The Roots - Things Fall Apart

The classic Roots LP that is perhaps their best loved work and it's easy to see why. It has litle of the difficult lyrics and dark music of later genius like Game Theory and is not too experimental for the more narrow minded hip hop fans like Phrenology was. Updating the live jazzy sound of earlier work and introducing ever improving songwriting and a fine use of guests of some renown, Common, Mos Def and Dice Raw all add something to the record. It is the mighty Erykah Badu who steals the show on the guest front though with her contribution on the records best known track "You Got Me". A hip hop classic that started to show what a great band The Roots are and continue to be. I would say if you are looking to start a Roots collection this is where I would start as a best example of the core sound of the band. .