The Roots: Game Theory

Listening to "Game Theory," the new cd from The Roots, hip-hop's most celebrated live instrument band, I was immediately blown away by the superb quality of this thoughtful, dark, and musically triumphant album.

On this disc, the group gets back to its roots, both thematically and musically, with about poverty, struggle, hopelessness, and senseless violence, over masterfully composed, sonically stunning and soulful hip-hop beats.

Avoiding the self-aggrandizing glorification of violence promulgated by the likes of 50 Cent and company, Roots front man/rapper Black Thought tells stories in the style of a pensive chain-smoker sitting on his porch reflecting on the suffocating misery he sees around him.

On a nearly uniformly exceptional album, standout tracks include "In the Music" which combines an infectious drum beat with sparse guitar and bass licks which are so subtle that they seem more like another aspect of the percussion rhythm than melodic rock and roll riffs. On the song Black Thought's vocals dominate the sparse soundscape, as he spins tales about the gritty life that gave Philly its Filthadelphia pseudonym, rapping "If you into sight seeing then don't visit there / It's somewhere between Jersey and Delaware/ Philly never scared and them ni---s ain't timid there/ them young triggers lose lives by the minute there."

"Baby" is a beautiful and melancholy, timeless song about hip-hop and the emotional travails of a heart-broken girl. The gospel-style hook "Old man don't like the jitterbug, said this old dirty music/ hip-hop just so ridiculous/ them stories so confusin'" sets the tone of the song as Black Thought raps over a beat composed with hand-claps, a-capella shouts, and some blues-like bass and drum rhythms.

"Long Time" links Black Thought up with Philly's up-and-coming rapper, Beanie Siegel associate Peedi Crack, on a solid generational connection between an established veteran and a promising young gun. Over an infectious beat which combines a slow bass rhythm with an upbeat drum beat and mesmerizing string arrangement, Black Thought takes a trip down memory lane reminiscing on the formative South Philly stories that made him the man he is today. Peedi Crack spits fire "calculating every verse to arrive on beat" with a perfectly metered, bouncing and melodic rhyme which borrows the vocal patterns from the classic rap of the early eighties.

It seems to be the trend lately for veteran artists to link up with major labels and make a "fresh" start getting back to the basics rapping about long-past stories of street politics, stress and struggle. It's up for debate whether the feel and lyrical content of this album is a result of the Roots' creative energy alone, or the reaction to a wink and a nudge from the suits at Def Jam who make the business decisions. Music industry politics aside, Game Theory is a beautiful album sure to remain on permanent rotation near the top of my cd stack for years to come.

THIS PIECE WAS WRITTEN IN 2006.

Busta Rhymes: The Big Bang

"Too much of us is dangerous" is the hyper-energetically belted hook to Busta Rhymes 1997 hit "Dangerous." The mascot of hip-hop's jiggy era, and already then a veteran artist, Busta was the only rapper of the time who was versatile enough to work with both Puff Daddy's glamour and glitz artists and their antithesis, like underground sensation Mos Def.

Well-respected within the industry, Buss a Buss is probably the most sought after artist for a rock-solid verse or hook on other rappers' albums. Although he garnered much acclaim early in his career, especially with a guest appearance on A Tribe Called Quest's 1991 classic "Low End Theory," the question before the much-anticipated release of his latest project, "The Big Bang," was whether the veteran artist could muster a listener's attention for the duration of a full-length album.

Busta went straight to the top, signing a deal with Interscope records and bringing on Dr. Dre as co-executive producer. Especially after the fallout between rap legend Rakim and Dr. Dre, the formula for this type of project is well known. The basic plan is to provide some great beats and have the rapper rhyme about the struggle of yesterday instead of the success of today.
But, inking a deal with a major label and a producer like Dr. Dre can be a double-edged sword. On the one hand it opens doors and provides access to the best beat producers and guest artists, but on the other hand it brings tremendous pressure for commercial success which has the potential to stifle creativity.

The album starts off on the wrong foot with a cookie-cutter song about "hustling, robbin'" getting "money, clothes, cars, sexy broads," but then transitions into the club banger "Touch It" which features an addictive bass-heavy beat which alternates between slow, low energy hooks, and manic, high-energy verses. This is the type of song that will cause you to involuntarily start bopping to the beat.

"How We Do It" featuring Missy Elliot is a relentlessly sultry and sensual song destined for heavy rotation in the clubs. "New York Shit" makes use of a classic beat from D.I.T.C. crew member Diamond D, to create a feel-good song about hometown love which has proven to be the New York City anthem of the summer.

"Been Through the Storm" is an utterly exceptional rap song which features a soulful hook from Stevie Wonder, whose line "See? My Poppa was po', and my momma was young…" introduces Busta's life story as the son of Jamaican immigrant parents who was raised by Brooklyn's streets. Over a melodic piano beat Busta raps "Mom and Pop be worrying for their son. Despite their struggle and their honest living, look and see just what I've become: a scavenger… somebody trying to clap me up."

Not stopping the funk for a single track, The Big Bang then delivers "In the Ghetto," an infectious and up-beat song which features a delightful horn ensemble and a guest appearance by the late Rick James. Busta delivers bouncing, mesmerizing, rapid-fire lyrics in which he nostalgically tells the stories of his youth.

Two songs later is the cinematic "Goldmine," which is a Scarface-esque tale of the American Dream--- the cocaine version, that is. The song features rap-heavyweight Wu-Tang Clanmember Raekwon and Busta rapping about cooking coke, ducking the D's, and pitching packs, over a chilling and melancholy beat.

"Legend of the Fall Offs" is a truly disturbing song that features verses about literally and figuratively burying rappers alive and a beat that is entirely composed by horror movie sound effects such as a shovel digging in gravel and crickets chirping. The percussion for the bass-line is provided by a thumping heart-beat which, needless to say, fades by the end of the song.
Business-wise, the number of references to cocaine and streetlife are to be expected, but "Big Bang's" potential for commercial success has left its creativity unfettered.

The album demonstrates Busta's versatility as an artist, as track to track he delivers hard-hitting hard-core hip-hop, lurid love lyrics, bouncing bass-heavy bangers, soulful songs about struggle, sin, and strife, as well as the rambunctious rap-music for which he has always been known. Too much of Busta Rhymes might really be dangerous, but on a full length album, it's still a pleasurable listen.

THIS PIECE WAS WRITTEN IN 2006.