In anticipation of the December 6th release of their first-ever concept album, The Roots has announced that its first single off undun will be titled “Make My” featuring Big K.R.I.T. The cut will impact iTunes on November 1st.
Additionally, the group revealed that the album is a re-telling of Redford Stephens, illustrating “the intersection of free will and prescribed destiny as it plays out ‘on the corner.’ Utilizing a reverse narrative arc, the album begins as the listener finds Redford disoriented–postmortem–and attempting to make sense of his former life. As he moves through its pivotal moments he begins to deconstruct all that has led to his (and our own) coming undun.”
“At this point in our career we’d like for our work to have a unifying theme, and an experiential quality,” said Ahmir “?uestlove” Thompson in a press release. “We’ve been intentionally making our albums shorter in length so that they can be experienced as a continuous work. The music is band-oriented with an eye on the moody cinematic. As a DJ, I am the King of playlists, but I don’t want our albums to feel like a playlist or a mixtape for that matter. We want to tell stories that work within the album format and we want the stories to be nuanced and useful to people. undun is the story of this kid who becomes criminal, but he wasn’t born criminal. He’s not the nouveau exotic primitive bug-eyed gunrunner like Tupac’s character Bishop in “Juice”… he’s actually thoughtful and is neither victim nor hero. Just some kid who begins to order his world in a way that makes the most sense to him at a given moment… At the end of the day… isn’t that what we all do?”
[October 17]
UPDATE: The final tracklist for The Roots’ undun has been revealed.
1. The Un
2. Sleep
3. Make My 
(Feat. Big K.R.I.T.)
4. One Time (Feat. Phonte and Dice Raw)
5. Kool On (Feat. P.O.R.N.)
6. The Other Side
7. Stomp (Feat. P.O.R.N.)
8. Lighthouse
9. I Remember
10. Tip The Scale (Feat. Dice Raw)
11. Redford (For Yia Yia & Pappou)
12. Possibility
13. Will To Power
14. Finality
[November 10]
UPDATE #2: The Roots’ undun has been made available for streaming via NPR. Listen to the full album below.
RELATED: The Roots Announce Release Date For First-Ever Concept Album “UNDUN”
i fdon’t think they will ever leap frog outkast, public enemy or tribe on my all tiem list, but they are still one of my favorites. def buyin this first day
how i got over=Classic
I know somebody may try to internet scold me for saying this, but I actually have them above Public Enemy as far as the MUSIC is concerned. PE probably made a bigger impact because of the content of their songs.
I’m a little biased since I’m from Philly, but I got them right up there OutKast, ATCQ and Wu-Tang as far as groups. The Roots are respected WORLDWIDE. Cant wait to hear the new album…
I love Tribe and Gang Starr..Wu, ect..but The Roots are the best Hip Hop group of all time..I don’t think there’s a lot of room for arguement there. That’s my opinion. I got Black Thought as number 1 as far as emcee rankings of all time. A lot of people agree with me too, including Q-tip. Are The Roots my favorite group? idk..maybe but I still acknowledge their probably the best, when it comes to the music and performing..
“Do You Want More!?”
“Illedelph HalfLife”
“Rising Down”
‘Things Fall Apart”
“How I got over” was one of the best albums of the year, if not, the best.
^^^
the only reason i said that is because the roots don’t have those timeless songs. they got alot of heaters but not on the those definative/undisputable classcs like Fight the Power, BOB/Electric Relaxation, shut Em Down, etc
^^
i definitely would like to add “Game Theory” to that list. all Roots classics far as i’m concerned.
^^^Anonymous… You have a point there about the Roots not having many definitive, classic songs… If you think about it, their most popular and/or classic songs are probably “Proceed”, “U Got Me” & “What They Do”.
