so let me get to answering...

>My question is now that 'kast
>will probably debut 1 or
>2 and will probably scan
>(my prediction) somewhere around 300,000
>- 400,000......maybe even more in
>their first week, how will
>that affect ?uest and Thought
>when preparing their next album?

it shouldn't....the guys know the formula for making quality music....just stick to the plan and don't worry about what the next man is doing...

>Will The Roots "push the envelope"
>with some next level shit?

well ?uest has already gone on record saying that he's trying to push that mofo...

> If they do try
>and push the envelope and
>miss....what would happen to their
>core fanbase?

win some/lose some...hopefully they'll gain more than they'll lose though...then you'll have heads (like some of the one who post to this very site) who will buy it anyways just cuz it's The Roots...the core will remain and if they do miss, then they better have some *bangin'* remixes/b-sides...

>Will Thought expand beyond the braggadocio
>hip-hop style that he's mastered
>to this point? Will
>he sing a little, will
>he let the people finally
>see the how talented he
>really is?

you're talking about Thought's solo right?...my guess?....he'll continue to do what he's known for...I don't see him doing any "Umi Says" type jawns tho'...me personally, I'm just lookin' to hear his flow over some other production (JayDee, Hi-Tek, Primo, RZA(?))...also, it wouldn't hurt to have Jigga on the LP...that's an extra hunnid thou right chea....

>Will ?uest leverage some of the
>relationships he's fostered and have
>a Roots album with D'Angelo,
>Zach, Lenny, Macy, Jill?

is this gonna be a double album?..that's the only way I can see everybody being satisfied...there's SO much The Roots can do, but I don't see it all happening on one album, honestly.

>Will the Roots switch up the
>tempo and give us a
>BOB type of song? Or
>will it be the same
>formula?

well I see each LP as different...so naturally they *should* switch up the tempo...I have no idea what to expect...just like before...but that's a good thing.

>Will ?uest deliver some of that
>extraordinary shit that he gave
>Common and D'Angelo?

yeah...but he better be prepared for the backlash...just like some folks didn't like "Voodoo" and "LWFC", you can't please everyone...

>Which Roots will we see on
>this album? the almost
>hardcore hip hop Illadelph halflife
>version (my favorite)? the
>laid back experimental DYWM version?
>or the hybrid TFA version?

I think it'll be a version we have yet to see...personally I'll be let down if they went back to an older formula...change that shit up, you're forerunners in your craft....anybody can put together a mediocre album...The Roots are better than that.

>I, for one hope Outkasts success
>shows the fellas that its
>alright to grow and expand
>and try new shit. I
>hope Thought and ?uest make
>use of their immediate family
>(Jaguar, Jill, Jazzees,James Poyser, Scott
>Storch), their extended family (Mos,
>Common, Talib, Dead Prez, D'
>Ang, Badu...etc) and add some
>new folks to the mix
>(Lenny Kravitz, Zach, some Jazz
>cats, some Rock cats, some
>folk cats).

Like I said, all that sounds good, I just don't see it ALL happening on ONE album ((double album???))

I can dream can't I?

_____________________________
PLUG OF THE MONTH:
Starli {fellow DPS member and good friend}:
http://geocities.com/junebugs_sister/thoughts.htm