Illadelph Halflife [PA] (CD - 1996)

The Roots: Rahzel "The Godfather Of Noyze" (vocals, various instruments); The Brother "?uestlove" ?uestion (vocals, keyboards, drums, percussion); Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter, Malik "M-Ill-itant" B. (vocals); Leonard Nelson "Hub" Hubbard (cello, keyboards, bass); Kamal (keyboards, sleigh bells).

Additional personnel: D'Angelo, Cassandra Wilson, Scratch, Angela Slates, Common, Amel Larrieux, Ursula Rucker, Dice Raw (vocals); Steve Coleman, Graham Haynes, Josh Roseman (horns); Scott Storch (keyboards); Julia Haines, Raphael Saadiq, Spanky, Tracey, Fatin, Lee Andrews, Bad Lieutenant, Kelo, Bahamadia, Dice Raw, M.A.R.S., David Murray, Q-tip, The Jazzyfatnastees.

Producers include: The Brother ?uestion, Kelo, Chaos, The Grand Negaz.

Principally recorded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Personnel: D'Angelo (vocals, guitar, Fender Rhodes piano, organ); Angela Slates, Rahzel, Black Thought, Cassandra Wilson (vocals); Julia Haines (harp); Hub (cello); Steve Coleman (saxophone); Graham Haynes (trumpet); Josh Roseman (trombone); Kamal (piano, sleigh bell); ?uestlove (keyboards, drums, kalimba); Brother Question (keyboards, drums); Scott Storch (keyboards); Raphael Saadiq (background vocals).

Audio Mixers: Kenny Eifle; Kenyatta Kelo Williams; Mel Lewis; ?uestlove; Richard Nichols; Tim Donovan; Black Thought; Bob Power; Chaos.

Audio Remixer: ?uestlove.

Recording information: ?uestions Halfway House, Philadelphia, PA; Battery Studios, New York, NY; Brilliant Studios, San Francisco, CA; Darp Studios, Atlanta, GA; Ivory Productions, Rm.1 & 3; Lotheflex's Dungeon, Philadelphia, PA; Nebula Sounds, Philadelphia, PA; Pookie Studios, Sacramento, CA; Sigma Sound Studios, Philadelphia, PA; Sonic Studios, Philadelphia, PA; Soundtrack Recording Studios, New York, NY.

Photographer: Michael Lavine.

Unknown Contributor Roles: David Murray; Dice Raw; Common Sense; M-ill-itant; M.A.R.S.; Lee Andrews; Malik B.; Q-Tip; Spanky; Bahamadia; Black Thought.

ILLADELPH HALFLIFE represents an advancement in hip-hop that has been a long time in the making. Like Gang Starr, A Tribe Called Quest and the Wu-Tang Clan, the Roots sought to widen hip-hop's scope with their debut album, DO YOU WANT MORE?!!!??!, which incorporated live instruments and a jazzy funk feel. Critics praised it, but the band's positive messages didn't quite get through to rap's core audience (nor, it should be noted, did the Fugees' the first time around). It was as if the band had started teaching before its students were listening.

With ILLADELPH HALFLIFE, the Roots have opted for a closer relationship with the boom-bap sound of true hip-hop, and they've managed to do so without letting go of the elements that made their debut special. Vocalists Black Thought and Malik B. still inject lyrical science into their rhymes, and here they're joined by fellow rap-educators Q-Tip (on "Ital"), Bahamadia ("Push Up Ya Lighter") and Common Sense ("UNIverse At War"). With ILLADELPH HALFLIFE, the Roots should finally make a very significant mark on the world of hip-hop. minimize