Day 22: Why (What's Going On?)

What's going on people? By a round of applause how do you feel? Well today I've got something sure to burrow deep inside your ear, enter your prefrontal cortex, and lay seedlings, and sprout up from the surface. The Roots, Philly's own hip-hop band, have been educating fans and elevating the art of hip-hop since 1987. The most prominent members of The Roots are drummer ?uestlove (Questlove), and MC Black Thought. But they feature a full band boasting Vocal, Drums, Keyboards, Percussion, Guitar, Sousaphone, and Bass Guitar. A favorite amongst hip-hop heads, The Roots are adored and respected for their conscious lyrical content and delivery, as well as their skilled instrumentation. Though they have never reached superstar status in terms of record sales, their concerts are always quick to sell out and they recently took over as inhouse band for The Late Show With Jimmy Fallon. Rightfully, often reffered to as "The Legendary Roots Crew", The Roots are a shining example of how God intended hip-hop to sound.

Song: Why (What's Going On?)
Artist: The Roots
Album: The Tipping Point (2004)

A laidback tune from start to finish, track # 10 begins with the chorus: the title of the song being sung/asked over striking instrumentation. Black Thought earns your listening ear with top notch lyrics and delivery.

"It's far from right, I guess that's why it feels so wrong
To see the world get stripped out of every resource
And people pray to Coca-Cola now instead of the gods
What's goin' on?"

The music has a deep, rich quality to it that speaks to my soul. Make sure to follow the link to view the lyrics, they are well worth your while, especially if you're unfamiliar with this genre. Why is a poignant example of how hip-hop can educate.

Listen here!

Lyrics here.

For more of The Roots listen to Star/Pointro, Guns Are Drawn, You Got Me, and Break You Off.