just because G-funk and jiggy were so popular, but their concern felt very real back then, especially with the shooting deaths of Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G. on the horizon. Nearly 15 years later, and with the recent release of their ninth full-length album, How I Got Over, The Roots still sound the alarm.

The Roots aren’t just a cracking live band or a lineup of revolving musicians anchored by drummer and producer ?uestlove and rapper and vocalist Black Thought. It’s a sprawling collective. Philly emcee Dice Raw has been featured on every album, even though he isn’t an official member, and Truck North, Peedi Crakk and P.O.R.N. have made several appearances. Roots alumni include rapper Malik B., pianist and producer Scott Storch, keyboardist Kamal Gray, neo-soul vocalists the Jazzyfatnastees, poet Ursula Rucker, underrated multi-instrumentalist and producer James Poyser, and Incubus guitarist Ben Kenney — and that’s not counting frequent guests like Common and Mos Def.

“Walk alone, walk alone, I’m always walking alone, forever since the day I was born,” sings Kirk Douglas on “Walk Alone” from How I Got Over. However, the song features Truck North, P.O.R.N., Dice Raw, and Black Thought ruminating on their solitude, with Black Thought claiming, “I walk alone like the lost boys of Sierra Leone.” Its multitude of voices suggests that we may struggle as individuals, but we are never truly alone in spirit.

It’s not the only contradiction on How I Got Over. The title itself is widely assumed to be a celebration of Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential victory, but the music’s downbeat tone is more indicative of the country’s subsequent soul-searching amidst a deep recession, political divisions and foreign wars. “Corporate monopoly/ Weak world economy/ Stock market toppling/ Mad marijuana, Oxycotin, and Klonopin/ Everybody out of it,” raps Black Thought on “Dear God 2.0,” a remix of Monsters of Folk’s “Dear God” (which itself seemed to revisit XTC’s “Dear God”). “Why is the world ugly when you made it in your image?” If the Roots have gotten over, then How I Got Over focuses on the personal and political torment they strive to overcome.

With its soft, melancholy keyboards from Frank Walker and ?uestlove’s strong yet understated drumming, How I Got Over may be The Roots’ most live and analog album since 1999′s Things Fall Apart. But while Things Fall Apart sounded defiant — a sonic representation of Okonkwo from Chinua Achebe’s literary masterpiece Things Fall Apart — the world-weary How I Got Over is lost in reflections. ?uestlove has called it a meditation on impending middle age, of turning 40 and taking, as he told Vibe.com, “one hard look in the mirror.” Left unspoken in the lyrics, yet mentioned enough in the group’s earlier albums that they continue to loom over their work, are those opportunities that now seem lost to time and chance.

For many, the rap wars of 1996 changed everything. There’s an entire generation of fans who firmly believe that the genre has been lost forever. Nothing can disabuse them of this notion, not even Drake’s Thank Me Later or Nas & Damian Marley’s Distant Relatives. They hear these recordings as lucky exceptions to mainstream rap strictures — or, as Black Thoughts rhymes on “Doin’ It Again,” “The unsung, under-appreciated, the one them underachievers had underestimated” — not as proof that there is a thriving hip-hop culture in spite of commercialism. Worse, it seems as if these fans may never return and are only too happy to relegate their love for hip-hop to youthful memories.

How I Got Over is melancholy, even tinged with tragedy. But it is not defeatist. The Roots invite newer emcees like Phonte Coleman and Blu to contribute, passing the torch to a younger generation. The album argues for hip-hop’s continued relevance amidst changing mores, and proves that The Roots’ vision of hip-hop as a form of unfettered creative exploration, not just regional hood niches, is still relevant. “I’m the definition of tragedy turned to triumph,” raps Black Thought on “The Fire.”

Or, as Douglas sings on the excellent title track, “Someone has to care.”

While the Plug One 50′s top 20 albums list is designed to be authoritative (or at least highly opinionated), the top 30 tracks list tends to be a mishmash of random favorites.

These are a few songs that caught my ear. Some were important singles; others were just “YouTube singles”; and still others were random MP3s. It was actually difficult to put together, not due to an abundance of choices, but because I usually pay attention to albums, not songs. I can’t promise that the situation will improve next year, and I’ll learn to remember the cuts that I liked, but shit, it would make this job a lot easier, wouldn’t it?

