The Roots Phrenology LP As you watch all the bandwagoneers jump on and off the Hip-Hop merry-go-round in search of the transient fame and bright lights, there are some crews that have survived the ravages of time, helping to maintain the culture and elevate it beyond the gimmicks. Gangstarr and De La spring to mind as examples of this rare breed and, after a decade of the good shit, The Roots also deserve a place on that list of artists who will hold it down properly for the duration. Ten years ago it was Organix but right now it’s all about Phrenology. And as the title suggests, they’re on a mission through the music to challenge and stimulate as many mental faculties as they can touch in that quest for expansion. Some fools dismiss The Roots as soft because of the live instrumentation and the sheer breadth of their influences. In reality this is what elevates them above the latest incarnation of thug-a-nomics to be marketed to the ignorant masses. What other crew could start an album with the raw, bass driven statement of intent that is ‘Rock You’, then follow it with the hypnotic, smoothed out, hip-wiggle vibes of ‘Sacrifice’ featuring pop siren Nelly Furtado, without even fractionally compromising the consistency of their sound? It’s a family affair with The Roots; artists become embraced by that infectious spirit and it shows in the warmth of the set, despite the darkening of the backdrops compared with earlier works. Having said that, with molten blasts like ‘Clones’ and ‘Concerto’ and ‘The longest Posse Cut in History’ in the repertoire, they could never be accused of such marshmallow tendencies by anyone willing to cast a critical ear on the castigating tones found in their message toward anything that vaguely resembles the term ‘sell-out’. And with the departure of Malik B, we are blessed with a new focus of singularity from the one Black Thought. If you want evidence of what makes the difference between an emcee and an emcee’s emcee, seek out the ‘Men at Work’ inspired ‘Thought@Work’ and bare witness. It seems unfair to pick individual tracks but check for the hilarious comment on sex as a marketing strategy on ‘Pussy Galore’; the squidged-out funk of ‘Rolling with Heat’ featuring Kweli; the 230 name strong shout to the pioneers ‘WAOK’, and the vanilla vocals of Cody ChestnuTT on the guitared-up loveliness of ‘The Seed (2.0)’. ‘Phrenology’ is a product free of corruption, which is an amazing feat for a crew signed to a major. After ten years of swimming in the murky waters too; and they’ve still got enough humour left to sample Swing Out Sister and make it work. This is Hip-Hop: are you? - Eddie Venom © ukhh.com 1999 - 2002