5 Days of The Roots… Day 5

On this last day of “5 Days of the Roots”, we bring you a special treat. This is a public radio recording of Chuck D and Cornell West interviewing and following The Roots on tour earlier on their career. Despite the critics of those that say Hip-Hop is all about cars, drugs, and money - this is an audio argument to defend your stance on what hip-hop is really about. Its a long listen, so clear some time and hard drive space. As a bonus, here’s a recording of their MTV $2 Bill concert in 2002 and some interviews after the jump…

Hip-Hop 101: The Roots w/ Chuck D and Cornell West

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

The Roots - Live on MTV $2 performance w/ unaired material

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Part 7

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Chuck D & Def Jam - New Knowledge

Chuck D. responds to the cynics of the Hip-Hop industry, PE, and those whose scoffed at his notion of being Def Jam’s president. I do not EVER want to get an argument with him. I just want a signed copy of Fear of a Black Planet. I am even afraid to ask for that. (Via Hip Hop is Read)

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#6 - #10

It sounds like everyone has Jay, Nas, Biggie, Pac, and Rakim in their top 5 MCs lists. And its kinda a given that we will debate their order. So, I have decided to just list my #6 - #10 and make the conversation more interesting. Here they are, and in this order:

#6. Big Daddy Kane - the predecessor to Jay’s style and the flow is untouchable.

#7. Chuck D. - The amount of content in his lyrics and the courage to speak his mind has only been seen in recent days with Rage and Immortal.

#8. Black Thought - Currently, the most versatile MC in the game. The fact that he can do his own flow and mimic Kane and Kool G is just amazing. Check Game Theory if you do not know what I am talking about.

#9. Slick Rick - The original storyteller whose lyrics are timeless. Please check out his slept-on 2nd album, The Ruler’s Back. Moses and Mistake of a Woman in Love with Other Men are classics.

#10. Ghostface - His spit game has improved to where we can’t even understand what he is talking about anymore and now we need him explain his lyrics in interviews to just get it. Plus, the showmanship is 2nd to none.