I decided to rank the top ten, if only to highlight the ones that truly stood out for me, and then alphabetized the rest.

1. Raekwon, “House of Flying Daggers”
Ice H20 Records/EMI

Raekwon caught everyone’s attention with this throwback to the glory days of Wu. Over a banging track from the late J Dilla — which, it should be noted, was reportedly commissioned before Dilla’s death — Rae, Inspectah Deck, Ghostface and Meth drop a bag of heat rocks, with GZA on the chorus. It let us know that the long-delayed Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… Pt II would actually be good.

2. Eminem, “Beautiful”
Interscope

Relapse should have sounded like this bittersweet single, not the drug-addled attempts to reclaim Slim Shady glory that made it such a disappointment. It proves that Eminem, when not sheltered by Jimmy Iovine and a nation of suburban Stans, is still capable of producing great records. Bonus points earned for “Beautiful’s” accompanying video, which paid elegiac tribute to Em’s native, broken-down Detroit.

3. The Roots, “How I Got Over”
Def Jam

“Out on the streets, where I grew up/First thing they teach you is not to give a fuck/That type of thinking will get you nowhere/Someone has to care.” Brilliant.

4. Cage, “Nothing Left to Say”
Definitive Jux

Cage’s official single, the serial killer fantasy “Depart From Me,” got the Shia LaBouef video treatment, but this teaser single made a bigger impression on me. It honors his late friend and rhyme partner Tero “Camu Tao” Smith, an underappreciated vet who died from cancer last year. (A few major blogs who shall remain nameless, unaware of Camu Tao’s talents, struggled to mount tributes.) Cage gives him the musical tribute he deserves, promising to “live through Camu” over smash-mouth guitars and a raucous El-P beat.

5. Hudson Mohawke, Polyfolk Dance EP
Warp

This five-track instrumental 12-inch summarized Hudson Mohawke’s ideas, with the standout “Velvet Peel” at its whimsically digital center.

6. Buckshot & KRS-One, “Robot”
Duck Down Records

After Jay-Z’s “D.O.A. (Death of Autotune)” blew up, the airwaves Buckshot tried to claim credit for starting the anti-vocoder trend since his track dropped first. I liked when KRS-One rapped”Go online, look up Kraftwerk/everything we doing is past work.” It was kinda corny: these days, any teeny bopper can not only download Kraftwerk’s complete catalog, but their influences and their followers, which is neatly documented by Allmusic.com. You have to read deeper into Kris’ line to get his overall point — these silly trends really are reverberations of what’s come before them. It’s simple wisdom.

7. Anti-Pop Consortium, “Volcano”
Big Dada

After reuniting last year following a six-year layoff, I wondered if Anti-Pop still had the potential to “disturb the equilibrium.” This vibrant battle rap let me know that my fears were unfounded.

8. Sa-Ra Creative Partners, “Love Czars”
Ubiquity Recordings

Technically, this 10-minute locked-groove symphony isn’t a hip hop track; you’ll have to dig up the remix featuring Jay Electronica and Ta’Raach for that. However, it exemplified future soul, and all the cross-currents — from hip hop to house music and future jazz — that flow through it.

9. J Dilla feat. Black Thought, “Reality Check”
Nature Sounds

“Reality Check” was a diamond amidst the rough, unfinished beats and sloppy vocals of Jay Stay Paid. Black Thought’s rant about reality TV hell, with its allusions to Public Enemy’s “She Watches Channel Zero,” rolled over Dilla’s synth-y track like a third rail.

10. Mos Def, “Casa Bey”
Downtown Records

Mos Def’s The Ecstatic was effortlessly innovative, and this laser-sharp example of his lyrical prowess, set to his own jazzy shapeshifting beat, was a sterling representation.

