VIDEO: ?uestlove x And 1 Commercial
Finally found this commercial starring ?uestlove of the Roots that was as part of a Latrell Sprewell ad campaign. Spree was rolling with And 1 at the time and this predated his choking out Coach P.J. Carlesimo. The Roots’ drummer and defacto spokesman runs through the different looks he uses when performing, including one that channels the 6′ 5″, former NBA star guard.
I tell anyone who will listen that Spree’s two handed dunks were things of beauty. Any ballplayer will appreciate the athleticism necessary to go full speed toward the hoop, take off of one leg and cock the ball all the way back before throwing it down with authority. Damn shame the Milwaukee native basically negotiated his way out of the NBA.
Also, peep the vid, not one but TWO afro picks.
The Roots “Make My” f/ Big K.R.I.T.
Track list dropped this a.m., now the Roots’ lead single from their forthcoming new album undun—“Make My,” featuring BIG K.R.I.T. and produced Khari Mateen—leaks premieres. It’s a good Monday.
undun is in stores December 6.
The Roots ‘undun’ Track List
The 13th album (at this point I’ve given up trying to fact check this) from the legendary Roots crew will be a concept project called undun, and the track list (below) has been revealed. ?uestlove previously told MTV News that it will be a “movie without visuals.”
That sounds a bit too DJ Khaled’esque, but the Philly crew has earned the benefit of a doubt. The album’s first single, “Make My,” is due November 1 on iTunes and features their Def Jam labelmate Big K.R.I.T. I need to hear this STAT.
UPDATE: Listen to ‘Make My’
The former B.R.O.ther ?uestion said the following via press release:
“At this point in our career we’d like for our work to have a unifying theme, and an experiential quality. We’ve been intentionally making our albums shorter in length so that they can be experienced as a continuous work. The music is band-oriented with an eye on the moody cinematic. As a DJ, I am the King of playlists, but I don’t want our albums to feel like a playlist or a mixtape for that matter. We want to tell stories that work within the album format and we want the stories to be nuanced and useful to people. undun is the story of this kid who becomes criminal, but he wasn’t born criminal. He’s not the nouveau exotic primitive bug-eyed gunrunner like Tupac’s character Bishop in “Juice”… he’s actually thoughtful and is neither victim nor hero. Just some kid who begins to order his world in a way that makes the most sense to him at a given moment… At the end of the day… isn’t that what we all do?”
The video above is a song the Roots created in one take while shooting those John Varvatos Fall/Winter 2011 collection ads you’ve been seeing in mags like GQ and Esquire. Respect the swag.
undun Tracklist
1) Sleep
2) Make My
3) One Time
4) Kool On
5) The Jump
6) Stomp
7) Lighthouse
8 ) I Remember
9) Tip The Scale
10) Redford
Video: The Roots x Earth Day for Honda Promo
Vodpod videos no longer available.
The Roots, Honda Civic and “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” hook up to celebrate Earth Day in rhyme. This will certainly not help the Philly Hip-Hop band get rid of that “tree hugger” badge. Am I the only one who remembers a Volkswagen commercial that featured the Roots song “Dynamite!” (produced by Jay Dee/J. Dilla) and an And 1 commercial that featured ?uestlove drumming? How are those not on YouTube? [Spotted at OkayPlayer after #slander from the homie @Timmhotep]
VIDEO: Raekwon & Ghostface On Jimmy Fallon
Vodpod videos no longer available.
R.A.G.U. (Raekwon and Ghostface United) dropped by Late Night with Jimmy Fallon to perform the Chef’s lead single, “Rock ‘N Roll,” from that Shaolin Vs. Wu-Tang, in stores March 8. Guess Jim Jones was AWOL. “Never rock skinny jeans I’m way above…” [Peeped at Rap Radar via HipHopStan]
Remember when ODB and Black Thought looked like they were about to throw the fives on stage? Can’t find that video at all. But Black Thought recently dropped standout verses on Ghostface’s Apollo Kids album and on Shaolin Vs. Wu-Tang, so it’s all good.
