Author Topic: The Roots -...And Then You Shoot Your Cousin [Discussion Thread]  (Read 2476 times)

Will_B

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Re: The Roots -...And Then You Shoot Your Cousin [Discussion Thread]
« Reply #120 on: May 20, 2014, 10:44:58 PM »
Rather than u guys waste more effort trying to next guess people who you think like to make people think they like to listen to the Roots...


What do YOU think of the Roots and do you have an option on this album?

i liked undun a lot albeit a bit short i haven't peeped this one yet, i've been sleeping in 2014 i got a lot of shit to check out (the roots, iamsu, MJ, schoolboy Q, YG, yukmouth, pinata, noreaster, etc.)

I heard that Yuk was garbage from a friend who's a massive fan
 

Seagully

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Re: The Roots -...And Then You Shoot Your Cousin [Discussion Thread]
« Reply #121 on: May 21, 2014, 02:16:26 AM »
^^^GREAT WAY 2 DISCUSS THE ROOTS & THEIR NEW ALBUM U HYPOCRITE!!!
 

Will_B

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Re: The Roots -...And Then You Shoot Your Cousin [Discussion Thread]
« Reply #122 on: May 21, 2014, 02:23:10 AM »
^^^GREAT WAY 2 DISCUSS THE ROOTS & THEIR NEW ALBUM U HYPOCRITE!!!

Music discussion
 

Seagully

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Re: The Roots -...And Then You Shoot Your Cousin [Discussion Thread]
« Reply #123 on: May 21, 2014, 02:38:48 AM »
then NEXT TIME don't POINT ur FINGER @ others 4 DOING the SAME thing.
HYPOCRITE INDEED.
 

Black Excellence

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Re: The Roots -...And Then You Shoot Your Cousin [Discussion Thread]
« Reply #124 on: May 21, 2014, 06:29:18 PM »
strong contender for album of the year !
"Summa y'all #mediocres more worried bout my goings on than u is about ya own.... But that ain't none of my business so.....I'll just #SipTeaForKermit #ifitaintaboutdamoney #2sugarspleaseFollow," - T.I.
 

Blood$

Re: The Roots -...And Then You Shoot Your Cousin [Discussion Thread]
« Reply #125 on: May 21, 2014, 08:30:24 PM »
I can dig it... good stuff to ride on the highway and blow Ls to  8)
 

Will_B

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Re: The Roots -...And Then You Shoot Your Cousin [Discussion Thread]
« Reply #126 on: May 21, 2014, 10:21:59 PM »
then NEXT TIME don't POINT ur FINGER @ others 4 DOING the SAME thing.
HYPOCRITE INDEED.

MUSIC discussion. NOT attempted ANALysing of the listener, yo!!
 

Seagully

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Re: The Roots -...And Then You Shoot Your Cousin [Discussion Thread]
« Reply #127 on: May 21, 2014, 11:18:47 PM »
::)
 

Black Excellence

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Re: The Roots -...And Then You Shoot Your Cousin [Discussion Thread]
« Reply #128 on: May 23, 2014, 08:04:22 PM »
after listenin' to this record from top to bottom and randomly it's time for a classic review.

1. Theme From The Middle Of The Night - the legendary roots crew opens the album wit a slow moody nina simone joint settin' the tone for what's ahead on this opus. 10/10

2. Never ft. Pat Crash - over a eerie composition that takes on a life of it's own, black thought and patty speak on the ills of the world through their eyes. a nice joint to set off an album of this magnitude. 10/10

3. When The People Cheer ft. Greg Porn - the first single ! everything about this song is the shit from the rumblin' composition to the on point and poignant lyricism. get a bar muthafuckas ! 10/10

4. The Devil - the mary lou piece is appreciated I can definitely dig the roots goin' there. devils are everywhere...I see u miley.

5. Black Rock ft. Dice Raw - one of my favorite joints off the abum ! that beat is heat and dice raw and black thought give the track a lyrical beatdown. depictin' ghetto life anywhere usa. 10/10

6. Understand ft. Dice Raw and Greg Porn- the roots go to church on 'em real quick. that hook is possibly hook of the year. 10/10

7. Dies Irae - I call it beautiful noise...another piece to the amazing puzzle. 10/10

8. The Coming ft. Mercedes Martinez - over an angelic concoction Mercedes sings lovely and takes the resyt of  the album to the next phase as the composition gets dark for a moment. 10/10

9. The Dark (Trinity) ft. Greg Porn and Dice Raw - over slammin' drums and epic piano work the roots and fam go ham once again on another favorite of mine.  10/10

10. The Unraveling ft. Raheem Devaghn - as the album slows down just a tad more black thought and raheem keep it introspective. the perfect song and perfect placement on the album.