And here’s the rest of the list in alphabetical order:

Aceyalone & The Lonely Ones, “The Lonely Ones”
Decon

Asher Roth, “Lark in My Go-Kart”
SRC

Busdriver, “Least Favorite Rapper”
Anti-

Cage, “Depart From Me”
Definitive Jux

Cam’ron, “I Hate My Job”
Asylum

Clipse, “Kinda Like A Big Deal”
Columbia Records

The Clonius, Adroit Adventures EP
Ubiquity Recordings

Del and Tame One, “The Franchise”
Gold Dust Media

Dorian Concept, “Tropical Trilingual Tease” (online sample track from “Trilingual Dance Sexperience”)
Affine Records

Drake, “Best I Ever Had”
Universal Motown

Filastine, “Marxa”
Soot Records

Finale, “Jungle Music”
online MP3

Kero One, “Welcome to the Bay”
Plug Label

Mos Def, “Supermagic”
Downtown Records

MF Doom, “Lightworks”
Lex Records

Pill, “Trap Goin’ Ham”
Grade A Muzik

Raekwon, “Surgical Gloves”
Ice H20 Records/EMI

Tanya Morgan, “Hardcore Gentlemen”
Interdependent Media

Themselves, “Roman Is As Roman Does”
Anticon

Theophilus London, “Cold Pillow”
online MP3

Another Okayplayer.com referral, with sharp ghetto visuals by BBGun. I really like this track; it has me excited to hear the Roots’ new album, How I Got Over, which is scheduled to drop before the end of the year. Black Thought has a rusty, evocative voice, and I hope he does more singing. (And no, I don’t watch Jimmy Kimmel’s Jimmy Fallon’s wack-ass talk show just to see them play.)

Common and the Roots (pictured above, of course) will host this year’s edition of the “Hennessy Artistry Series.” It takes place in four urban markets — Chicago, Atlanta, Houston and New York — and will give attendees an opportunity to stock up on samples of free liquor. Lifestyle marketing gimmicks aside, the Roots are a dependable live act, and they’ll play house band for a lineup headed by Common and, in select cities, Colin Munroe, Elizabeth the Band and Elevator Fight.

Tickets to the events will be distributed via a contest. You can register for it at hennessyartistry.com.

Here’s an excerpt from the press release for those interested in such things:

Hennessy, the bestselling Cognac in the world and one of the most celebrated and storied brands in history, furthers its commitment to delivering unexpected blends of music, artistry, culture and flavor with this year’s fourth annual Hennessy Artistry Series. Hosted exclusively by Hennessy, the four events will be co-curated and headlined by hip-hop impresario Common and one of the “greatest live acts in the world” (Rolling Stone) The Roots, who will also appear as the house band.

Marked by the core principles of discovery, creativity, and self-expression, Hennessy Artistry has been lauded worldwide as a showcase for a broad range of talent, from local performers, to iconic artists such as Kanye West and LL Cool J, and rapidly rising superstars such as Ne-Yo, the curator of the 2008 series. …

“Curating for Artistry has been amazing. We’ve had so much fun hashing out line-ups that will flow well with each other,” said co-curator Questlove of The Roots. “We worked hard to blend talent with us and Common that will surprise and excite the Artistry audience. When all is said and done, Hennessy Artistry will be an experience that folks will talk about for years to come. I, for one, can’t wait to see it all come to play this fall.”

Additional surprise performers will be announced, and several iconic artists may make unannounced appearances.

“The Hennessy Artistry series is historically known to showcase the best new and indie talent,” notes Hennessy SVP Andy Glaser. “Previous Artistry events have included artists such as Pharrell, Robin Thicke, The Strokes and Leona Lewis, and Artistry 2009 promises to carry on this tradition.”

Here’s the schedule:

• 9/12: The Shrine, Chicago, IL (1) (2)
• 9/19: The Velvet Room, Atlanta, GA (1) (3)
• 10/03: The Corinthian, Houston, TX
• 10/07: Halo, New York, NY (1) (2)

(1) w/Elevator Fight
(2) w/Colin Munroe
(3) w/Elizabeth the Band

Yes, the Roots are the saving grace house band for the painfully unfunny late night talk show “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon,” and they’re working on a new album, How I Got Over, for an October release, et cetera. But touring’s still their bread and butter.

