Rising Down
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Rising Down | |||||
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| Studio album by The Roots | |||||
| Released | April 29, 2008 | ||||
| Recorded | 2006-2007 | ||||
| Genre | Hip hop | ||||
| Length | 52:05 | ||||
| Label | Def Jam | ||||
| Producer | ?uestlove | ||||
| Professional reviews | |||||
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| The Roots chronology | |||||
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Rising Down is the eighth studio album by Philadelphia-based hip hop band The Roots, released on Def Jam on April 29, 2008. It is the band's second album with the label, following 2006's Game Theory. The album's title presumably comes from William T. Vollmann's 2004 book Rising Up and Rising Down: Some Thoughts on violence, freedom and urgent means.
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[edit] Collaborations
The album contains a large number of guest vocalists, particularly in comparison to previous Roots albums. The album features many of the same guest vocalists as Game Theory. Peedi Peedi, Malik B., Dice Raw, P.O.R.N. and Mercedes Martinez all make repeat appearances. Washington, DC rapper Wale appears on the album, following an invite stemming from a Black Thought-tribute track called "Work" featured on his 100 Miles An' Runnin mixtape.[1] Other notable emcees making appearances on the album include Native Tongues Posse members Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Common as well as Saigon and Styles P. [2]
[edit] Sound
According to the bands' producer ?uestlove, Rising Down, "is an electric record, more synthy. The darks are darker and the lights are lighter. But all I know is making quality hip-hop stylistically. We tried to do something we never did before. Kamal had to be the sacrificial lamb this time. The one instrument that has defined the Roots has been the Fender Rhodes. This is the first year he's had to change his instrumentation and try other sounds out. We have a bunch of keyboards and synthesizers we're using on this record. It feels like the musical equivalent of 'Blade Runner' sometimes. We've also added a horn section."
More specifically, the album's themes will be following in the darkness established in Game Theory, with ?uestlove referring to this album as "the most incendiary, political album of our career to date." In the same interview, he explains: "Add up the crime and high school drop-out rates in Philadelphia, plus being in your mid-30s and working 300 nights a year and this being an election year — yeah, all that’s what this album’s about.” [3]
[edit] Singles
The first track leaked from the album was "75 Bars (Black's Reconstruction)", was posted on Okayplayer on 22nd February 2008. The first single was initially confirmed as "Birthday Girl", which features Fall Out Boy's Patrick Stump, and which leaked via Youtube, a song described by ?uestlove as "An easy pop song". [4] However, the song has gone from single to being an iTunes exclusive (bonus track), because the song didn't fit with the album's motif. “It was just sticking out like a sore thumb...Then we were going to have a 'halftime' thing where it was gonna come in the middle of the record as a break from the political thing, but that didn't work, either. Then we tried to make it the last song on the record, and that wasn't working. Then we tried to make it the hidden track, and that wasn't effective. Basically the album was complete; it starts with 'Rising Down' and it ends with 'Rising Up,' so that makes more sense to me." [5]
"Birthday Girl" has been included as a bonus track on iTunes and some international versions of the album, along with "The Grand Return"
Rik Cordero has thus far released music videos through Youtube for four songs off the new album: "Get Busy" [6], "75 Bars: Black's Reconstruction" [7], "Birthday Girl" [8], starring porn star Sasha Grey, and "Rising Up". [9]
[edit] Reception
Following its release, the album debuted at number 6 on the U.S. Billboard 200, selling about 54,000 copies in its first week.[10]
[edit] Tracklisting
| # | Title | Producer(s) | Performer (s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Pow Wow" | ||
| 2 | "Rising Down" | ?uestlove | Black Thought, Mos Def, Styles P, Dice Raw (chorus) |
| 3 | "Get Busy" | The Roots, Ritz Reynolds |
Black Thought, Dice Raw, Peedi Peedi DJ Jazzy Jeff (DJ scratches) |
| 4 | "@15" | Black Thought | |
| 5 | "75 Bars (Black's Reconstruction)" | ?uestlove | Black Thought |
| 6 | "Becoming Unwritten" | The Roots, Tahir Jamal, Radji Mateen, Khari Mateen |
Black Thought |
| 7 | "Criminal" | The Roots, Khari Mateen |
Black Thought, Truck North, Saigon |
| 8 | "I Will Not Apologize" | The Roots, Richard Nichols |
Black Thought, Porn, Dice Raw, Talib Kweli |
| 9 | "I Can't Help It" | The Roots, Richard Nichols |
Black Thought, Malik B, Porn, Dice Raw, Mercedes Martinez |
| 10 | "Singing Man" | The Roots, Khari Mateen |
Black Thought, Porn, Truck North, Dice Raw |
| 11 | "Unwritten" | The Roots, Tahir Jamal, Radji Mateen, Khari Mateen |
Black Thought, Mercedes Martinez |
| 12 | "Lost Desire" | The Roots, Khari Mateen |
Black Thought, Malik B., Talib Kweli |
| 13 | "The Show" | The Roots, Tahir Jamal |
Black Thought, Common, Dice Raw |
| 14 | "Rising Up" | ?uestlove, James Poyser |
Black Thought, Wale, Chrisette Michele |
| 15 | "Birthday Girl" (bonus track)* | The Roots, Richard Nichols, Shane Clark |
Black Thought, Patrick Stump, Shane Clark, Kelli Scarr |
| 16 | "The Grand Return" (bonus track)* | Black Thought, Dice Raw, Wadud Ahmad |
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| 17 | "Pow Wow 2" |
- Bonus tracks included on International versions of the album.
[edit] References
- ^ Wale Confirms New Mixtape, Album and Roots Collaboration
- ^ Inside the Roots' next CD | The Roots | Music Preview | Music | Entertainment Weekly | 1
- ^ Initial Single Dropped From The Roots' New Album | BallerStatus.com | NEWS
- ^ FMQB: Radio Industry News, Music Industry Updates, Arbitron Ratings, Music News and more!
- ^ [1]
- ^ YouTube - Broadcast Yourself
- ^ YouTube - Broadcast Yourself
- ^ YouTube - Birthday Girl - The Roots ft Patrick Stump
- ^ YouTube - Broadcast Yourself
- ^ Hasty, Kate (2008-05-07). Madonna Leads Busy Billboard 200 With 7th No. 1. Billboard. Retrieved on 2008-05-07.
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