Peace to all the Roots fans showing love to the Best of the Roots mixtape. I'm up on here now to chop it up with the roots fans about the mixtape and answer any questions folks might have about the tracklisting or choices behind the joint. Hit me up! - J.Period

but the tracklisting looks nasty.

so how'd you get thought to freestyle? or whose idea was that?
i thought he stopped freestylin' a while back.
maybe i'm wrong though.

thanks.

peace.

>but the tracklisting looks nasty.
>
>so how'd you get thought to freestyle? or whose idea was that?
>
>i thought he stopped freestylin' a while back.
>maybe i'm wrong though.
>
>thanks.
>
>peace.

Thought and I had been building on doing a project together since I dropped the Lauryn Hill mixtape last year... We both wanted to get in the studio and do some freestyles/exclusives and the new album was a good reason. We also talked about doing a Vol.2 which would contain more freestyles... so be on the lookout for that down the road...

Would vol. 2 be a straight up Thought mixtape or Roots again?

...my only issue with it is in the exclusives Black Thought doesn't seem to be mixed in very well. I can't make out a lot of his lyrics to the new shit you recorded with him because it seems like he's a little too far back in the mix and his vocals are noisy or something.

See "Streets of Philly" for an example. "Thought is Like" too.

Also, is Break You Off f. D'Angelo overmodulating like crazy or is it me?

>...my only issue with it is in the exclusives Black Thought
>doesn't seem to be mixed in very well. I can't make out a lot
>of his lyrics to the new shit you recorded with him because it
>seems like he's a little too far back in the mix and his
>vocals are noisy or something.
>
>See "Streets of Philly" for an example. "Thought is Like"
>too.
>
>Also, is Break You Off f. D'Angelo overmodulating like crazy
>or is it me?

I feel this and believe it or not, I agree! The project had already been mastered by the time I caught that (that's the prob with having to flip the mixtape in a *very short* amount of time). Both of these errors are currently being corrected for the second round of pressing... welcome to the mixtape game. As for D'Angelo track, it was something I noticed but every version of that remix I found sounded the same and the track was too good to leave out...

hxxp://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=download&ufid=B815592B3A69DEB6

or was this strictly your project.

oh yeah, keep up the good work...really enjoyed your best of big daddy kane mixtape too.

>or was this strictly your project.
>
>oh yeah, keep up the good work...really enjoyed your best of
>big daddy kane mixtape too.

I think because I have a track record with the Nas, Kane, Lauryn Hill or Isley Brothers "Best of"s, they trusted me and gave me the freedom to flip it how I saw fit, but they were definitely involved the whole way thru.

shit is str8 fire. after hearing it, i copped ur lauryn hill and isley brothers mixes. im sure i have questions, but i need the cd in front of me, and im at work. so ill be back later...

______________________________

R.I.P. - The Curse

Let's hug it out bitch
www.lhiob.com

1918-2004

Second, they gave up a whopping 130 points per game, a record that will never be broken unless they merge the NBA and WNBA some day. ---Bill Simmons on

do a Big L mix.

i just gotta say thanks for this and all the effort u put into making the mixtape great!

...just checked your website to see what i've been missing, and trust, i must do some catch up, 'cause from the samples, had a brother cheezing. looking forward to hear the roots mixtape, waiting patiently, and will be ordering from u two!
!luv


True rebels after all, are as rare as true lovers,and in both cases, to mistake a fever for passion can destroy one's life@james baldwin

to take this mix CD out the packaging when I get the Game Theory pack in the mail. One question:

1.) Is Pity the Child (which also appears on the Japanese import version of Game Theory) on the mixtape? Allhiphop.com's review mentions Pity the Child, but it doesn't appear on the tracklisting?

Good look on the mixtape. I'm looking forward to it.