• 6/27: First Midwest Bank Ampitheater, Chicago, IL (1)
• 6/28: DTE Energy Ampitheater, Detroit, MI (1)
• 6/30: House of Blues, Cleveland, OH
• 7/01: Highline Ballroom, NYC (2)
• 7/02: First Avenue, Minneapolis, MN
• 7/03: Lake Michigan, Milwaukee, WI (3)
• 7/04: Ben Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA (4)
• 7/05: Burlington Waterfront Park, Burlington, VT (5)
• 7/07: Adado Riverfront Park, Lansing, MI (6)
• 7/08: Highline Ballroom, NYC (2)
• 7/10: Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, NV
• 7/12: Merriweather Post Pavilion, Baltimore, MD (1)
• 7/14: Highline Ballroom, NYC (2)
• 7/18: Comcast Center, Boston, MA (1)
• 7/19: Jones Ampitheater, New York, NY (1)
• 7/21: Highline Ballroom, NYC (2)
• 7/24: Borgota Hotel, Atlantic City, NJ
• 7/25: Deer Lake Park, Burnaby, BC
• 7/28: Highline Ballroom, NYC (2)
• 8/01: Parc Jean-Drapeau, Montreal, QC (7)
• 8/02: Bingemans Camping Resort, Grand Bend, ON (8)
• 8/04: Highline Ballroom, NYC (2)
• 8/08: Glen Helen Ampitheater, Los Angeles, CA (1)
• 8/09: Shoreline Ampitheater, San Francisco, CA (1)
• 8/10: Highline Ballroom, New York, NY (2)

(1) Rock the Bells
(2) Roots Jam Sessions
(3) Milwaukee Summerfest
(4) Welcome America! Festival
(5) Burlington Waterfront Festival
(6) Common Ground Festival
(7) Osheaga Music Festival
(8) Cutting Edge Music Festival

The Roots are currently on tour with Gym Class Heroes throughout October. UK “American Boy” soul singer Estelle is opening on most dates.

• 10/03: Ram’s Head, Baltimore, MD
• 10/04: NorVa, Norfolk, VA
• 10/05: House Of Blues, Myrtle Beach, SC
• 10/06: Tabernacle, Atlanta, GA
• 10/07: House Of Blues, Lake Buena Vista, FL
• 10/08: Fillmore, Miami Beach, FL
• 10/10: Meridian, Houston, TX
• 10/11: Palladium Ballroom, Dallas, TX
• 10/12: The Backyard, Austin, TX
• 10/14: Marquee Theater, Tempe, AZ
• 10/15: 4th & B, San Diego, CA
• 10/16: The Grove, Anaheim, CA
• 10/17: Hollywood Palladium, Los Angeles, CA
• 10/18: San Jose U. Event Ctr., San Jose, CA
• 10/19: House Of Blues, Las Vegas, NV
• 10/21: The Fillmore, Denver, CO
• 10/23: Eagles Ballroom, Milwaukee, WI
• 10/24: Congress Theatre, Chicago, IL
• 10/25: The Fillmore, Detroit, MI
• 10/26: Sound Academy, Toronto, ON
• 10/28: Roseland Ballroom, New York, NY
• 10/29: CT Expo Center, Hartford, CT
• 10/29: Roseland Ballroom, New York, NY
• 10/30: Palladium, Worchester, MA
• 10/31: Convention Hall, Asbury Park, NJ
• 11/01: Albany Armory, Albany, NY
• 11/07: University of Alaska, Anchorage, AK

10/03, 10/15-10/18: The Roots, Gym Class Heroes only
10/10: Gym Class Heroes, Estelle only
10/29 (New York): The Roots, Estelle only
10/29 (Hartford): Gym Class Heroes only
11/07: The Roots only

Photo by Chago & Brian.

Don’t worry, I’m not going to compile every tidbit filtering out of the legendary Roots crew. That’s what Okayplayer.com is for. (And more power to them; they make an amazing site.) But as one of the all-time greats, the Philadelphia hip-hop band do things that often resonate beyond its rabidly loyal fanbase.

