Customer Reviews

The Roots Come Alive [Explicit]

5 star:		(44)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a completely new dimension of hip hop. For ones that haven't seen them perform live this is an unique experience. Definite must in every serious cd collection, even to those peeps who are not into hip hop at all. Also on second CD you have two videos of them performing and few new tracks. What else could you want. This is a live stuff that breaks all the barriers of the music as we know it today. It's not like DefJam's "Survival of the Illest" where you had MC droppin' lyrics and DJ spinnin' on 1&2. Yes, Roots have scratch sounds, but they are produced from the mouth of two vocalists - Rahzel and Scratch. Also, combination of bass (Hub), drums (?love) and rhodes (Kamal) is da bomb. It's the pure energy, even though it's not played agressively at all. And finaly add Black Thought to drop some lyrics and you have The Roots on stage. Sounds superb!

Ok, well, for all of you out there who have not had the opportunity to see the Roots perform live... I'm so sorry, but... There's hope. This album, a live album, is as good as live albums get. And I mean it with all certainty in the world. Normally, I wouldn't be likely to mention HIP HOP and LIVE together in a sentence that contained the words "GREAT ALBUM."

Given that factor, let me qualify: First of all, I LOVE hip hop, and I've seen some great hip hop shows. I ALSO love rock and roll and have seen some fantastic shows, but two of my favorite shows I have been to included the Roots.

Now, to the BREAD of the review. The Roots, though a hip hop group, are one of the most talented musical bands that are out there today. Every single musician in their band has amazing skill at what they do (including Black Thought, the lyricist, who is REGULARLY overlooked when it comes to great lyricists). A live Roots show is more than just a show, it's an experience. Both times I've seen the Roots live, they were "just" the opening band, and both times, they've opened and I've been privy to some jaw dropped kid looking at me and saying "wow, that was F@#king AMAZING!", soon after said Jaw-dropped kid had looked at me like I was completely crazy and in the wrong place when I went nuts at the Roots introduction to the stage.

This album, is not quite the same as a live Roots show, but, it's about as close as it gets. It's also amazingly clean in terms of production (as Roots performances are), and the setlist that is played on it is AMAZING. I only WISH I had gotten to see this setlist at the concerts I saw. If you know the Roots, then this is a must have (I had all of their studio albums before buying this, and I'd probably say that after Organix (which is a little strange to many, because it's so jazzy), this is probably my favorite).

My advice to you is to buy this album and get a ticket to see the Roots at a venue near you. THEY WILL NOT DISSAPPOINT!!!

I'd never heard of the Roots until I saw them live opening up for the Beastie Boys 3 -4 years ago. I was blown away. Bought a couple of cd's but was a little disappointed as they weren't anything like their live show. This cd trully captures the energy and incredible jazzy/funk hiphop grooves of the Roots live. This is what it's all about.

Hip hop you're the love of my life! What can I say? "Come Alive" is a masterpiece. Genius emcee Black Thought states it most clearly when he rhymes, "Hip hop in it's most pure form." For those of you cats who own other ish from The Roots crew, believe me when I say that these brothas are takin' it to the next level with "Come Alive." I was terribly disappointed when reading the reviews you kids posted for this incredible album. Honestly, WTF? Where's the love? The Roots have to be the most underrated and underappreciated hip hop group around. Ignorant common peeps think they have it good bouncin' to ish like 504 Boyz and Juvenile (shame on y'all!). Don't kid yourself folks. Droppin' an album every 3 months with gerneric lyrics and a hit single does not make you an artist! For those of you who want a truly positive, organice hip hop experience get down to your local record store and pick up "Come Alive." Word is bond! Pax out!

As soon as I heard that The Roots were dropping a live album back in '99, I ran to the store and purchased it. I had already seen them live and I knew exactly what to expect. And on this CD, they didn't let me down (which they rarely ever do). These are all songs that you've probably heard before on their studio releases. But they take these same classic joints to another level when they do them live. There are some freestyles and other things that are on this album that make them take another shape than what the studio tracks sound like. There are also two bonus studio joints on here. What You want feat. Jaguar (from the "Best Man" soundtrack) and a super tight bonus track on the end of the CD that has Malik B on it. Overall, if you haven't heard this album, or if you haven't seen them live and you're a big Roots fan, then go out and pick this one up. You'll love it.