But they have several classic ALBUMS so I think it puts them up there…
People should never get It twisted, ATCQ are the greatest hip hop group. They have classics that stay on your mp3 playes, never to be removed. The Roots have alot of hit and miss stuff that like someone above me said is great for some time and then…………
no way the roots are the greatest group of all time. just the fact that they are an actual “band” that plays hip hop. which is obviously very hard to do. think how many hip hop bands there are. and Black thought is probably one of the most technically sound emcees (my personal favourite). i love ATCQ, outkast and all those groups but the roots are way above
I am with you Mu….the body of work by The Roots puts them in a class few hip hop artists / groups belong in. The only artist I know that consistently dropped quality, like The Roots, is Jay-Z (all the way up to the Black Album).
yeah i think the vroots have surpassed the likes of public enemy and epmd, so have little Brother too
Tribe…? The body of work as someone else had previously stated is what puts the Roots far away the best.. I don’t even think it’s a arguement. PE made a bigger impact in the movement/transistion of Hip Hop…A’la Run/Dmc…butI don’t believe that is what is being argued here. And I don’t think you can evaluate the “commerical success” of certain songs that stand out over time when you discuss whose at the top of the list. To me, it’s about the body of work, and how the albums on the “total” level deliver. The Roots have consistently have broken ground on “newness”. I mean think about it, how many songs throughout all their years have made radio play….I personally think that is a plus to real hip hop.
Please never stop making music. You’re all I have left!!!!!!!!!!!!
bit krit? man this sounds like something pretty different. I’m waiting for this! I’m always gonna buy roots albums though.
REAL TALK
Big KRIT is on the best song on the album Make My
Personally I think “Kool On” is the best song on the album
wow only 10 tracks? damn..im sure it’ll be good though
Put every Roots album on the iPod starting with Organix. Hit Shuffle, endless hours of great music with no fillers
^^^#FACT
^^^so fuking true
bout friggin time someone said it
The Roots and Outkast i bet fifty cent will never beef with them at all black thought will have a field day destroying 50 cent so will 3 stacks
50 would beef with this to gain……?
this guy deserves millions not lil wayne
there goes the obsessive lil wayne comment from an obsessed ass nigga
@Anonymous
I don’t like Wayne but you couldn’t be more right, it’s really unnecessary.
thought already been done had millions. just don’t talk bout it as much. that all.
I am so psyched by this! I hate that hip hop has distanced itself from storytelling:
http://sisterescape.blogspot.com/2011/10/getting-back-to-our-roots.html
14 Tracks is not usual these Days for an Album – NICE ! I got all ROOTS Albums & saw them LIVE 4 times !
A musical masterpiece. I fully expect the Roots to win a Grammy for this album.
By the way, here is the real order:
1. Illadelph
2. Do You Want More
3. How I Got Over
4. Things Fall Apart
Things fall apart
how i got over
illadelph
game theory
tipping point
yall sleepin on the tipping point
Personally I think Undun is better than Tipping Point
I’ve only heard the two tracks they have released so far, but this has album of the year written all over it
The fact that How I Got Over lost to Eminem’s Recovery last year says a lot about who is on the Grammy Award’s committee. I think the Grammy’s will realize their mistake and give it to the Roots for undun. I expect this to be EPIC!
STFU Recovery was better than that shit, I bet you’re the “it’s better than everything mainstream because it’s different” type of nigga. EAT A DICK AND GET OUT YA MOMS BASEMENT
This cat above me needs to put the pipe down. On what planet was Recovery better than How I got Over. I am a fan of both albums but (imo) How I Got Over is all around better. But I guess sales mean everything
agree with ?’s last sentence. cant stand niggas that always gotta go against the grain.
You’re right, How I Got Over was easily the best hip hop album of 2010 for me, Undun sounds sick, but I don’t think this will get the award either I think its just a little below How I Got Over so far, but its still a sick album
Just because it’s mainstream DOESN’T MEAN IT’S BAD, GUYS!
That being said, Recover was mediocre.
How I Got Over was, in fact, the better album.
You can make a good mainstream rap album. Artists like J.Cole, Kendrick Lamar (yes, Kendrick Lamar is mainstream, features on Take Care and Detox and in Windows Phone commercials – again, THAT’S NOT A BAD THING), Common (in about a month’s time – trust me on that one), Kanye West and Drake all put out solid mainstream rap albums in the past year.
However, that does NOT give merit to Recovery’s bland, uninspiring song concepts and the Boi-1da and Jim Jonsin produced nonsense that littered the disc (along with some of the worst productions of Just Blaze’s career).
@ ? and Anon: I didn’t say How I Got Over was better than Recovery because its “mainstream”. I listen to ALL types of hip-hop. I have every fucking album Eminem dropped dumb ass. I said it because it’s a better album.
