The Roots – How I Got Over [2010]

Written by Big D

For two decades, The legendary Roots have been one of the spearhead groups behind the expansion of hip hop from something that a simplistic, street culture to being actual music. The Roots have had their ups and downs, going through roster changes, switched up their style (and in many cases, create them). Hip hop’s only band has held true to that moniker, doing everything from going unplugged with Jay-Z, to now perhaps getting the most exposure since they formed as Jimmy Fallon’s house band on his late night show. What’s sad is that despite the infactuation of most music critics, even the non-rap ones, their 2008 release Rising Down was scheduled to be their swan song as a group. Soon after, drummer ?uestlove announced the release of How I Got Over, and the hipsters were happy. I really wasn’t big on Rising Down and had hopes for How I Got Over. The Roots couldn’t strike out twice, could they? Well, Illadelph is back bitches.

Musically, How I Got Over is a hybrid album, with a lot of it sounding like Game Theory but with the melancholy and somewhat-depressing introspection of Rising Down, but also managing to sprinkle a little bit of that early 90s Roots sound (primarily thanks to Thought’s advanced rhyming). The Roots brand of what I call, “lounge rap”, always has a number of different dimensions to it and How I Got Over is truly a showcase of the versatility of ?uest, Kamal, Knuckles, Captain Kirk, and the rest of the crew. Everything from the expertly played keys on “I Walk Alone”, the echoing drums from “How I Got Over”, or the funk chords from “Now Or Never” is a statement and a testament to God-given talent and unity. The blues-influenced “Radio Daze” is another airy, wonderous piece. It’s a deeper version of the Olu Dara and Nas collaboration “Bridging the Gap” and do trust, there are many gaps bridged on this albume. You have a potluck of funk, blues, rock, rap, and who knows what else.

“Walk alone, I walk alone, you know I walk it alone… I always been on my own, ever since the day I born”

But you know what, as much as I would love to tell you that the musicianship of the band is what takes the forefront on the record (and in many cases, it does), Black Thought is the master of ceremonies. Very much like when Austin Powers got his mojo back and Stella got her groove back, on How I Got Over, Roots frontman Black Thought is sharper than he’s been in quite some time. I know some elitists would argue that he never lost it, but even they would have to agree that he really wasn’t the same since The Tipping Point. Lyrically, Thought has perhaps never been as spiritual or enlightnening as he is here. The fact is, Black isn’t a rookie. He’s been in the game since the late 80s, and he plays the elder statesman rapper better than most, coming off as the “cool older brother” rather than the KRS “grumpy old man” archetype. Black’s chemistry with his bandmates is electric and the fact that it remains in tact after so many years and so many albums solidifies The Roots as hip hop’s ONLY true band.

At one time, I considered Black Thought the most slept on emcee in the business. Now with rappers dropping like flies and the entire hip hop industry in critical condition, its easy to push him up the list. The fact remains, with material like this, leaving Black Thought out of your top 10 would be blasphemous even if the rap industry was as healthy in 2010 as it was in 2003. Every lyric and every rhyme is methodically written as a SONGWRITER rather than just a random rapper who drops punchlines like the majority of the industry. He writes a letter to the Almighty about the various crossroads in his life on “Dear G.O.D. 2.0″, questions his past decisions on the aforementioned “Radio Daze”, aging and maturing on “Walk Alone”, and the John Legend featuring “The Fire”, a breathtaking inspirational piece about self esteem, self-confidence, and self-value, ironically something that we see more of on this album than we have in forever. Thought explores so much on this record that I could talk for hours and hours on it.

“Dear God… I’m tryyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyin hard to reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeach you”

Unlike the last few albums, the songs on How I Got Over are beautiful and fun and you find yourself singing “someoneeeeeeeee haaassss tooooo caaarreeee and “I keep dooooin it agaaaaaain” and “it’s the fireeeeeeeeeee inside yaaaaaaaaaaa”. But there are a couple of pieces that are head and shoulders above the rest. The mid-tempo funk-guitar on “The Day” lays the head-bobbing backdrop for a song that can only be described as “inspirational elevator music”, in the same vein as “The Fire”. Trust me, this elevator music is anything but boring. Nothing sounds like it – period. Black Thought and Little Brother’s Phonte are downright amazing in their struggle to rise up and make something of themselves. The hook is unbelievably orgasmic: “when I wake up… I look into the miiiiirror… I can see a clearer… vision… i should start living todayyyyyyyyyyyy”. Then there’s “Right On”. I have trouble describing the kind of feelings I get when I listen to this song, but it crawls up my stomach and into my eyes, and it is a PLEASURABLE feeling! What’s funny is, the song’s doesn’t have any particular depth lyrically; it’s just a jam session; purified by music that evokes emotion, making the song that much more meaningful. These are the two best songs on an already stellar How I Got Over.

Other than two uninspired missteps at the very end of the record (“Web 20/20″ and “Hustla”), How I Got Over is an album that all musicians, not just rappers, musicians should strive to create, one that you literally pop into the record player and never have to fast forward through it. Every song comfortably segues into the other perfectly. What amazes me most about this LP is that while it’s obviously very artistic, deep music and a far cry from what’s hot on the radio, I can picture a horde of these songs actually being pretty big radio hits due to some on-point hooks. Yes there are a lot of guest appearances, but hey, it’s a BAND – it’s ALREADY crowded, and NONE of the guests fall flat. How I Got Over is the best Roots album since Phrenology and might actually be a bit better. How I Got Over is the result of working hard on something and actually having it come together. Music fans should hold on tight and hope they never go away.

The question remains: How did they get over? The answer is on this very album!:


“There’s something in your heart and it’s in your eyes
It’s the fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiire, insiiiiiiiiide yaaaaaaaa”

4.5 Stars