Make a straight up hip hop album that bangs. Period. I've been down with the Roots since Do You Want More and it appears that the straight up hip hop vibe of the early albums is not at the forefront any more. I'm not in the industry-I'm just a student of hip hop-so i'm not privy to the behind the scene goings on of creating these records. I just know what I like, and it sounds like yall tryin too hard. I'm a fan first and foremost and NOBODY just rips the mic anymore-NOBODY!! Everybody's got a back story, a platform, or an agenda but nobody just rips the mic...except Black Thought! Riq is about the only pure mc left out there and I think the Roots' "sound" is what's holding yall back. Shit-if yall was to come out on some rip the mic, dope beat steez, it'd be considered a new retro movement! Best albums of the year to me have been the Game's and the Clipse's. Why? Bangin beats and straight up rhyming. And yeah, both those acts have 'agendas' but at the end of the day, it's all about the beats and all about the rhymes. Period.