Black Thought spit his "Pity the Child" verse over the "Come Together" beat I produced but the original does not appear on the mixtape...

as is the 'streets of philly' beat

Greetings
Why are there not more featured songs from Game theory?
Let me explain: as a best of the Roots CD are Music and Feel Right the only two that fit the title? Or did you decide that those are just samples from the new album(which has been credited as their darkest/best in some circles)?
Overall I am as impressed as I was w' Best of lauryn Hill if not more, since I am about The Roots since 94'- 95', I actually will have two copies after the pre order.

Oh and cheers for the info @ Paul Robeson in Brooklyn learned alot
Ohh Oh yeah how come Break you off was so short? DJ Ameldabee did the same thing on Soul of D'Angelo and I was sooo Bummed!
Peace and Passion
Strongest Closer in the Game!

"The Weak Survive & The Strong Evolve!"

www.myspace.com/DreadPiraTey

in two weeks.

Only included a couple Game Theory tracks because it was supposed to be a teaser for the album... but it's always a tough call. For me the focus on this was really in trying to show all sides and dimensions of The Roots in a short timespan so a lot of tough calls had to be made, some favorites of mine I had to cut for lack of time... Max CD time is 80 minutes, so inevitably, some things either have to get cut short or cut off. You just try to put enough of a song so you can vibe to it before moving on to the next one....

_____________________________________________________________
does anyone have 'The Phat Kat Discography'? hit up my inbox if so

i was just thinking that EXACT same thing before. i was thinkin that BT should flow over TROY and It's All Real by Pitch Black (DJ Premier Prod)

damn.. someone needs to make this happen

We'll see if we can't make that happen... maybe CL can drop a new verse too cuz I'm working with him on the next joint!

make it so (C) picard

I like that. Will the song on Black Thought's myspace page "Please Don't Go" be on the Vol. 2. That song is tight. A good summer song too bad it isn't on Game Theory I'm disappointed.

Peace

cd players? turntables? pro tools?

I learned to spin with wax, so that's my first love, but these days you have to be versatile... I use Wax, Serrato, Turntables, CDJs... different tools for different jobs. For production I use an MPC 1000 + 2000XL, Korg Triton extreme

or werent able to be used? dude is a monster so i know that his choice of tracks was calculated. did that shit have to stay somewhat in the realms of def jam or anything? peace

I had a few other instrumentals set aside, but we were on a tight schedule so we could only rock with the ones we used. I chose all the beats based on what I thought his flow and voice would sound good on... the leftovers will definitely get used for Vol. 2!

i really wanna hear more of that zion i/black thought combo

>i really wanna hear more of that zion i/black thought combo

For me it was about putting emcees together that share a vibe and a style... and flipping a combination you *should* have heard before, but haven't. No one ever heard Black Thought and Rakim on a track, or Nas, or Big L, or Busta, or Q-Tip... but if you think about it, all of these are combo's that would have been dope... so I just make em happen myself. As for Zion I, point blank Zion I is one of the illest emcees out there, and also a righteous emcee, a cat who puts substance and spirit into his lyrics... so it felt like a good fit for a track with a powerful and positive message. Kardinal Offishal is another example of a crazy dope emcee who only gets limited shine (probably cuz he's from Canada), who felt like a good fit. He can flip and hip hop or dancehall style, which fit well with the vibe of "Push Up Ya Lighter." Lastly, Def Poet Mayda Del Valle is just sick wit it and is one of the only peeps I know who loves hip hop as much as I do... so she was a perfect fit for "Love of My Life."

was there anyone you wanted who you couldn't get on a track? Ever thought about featuring imani (pharcyde) or boots (the coup)?
I first heard of Mayda Del Valle in May when I saw her. She's off the hook. Great job!
The Zion I track is ill.


