Customer Reviews

Home Grown: Guide to Understanding the Roots 2

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I'm not sure who the newbies are posting reviews on this CD, but remember that the title of this CD is "The Beginners Guide to Understanding The Roots". It is not even remotely possible for a newbie Roots fan to 'understand' what is the greatest Hip Hop band ever without a listen to volume II. Whereas volume I is more of a "greatest hits" type CD, volume II is purely for 'schoolin' the newbies. I prefer this volume, because this CD has more material that I don't already have elsewhere. This CD was worth buying just for this version of "Don't Say Nothin", and who could ever have enough versions of "Essaywhuman"? Yes this CD is more of a showcase for the band, but this is a ledgendary band, what is there not to love.

I am a late 30'ish woman, and I love this music as much as students of mine that are 19 and 20. If you don't like stellar instumentation, then the Roots are not necessarily the band for you. As for me, I'll be the lady with the greying Afro dancing with abandon at the next Roots concert, hoping to hear some of these versions.

I don't normally start reviews like this, but I have to say that Mistermaxxx is out of his mind. He's a perfect example of a person that doesn't recognize any music that isn't played on the radio. If it ain't popular, he didn't hear it in the club, or it didn't come out during his heyday (probably the late 70's/early 80's) then he ain't feelin' it. He's stuck in a time warp and he makes it pretty obvious(check for yourself if you think I'm wrong). No hits? Please. I guess they got that grammy because there was no one else to give it to, right? Three words: You....Got.....Me. I guess he never heard Star, Break You Off, Silent Treatment, Distortion To Static, What You Want feat. Jaguar Wright, The Seed 2.0, or The Next Movement either, huh? What a loon. Anyway, on to the review.

Home Grown! The Beginner's Guide to Understanding The Roots, Vol. 2 is a pretty good album. In my opinion, Vol. 1 is better, but this album is still good. Vol. 2 includes some of The Roots' best material like "Adrenaline", "The Lesson Pt. 3", and "Thought @ Work". The liner notes are provided by ?uestlove and they're just as interesting and amusing as the liner notes on Vol. 1.

There are a few songs on this album that fall under "skip material". While they aren't bad, they aren't necessarily going to grab your attention. "Pass The Popcorn (Revisited)", "Break You Off (Dub/Sound Check)", "Don't Say Nuthin (Remix)" and "Sacrifice" all fall under this category. I can think of quite a few songs that would've better served this album. Other than that, the rest of the album is pretty good.

Home Grown! Vol. 2 should be a welcome addition to the library of any fan of good rap music. It's not quite on the level of Home Grown Vol.1 due to the boring/drawn out tracks, but it's still worth picking up. The Roots don't make bad music and this album is no exception. I recommend checking it out. It should make a great addition to your music library.

Standout Tracks: Adrenaline, Essaywhuman (Organix Version), Din Da Da, No Alibi, The Lesson Pt. 3, Thought @ Work, and Quicksand Millennium

Great Albums (Vol 1 and Vol 2! A MUST HAVE for your collection!! Long time Roots fans this is a great way to get digital versions of the songs only available on wax. New Roots fans, this is the best way to get aquainted with the closest version of Earth Wind and Fire (hip hop style) for this generation!

From Jill Scott to Roy Ayers this is a classic!

The first time I saw the Roots live (they played in late 90's with Goodie Mob and The Fugees) I was sold! The Roots are known for their live shows and originality across the world!

Definetly 4DaSoul.

[...]