First up: the forthcoming Roots Picnic. Rap star-curated festivals are nothing new — I remember Living Legends’ Unsigned & Hella Broke jams back in the day, and even the Roots used to do the Black Lily showcases. But this picnic promises to be a next level affair, with scheduled appearances from Gnarls Barkley (who are weathering some punishingly mediocre reviews for The Odd Couple), Diplo, Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings, Santogold, Deerhoof, J*Davey, Esperanza and the Cool Kids. It goes down June 7 at the Festival Pier in Philly, and tickets go on sale Saturday, March 29.

Meanwhile, Al Green is releasing his long-anticipated collaboration with Questlove and James Poyser. Scheduled for release on May 27 via Blue Note, Lay It Down includes guest shots from Corinne Bailey Rae, John Legend and Anthony Hamilton.

Before that comes the Roots’ Rising Down, which drops April 29 on Def Jam. I haven’t posted the track listing so, hell, here it is. And just for kicks, here are the tour dates, too. (April 22 update: The itinerary has been updated.)

• 1. “The Pow Wow”
• 2. “Rising Down” (feat. Mos Def & Styles P)
• 3. “Get Busy” (feat. Dice Raw, Peedi Crack & DJ Jazzy Jeff)
• 4. “@15″
• 5. “75 Bars (Black’s Reconstruction)”
• 6. “(Time Up)”
• 7. “Criminal” (feat. Saigon & Truck North)
• 8. “I Will Not Apologize” (feat. P.O.R.N. & Dice Raw)
• 9. “I Can’t Help It” (feat. Malik B & P.O.R.N.)
• 10. “Singing Man” (feat. Truck North & P.O.R.N.)
• 11. “Up There (Unwritten)” (feat. Mercedes Martinez)
• 12. “Lost Desire” (feat. Talib Kweli & Malik B)
• 13. “The Show” (feat. Common)
• 14. “Rising Up” (feat. Chrisette Michelle & Wale)
• 15. “Birthday Girl” (feat. Patrick Stump)

Here are the tour dates:

• 3/29: Millikin University, Decatur, IL
• 3/30: Kool Haus, Toronto, ON
• 4/05: University of Texas, Austin, TX
• 4/07: Indiana University, Bloomington, IN
• 4/09: Higher Ground, Burlington, VT
• 4/11: Pickle Barrell Nightclub, Killington, VT
• 4/16: Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
• 4/17: Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
• 4/18: Webster University, St. Louis, MO
• 4/20: National Mall, Washington, DC
• 4/26: Tigerfest Towson University, Towson, MD
• 5/03: Fair Grounds Race Course, New Orleans, LA
• 5/04: Fox Theater, Detroit, MI
• 5/06: University of Montreal, Montreal, QC
• 5/08: The Orpheum, Boston, MA
• 5/09: Radio City Music Hall, New York, NY
• 5/10: The Pier, Baltimore, MD
• 5/11: Crocodile Rock, Allentown, PA
• 5/14: Constitution Hall, Washington, DC
• 5/15: Constitution Hall, Washington, DC
• 5/16: Chrysler Hall, Norfolk, VA
• 5/17: Special Events Center, Greensboro, NC
• 5/18: Landmark Theater, Richmond, VA
• 5/20: Misner Park, Boca Raton, FL
• 5/23: Fox Theater, Atlanta, GA
• 5/24: Three Sisters Park, Chillicothe, IL
• 5/25: University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
• 5/27: Andrew Jackson Hall, Nashville, TN
• 5/29: Fox Theater, St. Louis, MO
• 5/30: Chicago Theater, Chicago, IL
• 5/31: Chicago Theater, Chicago, IL
• 6/01: Harrah’s Concil Bluff, Concil Bluff, IO
• 6/02: Fillmore Theater, Denver, CO
• 6/03: The Depot, Salt Lake City, UT
• 6/04: Cuthbert Amphitheater, Eugene, OR
• 6/05: Marymoor Park, Seattle, WA
• 6/06: TLA, Philadelphia, PA
• 6/07: Festival Pier, Philadelphia, PA
• 6/08: Paramount Theater, Oakland, CA
• 6/10: Humphrey’s Theater, San Diego, CA
• 6/12: Greek Theater, Berkeley, CA
• 6/13: Linn Park, Birmingham, AL
• 6/14: Mesa Amphitheater, Phoenix, AZ
• 6/15: Kiva Auditorium, Albuquerque, NM
• 6/17: Warehouse Live, Houston, TX
• 6/18: House of Blues, Dallas, TX
• 6/19: House of Blues, New Orleans, LA
• 6/22: Genesee Valley Park, Rochester, NY
• 7/04: Lake Michigan, Milwaukee, WI

