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Things Fall Apart | 
 enlarge | Artist: The Roots
Label: Mca
Category: Music
List Price: $13.98
Buy New: $9.97
You Save: $4.01 (29%)
New (47) Used (24) from $5.49
Rating:  233 reviews
Sales Rank: 8538
Format: Original Recording Reissued, Explicit Lyrics
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
MPN: 11948
UPC: 008811194826
EAN: 0008811194826
ASIN: B00000I5JL
Release Date: February 23, 1999
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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| Tracks:
| • | Act Won...Things Fall Apart | | • | Table Of Contents (Parts 1 & 2) | | • | The Next Movement (ft. DJ Jazzy Jeff) | | • | Step Into The Realm | | • | The Spark | | • | Dynamite! | | • | Without A Doubt | | • | Ain't Sayin' Nothin' New | | • | Double Trouble | | • | Act Too...The Love Of My Life | | • | 100% Dundee | | • | Diedre Vs. Dice | | • | Adrenaline | | • | 3rd Act: ? Vs. Scratch 2...Electric Boogaloo | | • | You Got Me | | • | You Don't See Us | | • | Return To Innocence Lost | | • | Act Fore...The End? |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com's Best of 1999
They've long been hip-hop's best band, for whatever that's worth, and in their amazing live shows they've shown an ability to pay homage to the past and look to the future--all while living firmly in the now. But on Things Fall Apart, the Roots finally pull their promise and ability together, and the world's started to pay attention. --Randy Silver
Amazon.com
Very few hip-hop groups make it to their fourth full-length recording, and perhaps only the Roots have made it to that level while still ascending. Although lyrical and musical vision is sorely lacking from most hip-hop (as Puff and Master P have proved, vision isn't necessary to bum-rush the mainstream goldmine), such qualities are cornerstones of the Roots' music. Their second recording, 1995's Do You Want More?!!!??!, and its follow-up, 1996's Illadelph Halflife, intelligently linked hip-hop to its musical forebears funk and jazz, and their lyrics provided unique, postnationalist hip-hop critiques. On Things Fall Apart (named for the Chinua Achebe novel) the sextet takes on a more somber tone, but at no cost to their musical innovations. "If we had to depend on black people to eat, we'd starve to death," says Denzel Washington, sampled from Mo' Better Blues, at the outset of the recording. It's not self-pity--rather, the group frequently returns to the theme of how many African Americans confuse uniformity with unity. Musically, the group is at its best with guests like Mos Def and Talib Kweli from Black Star contributing some old-school fun and technique to "Double Trouble." Erykah Badu's supple vocals on "You Got Me" are offset by innovative percussion, including an organically developed jungle beat. At a point when most rappers are running on fumes, the Roots are synthesizing new ideas. --Martin Johnson
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| Customer Reviews: Read 228 more reviews...
 Their Exceptional And Their Most Popular Album (Rating: 9 out of 10- -4.5 stars) June 18, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Really can't add nothing new to what has already been said about this album. The Roots' 1999 album Things Fall Apart is a very exceptional album. Black Thought and Malik B (and if you want to add Dice Raw) shine lyrically, and ?uestlove and Scott Storch shines with the production. Many people who has a hate towards mainstream saw this a breath of fresh air from artists like Jay-Z, Cash Money, and Ruff Ryders. Like many people, this was when I got into this band when they came out with "You Got Me" with Erykah Badu and Eve (from what I heard there was a version with the lesser known Jill Scott before MCA made them record it again), and the headbanger "The Next Movement". The guest appearances don't fail either. Mos Def and Black Thought go back and fourth on the classic "Double Trouble". Common Sense does his thing on the origonal version of "Act Too (The Love Of My Life)". Hell, even Beanie Sigel sounds fresh on "Adreline". Not to mention Ursula Rucker doing her spoken word at the end of the album.
Things Fall Apart is a great LP. I personally don't think it's their best (I personally find Illadelph Halflife to be their best), but I find it to be their most popular album that they have released. Fans of hip hop should already own this, as it gets better over time. Enjoy. Peace.
