I feel like Malik never got the respect he deserved on the mic.
When Illadelph dropped, Thought was my favorite MC period, and Malik went toe to toe with him better than anyone could. Dare I say, even better than Big Boi did with 3000?
Always loved what he brought to The Roots and a key reason for me why Game Theory is right there with IH and TFA because with him in the group, even as just a guest role it just seemed more complete.
No Great Pretender and The Spark were always two of my favorites.
He will definitely be missed and I hope the fellas have a few verses in the vaults that they can maybe use to recreate what I felt could’ve been one of the best duo of MCs of all time.
Dj Joey Joe Member since Sep 01st 2007 13770 posts
Wed Jul-29-20 09:55 PM
24. "Damn Rest In Power To Malik Abdul Basit AKA Malik B. AKA M-Illatant" In response to Reply # 0
Damn damn damn, 2020 is claiming way too many musical lives mayne, that shit needs to stop; I can't believe that Malik B. is gone, I was so hoping for him & The Roots to link back up and do another album with him featured on a few songs, damn.
--------- "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
The Roots are so important to me, as a music fan but also as a person. The bands brand of nerdery, tinged with sophistication and streetness matched the version of myself that I wanted to be as a young man.
Malik was a key part of that. He seemed to reveal more of himself and his inner world than Thought. At times I didn't connect but on songs like The Spark, his words soothed me in the way that the presence of someone with a shared outlook on life soothes.
May he rest in peace and his family find support in their grief.
32. "RIP. Legit bummed out " In response to Reply # 0
Never forget my reaction to hearing Malik come in on Game Theory. That’s been one of those “remember exactly where I was and how I felt” moments ever since.
Do You Want More, Illadelph, and TFA is a flawless run of albums to me(as good as any 3 album run as any) and Malik was a HUGE part of that. The Roots had two elite MCs back then, and they complimented each other perfectly.
Best wishes and prayers to his family and may his soul find peace in the afterlife.
Everybody's got opinions on the way you're living but see they can't fill your shoes... Life is made of half-illusions... forty percent confusion, whatever's left I'm using... to keep myself from losing, yeah.
42. "This was nice. I've honestly never heard him interviewed" In response to Reply # 0
The DYNM, Illadelph, TFA era is by FAR my favorite Roots run. I haven't even listened to an album in full since Tipping Point.
Wonder when in 2019 this was filmed b/c he was like the ONE person who didn't come out during the TFA performance at Roots Picnic last year and I...it woulda been nice to see him.
51. "Dope article. Thank you again for sharing." In response to Reply # 49
> His flow was nimble. He stretched syl-a-balles. He was jazzy without being happy go lucky. He made Black Thought work for every prop he would later be showered with around the world.
Damn.
That Malik B / Mr Green album is pretty solid too. I'm mad I never knew about it till his passing.
4 of my top 5 albums by The Roots have Malik on them. Him and Tariq complimented each other like Pos & Dave, André & Big Boi, Pharoahe & Prince Po. He will be missed.
****************************************** Falcons, Braves, Bulldogs and Hawks
"On July 29th with lost a #Philly legend Malik B. I haven't seen much written about him so peep this piece I wrote & bang out to my "M-the-Illitant" #mixtape!" - @KilApt5B on twitter ---
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