TAG: The Roots

Jul27

10 Things That Don’t Suck (Summer 2010 Relief)

We’ll admit, it’s felt like a bit of a rough summer. Nevermind the oil spills, record heat and Lebron James, there’s been plenty of downers on the musical landscape as well—EDC, Love Parade, HARD LA. It’s enough to make you want to sit through a 3rd screening of The Last Airbender just to escape it all. But it hasn’t been a completely wasted summer. Some of URB‘s contributors tell us the things that put a smile on their faces.

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Jul19

The Roots + John Legend ft. Common & Melanie Fiona (MP3)

?uesto and Co. Working With John Legend, Booker T, Biz Markie, Amy Winehouse, Mos Def and lots more in Q4 

When The Roots signed on as Jimmy Fallon’s house band last year, we knew they’d be trading a whole lot of air time for a whole lot less time on the road. But one thing no one really anticipated was how much Fallon fallow time would allow ?uestlove and Co. to hti the studio. Not only does the band have their own album, How I Got Over, still in the charts, but they’ve teamed up with John Legend for the upcoming full-length, Wake Up!

[audio:http://thefader.cachefly.net/john-legend-roots-everybody.mp3]
Download: The Roots + John Legend f. Common and Melanie Fiona, “Wake Up Everybody”

Then there’s the session with instrumental R&B legend Booker T., with The …

Jul13

okayplayer Launches okayafrica With Huge Concert in Brooklyn (Video)

This past Sunday, New York City celebrated the official launch of okayafrica.com, a brand new division from the team behind okayplayer. An estimated 20,000 fans came to celebrate their launch with a free concert featuring The Roots, Talib Kweli, Bajah and The Dry Eye Crew, Blitz the Ambassador and the Embassy Ensemble, J Period, DJ Op!, Dhundee and many many more acts who shared the stage at Prospect Park’s annual music and arts festival, Celebrate Brooklyn.

Check the rest of the and photos by King Texas after the jump…

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Jul09

Reef the Lost Cauze: Gloves Off

For some reason, the concept of Philadelphia-rap music makes me feel cold all over(sans the jovially-neon Fresh Prince–though even he departed for sunny Bel-Air). Perhaps it’s the town’s deeply-rooted Protestant work ethic or maybe it’s a manifestation of populist pride against New York City’s glitz, but in a genre that revels in showcasing the ascension from poverty to posh, guys like Freeway, Beanie Sigel and Black Thought have always given off the impression that they’re proud to remain scrappy. Certainly no exception to said-zeitgeist is Reef the Lost Cauze whose latest offering, Fight Music, hears the Philly-MC clawing through producer, Guns-n-Butter’s murky beats with domineering confidence. However, as frosty as Reef’s lyrical right-hooks are, he warmly shines some light upon his hometown as well as things that make him laugh and …

Jun22

Dice Raw – 100 (Remix) ft. Get Right (MP3)

Get Right brings some of that Southwest Philly fire to torch Dice’s new single from his upcoming album, “100″. It’s seems like GR is beginning to make a habit of upstaging his more established peers on the very same track. For those that missed it, hit the jump to find the DL of the original version.

DOWNLOAD: Dice Raw – 100 (Remix) ft. Get Right

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