"illadelph halflife popped up in my ipod rotation and.." Fri Nov-09-12 07:59 PM by Kirk Baker
it blew me the f*ck away.. i have heard this album many many times before.. but i don't think i was old or mature enough to appreciate it.. i liked the rhymes, the beats.. but there was something i did not recognize before which comes screaming through the speakers now... the soouuulllll... this album is real legit magnificent hip hop at its best.. as i was rocking the f*ck out it occurred to me that today's hip hop is lacking something.. its got the rhymes, the beats, sure... but where is the soul? where is that realism? where is that spirit? to be honest with you... i think Jay Z brought attention to the roots because he knew.. that real hip hop was going to die.. and died it has.. and the man himself is partly responsible lol... today's hip hop is too much about flexing your money.. and very little to do with flexing your soul.. or at least.. it has become minimal... if illadelph halflife proves anything.. its that hip hop today.. is not hip hop anymore.. its a product. nothing more.
this album made me fall in love with hip hop again. to someone like me that is huge and profound and i'm grateful b.
intangible variable is the perfect way to describe it.. i was struggling to come up with the words and that nails it.. ultimately because something intangible is the immaterial, and even the ancient man pursued the enlightenment of the immaterial.. mind blowin.
Dj Joey Joe Member since Sep 01st 2007 13770 posts
Sat Nov-10-12 12:35 AM
5. "The Roots Did That Album Out Of Love, Respect, & Proof" In response to Reply # 0
What do I mean by "Love", "Respect", & "Proof"...
...the love for hip-hop and not just in it for the money, the respect of not just being a hip-hop band but a rap group with real lyricists, and proof that they could make a banging album on the lines of something Wu-Tang would make instead of being labeled as clones of ATCQ or Digable Planets...("Clones" get it, lol).
--------- "We in here talking about later career Prince records & your fool ass is cruising around in a time machine trying to collect props for a couple of sociopathic degenerates" - s.blak
10. "Still love this album, probably my #4" In response to Reply # 0
My roommate throughout college who I introduced The Roots to our first semester of freshmen year w/ Game Theory (which had just dropped), who now refers to them as his "favorite" artist, claims Illadelph as his favorite Roots album. Definitely their most straight hip hop album (whatever that means). Even with it being one of their longest albums there are very few weak moments. I think this is the album where Thought and Malik are closest in the race to who the best emcee in The Roots was.
But yeah, my #4 for sure behind Game Theory, Things Fall Apart and HIGO. I could even put this ahead of HIGO depending on what kind of mood I'm in.
13. "Cool cool, the entire Roots discog" In response to Reply # 10
is dope as hell. Honestly, even though I'm a fan I feel like I been sleeping on re-listens.. have really been enjoying The Roots as of late.. excited to rediscover it all afresh..
15. "I brought that album back out recently as well..." In response to Reply # 0 Wed Nov-14-12 08:03 PM by Anonymous
I've said for a long time now, Game Theory is their best, Things Fall Apart is their classic, and Illadelph is my favorite.
But about a year or two ago, I started to lean towards TFA as my favorite as well because Illadelph just seemed dark and I started to never reach for it.
When I broke Illadelph back out, it reconfirmed it for me, Illadelph was definitely back on top.
That album was always one of my favorite albums since the day it dropped.
Thought and Malik were up there with Kast as my favorite duos.
Thought went crazy on that album and it was because of that album, that Thought was my favorite MC throughout high school and has stayed in my top 5 to this day.
The album fit right in with the rest of 1996 as far as the sound.
Overall I wish they would NEVER put Ursala on their albums because she is a terrible spoken word artist who writes to see how many times she can incorporate the words "dick" and "pussy" into her pieces but that is really the only downfall on the album.
Respond/React is a helluva opener Section is in my top 5 Roots joints of all time Panic is classic It Just Don't Stop is Malik at his best Episodes is ill Thought goes nuts on Push Up Ya Lighter What They Do is a favorite Concerto and Clones are pure hip-hop UNIverse is the start of a great collaborating partnership with Com No Alibi is one of Thoughts finest moments No Great Pretender is again Malik at his best Hypnotic is not as good as Silent Treatment or You Got Me but still a dope love joint Ital is a dope back and forth joint with a hip-hop legend One Shine I could do without but still a decent closer
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