Personal Favorites: Step Into The Realm, Proceed, Mellow My Man (My Favorite), The Notic, Love Of My Life feat. Common, The Next Movement, and The Ultimate

Excellent, give a different spin on the original versions of their songs. Closest thing to the best live show in the world. The best hip hip group in the world out did themselfs again.

Ok, so when Things Fall Apart came out, I was convinced that it was going to be the best hip-hop album of '99. I was wrong. Come Alive surpasses that album by so many levels it's unbelieveable. Black Thought is the best MC in hip-hop today. There are a lot of rappers who can flow, but no one can freestyle like he can... True freestyle, that is. The band really shows its skills by making the songs sound different from the albums... no carbon copies here. Songs like "Step Into the Realm," "The Ultimate," and "The Next Movement" showcase the musical talents posessed by the 5th Dynasty... And for you Rahzel fans, the second disc features a live version of "All I Know," backed by the band and Black Thought. Buy yourself a CD and stop rewinding this... The Roots are the best crew in hip-hop today.

As soon as I heard that The Roots were dropping a live album back in '99, I ran to the store and purchased it. I had already seen them live and I knew exactly what to expect. And on this CD, they didn't let me down (which they rarely ever do). These are all songs that you've probably heard before on their studio releases. But they take these same classic joints to another level when they do them live. There are some freestyles and other things that are on this album that make them take another shape than what the studio tracks sound like. There are also two bonus studio joints on here. What You want feat. Jaguar (from the "Best Man" soundtrack) and a super tight bonus track on the end of the CD. Overall, if you haven't heard this album, or if you haven't seen them live and you're a big Roots fan, then go out and pick this one up. You'll love it.

Personal Favorites: Step Into The Realm, Proceed, Mellow My Man (My Favorite), The Notic, Love Of My Life feat. Common, The Next Movement, and The Ultimate

?uestlove, Black Thought and Co. have really outdone themselves here. This album should define rap, but pathetically, it is an exception instead.

...the Roots crew is the REAL DEAL. As they themselves say, "we're the original article. No attitives, no preservatives."

What you will find on this album is a fresh set of hip-hop hooks and a cool jazz background -- two genres of music that definitely should be combined more often. The raps are good, the hooks are all there... a lot of energy is released when you play this album. Amazingly, it doesn't rely on sex [appeal] and violence like so many hip-hop records. For the Roots, talent replaces gimmick. In short, pick it up, it's a rarity. Peace.

The Roots are the best in hip-hop. Period. They're on the border of underground and mainstream, not having their videos on TRL but still being MTV's "Jam of the Week" ("Don't Say Nuthin'" anybody?). Nevermind how underground they are today, they always have and always will rock the show live.

This album has both Scratch and Rahzel (how could it get any better?!!!??!), but no Malik B. (which sucks, but they still throw it up). The songs "100% Dundee" and "Step into the Realm" are legends as studio tracks, but just blew me away when I heard the live versions. Rahzel's singing on "Silent Treatment" made Black Thought say "Y'all sound drunk", which is good for a laugh at the start of a mellow track. Scratch's scratching on "100% Dundee" made me gape and start saying things I can't say in this Amazon review out loud (and make a lot of people stare at me, too). Leonard's bass just rocked the show on Black Thought's completely random "James Brown outburst" (as ?uestlove put it) on "Adrenaline!". Kamal and ?uestlove go crazy with their instruments on "Essaywhuman?!!!??!" (which, sadly, lacks a horn). No matter how good the live performances are, though, you should listen to the originals first so you can appreciate how amazing these songs are.

And for the final two studio tracks, make sure you listen to "The Lesson, Pt III (It's Over Now)" with Dice Raw, as that track, while short, is amazing. This album is one of those you can listen to at any time and find a song to fit your mood. If you don't love it, you are either extremely biased or need to get an appreciation for music.

PS: Guess where I got Malik in the U-Haul truck from and I'll give you a cookie.