The Roots' Things Fall Apart is a great album.

The Philly band's fourth long player was their breakthrough, artistically and commercially. It spawned a few hit singles and garnered them heaps of praise, harkened as the group behind true hip-hop's second coming.

And, hey, the... Read full review »

ESSAYWHUMAN?!!!??! Rewinding The Roots Part Three- Things Fall Apart

byrsz15 Jul 23, 2004

39 Helpfuls 40 Helpfuls 7 Comments

Pros "You are now in tune to the soooouuunds.. of the legendary.. foundation"

Cons -

Recommended it? Yes

Starting with the release of their 2004 album, over the next two weeks I will be reviewing the albums of what I feel is the greatest hip-hop group of all time (rivaled only by the legendary Tribe Called Quest), and arguably the best artist to ever hit the studio-- Illadelph's own Roots crew. Enjoy... Read full review »

almost a hip-hop classic

byLessThanNick1 Jul 10, 2001

39 Helpfuls 40 Helpfuls 5 Comments

Pros great instrumental, good battle rhymes, no skits, no brag rap

Cons the level of energy isn't high enough

Recommended it? Yes

The Roots is a hip hop crew from Philadelphia. They remained underground for a while until their hit single ?You Got Me? broke through to the mainstream. I?m not going to act all cool and say I?ve been with them since the beginning. I didn?t discover the Roots until I heard ?You Got Me?. Things... Read full review »

569

The Roots - Things Fall Apart... including my stereo speakers after overplaying this classic

bybigd99999 Feb 4, 2003

34 Helpfuls 35 Helpfuls 2 Comments

Pros Amazing Intelligent Poetic Lyrics, Amazing Production, Laid-Back Hip Hop Braggadicio...

Cons NOTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Recommended it? Yes

In referring to great hip hop legendary groups, such names like Gangstarr, N.W.A., Outkast, Black Star, Fugees, and De La Soul, along with a few others are mentioned. However, time and time again the legendary Roots are always overlooked. I dont understand why, because the hip hop "band" from... Read full review »

Intelligent Rap

byKarenZero Dec 5, 1999

30 Helpfuls 31 Helpfuls 4 Comments

Pros The Lyrics and Arrangement are clever.

Cons None.

Recommended it? Yes

Possibly the most intelligently written rap album of recent years, Things Fall Apart is stunning both lyrically and in its execution. The Roots? rap adroitly and their lyrics are clear and meaningful, unlike much of the rap which is currently permeating the airwaves. One of the stand-out tracks on... Read full review »

I Wish I Had an Afro Like ?uestlove...

byholy_fish Mar 3, 2004

25 Helpfuls 26 Helpfuls 2 Comments

Pros Tight lyrics and beats, Representation of hip-hop as a culture.

Cons The beat on Without a Doubt sucks.

Recommended it? Yes

I thought it would never end. After my mid semester exams for university I finally have some free time to write. My brain is so fried from panic-studying and doing last minute homework it's scary. So now that it's all done I decided to chill out by listening to some Roots. And I thought, "Hey, why... Read full review »

240

Ev-ry-bo-ty... The Roots Once Again

byxicripz Dec 10, 2008

10 Helpfuls 11 Helpfuls Comment

Pros Consisent quality

Cons A couple of average tracks

Recommended it? Yes

"Things Fall Apart" came out in 1999, and was the fourth album for the Philadelphia Hip Hop band, The Roots. It has them keep the same members as on the tw albums which came before it, meaning that you get banging drumming from ?uestlove, quality rhymes from Black Thought, Malik B. and Dice Raw, as... Read full review »

149

never do what they do

byduke101 Sep 6, 2001

9 Helpfuls 10 Helpfuls 2 Comments

Pros finally, a real rap group that doesn't sell out

Cons as with the fugees, more white fans than black

Recommended it? Yes

Things Fall Apart represents the best collection of rap music I have ever heard, and it is the best album The Roots have put out. If you like groups like A Tribe Called Quest and Mos Def, hear the group they want to be. Just as they used to sing "never do what they do," The Roots refuse to sell out... Read full review »

RE: " Rooting On The Streets"

byimmortalcritic May 3, 2001

9 Helpfuls 10 Helpfuls 1 Comment

Pros street-smart rapping is always a hit

Cons a bit undecisive at times

Recommended it? Yes

Ever since the Fugees dropped "The Score" the world of rap was forever changed. No longer could great MC's like Rakim( the king of intellectual rap... if ya didn't know) get by on prophetic words. Every song now had to be a powder keg of intent or make you shake that booty. The new school wavered... Read full review »

Things Come Together

bysfoster79 May 27, 2000

9 Helpfuls 10 Helpfuls Comment

Pros Great production & lyrics. Guest appearances by Erykah Badu, Eve, Mos Def, Beanie Siegal,...

Cons -

Recommended it? Yes

The Roots, a high-energy group known to hip-hop purists for years, finally busts onto the (semi) mainstream scene with their fourth major release, "Things Fall Apart" (named after Chinua Achibe's book). Since their last offering, "Illadelph Halflife", Roots fans have been aching for something fresh... Read full review »

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