4/20: Green Apple Festival
5/03: New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
5/04-5/10, 5/14-5/23, 5/27-5/31, 6/02, 6/05, 6/08-6/12, 6/14-6/15: w/Erykah Badu
5/24: Summer Camp Festival
5/25: Jazz Reggae Festival
6/06: w/Santogold, the Randy Watson Experience, Janelle Monae
6/07: Roots Picnic
6/13: City Stages Festival
6/22: Rochester Music Festival
7/04: Summerfest

www.myspace.com/theroots

To stoke the online faithful, the Roots has released a new video for their debut “street” single, “75 Bars (Black’s Reconstruction).” (You can download the video at Okayplayer.com.) They’ve also unveiled the first wave of dates for what will undoubtedly be a long and extensive world tour. And finally, the Roots have a new bassist to replace founding bassist Hub, who left the group in 2007: bassist Owen Biddle.

No track listing has been revealed yet. However, several song titles have been carefully leaked to satisfy the online rabble, including an “official” first single, “Birthday Girl,” with Fall Out Boy lead singer Patrick Stump. “We don’t know if we’re gonna have another chance for a grand statement,” Questlove told MTV.com. “We’re not playing. This is probably our most political record.”

Excited yet? Check out the tour dates below.

• 3/07: Langerado Music Festival, Homestead, FL
• 3/08: House of Blues Lake, Buena Vista, FL
• 3/09: Janus Landing, St Petersburg, FL
• 3/29: Millikin University, Decatur, IL
• 3/30: Kool Haus, Toronto, ON
• 4/05: University of Texas, Austin, TX
• 4/07: Indiana University, Bloomington, IN
• 4/09: Higher Ground, Burlington, VT
• 4/11: Pickle Barrell Nightclub, Killington, VT
• 4/12: Northeastern University, Boston, MA
• 4/16: Purdue University West, Lafayette, IN
• 4/17: Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
• 4/18: Webster University, St. Louis, MO
• 4/20: Green Apple Festival, Washington, DC
• 4/26: Tigerfest Towson University, Towson, MD
• 5/03: Jazz & Heritage Festival, New Orleans, LA
• 5/04: House of Blues, New Orleans, LA

www.myspace.com/theroots

Photo by Mel D. Cole

Last month, Questlove of the Roots told Allhiphop.com that the band is working on its 10th full-length album, tentatively called Rising Down.

“We’re trying to make number ten as exciting as number one was, as exciting as number five was,” he said. “I’m amped that not many groups get ten opportunities to make a statement. Not even Hip-Hop, just period. You can’t even count ten records from the same group, that much, maybe on a few fingers. We’re very fortunate, and happy, and we are definitely pushing our envelope again.”

It’s great to read that the Roots continue to work on an album-every-two-years schedule, especially since 2006′s Game Theory was excellent. But their main role has always been as hip-hop’s certified road warriors that annually play 100+ concerts around the world. After wrapping up a summer jaunt in Europe, they’ll return to the U.S. under the auspices of thirtysomething entertainment/celebreality channel VH-1.

This particular package is called the VH-1 Hip-Hop Honors Tour, named after the channel’s hall of fame blowout. For those who have seen the band play countless times (like, uh, me), old school legends MC Lyte and Big Daddy Kane will bring some new flavor. Expect plenty of breakbeats and thousand-strong singalongs to “Ain’t No Half Steppin’.” The tour is part of a U.S. journey that winds through several late summer festivals, and dates are below.