Lyrics: A+
Production: A
Guest Appearances: A-
Musical Vibes: A+
Top 5 Tracks:
1. Double Trouble (featuring Mos Def)
2. Act Too (Love Of My Life) [Origonal] (featuring Common)
3. The Next Movement
4. Step Into The Realm
5. Adrenaline (featuring Beanie Sigel)
Something else... May 9, 2008
So, after having been a fan for 2-3 years prior to this album's release...I end up buying this album as my first Roots album 9 years ago. Wow, did I miss out. But I am glad that I wised up and bought this album when I saw it at the Music Recyclery for only 7$. If you are like me and end up making this your first purchase, let me tell you that you will not be disappointed assuming that you appreciate true hip-hop where intelligent rhyming, cadence and great production are the centerpiece of the experience.
The album starts out in a way that will have you believing that you are about to experience some good ****, because they even tell you so: it is an excerpt from the intro of DYWM!?!!!?! which is a very apt way to kick off the album.
One of my favorites is the track "The Next Movement", which features a slightly eccentric beat which breaks at the end with 4 synth blasts of the same pitch and repeats throughout until coming to a point where it rolls with more synth and then back to the beginning. Nice.
"Act Too (Love of my life)" is probably what this album is all about. It can be considered "I used to love H.E.R. part 2" because the cameo appearance is by the man himself, Common, and the theme follows that of the song I mentioned: personification of hip-hop as a living breathing woman that has gone astray. On concept alone, this is worth a listen and then when you hear the beat, you're completely tuned in: it is a faint human haw-like voice in the background humming a 3 part tune which gives it such a perfectly hypnotic feel with a heavy bass and some precise rhythmic drums by ?uestlove. Simple and to the point but equally unforgettable (there's a reason that this song appears on the Beginners CD...)
The title track is on point, though I love the Jill Scott version even more (see The Roots Beginners vol 1). It is a soulful jazzy song with a very earthy feel to it. Nice and slow melody to groove to with your woman or man. You know how songs sometimes conjur up images? Well, I would picture myself walking with my wife down the block in autumn with the leaves turning different colors and falling all around us, a cool crisp bite in the air and her head on my shoulder as we walk slowly down the road. Ahem...getting off the sentimental tip, you have an idea of the smooth sound and easily listening that this track offers.
In all, just put the CD in and don't stop listening because it has a little something for everybody. This release is probably the most lyrically on point and mature of The Roots releases up until that point ('99-'00). Just do yourself a favor and cop it if you haven't already.
The Best November 5, 2007
Without a doubt, this is the Root's best album yet. All of the songs are on point, and Black Thought and Malik B have never sounded better. If you don't have this by now, put it in your cart immediately.
Favorite Track: Double Trouble
70 minutes of Philly Funk September 19, 2007
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
The Roots is one of those few groups that you can count on for consistency. They remain true to hip hop with gems like Aint Saying Nothin New and Step Into The Realm. The Next Movement and You Got Me(feat Erykah Badu and Eve) were great singles for the album and should have garnered them more sales than just a gold record. Malik B shines on his solo joint The Spark and the J Dilla(RIP)produced Dynamite is that vintage hip hop record where Black Thought and Malik rip it over one of J-Dilla's soulful beats. Double Trouble featuring Mos Def is another highlight on the album (and I like the way the beat breaks down)where both Black Thought and Mos Def shut it down disgracefully. Adrenaline which features Beanie Sigel(whose verse was fire)also stands out as a highlight track. Common joins in on Act Too(Love Of My Life)which not to be confused with a part 2 to I Used To Love H.E.R. As far as flaws go there are none. I cant recall skipping a track on here(just my opinion).
Bottom Line: The Roots do it again with this highlight album of 1999. the production flawless, the lyrics were on point and the concepts are nothing short of innovative. I think its time we gave ?uestlove his props as a producer. Sure he might come off as a weirdo to you but he still a damn good producer. Standout Tracks: THE NEXT MOVEMENT, THE SPARK, DYNAMITE, DOUBLE TROUBLE, ACT TOO(LOVE OF MY LIFE) 100% DUNDEE, ADRENALINE and YOU GOT ME. There is a bonus track...... WE KNOW!
 Still sprouting.... September 2, 2007
3 1/2
One of Rap's most (and only) consistently important groups, The Roots can be seen in this mid-career release assimilating many of their signature jazz-funk influences and infusing catchier, bouncier rhythms for their rhymes. Tinkering around certainly got the band some well known critical and financial success, but I would not consider this their strongest. Consistent? Certainly, though as mentioned the amount spent over coaster tracks featuring all too many over-thought choruses outweighs some of their more musically inspired passages (which is, after all why this group remains such an odd rarity and joy in hip hop).
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