11. Tomorrow ft. Raheem Devaughn - over an optimistic groove raheem croons about how 'everybody wants tomorrow right now' there's no black thought to be found here hat's ok. the incredible endin' is amazing and after a while gets pitch black dark. it's exactly what I love about the roots the are always pushin' the envelope. 10/10

* if sophisticated hip hop on a grand scale is too much for your brain to digest this may not be the album for you. this album is dense indeed.  8) 8) 8) 8) 8)


"Summa y'all #mediocres more worried bout my goings on than u is about ya own.... But that ain't none of my business so.....I'll just #SipTeaForKermit #ifitaintaboutdamoney #2sugarspleaseFollow," - T.I.
 

Will_B

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Re: The Roots -...And Then You Shoot Your Cousin [Discussion Thread]
« Reply #129 on: May 23, 2014, 11:50:14 PM »
Nice review. I'm gonna do the same when I got that hard copy  8)
 

Black Excellence

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Re: The Roots -...And Then You Shoot Your Cousin [Discussion Thread]
« Reply #130 on: May 24, 2014, 01:36:18 PM »
hiphopdx -

"And Then You Shoot Your Cousin?" is what happens when you give The Roots "f--k you" money and the ability to escape the bubble of Rap while still remaining relevant in Hip Hop culture.

In the summer of 2012, Chicago drill rapper Chief Keef signed a three-album deal reportedly worth $6 million. Keef’s deal was attained due to the incredible viral popularity of his violent raps and gritty, minimalist videos. Teenage and edgy, for what he lacked in lyrical ability, Young Chop’s angry and brutalist trap symphonies he rapped over sounded like the streets he rapped about. However, one lightly regarded album, eight major run-ins with the law and millions of insulting internet memes later, Keef’s greatest claim to fame may be that his cousin—rapper Blood Money—was recently murdered on Chicago’s violent streets. Thus, in light of this news, of course the Roots’ eleventh studio album is called ...And Then You Shoot Your Cousin?. In so much of Rap music being tied up in a complicated mix of artists being pushed as superstars (and being allowed the spoils of success, but lacking gifts in pure talent, execution and a classic definition of excellence)—Rap music’s most beloved band released an album that basically throws the genre they’ve adored for 25 years into a casket. Once they play taps at the funeral, they bravely walk away from Rap music (quite possibly forever) with their heads held high.

In March 2009, The Roots signed on to become the house band for NBC’s Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. Creatively, this partnership has blossomed into the band being named the house band for Fallon as he assumes the role as host of The Tonight Show in February 2014. However enriching the experience of playing on late night television has been spiritually, it’s likely been ten-fold as lucrative on a financial level. In short, The Roots have reached that rarefied point of having “fuck you” money. Attaining this level of largess may actually have made them wealthier than being bothered with critical acclaim and album sales. On their past three albums, they have used this rare perch to advance a progressive notion of what Hip Hop culture must do, insofar as questioning how to live in America with a black President, how to deal with a society falling apart, and, finally, how to kill, then bury, Rap music. ?uestlove worked on the campaign to elect Barack Obama, and I think it’s entirely possible that the gravitas of aiding in the election of America’s first black President has profoundly affected The Roots’ creative process. Thus, as a 40-year old black man in America inspired to stand and deliver, hearing Rap music get lowered into the ground on ...And Then You Shoot Your Cousin? must be delivered as one of the most cohesive Rap productions of the past decade—if and only because Questlove, Black Thought and company feel the newfound gravitas and importance of the demands of black American excellence.

Because The Roots are a band, I think it’s okay to call the album’s production symphonic. The dissonant drum strike that kicks off “Never” feels like Death knocking at the door, an example of just how in lock-step the producers and artists were in their creative vision. As well, because Black Thought himself told XXL this is both a satire and a concept album,” it’s okay to refer to those who contribute vocally as being in an ensemble. Thus, this is Rap as high-concept theatre, and it excels in that regard. The 11-track composition opens with the voice of Nina Simone singing the theme to 1955’ film Middle of the Night. It’s a perfect opening. The theme alludes to the idea that the sad, lonely and emotionally bereft rise in the darkness in order to discover peace. It’s an allegory to Rap, a once-proud genre now full of so many charlatans who—if they stared at themselves in the light of day—may be woefully unimpressed with who they are or what they’ve become.

Over The Roots’ last three full length releases, Black Thought has evolved from being a rapper to being a protagonist in The Roots’ story of a culture in demise. I think he also serves as one of many instruments in the band’s arsenal—hence his appearance on a scant five tracks this time around. The last three Roots albums have been “concept” albums, each being better defined as quite easily staged performances delivered in album format. Not since “Dear God” (from 2010’s How I Got Over) has there been such a clear and eloquent speech on the nature of the condition of Hip Hop culture in America’s mainstream as “When The People Cheer.” Asking, “Am I a douchebag or just another do-rag?” pretty much sums it up. We’re not in an era where we’re talking about emcees, lyricists or artists anymore. The talk is of “douchebags” and “do-rags” only. With this being the case, Black Thought gives what feels like an effortless performance here. In a manner more cold and didactic than bored and disinterested, I think he is looking for honesty from the game, but coming up empty. So, like the Rap game Othello that he now embodies, Iago has just whispered that Rap-as-Desdemona is a whore. Unable to see that Iago’s statement may be more complicated than he initially imagined, he’s content to take his own life (represented as attempting to bury Rap itself) instead of existing in a heartbroken state.