rimshot, smooth clack, thought black, bass kick, beat box, guitar shocks, step back, truth told, truth hold, philly soul, real good, roots rhythm
grab my heart and take hold
you take us back to a time when music still sounded like gold
live shows that had us pushin up lighters
and left us wanting more
hip hop from the source
heartfelt like a ?uest for your first love
see music's always soothed me but y'all take me back to meeting him
beats so heavy i tripped on my tongue, rewind
skipped back to the first verse so i could catch his last line
smile wide like sunset cause his style was refined
i'd hang on the edge of every cipher i'd find
hoping he'd pass me the mic
and to this day i still need to listen to him
make love to his heartbeat and drum line
every time that i write cause my poems need to pour
so i clutch at his inspiration with a tight fist
till my fingers are sore
and he knows me
seen me grow up from 13 till times maybe a bit more mature
still moves me still soothes me
familiar like a old groove
yet everything he do is still new to to me
cause he sounds so nice
yeah he sounds so nice

hip hop is the love of my life.

I just showed Mayda that someone took the time to transcribe her poem and she was hype! Big up

Where can i cop some of Mayda's stuff? i couldn't find her website/myspace (fuck myspace by the way). anyone know if she has a tour schedule? I saw her last year at Evergreen college in Washington. She opened for Saul Williams and i gotto give her props for killing the mic better than him (not to say he didn't rock it)...

Thanks!

was there anyone you wanted but couldn't get?

(would have been tight to have had jay-z make a real appearance)

on the Big Daddy Kane mixtape. that was incredibly dope

but i was just at triple 5 soul and i heard the freestyle over the PSA beat. fire.

lookin forward to it.

they are giving at away for free at various websites (hhs, sandbox) but i'm not going to order game theory from the us cause i want the uk version w/ bread & butter (hello truck!).

i'd still like to hear the mixtape though. thanks.

>they are giving at away for free at various websites (hhs, sandbox)

there aren't giving it away for free at those sites
although it is included with the Game Theory pre-order bundle

cd would prolly cost $15 and the t-shirt prolly $5 so it's basically free. plus, they overcharging us with the cd prices in europe anyway.

cheap us price $9.99
cheap eu price €14.99 ($17-18)

loved the mixtape...are u gunna be working on any production?

yes be on the lookout for that...! For now, you can find some of my production on the Best of Lauryn Hill, Isley Brothers and Roots mixtapes... Some white labels of my remixes on all those are also coming soon hopefully...

im amazed you got ANYTHING outta riq for this time period.
simply cause i know he was going on about 3 hours sleep 9 nights in a row.
he sounds raw and tired on it. but he really a trooper on that shit yo.

agreed... but tried to make the best of it! he already asked if we can do round 2 - i'm down... next time we're doing that breakbeat routine... i had it all mapped out too when i came to philly!

I see you have a Lauryn Hill vinyl piece available. Any chance for this on vinyl??

yeah there will be a limited run of wax availble with some of the freestyles / remixes from the mixtape... coming soon....

(talking bout the lauryn one). i can't wait til i get the roots joint.

Thought is Like is my new favorite song, he fit that beat perfectly


peace!

put that man on any kind of beat and watch him kill it. one of the things i hope from the mixtape is that when you put thought verses back to back to back, headz will start to recognize that he really is one of the illest of all time....

Secondly both of your Lauryn Hill mixtapes stay in the whip 24/7

and After your finished the CL smooth and Roots vol2. what can we expect next??

maybe you should do a tape with BootCampClik,Wu Tang Clan,Tragedy Khadafi,Gillie Da Kid or Masta Ace??

maybe....!!??!!??!!!

Where can we order other J.Period mixtapes?

All my joints are available at: www.jperiod.com/store.html

What else do you have in the works? Can we get a Dilla mixtape w/ the proceeds going to his Moms?
______________________________

R.I.P. - The Curse

Let's hug it out bitch
www.lhiob.com

1918-2004

Second, they gave up a whopping 130 points per game, a record that will never be broken unless they merge the NBA and WNBA some day. ---Bill Simmons on

This mixtape really rocks (got it on mp3), can't wait to get it on CD with my Game Theory bundle. I'd like to ask what beat is used for background music in the Influences / Native Tongue Interlude? It starts about 00:20 when Thought says "Later on...". I know I've heard it but I just can't remember what's it from, but it's really good. Keep up with works like this one, cause it is really impressive. Especially for me, cause I'm making my first mixtape at the moment :D

yup, that's it. thnx!