Who are the roots? If by now you haven't already heard of the Philadelphia bred Hip-Hop "band", the term `Hip-Hop head' means nothing to you. More famously consisting of front-men Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter, lyricist, and Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson, drummer and producer for the group, the Roots have done more than state their presence in the music world. With a well-deserved Grammy under their belt and world tours in their résumé comes HOME GROWN! THE BEGGINERS GUIDE TO UNDERSTANDING THE ROOTS. A two-volume, separately packaged release compiled of songs old, new and never before heard come together not to create a "best of" album but more of an icebreaker to their music. The album title, which speaks for itself, is a must have for any roots fan. Whether a diehard since the Organix sessions or newbie following up the release of their most recent The Tipping Point sessions, both volumes give the ultimate Roots experience.
Volume two, a 14 track CD picks up where Volume one leaves off. Cognate to Volume one, it too includes unreleased tracks, remixes and live performances. With songs like the Kool G Rap and Big Daddy Kane inspired "BOOM!" to remixed versions of "Break You Off" and "Don't Say Nuthin," the album does well at grabbing you by the ears. Liner notes narrating the groups in studio struggles, song inspirations and meanings, also makes as a nice special feature for the record. Summing up your whole musical career isn't an easy task but ?uestlove takes the challenge head on with HOME GROWN! and succeeds.
As early as 1987, live instruments have been the forte of the group going 18 years strong. As a band, they reflect their grooving capabilities on the snare driven segue of "The Seed/ Melting Pot/ Web," where revisits "The Seed" with a more soulful vibe. Rather than the rock version as it appeared on the Phrenology album in 2003, the Seed fits into the array of instrumental arrangements on the full-flavored, musical "Melting Pot," giving the listener a short vacation from the fabricated synthesizers and drums of the cliché rap album. Then at his own cue, Black Thought comes in pushing forward his bravado with "And it weights a ton/ `Riq Gee's Motherf**kers I'm a son of a gun/ Black master of any trade under the son/ Talk sharp like a razorblade under the tongue," putting "Web" into the blend. It gives the album a distinct feeling of being at a live Roots performance.
Adding to the "live" feel of the album is "Essaywhuman?!!!!!." With a disquiet crowd establishing the environmental setting of what would be a club, a younger Black Thought finds himself beat boxing and rapping simultaneously over a jazz song. Tariq Trotter's stage moniker, having some near bursts of laughter and reactions to statements made by audience outbursts keeps the authentic feel to the Roots crew's music.
While "Pass The Popcorn (Revisted)" may feel to old-school for the modern day Hip-Hop fan, "No Alibi" makes you feel like its '96 again. Both eerie and gloomy, think of post War Report Tragedy Khadafi's intellect over a Mobb Deep instrumental to get the gist of the dreary street image it portrays. It also contains one of Black Thoughts more impressive work as a lyricist. "My grains habitual and I should never go against/ The ritual I've been mastering ever since" shows a spoken ethic to be followed by Trotter and the Roots though their career. Keeping to their independent, yet open-minded creative ability is what kept them afloat for so long.
A remake of "Din Da Da" by German musician George Kranz finds ?uestlove fulfilling his desire to make a danceable drum solo. While a lyric enthusiast would rather cut the album short to 13 tracks, leaving "Din Da Da" out of the big picture, it does however follow the formula to the drum and rhythm based endings to most of the Roots albums.
Along with guest appearances by Philly native Beanie Sigel and Dice Raw, HOME GROWN! THE BEGGINERS GUIDE TO UNDERSTANDING THE ROOTS is a good start or add to your Roots collection. If you have just unwrapped the cellophane plastic around the jewel case, I advise you to pick up a pair of headphones and prepare yourself to be schooled.