And I’m in the basement at MY HOUSE. Yall lame ass niggas swear yall know somebody from a single comment on the internet. Fuck off
Cleary How I Got over was the best rap album in 2010 Eminem hasn’t made any good music in years
I think ? and Anon are funny for going at Mu for “going against the grain” or liking something because its different. Its better to be different than to conform with everyone else and become a sheep. People really need to open their minds and think for themselves.
Oh, and How I Got Over was a better Hip-Hop album than Recovery.
I think P.O.R.N. wins the award for most ungooglable artist. This album should be dope though.
follow @RadioRebels radio show tonight with special Tech N9ne interview!
As a gay black male, I’m excited to hear this news. I am a big fan of music like Nas, Public Enemy, Eazy-E, 2pac, Biggie, 90s Jay-Z, ICP, Jedi Mind Tricks, Demigodz, Canibus, K-Rino, UGK, Big KRIT, Blue & Exile, Fashawn, Curren$y, Kid Cudi, pre-Lasers Lupe Fiasco & the Roots. OH my!
whats the relevance of you stating that you are gay? Go suck some dick already!!
there was no relevance in anything he said. just a troll that sucks at trolling
You both should go kill yourselves, douche bags.
nah u should go kill yourself
sounds liek another rising down-good followup to a great album.
root rocks but?uestlove is an asshole for that bachman shit.dat shit was strait childish
Really? That’s what you have to say? Bachman is a bitch. I think it’s dope that they were willing to do something that bold on national TV.
yo yo yo yo,, what happened with that?? I never heard about this? If anyone can fill me in.. Thanks
They played Fishbone – Lyin’ass Bitch on her entrance, It was actually quite funny. Rebublicans like Anon just have no sense of humour.
Wasn’t it also childish that after the VP of programing hand wrote an apology to Bachman she said it wasn’t good enough and would have expected the CEO / President of the station to apologize to her?
To follow that up, she tried starting a political fight with “If it would have been Michelle Obama, or some liberal they did this to….”
It was a fucking song. They didn’t sing the lyrics “you’re a lyin ass bitch”. They played the music.
Get the fuck over it, Mr. Hip Hop Republican.
Is it only me or is everybody else just hearing a beep here?
Album is straight fire. Wow.
This may have single-handedly restored my faith in the potential of hiphop. Still waiting for Jay Electronica to make another mark, would love to see a collab between the two.
http://www.reverbnation.com/Fresh2Deph
Wish Black Thought had more verses. Best rapper ever. Sooo RAaaWW
I will have to agree. I don’t even listen to him that much but I know he is the best alive right now
this is the best thing they have ever released. wow.
now this is real hip hop music, this in my opinion is what should being going platinum in a week, but sadly it would probably never happen. classic album though
ill
Black Thought is slept on. Their best tracks are with him soley.
The Roots keep the classic albums coming.
I can’t stop listening to this album. I normally jack albums through torrents, but after seeing artists like Drake and Wayne moving major units, I feel compelled to start supporting good rap music. I will start with this album. We need to show these A&R’s that watered down, lame rap ain’t the only thing that can sell.
word
The roots are dope their cds are all classics you can buy their albums and Outkast’s cds without having to listen to them to know their good best groups of all time will be copping undun and how i got over was a classic it was slept on hard
Roots = Top 5 Band of all time
this is an instant classic. Black Thought has to be in the top 5 of all time.
Wow, this CD sounds real good man. Can’t wait to cop it
Simply amazing!
How I Got Over was Grammy material, if this doesn’t win one then I don’t know what to say. PURE DOPE! Love the LEGENDARY CREW! Black Thought is the GREATEST OF ALL TIME!
Amazing music. Wish it was double the length… Sheer brilliance distilled.
Great, and will get me a copy.
Wow. Nobody else in hip-hop is coming anywhere close to operating on this level
this album is growing on me more and more, i love it, definitely buying this, i usually download albums too but when it comes to consistent artists like this i know their albums are always going to be worth buying
Wow!! The 5th dynasty crew has done it again!! The only thing is the end is a little strange with the piano and violin. I get the concept but it caught me off guard. Still another burner from the Roots!! Can’t wait to cop it Tuesday.