All my joints are available at: www.jperiod.com/store.html

Thx for the support!

...was fuckin dope. is there a full version of that song floating around somewhere? homies and i were rollin around in the car and some of these fools went bananas after they heard the apache drop!

I can post a full version of that if headz like... need a few days but I'll get it up...

ah word up!

a full version of my new favorite song? you mean to say that my new favorite song is even longer than i had thought? damn, all i gotta say is THANK YOU JPERIOD, THANK YOU

just had to say that the Lauryn Hill mixtapes are sooo good. I was amped for weeks when I first got hold of it...so thanks...so i´m sure the roots one is dope

I got the mixtape and I'm putting that shit on blast! Great job J.Period! :)

I just copped the lauryn hill mixtape. all i can say is holy shit. j. period, you make some incredible music. both the roots and both lauryn hill joints knock harder than ll. shit.

J. Period, when and where will the second pressing with better audio quality be available? I stopped listening to my copy because Black Thought is so hard to understand on the exclusives.

...and how would we know the difference just by looking at the cd cover, knaamean? cuz i'd be willing to cop another copy, but i'm not tryin to be surprised, finding out that i just bought another copy of the same version i already had...

Sorry for the delayed response... been runnin... Sorry to hear you're not happy with the CD. The truth is, the only joints that I felt needed replacing are "Thought is Like" and "Streets of Philly," both of which should be swapped out starting with next week's batch... I will post them when they are done.

Can't believe I got this free from Okayplayer. Worth the price of admission alone. I'ma look around and see what else you have to over.

got the Lauryn Hill, Nas, Isley Bros, Dancehall and In the Trunk cds. Anything worth doing is worth overdoing I guess.

That's good for at least six months of enjoyment! thanks for the love!

What's the track used for the beat on that song? Ghostface and Big L sound sick over that.

all and i mean ALL of your remixes were on point man.

good job
________________________________________
return to your home citizens

madagascar titties- (c) phontiggalo the rap jiggalo

I would never, ever hit a woman....but i'll beat a bitch (c) wifey

http://www.myspace.com/iltigo

Seeing your website is dangerous, there are many things on there I can't wait to order. I love CL Smooth, so the freestyle one is a must.
Thanks so much for reinventing some already great material.
I'm blasting the new CD at work right now, people keep looking in my office, trying to see where the beats are coming from. They all want to say thanks, you've brightened our day.

this cd has been circulating in my office all week - as a matter of fact, i better go track it down so some fool in human resourses dont play the five finger discount!

I think the joint I am most proud of on the Roots CD is "Come Together," both cuz I have always thought Black Thought & Zion I would be a dope combo, and also cuz I love the idea of bringing back hip hop that is about something, and has a positive message. A lot of people have responded to that track, too, which is dope.

fucking love it. i popped it in the car, and i felt like i was listening to the hottest new shit ever. like even though some of these songs are almost 10 years old, it felt soo fresh. and the exclusives, damn, those are tight as hell. i would kill for a full version of streets of philly.

very well done sir. keep it up.

working on a full version of that, but I think we need to re-record the vocals, cuz for the mixtape version we were kind rushed....

when the tracks started i felt all the energy and hard work that wnet into the project.

i put up a post showing the mixtape love.

i like the interludes from some of teh artist

my fav was the one of thought talking about pun another mc greatly under appreciated

so thanks man loved the cd

Listened to it from beginning to end today. Love it. Nuf said :)

I was bumpin your CD last night while I had about 6-8 people over after clubbin...

I swear three times between songs 43 and 50 everyone stopped talking just to listen.

That's a very, VERY good sign.

Personally, I love it. Well done.