VIDEO: Aloe Blacc “I Need A Dollar” Live On Jimmy Fallon
Vodpod videos no longer available.
Aloe Blacc absolutely killed his performance on “Late Night With Jimmy Fallon.” Most crooners would have been gasping for breath after the first couple of moves and their voices would have been cracking like they were 13. Hard to believe this was his first time on national TV. Stop snoozing folks; Aloe’s R&B debut Good Things is available now. The Roots on the beats, obviously. [Nod to The Smoking Section via Yardie]
PREVIOUSLY:
VIDEO: Aloe Blacc “I Need a Dollar”
Luis Guzman x Rasta Monsta x How to Make It in America
Please Don’t Call The Roots A House Band
VIDEO: The Roots “Dear God 2.0”
Admit it, you can't name half of these cats...
VIDEO: ?uestlove’s Mathematics x Black Thought’s Masterpiece
B.R.O.THER. ?, Black Thought
Yesterday I posted that the Roots’ soon be released How I Got Over album was all of nine records (hey, it’s what Def Jam said), but OkayPlayer and ?uestlove say it’s 11 (don’t think that includes skit/interludes, though). Anyway, I got an early listen at the album last night (two thumbs up after one listen amidst listening session distractions that inlcuded free Hennessey) after noting that ?uestlove said How I Got Over was their 11th solo album, as opposed to the ninth that the now faulty press release said, I asked him to explain.
Black Thought says his much delayed Masterpiece Theater solo is on the “backburner” while he finishes up his Dangerous Thoughts project with Danger Mouse. Can’t figure why Mr. Trotter is seemingly lacking a solo deal. A&R’s, step your game up.
Much respect due to the homie Mikey Fresh for making these Flip cam clips look all official.
The Roots – “How I Got Over” Track Listing
The Roots - How I Got Over
The Roots’ ninth album, and third on Def Jam, is due June 22nd. Only nine tracks?
?uestlove is a proponent of the less is more theory (see Nas’ Illmatic or Sly & The Family Stone’s Stand!), so it shouldn’t be too much of a surprise. The as yet unheard lead single is called “Dear God 2.0” and is a remix/re-imagining of Monsters of Folk’s “Dear God.”
Track list after 2009’s (wtf?) “How I Got Over” video.
TRACK LISTING
1. Walk Alone (Truck North, Porn, Dice Raw, Mercedes Martinez)
2. Dear God 2.0 (Jim James, MOF)
3. Radio Daze (Blu, Porn, Dice Raw, Mercedes Martinez)
4. Now Or Never (Phonte Coleman, Dice Raw)
5. How I Got Over (Dice Raw)
6. The Day (Blu, Phonte Coleman, Patty Crash)
7. Right On (Joanna Newsom, Sugar Tongue Slim)
8. Doin It Again (John Legend)
9. The Fire (John Legend, Rick Friedrich)
Please Don’t Call The Roots A House Band
Still no Malik B...
New York Mag’s Vulture Blog posted an item, with info swiped from Paste, on why the Roots decided to fall back on the touring and become Jimmy Fallon’s band.
Now this isn’t new knowledge, at all, but…
Issue #1: I’m not comfortable with the “house band” tag because a racist bum could easily flip “band” into “Negroes.” Semantics, whatever. I could be overreacting, save for the fact that…
Issue #2 In the Vulture blog post’s kicker the author writes, “And there you have it, how the Roots learned to put their guns down and love being a house band.”
Keep in mind that the Roots aren’t suckas but they also are one of Hip-Hop’s most non-gangsta acts. And despite Lil Weezy’s recent success at providing rednecks with supporting evidence (imagine having to explain “Always Strapped” in court), all rappers do not tote guns. Seriously. No kidding.
Anyway, coming from an entity affiliated with New York Magazine, which I thoroughly enjoy reading, I’m very disappointed. Editing fail.
Forgive my old school Source Magazine “Media Watch” moment. Below, Roots video for “How I Got Over.”
Slang Rap Democracy 