• 7/28: Randall’s Island, New York, NY
• 7/29: Historic Fort York, Toronto, ON
• 8/03: Camp Zoe, Salem, MO
• 8/04: Hutchinson Field, Chicago, IL
• 8/11: Glen Helen Hyundai Pavilion, San Bernardino, CA
• 8/18: McCovey Cove, San Francisco, CA
• 8/25: Alpine Valley, Milwaukee, WI
• 8/26: Alpine Valley, Milwaukee, WI
• 8/31: Snow Ridge, Turin, NY
• 9/13: The Fillmore, San Francisco, CA
• 9/14: House of Blues, Anaheim, CA
• 9/15: House of Blues, Los Angeles, CA
• 9/17: Paramount, Denver, CO
• 9/19: House Of Blues, Dallas, TX
• 9/20: House Of Blues, New Orleans, LA
• 9/23: House Of Blues, Chicago, IL
• 9/24: House Of Blues, Cleveland, OH
• 9/27: Norva, Norfolk, VA
• 9/29: 9:30 Club, Washington, DC
• 9/30: Rams Head, Baltimore, MD
• 10/02: Palladium, Worcester, MA
• 10/03: The Electric Factory, Philadelphia, PA
• 10/05: Nokia Theater, New York City, NY

7/28, 8/11-8/18: Rock the Bells
7/29: Rogers Picnic
8/03: Big Summer Classic
8/04: Lollapalooza 2007
8/25-8/26: w/Dave Matthews Band
8/31: moe.down

www.theroots.com
www.myspace.com/theroots

After enjoying the afterglow of their criminally underrated masterwork Game Theory, perennial road warriors the Roots are finally going on tour. The four month jaunt has already begun in Great Britain and winds through Ireland, South Africa, Japan and Canada before reaching the U.S. in February. It will represent the group’s nationwide tour since Game Theory dropped last August.

As an added bonus, Chicago skateboard enthusiast Lupe Fiasco will open a handful of U.S. dates. Though he has completed several spot dates since issuing Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor in September, fans will have to wait a little bit longer for a full-fledged national jaunt.

In related news, Questlove has wrapped up an intriguing remix of Pharrell Williams’ solo debut In My Mind. Similar to what the Neptunes did to the original version of N.E.R.D.’s In Search Of… by adding Spymob to the mix, Questlove reworked an album that drew mixed reviews and disappointing record sales. (However, it did get a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Album.) He also logged studio time with the Rev. Al Green.

While we’re on the subject of Grammy nominations, the Roots garnered two nods for Best Rap Album and Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group (for “Don’t Feel Right”). Lupe Fiasco logged three nominations, too, for Best Rap Album, Best Rap Song and Best Rap Solo Performance (“Kick, Push”). Despite the nominations, however, it seems like one of the greatest hip-hop bands of all time deserves more.

Here are the U.S. tour dates:

• 2/03: Showbox, Seattle, WA
• 2/05: Crystal Ballroom, Portland, OR
• 2/07: The Fillmore, San Francisco, CA
• 2/08: The Fillmore, San Francisco, CA
• 2/10: Gibson Ampitheatre, Los Angeles, CA
• 2/12: House of Blues, San Diego, CA
• 2/14: House of Blues, Anaheim, CA
• 2/16: Harry O’s, Salt Lake City, UT
• 2/17: The Fillmore, Denver, CO
• 2/19: Gypsy Tea Room, Dallas, TX
• 2/20: Stubbs, Austin, TX
• 2/22: House of Blues, New Orleans, LA
• 2/24: House of Blues, Orlando, FL
• 2/25: Revolution, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
• 3/03: House of Blues, Myrtle Beach, SC
• 3/04: The Tabernacle, Atlanta, GA
• 3/07: Norva Theater, Norfolk, VA
• 3/08: Meyerhoff Hall, Baltimore, MD
• 3/09: Constitution Hall, Washington, DC
• 3/10: Radio City Music Hall, New York, NY
• 3/13: Avalon, Boston, MA
• 3/17: Chicago Theatre, Chicago, IL
• 3/18: The Rave, Milwaukee, WI
• 3/20: Myth, Minneapolis, MN
• 3/22: The Pageant, St. Louis, MO
• 3/24: Kool Haus, Toronto, ON
• 3/27: Metropolis, Montreal, QC
• 4/03: Kimmel Center, Philadelphia, PA
• 4/04: Kimmel Center, Philadelphia, PA

2/17, 3/04, 3/08-3/10, 3/17: w/Lupe Fiasco

www.theroots.com
www.myspace.com/theroots