{"product_id":"roots-the-things-fall-apart","title":"Roots, The - Things Fall Apart","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e2xLP BLACK VINYL\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne of the cornerstone albums of alternative rap's second wave, Things Fall Apart was the point where the Roots' tremendous potential finally coalesced into a structured album that maintained its focus from top to bottom. If the group sacrifices a little of the unpredictability of its jam sessions, the resulting consistency more than makes up for it, since the record flows from track to track so effortlessly. Taking its title from the Chinua Achebe novel credited with revitalizing African fiction, Things Fall Apart announces its ambition right upfront, and reinforces it in the opening sound collage. Dialogue sampled from Spike Lee's Mo' Better Blues implies a comparison to abstract modern jazz that lost its audience, and there's another quote about hip-hop records being treated as disposable, that they aren't maximized as product or as art. That's the framework in which the album operates, and while there's a definite unity counteracting the second observation, the artistic ambition actually helped gain the Roots a whole new audience (\"coffeehouse chicks and white dudes,\" as Common puts it in the liner notes). The backing tracks are jazzy and reflective, filled with subtly unpredictable instrumental lines, and the band also shows a strong affinity for the neo-soul movement, which they actually had a hand in kick-starting via their supporting work on Erykah Badu's Baduizm. Badu returns the favor by guesting on the album's breakthrough single, \"You Got Me,\" an involved love story that also features a rap from Eve, co-writing from Jill Scott, and an unexpected drum'n'bass breakbeat in the outro. Other notables include Mos Def on the playful old-school rhymefest \"Double Trouble,\" Slum Village superproducer Jay Dee on \"Dynamite!,\" and Philly native DJ Jazzy Jeff on \"The Next Movement.\" But the real stars are Black Thought and Malik B, who drop such consistently nimble rhymes throughout the record that picking highlights is extremely difficult. Along with works by Lauryn Hill, Common, and Black Star, Things Fall Apart is essential listening for anyone interested in the new breed of mainstream conscious rap.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA1        Act Won (Things Fall Apart)\u003cbr\u003eA2        Table Of Content (Parts 1 \u0026amp; 2)\u003cbr\u003eA3        The Next Movement\u003cbr\u003eA4        Step Into The Relm\u003cbr\u003eA5        The Spark\u003cbr\u003eB1        Dynamite!\u003cbr\u003eB2        Without A Doubt\u003cbr\u003eB3        Ain't Saying Nothin' New\u003cbr\u003eB4        Double Trouble\u003cbr\u003eC1        Act Too (The Love Of My Life)\u003cbr\u003eC2        100% Dundee\u003cbr\u003eC3        Diedre Vs. Dice\u003cbr\u003eC4        Adrenaline!\u003cbr\u003eC5        3rd Acts: ? Vs. Scratch 2...Electric Boogaloo\u003cbr\u003eD1        You Got Me\u003cbr\u003eD2        Don't See Us\u003cbr\u003eD3        The Return To Innocence Lost\u003cbr\u003eD4        Act Fore... The End?   \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Analog Record Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45198137032904,"sku":null,"price":44.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0348\/8505\/files\/71XVGhIiKVL._SL1200.jpg?v=1787342342","url":"https:\/\/www.analogrecordshop.com\/products\/roots-the-things-fall-apart","provider":"Analog Record Shop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}