If a Shakespearean allegory feels too heavy to be believed for a Rap album, then lean in closely to the aural dynamics at play here. If Black Thought (and the always fantastic, if underrated Dice Raw and R&B vocalist Raheem Devaughn, especially) never spoke a word, the album’s minor-key dependence creating a sense of gloom of view would be crystal clear. “Never” opens with a choir that has an angelic feel, “Understand” certainly has a church organ buoyed by boom bap drums and “Dies Irae” lasts for just over a minute, but sounds like the organic answer to Kanye’s vitriolic scream from Dante’s infinite circles of hell known as “Black Skinhead.” Yes, there’s certainly a song called “The Devil,” as well as plentiful religious symbolism surrounding the nature of death. The album is dark, powerful and intentionally morose. The Roots perform here with purpose and intention as if guided by divine gift. However, they’re more than certainly aware that the genre and culture they love so much may already be headed to hell.

...And Then You Shoot Your Cousin? is what happens when you give The Roots “fuck you” money and the ability to escape the bubble of Rap while still remaining relevant in Hip Hop culture. At some point, The Roots matured into men, while clearly to them—as Questlove has recently shown in his writing for Vulture and reaction to the 2008 shooting of Sean Bell—Rap music may still be obsessed with childish things. Given these particulars—in possibly the greatest irony of all ironies—their following warrants them releasing an album that could feasibly do some business for a genre they want to kill in an industry that allowed Hip Hop culture to possibly be fatally maimed. In that being said, listen to this album 100 times. Simply put, I feel this album is a classic. If this is Rap at death’s door, then it has every right to sound this great in its final moment.
"Summa y'all #mediocres more worried bout my goings on than u is about ya own.... But that ain't none of my business so.....I'll just #SipTeaForKermit #ifitaintaboutdamoney #2sugarspleaseFollow," - T.I.
 

Blood$

Re: The Roots -...And Then You Shoot Your Cousin [Discussion Thread]
« Reply #131 on: May 29, 2014, 01:13:37 PM »
http://www.amazon.com/Then-Shoot-Your-Cousin-Explicit/dp/B00JJWE3Y4/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

lol day one Roots fans shitting on this release

I still thought it was pretty decent, just too short and not enough Black Thought
 

Black Excellence

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Re: The Roots -...And Then You Shoot Your Cousin [Discussion Thread]
« Reply #132 on: May 29, 2014, 05:13:48 PM »
http://www.amazon.com/Then-Shoot-Your-Cousin-Explicit/dp/B00JJWE3Y4/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

lol day one Roots fans shitting on this release

I still thought it was pretty decent, just too short and not enough Black Thought
fuck them ! I been a fan since things fall apart and this album is great to me. these muthfuckas is forgettin' that the roots is more than just black thought and questlove. they're a fuckin' group so if thought ain't on the whole album I'm not trippin' I just hope they flex on niggas on the next album production wise and show off like they do live.
"Summa y'all #mediocres more worried bout my goings on than u is about ya own.... But that ain't none of my business so.....I'll just #SipTeaForKermit #ifitaintaboutdamoney #2sugarspleaseFollow," - T.I.
 

Blood$

Re: The Roots -...And Then You Shoot Your Cousin [Discussion Thread]
« Reply #133 on: May 29, 2014, 05:43:58 PM »
http://www.amazon.com/Then-Shoot-Your-Cousin-Explicit/dp/B00JJWE3Y4/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

lol day one Roots fans shitting on this release

I still thought it was pretty decent, just too short and not enough Black Thought
fuck them ! I been a fan since things fall apart and this album is great to me. these muthfuckas is forgettin' that the roots is more than just black thought and questlove. they're a fuckin' group so if thought ain't on the whole album I'm not trippin' I just hope they flex on niggas on the next album production wise and show off like they do live.

I was very surprised when I peeped Amazon compared to the reviews over here and other forums lol

next album should have more Black Thought and less of the other guests who rapped on it IMO
 

aerroc

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Re: The Roots -...And Then You Shoot Your Cousin [Discussion Thread]
« Reply #134 on: May 29, 2014, 08:24:37 PM »
http://www.amazon.com/Then-Shoot-Your-Cousin-Explicit/dp/B00JJWE3Y4/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

lol day one Roots fans shitting on this release

I still thought it was pretty decent, just too short and not enough Black Thought

thats why they cant sell lol