Rating: 4 out of 5
Key Tracks: No Alibi, The Lesson Pt. 3

If you have never heard The Roots, do yourself a favor and dont listen to reviewers who claim that the group is overrated. Obviously, these people have never paid any attention to Hip-Hop and certainly not to the Legendary Roots Crew. The Roots have reamined at the top of the Hip-Hop world (creatively, not commercially) since their debut, Organix. Finally shaking off their "acid-jazz" label, Black Thought, ?uestlove (read: Quest Love), Hub, Kamal, and the Okayplayer family are making music "you can either fight, f*** or dream to" [(c) Common].
This compilation consists of two seperate volumes. Both discs are packed (78 mins plus each) with album versions of some of their best known work plus b-sides and rarities you havent heard before. If you only know the Roots post-Things Fall Apart, that is the first song you knew was "You Got Me" then you will appreciate the older cuts on this album, particularly "Good Music" (which is precisely that) and "Pass the Popcorn (revisted)" from Organix. Plus tracks from their classic albums (Do You Want More?!!!??! and Illadelph Halflife)like "The Lesson", "Clones" & "Silent Treatment" (a classic in its own right). Long-time Roots fans will appreciate the alternate versions of the disappointing singles "Break You Off" and "Don't Say Nuthin" - you will actually love these songs (especially the gritty "Don't Say Nuthin" remix) as opposed to the overly-commercial album versions. Also the first track on the first album is the rare "Proceed 2" featuring Roy Ayers.
All this is not to mention what is arguably the best part of this compilation (especially for die-hard fans). That is the the liner notes that drummer ?uestlove (the "Afro" that another reviewer has apparently only ever seen of the group) a true, honest music fan, took the time to compose. ?uest opens the listener up to the world of the Roots and explains the stories behind some of your favorite and not-so-favorite tracks (peep the "Break You Off" notes).
If you think a band needs platinum selling records to make a Greatest Hits album you are mistaken. The only thing the band really needs is top-quality music and a loyal fan base. The Roots, thankfully, have both.

Like I've said before, I don't like compilations or greatest hits record but this is actually a good retrospective of The Roots. It has some great remixes, live stuff, and quality songs from past albums. We all know that they are talented musicians and can write a great pop song or a great political thriller and this showcases all of that. The live version of The Seed/The Web is pretty much a masterpiece that needs to be heard by everything. Blackthought and ?uestlove really let loose and it makes for a fun get down.

The Roots have put out so much good music that their greatest hits compilation couldn't fit onto one CD!!! Home Grown! The Beginner's Guide to Understanding the Roots Volumes I and II are the perfect introduction to the Roots for people who don't know much about this amazing band. But they're also perfect for the dedicated fans because they have some rare remixes and live recordings. Both Volumes I and II prove why the Roots are the most innovative group in hip-hop. They are one of the few bands who are able to attain commercial success yet maintain their musical integrity. I just bought a copy of both volumes and I would honestly recommend them to anyone, even people who aren't into hip-hop.

Happy to have received the CD in relatively short period of time, and just in time to jam out to before work.thank you, I needed this.

After the first, near-perfect volume of the Roots greatest hits collection, Home Grown! The Beginner's Guide to Understanding the Roots, Vol. 1, I was wondering what could be put on the second volume to achieve the title of greatest hits. Honestly, though, after listening, I'm certain that this isn't really a greatest hits, but a collection of left-overs that weren't great enough to be on vol. 1. Still, though, like Thanksgiving, left-overs can be good too, which is why I gave this collection a solid 4 rating.

Here is a list of tracks and my personal ratings on each:

1. Sacrifice: ..................**
2. No Alibi: ...................****
3. Essaywhuman?!!!!!: ..........***
4. Break Off: ..................*
5. Quicksand Millennium: .......****
6. Pass the Popcorn: ...........***
7. Don't Say Nuthin': ..........***
8. Adrenaline: .................*****
9. The Lesson Pt. 3: ...........****
10. Y'all Know Who: ............****
11. Thought@Work: ..............****
12. BOOM!: .....................****
13. The Seed/Melting Pot/Web: ..***
14. Din Da Da: .................***

As you can see from the above list, Adrenaline is perhaps the stand-out track on this album, but "The Lesson Pt. 3", "No Alibi", and "BOOM!" are also pretty good. But in the end, this depends on personal tastes. What I will say is that if you are a long-standing fan of Roots and have a lot of their albums, very little here is worth it. If you're a newer fan of this excellent group, then this is a great disc. No title was ever truer. This is a good CD for beginners, and a great companion to the first volume of Home Grown!.

sorry....i don't recommend you buy this album.
i love the vol.1 of their greatest hits, but vol.2 is quiet disappointing. sure, vol.2 have some good songs too but it simply can't be compared to vol.1 I hate to say this but
i nearly fell asleep while listening to this album. if you don't have any of the roots album and want to get to know their music, just buy vol.1 and 'Things Fall Apart.'