Peter Murphy checks out The Roots
The Roots
Down at the Upstage are The Roots. Now some of us prefer our hip-hop noxious rather than conscious. We like it when it digs dirty blues rather than godly gospel. We get more of a voyeuristic kick out of Stagger Lee than MLK. Having said that, The Roots deliver the goods in such a combative fashion that they could recite Cliff Richard lyrics (not that outlandish an idea – they interpolate The Shadows’ ‘Apache’ into one tune) and make it sound like Chuck D’s not in love. The dual rhythm assault of trap kit and percussion and the insistent Funkadelic riffs add up to a pretty formidable assault on the senses, and if late arrival on stage makes for a frantic line-check and robust mix, it also lends their performance a nervy edge.
Competing with Henry Rollins' spoken word thing ten yards away, that didn’t stop ?uestlove from The Roots regaling the Hot Press Chatroom at Electric Picnic with some tales – and a world exclusive.
Read More Hook-laden agitprop combines with slinky beats on outing number ten from The Roots
Read More The Roots have always seemed to exist somewhere on the periphery of the hip-hop world. 2004’s The Tipping Point, however, suggested that they were moving in the right musical direction. Free-flowing and upbeat, it was easily their best record to date. Although darker in tone, Game Theory is no less engaging, and has strong political undertones.
Read More The legendary hip-hop act The Roots are coming back to Ireland later this year to play the Olympia.
Read More Throughout their career, The Roots have always been a better idea on paper than in actual reality.
Read More The Roots are Dublin-bound this summer to play tunes off their new album, The Tipping Point
Read More NEWSFLASH: Don’t give up hope yet but there are serious concerns about The Roots making their 6pm appointment at the Upstage.
Read More Phrenology is a musical melting pot of diverse styles and influences that never quite stays in the same groove long enough for you to be able to properly pin it down.
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